LIMESTONE, Maine — Members of the all-female Aroostook Roller Derby (ARD) started the new year with a scrimmage victory over the co-ed Katahdin Roller Kings (KRK) at 190-184 — a good game and a necessary learning experience for the two young teams.
Also, a whole lot of fun.
As the game concluded, a shouted question echoed from the Katahdin Roller Kings’ bench asking if they could all just keep playing.
Laughter, handshakes and even a few sweaty hugs followed.
“For the most part, we worked really well together,” said ARD’s spokesperson Barracuda Barbie of the Feb. 8 scrimmage at the Veterans’ Memorial Gymnasium in Limestone; she’s better known as Angela McCarty outside the rink, but both monikers have high expectations for her team’s win percentage this season.
“Our goal is 75 percent — it’s what we’re aiming for,” she said with a confident grin.
If the Aroostook Roller Derby members are confident, it’s because they’ve earned it though grit, sweat and hard work.
A year ago, now derby referee Pete Dobson was busy helping players simply adjust to life on eight wheels. Those skating students quickly gave him the derby name “Sensei.”
“The difference I’m seeing in these girls, from day one to now, is a difference between night and day,” Dobson said. “They all love it, they look for it, and I still constantly pick on them and try to improve their skills.”
A lifelong skater himself, Dobson’s too committed to assisting the ARD and refereeing to join a league himself, and he volunteers his time out of love for the sport.
“I’m happier in my skates, and a lot of the girls will tell you the same thing,” he added.
Derby does make the skaters happy, and enthusiasm for the sport is spanning genders.
Founder and coach of KRK Zach “Turbo” Van Dyne said that his team has always been co-ed, citing that males and females bring different — and advantageous — strengths and strategies to the sport. His team is in the early stages of development and players happily traveled north for a chance to scrimmage.
“It was low key, which was nice,” Van Dyne said.
The first bout of the year for ARD is slated to take place in Houlton; additional information about the league can be found by visiting the Aroostook Roller Derby Facebook page.
