Kyira Franklin, left, races another jammer at the Live Free Skate Hard event at Exhibition Park on Nov. 9, 2019.
Lethbridge is sending six players to the Roller Derby World Cup next year.
Canada will send one female team and one open, or mixed gender, team to the tournament to held Aug. 15 and 16 in Regina.
“My expectation is a lot of hard teams to play against…It’s going to help our kids develop into much better national players,” said Caroline Reimer, one of the coaches for the national team.
The open and female teams scrimmaged in the Live Free Skate Hard event at Exhibition Park on Saturday, bringing in players from as far away as New Brunswick.
Roller derby is not a familiar sport to most people, according to Reimer.
One thing that stands out when speaking to the players is the emphasis on physical play.
“I like hitting people – the big hits – knocking them down,” said Madison Moore, one of the open team’s blockers.
Roller derby is played by two teams, each fielding five players at a time in the ring.
A player known as the jammer, identified by a star on their helmet, races around the track against the other team’s jammer.
As the jammers make their lap, the blockers prepare to stop the advance and help push their own jammer through the crowd.
Kyira Franklin is the jammer for the female team and got into the sport because her mom played it for years.
“I love the people and I just love hitting,” said the 13-year-old, who also goes by the roller derby name “Clawless,” adding she has never suffered a major injury.
Roller derby players do not body check or tackle as in contact sports such as hockey and football.
The opportunity for hitting comes when the opposing team’s jammer approaches the blockers, gaining a point for each one they pass. Hits come from the side, as jammers attempt to overcome the blockers, and cannot come from an elbow.
“My worst was when I fractured my collarbone. I was 11 and I went up against – I think she was 17 or 18 and she was pretty big – and I was pretty short,” said Moore, who goes by the nickname “M-dawg.”
Speed plays an important role, since the jammers race to become the lead jammer and rack up points. The lead jammer can also signal to the referee when they want the round, or “jam,” to end.
The third position in roller derby is the pivot. Pivots lead and organize the blockers in the team’s defense – they are also the only player who can take over for the jammer, if passed the star.
Auron Emard switches between jammer and blocker for the open team, preferring speed and maneuvering to hitting.
“I like dodging out of the way of people – hitting people sometimes. I’m not that good of a hitter,” said the 15-year-old, who got into the sport because his mom was an avid player.
Emard and the rest of the national team committed to attending three national team practices, to be held in Calgary and Regina, between now and the World Cup in 2020.
“Last year Team Canada took bronze, so maybe we can bring home silver this year,” said Jennifer Davis, another national team coach.