BBRG blockers control bout, best ROCK
By Sunny Montgomery
The Fourth of July weekend is perhaps my favorite weekend of the year. It encompasses everything I love best about Lexington: the barbeques, the downtown festivities, the closing of the streets, all my friends in one place and of course, the excuse to start drinking at 11 o’clock in the morning. This year I added another event to my list of favorites: ROCK’s Saturday night bout against Covington’s Black-n-Bluegrass (BBRG).
I’d attended only one roller derby prior to this one. I remembered how frenzied I’d felt trying to keep up. But while ROCK’s style on the track is fast and strong, BBRG is known for their slow play. This means that when the pack begins to move, BBRG will not. The strategy is used to run down the clock. It is particularly advantageous when your team has the lead, which BBRG did for most of the bout. I could see frustration creasing the brow of Ragman, ROCK’s coach. I felt a little frustrated too. I missed the fast-paced drama of my first roller derby. But alas, Covington’s roller girls were formidable and they won the bout: 202 to 90.
Afterward I asked ROCK’s Meracle Whip if they’d beaten BBRG the last time but she couldn’t remember. [Editor’s Note: BBRG bested ROCK by a score of 167-113.] “They’re great girls,” she told me. “They invite ROCK for scrimmages all the time.” Later I learned that Coach T of BBRG used to coach ROCK in 2007.
Scrapes and bruises aside, there are no hard feelings. Every person involved in the roller derby is involved for love of the sport. They are all volunteers: the skaters, the referees, the jam timers and even Lexington’s beloved announcer, Bill Widener. At the end of every bout, both teams head to Buster’s after-party and celebrate together.
My mother asked if it would be appropriate for her to bring her twelve year old step-granddaughter to the next bout. “Of course it is,” I tell her. For the same reason that the Fourth of July weekend is my favorite weekend of the year, the roller derby is about community.
It is about having all your friends in one place.
When I wander downtown that following Monday for the parade and later for the fireworks, I will be proud to live in Lexington. And after a morning of Magners on ice, I too will have already forgotten who won and who lost last Saturday’s bout.
So let us look forward to the next one!
ROCK’s next bout will take place Saturday, July 30at Heritage Hall. Bout begins at 7. Doors open at 6.
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