Redneck Betties returning to their home track on Saturday

The Redneck Betties are set to open another season of roller derby in the Southwest when they host the Pile O’bones Derby Club on Saturday.

“I’m pretty excited about this year,” said veteran coach Vic Vega. “We’ve got a really good mix. We’ve got a few of the original Betties, a couple of them kicking around, and we’ve got two brand new skaters playing their first game ever as Redneck Betties on the weekend, so that’s very exciting for me. Then we have that core that has stuck around and we’re going to be strong this year.”

“I think we look really strong this year. Everyone has been working really hard,” added Redneck Betties stalwart Bellicose Blonde. “I was gone for a couple weeks and came back and was impressed with how much improvement there was in our cardio and a lot of different strategy. Our rookies are fitting in wonderfully.”

“As usual there’s always lots of work that goes into the start of the season,” said Bellicose Blonde. “Obviously there’s the work on the track that goes in, but then also the first game of the season is trying to get everyone on board and assign jobs and stuff, who’s going to do what to get everything up and going. We’ve just moved into the iplex on Thursday for the season with curling done, so we’re trying to get all of our stuff over there and our bleachers. It’s lots of work, but lots of help, lots of hands on deck, but it’s looking really good. Everyone is working really hard both on and off the track.”

The Betties expect a good battle with a familiar foe.

“It’s going to be a fun game,” said Vic Vega. “I would say both teams have got some really strong offense. They have got some really strong junior skaters that have now aged up and are now adults that have got a pretty good motor and they can go pretty strong. I have seen a couple names that I haven’t seen in Regina probably since pre-covid coming back and making their comeback on the track. It will be curious to see where they’re at with their first games back.”

“I think both teams’ offense could pretty much match equally, but I think when it comes down to defense, I think that’s where we can take advantage and hopefully get the win,” the coach added.

The team tactics in roller derby seem to evolve each and every season.

“We had a good long offseason this year and it gave us a lot of time to watch what the top teams in the world are doing and say, ‘We can do that.’ I try and implement that into our strategies too. The game itself is still the same game, but yeah we’re always working hard in those offseasons to see what works from especially the teams down in the States, what they’re doing worldwide and how that can work into our games at our level as well,” explained Vic Vega.

The roller derby double header will begin with a junior bout between the Ra Ra Riots and the Bridge City Bruisers at 4:30 p.m. at the Innovationplex curling rink. The Redneck Betties will take the track at 7 p.m. against the Pile O’bones Derby Club.

Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for ages 12-17, and free for children 11 and under.

Bellicose Blonde has been a mainstay in the Betties line-up over the past 14 seasons.

“Just being back on the track with my team, it’s always exciting every season. I play a lot of derby elsewhere in the offseason, but nothing beats coming back on the track with my girls, so I’m pretty excited,” she said.