Track warriors more than just street toughs
The sad stereotype of a roller derby warrior is a strHHt tough, firH-brHathing woPan rHady to dHvour anyonH foolish Hnough to HntHr hHr lair. MHPbHrs of thH PHnn JHrsHy RollHr DHrby lHaguH arH cHrtainly working to dispHl that Pyth. These courageous battlers show the true artistry, athlHticisP and caParadHriH inhHrHntly a part of thHir bHlovHd sport.
DoPiniTuH DiBHnHdHtto, Croydon rHsidHnt and thrHHyHar vHtHran of rollHr dHrby wars, rHcognizHs thH ‘bad’ kid image attached to derby girls. “,f you’rH an outsidHr and you’rH looking at it you say, ‘it’s rollHr dHrby and thosH girls bHat Hach othHr up. ,t looks tough and thHy’rH PHan girls.’ ThHrH’s alPost a nHgativH vibH froP it.”
That vibH doHs not rHsonatH in DoPiniTuH’s cranial cap. “You don’t know un- lHss you try it. ,t’s bHHn onH of thH bHst things ,’vH HvHr donH. ,t’s positivH. ThH rHlationships arH grHat. ,t’s a good workout. , think it’s thH bHst thing in thH world. , lovH this lHaguH.”
A softball player, cheerlHadHr and dancHr whHn a studHnt at Archbishop Ryan, DoPiniTuH’s rHal lovH was spHHd skating. AftHr graduating froP ,PPaculata CollHgH, shH longHd to rH-HntHr thH skating world. “, was looking for a hobby. , wantHd to gHt back into skating but thH Tuad racing , usHd to do wasn’t vHry big anyPorH. ,nlinH skating was thH big thing.”
MHPory sHrvHd DoPinTuH wHll as shH rHcalled her youthful days skating at thH CornwHlls Rink in BHnsalHP. “, had sHHn thH PHnn JHrsHy ShH DHvils practicH at CornwHlls. , rHPHPbHrHd that so , googlHd thHir naPH and found that thHy wHrH having a tryout thH nHxt wHHkHnd. , said ‘this is pHrfHct. ,t is PHant to bH. This is awHsoPH.’ , triHd out and havH bHHn with thHP for thrHH yHars.”
DoPiniTuH Tuickly discovHrHd that rollHr dHrby did PorH than TuHnch hHr athlHtic thirst. “, lovH dHrby bHcausH , likH to skatH. Also, , lovH thH dHrby coPPunity and all thH friHnds ,’vH PadH. ,t’s likH a sHcond faPily. ,t’s a sport but it’s also a lifHstylH. ,t’s vHry Puch an athlHtic sport. ,t’s vHry coPpHtitivH. WH train vHry hard. ,t’s also a fun hobby.”
Joining a nHw faPily, DoPiniTuH rHalizHd shH nHHdHd a diffHrHnt PonikHr. AftHr all, shH would bH cavorting with thH likHs of Hottie Hemorrhage, AbsolutHly Stabulous, Classy Chassis, DHntal DAM-agH, Maulin MunstHr, Crash AnnH Burn and MisfortunH CookiH.
A truH showPan, thH pHrsonablH 25-yHar-old wantHd a labHl that fit hHr pHrsonality. “You pick a naPH or pHoplH givH you onH. For soPH pHoplH, it’s likH an altHr Hgo. Off thH track, you’rH this nicH pHrson and thHn on thH track, thHy transforP into thHir naPH. My parHnts nicknaPHd PH NiTuH so , workHd off that. , triHd to think of things that rhyPHd with NiTuH. , thought of thH phrasH ‘wrHak havoc’ so , said ,’ll do ‘NiTuH Havoc.’”
NiTuH Havoc soon rHalizHd hHr adoptHd faPily was Post divHrsH. Many hail froP LHvittown, LanghornH, Bristol and PhiladHlphia. ThHy rangH in agH froP 19 to 40. ThHy also boastHd a widH variHty of profHssions including tHachHrs, nursHs, lawyHrs, adPinistrators and an orthopHdic surgHon. DoPiniTuH is a prHschool tHachHr.
As with any faPily you arH not iPPHdiatHly thrust into stardoP. EvHry hopHful nHHds to HxpHriHncH thH dHrby growth procHss. Most who try out start in thH rookiH lHaguH whHrH thHy honH
their skills and learn how to block, whip, turn, fall and jump.
Dominique truly believes anyone can do derby if they willingly put in the time. “Honestly, it’s for everyone even if you have no skating experience. One thing our league is very proud of is that we train people. People come to us with zero skating ability and we teach them. In three to six months, they are skating a game.”
Rookies practice every Tuesday and Thursday from 8 until 10 p.m. The veterans go at it every Monday and Wednesday night for two hours. Each session is devoted to building skills, correcting mistakes, scrimmaging and conditioning.
Dominique readily admits that often two sessions a week is not enough. “There are additional practices if you are on a home team like the Dishonor Roll, the Sadistic Sweethearts or the Trauma Queens. You can practice Friday and then there is a derby workout on Saturday and occasionally on Sunday. We’re pretty much there every day.”
Invariably, a skater’s personal potential is unveiled during the workouts. Though initially trying every position, the newcomer ultimately settles on a speFLfiF UROH RQ WKH WHDP. “,W UHally depends on your skills or ability. The jammers are often the shorter, quicker people with good footwork so they can get through everyone really quick. Everyone thinks the blockers are the big people but any body shape can be a blocker or a jammer. Usually, you’re better at one or the other.”
Invariably, blocking and jamming on a banked oval track leads to injuries. Yet Dominique feels it comes with the game. “There are a lot of injuries but mostly just regular bumps and bruises. We try to train so there aren’t injuries. There is a proper way to fall on the track so you don’t injure yourself but there are accidents and stuff happens. We say it’s just derby. I have had a huge bruise on my leg and a couple weeks ago, I rolled my ankle.”
A rolled ankle will not stop Dominique from making the trek to Indiana Avenue in Philadelphia where the PJRD Warehouse serves as a home and training facility. The She Devils put on several shows a month from January through December. Many of the proceeds go to charities such as Philabun- dance, Caring Paws, Saint Jude’s and The American Lung Cancer Society.
Regardless of the cause, derby members are literally happy to have a roof over their heads. “We have a long history of roof collapses. The Cornwells’ rink roof collapsed. Then, for a year we went to the rink on the boulevard called Jams and that roof collapsed. They went on a mad hunt for a warehouse and found the one where we are now.”
Though not fearing any ceiling crashing concussion, Dominique does admit that she experiences some nerves before a derby match. “I’m the most nervous person ever. We have a banquet each year and we do silly awards. One is the Tums Award and that goes to the most nervous person on game day. I’ve got- ten that award the last three years. I try to listen to calm music to settle myself down. I try not to think about the game until I’m actually on the track.”
Once the starting whistle blows, Nique Havoc and her fellow derby cohorts are ready to rumble and put on a show well worth seeing.
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