Julie Bertrand / Independent Reporter
Stettler’s nascent roller derby team participated in its first bout at a rookie rumble in Camrose on Saturday.
Four Rollergirls made the trip to the Edgeworth Centre to gain roller derby experience.
“It was really good. It was awesome,” said Stephanie LaRose Hadley, a member of the team.
“There were players from Cold Lake, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Calgary, Wetaskiwin, Camrose, Stettler and St. Albert. I think that’s about it.”
The rookie rumble organizers split everybody into a black team and a white.
“There were two Stettler players on each team,” said LaRose Hadley. “Two of us are benchmarked players.”
It was the first real roller derby game for the four players and they loved it.
“I got to skate over one of my teammates,” said LaRose Hadley.
In Camrose, the players also had the chance to meet other players from neighbouring leagues that are in the same position as the Rollergirls. .
“They have a few players that are benchmarked but not enough to make a team,” said LaRose Hadley.
“We are hoping to plan some scrimmages in the three communities so that we can get together and have not public games, but just practice games so that we can all gain some more experience.”
The Camrose bout gave ideas to the Rollergirls.
“We are hoping to host an event in Stettler on Sept. 24. It will also be an invitational game,” said LaRose Hadley.
“The teams will be made up of players from most likely all over Alberta.”
The Rollergirls want Stettler residents to have the chance to see roller derby. This way, the association might get new players and volunteers, too.
“When we have that game in September, we are also hoping to book some of the experienced coaches and nonskating officials to come down and run a clinic for new players and people who want to ref or volunteer,” said LaRose Hadley.
The Rollergirls hope to have another benchmark test on the same day so that new players can pass it.
“We have about nine new girls since our last benchmark,” said LaRose Hadley.
“Everybody is doing really well and we think some of the new girls will be ready to benchmark. “
Until then, LaRose-Hadley encourages people interested in becoming a roller derby player or in volunteering to contact the Heartland Rollergirls through their Facebook page.