DETROIT ROLLER DERBY

On the seventh floor of Detroit's Masonic Temple exists a theater of war, a platform for pain, a destination for destruction… Detroit Roller Derby.

Roller derby has a long and storied history in Detroit, dating back to the 1930s. Back then, roller derby was a wildly popular spectator sport, drawing large crowds to the city's various arenas and stadiums.

One of the most famous teams from that period was the Detroit Devils, which was founded in 1948 and quickly became one of the most dominant teams in the sport. Led by star skater Ann Calvello, the Devils won numerous championships and helped to popularize the sport across the country.

In 1970, the indoor record for attendance at a derby was set at 19,507 souls at Madison Square Garden. However, by 1973, due to high overhead costs and a gas crisis that disrupted team travel, the league shut down. It wasn't until the early 2000s that roller derby began to experience a resurgence in popularity, thanks in large part to the efforts of grassroots organizations like Detroit Roller Derby.

Founded in 2005, Detroit Roller Derby quickly became one of the most successful and well-known roller derby leagues in the country, thanks in no small part to the attention brought on by the 2009 film, Whip It, which was shot in southeast Michigan and featured many local skaters.

The league's skaters, who adopt colorful nicknames like Biscuits n Crazy, Breaker’s Dozen, or Payne Gretzky, have won numerous championships and continue to push roller derby further into the mainstream

Today, roller derby is thriving in Detroit. During the season, Saturday night bouts see the drill hall of the Masonic filled with a beautiful collection of screaming, often costumed fans, fish nets, painted faces, and court-side clusters of young girls, many of whom can't wait to grow up and get in on the action themselves.

One of those girls might be the next Amelia Greco, a powerful skater who first learned to play after going to bouts as a kid. She talks about getting into the rink with the ladies she admired growing up in a recent radio piece on Stateside.

“It was just scary and so cool at the same time. It was often the case that I’d be running into a wall with people I’d watch and they would sign my bout programs. And I was like, ‘Oh my god, I have to hit you now.’”

Greco ended up finding what many of the skaters I met found in the sport, a true community, filled with friends that enjoy beating the shit out of each other.

“I just get to come and have fun with my friends and hang out with people that I would’ve never met otherwise. Some of my best friends are 20 years older than me. I think it’s just such a cool, unique thing. There's not really any other sports that are truly full-contact for female bodied people, and it's really a queer space. It's just a cool community.”

Although the official Detroit season is over, you have a chance to check out these badass skaters yourself on March 25th…

Maybe I will see you there!

-Niki

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