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People: The Mason Dixon Roller Vixens
Mason Dixon Roller Vixens Vamp It Up While Reviving Roller Derby.
by Matt Edens + photos by Seth Freeman
• • •
Sporting
fishnet tights, a bruise or two and the occasional tattoo as they
circle the flat track of Turner’s Skate Palace in Hagerstown, the
Mason-Dixon Roller Vixens appear to be the sort of girls Mother always
warned you about. And the action on the track — packed with body
contact and the occasional elbow when the ref isn’t looking — furthers
the impression. “You find yourself kind of intimidated by them,” says
Travis McGaughlin of Hagerstown, a hardcore roller derby fan from the
moment he saw his first match almost three years ago in Baltimore.
“There were live bands and gals in crazy outfits with wild names.”
The
description applies equally to the scene at Turner’s. Punk bands play
between the bouts. There are plenty of plaid miniskirts, black nail
polish and the ever-present fishnets on display. And the Roller Vixen
roster features names such as “Stabitha Christie,” “RipHer Gore” and
“Bonnie Lass-Eration.”
PTA Moms on Wheels
First impressions,
however, can be deceiving, especially in the modern-day world of Roller
Derby. “It’s a group of women from the most diverse backgrounds,” says
Kristi Jacobs. A marketing manager and mother when she isn’t on skates,
Kristi is a prime example of how the woman behind the tights might just
be a neighbor, or a PTA member. “It’s a wide demographic, from around
22 years old to 41 years old — office workers, business owners, grad
students, homemakers, teachers,” says Travis, who also coaches the
team, skating the sidelines under the alias “Groper Cleavage.”
Dating
back to the Great Depression, the rules of Roller Derby are deceptively
simple. Each team fields five players: three blockers, one pivot and
one jammer. Points can only be scored by the jammer, who attempts to
skate through the pack and lap back around, earning points for each
opposing blocker passed.
There’s always been more than gameplay
behind the derby’s appeal, however. “It’s a little more flair than
sport,” says Hagerstown resident Jocelyn Bassler, an immunology
researcher who skates as “Skid Ho.” Like professional wrestling, Derby
gained a following more for theatrics than athletics. By the sixties,
the sport was a mainstay on the UHF margins of the TV dial. Audiences
eventually waned, however, and the original Derby died in 1973.
Subsequent attempts at a commercial revival all proved short-lived
until, at the start of a new century, a strange thing happened.
Grassroots Comeback
“We
have a very do-it-yourself attitude,” says Jocelyn, referring to the
scores of homegrown, amateur leagues that started springing up across
the country. A grassroots origin wasn’t the only thing separating the
new derby from the old days, either. Previous incarnations had been
predominantly co-ed, but today’s derby is female dominated. Embracing
the titillation of old school derby in a very self-aware and campy way,
leagues like the Roller Vixens combine flat-track skating with
third-wave feminism.
“I read this magazine called Bust,” says
Boonsboro native Jeni Heimbuch, describing her introduction to the
Derby. “They had an article in there about a team in Houston, and I
thought, ‘This is so cool. They look so strong and empowered.’”
Learning that a league was starting in Hagerstown, she quickly signed
up. Now the recent Hood graduate skates as Lucretia McEvil, a
nom-de-skate taken from the title of an old Blood, Sweat and Tears
song. “I have a theme song and I love it.”
Theatrics remain key
to Roller Derby’s attraction. “That’s very central to the Derby,” says
Jeni, “how they dress and how they present themselves.” And, of course,
what they call themselves. “There are some girls, I don’t know their
real names,” Kristi says. And each derby name is unique, part of a
national roster maintained by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association.
With gems such as Skid’n Nancy, Beatrix Slaughter and Frenzy Lohan
already taken, coming up with a name can be a challenge, says Kristi,
particularly one that captures the skater’s personality. “I’m a little
bit girlie and, then, a little bit not,” she says, explaining the
reasoning behind her alias: “Tinkerbelch.”
But the theatrics
extend only so far in a Derby bout. These ladies are serious
competitors. “You’re really taking the hits,” Kristi says. “When the
whistle blows, it’s real,” adds Travis. “It’s all about the
competition.” And, perhaps more importantly, it’s all about the
competitors — for a few laps, at least. “We can’t all be rock stars,”
explains Jeni. “Being a rockstar’s a full-time job. But Derby’s only
part-time.”
----
Mason Dixon Roller Vixens
Check
out these ladies of the rink first-hand. Visit
www.masondixonrollervixens.com for information on upcoming bouts and
becoming a roller girl. For more information about the national
organization, visit the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association at
www.wftda.org
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