What do you want to be for Halloween? Adult women are answering that question with their choice of team names and uniforms, and it isn’t even October!Each derby team differentiates itself with its team name and corresponding uniform. Like the individual skaters’ names, the team names reveal a similarly violent or sexy image along with some tongue-in-cheek humor. The uniforms are a visual extension of the team name, further carrying the theme.
And stereotypes abound!
These are just a few examples of the growing number of teams around the country, and a description of thier uniforms:
Austin Roller Moms League
The Domestic Divas - June Cleaver Gone Bad, 50's- style mamas, pink bowling shirts & hotpants
Texas Roller Girls League
The Hell Marys - Naughty Catholic schoolgirls in black & red plaid
Arizona Derby Dames League
The Bombshells - 1940’s pin-up girls & WWII bomber girls
B.ay A.rea D.erby Girls League
The San Francisco Shevil Dead - Army of skating zombies
Minnesota Roller Girls League
The Garda Belts - Irish cops
Dominion Derby Girls League
The Dirty Diesel Darlins - Sweet southern “shine- runnin” gas station attendents
Boston Derby Dames League
The Nutcrackers - Ballet school rejects in black & pink tutus
From gangsters (Split Lip Sallies) to assassins (Double Crossers, Chicago) to pirate wenches (Surly Girlies, AZ) to geishas (my favorite – the Sake Tuyas, Atlanta) to cave girls (Neander Dolls, NV) to nuns (Sisters of No Mercy, Salt Lake) to cowgirls (Honkey Tonk Heartbreakers, TX) and outlaws (Saddletramps, Tucson) … everybody’s dressing up!
Here in Pittsburgh, we have:
- The Bitch Doctors, “curse-weilding voo-doo dolls in black, white and red”
- The Hot Metal Hellions, “futuristic replicant assassins (Blade Runner) in black, neon green & silver”
- The Slumber Party Slashers, “horror movie-style bad girls with a thirst for murder in pink, purple and silver”
- The Wrecking Dolls, “blue-collar darlings of demolition in blue & orange”
Some names poke fun at themselves, like the Tru$t Fund Terror$ from LA, described as "rich bitch daddy's girls." I wonder ... do they wear tiaras?
And, groan! I can only imagine the uniforms of Harrisburg’s Nuclear Knockouts, who dress like “Three Mile Island workers.”
The names may make you chuckle or groan, but if these characters show up at your door for a treat, better give it to them!
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For more images, visit Kat Deem's gallery of the Garden State Roller Girls
Team descriptions obtained from the National Registry
For more league names, visit Wikipedia or the Women's Flat Track Derby Association's growing list of members.
2 comments:
It is fascinating to see how the names and the uniforms seem to coincide.
I must admit that once again I am amazed at the creativity that is used in thinking up some of the names. Imagine what they could accomplish if they applied that creativity to other avenues like art or literature. Perhaps they will someday: surely there will be books written about the sport, in which the players are interviewed.
With the exception of the nuclear knockouts (the idea seems to be slightly disturbing to me), some of these are really interesting.
My daughter recommended two books on the subject, although I cannot personally vouch for them. They are:
"Rollergirl: Totally True Tales from the Track" by Melissa Joulwan, and
"Roller Derby: The History and All-Girl Revival of the Greatest Sport on Wheels" by Catherine Mabe
If B&N carries them, check them out and tell us what you think.
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