Part of the Fastest Growing Sport for Women in the Nation
By Lisa Morgan
“The first thing I ever learned in roller derby is to fall, and in the author world I believe that same rule applies.” author― Elizabeth J. Kolodziej
Roller Derby, one of the few sports largely exclusive to women, has become the fastest growing sport in America. Void of any other qualifications other than being able to skate, women across the country of all ages and backgrounds are finding more than just a recreational sport or physical activity; they are discovering life lessons, a powerful new camaraderie and self-image while entertaining the masses. Meet our desert’s newest group of 8 wheeled powerhouse beauties: The Bombshell Bettys
The Bombshell Bettys, founded by Lindsay Arthur (aka Toxic Rocket) and Laura Pina (aka General Gonzo), mark the second competitive roller derby league in the Coachella Valley reflective of roller derbies huge national and international growth and magnetic draw. “Every league has their own individuality; their own code of conduct,” shared Arthur. “We just had our own views of how we wanted to run this league.”
The popularity of this sport is not only due to the fact that this colorful, personality rich event is fun for the participants as well as the spectators, but is also a potential economic shot in the arm for sponsors and the community. The cities of Palm Desert and Cathedral City see the potential, and they are both working with the Bombshell Bettys to find an indoor arena. These lady athletes are not only equipped with charisma and athleticism, but also carry their own 300,000 liability insurance policy.
August 11th at 1 pm, the ladies will be hosting a Bombshell Bettys Bingo fundraiser at The 19th Hole in Palm Desert. There will be no cover charge, but they’ll be providing a lot of fun in exchange for a few bucks. They’ll be selling bingo books with 10 games for $20. Each round winner will receive a prize, the grand prize being a flat screen TV. This event is sure to be a lot of fun and will be an excellent opportunity to meet these ladies and find out more about the league that is bringing a national past time and potential revenue to our community.
These ladies work hard at what they do, meeting 4 days a week to craft their skills as a team, as well as on their own time. They have one meeting a week to review tapes of other team’s bouts, learning strategies, and helping the newer girls learn the rules. They hold practices 3 times a week at John Glenn Middle School in Palm Desert. Sunday practices are for the newer ladies, focused on teaching them how to scrimmage with Coach California Nightmare. On Tuesdays, Coach Lodi Dottie, who has been league skating for just under a decade, works on strategies, defensive and offensive moves such as “whips”, while Thursday’s are dedicated to endurance and muscle building.
“We are looking for space to skate,” shared Arthur as she addressed the team’s goals. “We are also looking for sponsors. There’s a lot of money in roller derby. Hundreds of people will come and watch this.” The historical and national data back her up on this. As early as the mid-1880’s the growing popularity of roller skating in the United States led to the formation of organized multi-day endurance races for cash prizes, as early as the mid-1880. Speed and endurance races continued to be held on both flat and banked tracks in the century’s first three decades. Spectators enjoyed the spills and falls of the skaters, and the term derby was used to refer to such races by 1922. In 1948, Roller Derby debuted on New York television, broadcasting well before television viewership was widespread. In 1989 RollerGames debuted. In 1999, Spike TV (TNN at the time) debuted RollerJam. Roller derby began its modern revival in the early 2000s as an all-female, woman-organized amateur sport. The revival initially began in Austin, Texas, and by August 2006 there were over 135 similar leagues. Leagues outside the U.S. also began forming in 2006, and international competition soon followed. There are over 1,200 amateur leagues worldwide in countries including, but not limited to, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Brazil, New Zealand, Germany, Belgium, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Singapore, Dubai and even Egypt, where all of the gear and equipment must be imported.
All facts considered, our local Bombshell Bettys are a worthwhile investment. These lady athletes come in all sizes, from all backgrounds and experience levels and are some beautiful examples of our communities finest:
Valerie Kattz “KattzScratch” (Radio/TV Personality/Voice Over Artist): “When I told people that I was going to do this, they all laughed. I passed my minimum skills test in February (you have to pass this in order to compete in official bouts). It was the most physical thing I’ve ever done. The minimum skills requirement test is a 2 hour test that includes doing 25 in 5 (25 laps in five minutes). That was the hardest part. I ended up doing 26 ½ laps in 5 minutes. I felt so accomplished afterward; I was very proud of myself. Being someone who’s never done anything physical or ever thinking of myself as a physically strong person, I never imagined doing anything athletic in my life. Doing it proved to me I’m physically strong and showed other people I was strong too. Everybody said I couldn’t do it, and I did it.”
Amy Douglas “Oxford Comet”: “I’ve been with the Bombshell Betty’s since late December. I saw the Facebook profile and I thought, ‘Yeah, that seems about right!’ I went out and met the girls, and they were so nice and so welcoming. Other than our owners, I’m one of the gals that have been here the longest, so I’ve been through our struggle to get space after getting kicked out of the park, raising money and other adversities. It’s nice to have been here from the beginning and see how hard everyone works to do something so worthwhile and important. What we are doing IS important: We are trying to create a group of women who can compete athletically and exist in a union together without succumbing to nastiness and back biting. Most people expect women to be catty and jealous when they get together and there is just none of that with this group of ladies. We all support each other, cheer each other on when we do something right, and help each other up when we fall, literally and figuratively. All of us seem to come from a place in our lives where we just needed this sisterhood. We found each other and I feel lucky to be around these classy, positive ladies on a regular basis.”
“Specifically, I can say that I love what the team and the sport has done for me as a woman. Since puberty, my clothing size has had two digits. I’ve always been a bigger gal (according to fashion standards) and in the past have seriously struggled with that. Roller derby has really improved how I feel about my body. Besides getting me into the best shape I’ve been in a while I have a new relationship with my body and my curves. My wide shoulders give me balance, my strong core gives me strength and my booty has become a weapon. I don’t really care about the size of my clothes or what the scale says. I know that what is on my bones now is an asset, and I see what it can do and I am proud. Roller Derby and the Bombshell Bettys gave me that!”
Ceci Lomeli “Coach California Nightmare”: “I joined the Bombshell Bettys on January 6th and I have met some incredible women since then. We are skaters, but we are also mothers, teachers, nurses, bankers, business owners, students, and radio personalities. I truly believe we represent the diversity of the Coachella Valley. We all share a common love for roller skating, for the game of roller derby and competition. These ladies were so encouraging from the beginning! I was immediately addicted. My favorite experience was when I was selected to be the assistant Coach by the league’s owners and head coaches. I am responsible for coaching our beginner skaters and helping them reach their goal of becoming an official member of the league’s first team. This is an incredible honor for me!
Veronica Garcia “Sexyfatnurse”: “The experience with the Betty’s has been really awesome! I started on March 8th, 2013 with NO SKATING EXPERIENCE! The Betty’s were extremely supportive from the beginning. I was never judged, made fun of, or discouraged at all. Everything I know about skating is because of the Betty’s! I’m a 28 year old medical assistant for an internal medicine doctor in La Quinta. As a child I was very athletic. Unfortunately, my parent’s made just enough for ends to meet so my sister and I weren’t blessed to be in any sports or do any extra curriculum. Roller derby has been a blessing to me. It has helped me with my insomnia, stress, depression, and weight! It has also helped me to be more adventurous, and to be more positive around others. I really encourage anyone who is interested in roller derby to DO IT! Give it a chance! I know it may sound scary, but if I can do it with no experience, anyone can do it! I can truly say I am blessed to have met my derby sisters!”
Laura Tolliver “Silent Slaughter”: When I showed up for the first time I was welcomed in with open arms. All of the girls were very friendly and helpful while I was learning how to skate all over again. I think our league is special because we’re not just about skating. We’re also getting involved with anti-bullying groups. Some of have been bullied or have seen our kids being bullied, and we want to help contribute to fight against it! Some of us are also volunteering our time to a cat shelter here in the valley to help with cat adoptions. My favorite experience was our recent scrimmage with our sister league in Yucca Valley! We had a lot of fun and learned a lot. What I love about our league is how different all of the girls are, but we all love to skate. We are all different ages, but we all get along and help each other to be better skaters!
For more information on Bombshell Betty’s visit their website psbombshellbettys.com or follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BombshellBettys
