A couple friends of ours, Larry and Keri Wilson, are very involved in the roller derby scene here in Billings. I see Keri at least once a week and she is always trying to get us to come to one of the bouts but I have either not had the time or just didn’t make the time to attend. Well, this Saturday we had no excuse not to go and considering that the tickets were very reasonably priced (and kids 12 and under got in free) we decided it was time to go and see what the fuss was all about.
Up until this point, what I knew about roller derby would fit on the back of a postage stamp, so I was most Grateful for Sue’s research into the subject so I wouldn’t be totally blind going into this. Through Sue’s research I was able to learn much about the sport, including history, when it started, its heyday, and its current status around the country. In the Billings area, the Roller Derby Dames partner up with a variety of non-profit organizations to help raise money and awareness for their respective causes. They also do a lot to promote healthy activities for young girls of all shapes and sizes. If you’re interested, check out Wikipedia’s entry on Roller Derby to learn more about this unique sport and be sure to follow the links to each team’s site in the following paragraph. I know Keri is always looking for more ways to get involved in the community (as well as for “fresh meat”) and would love to see you at one of the bouts or other promotional events.
After watching my first bout, two things immediately came to mind. First, it lasts MUCH longer than I first thought and second, it requires a lot of stamina and skill to do it well. We were fortunate to watch a bout between two evenly matched teams, the “Billings Roller Derby Dames” and the “Flathead Valley Roller Derby Big Mountain Misfits,” which ensured a great bout that was close right down to the end. The “Dames” ended up with a spectacular finish to pull off the win.
It was a lot of fun and despite the kids getting a little bored during half-time, we came away from the bout with a new appreciation for roller derby. We may even attend the next bout when the Dames are back in town. Thanks, Keri, for being persistent!
ISO 800, 150 mm, f/4.8, 1/20 sec
Oh, and one other thing… I learned the value of a big, fast lens! Out of the many photos I took, only a few turned out really worth keeping. You can see the ones I kept in the slide show below.