See a roller derby competition in Ottawa this summer

Travel News

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Wednesday, 23 May 2012 19:16

Boys are not the only ones who get involved in thrilling contact sports. The roller derby women in Canada often show they have the guts and talent  as they battle it out for first place glory. Travellers can check out all the action on their tours of Ottawa this summer while the season is in full swing.

Roller derby has been around since its inception at rinks in Chicago, Illinois in the 1930s. Players often don colourful uniforms and come up with sassy pseudonyms as they compete in teams of five on a circular rink. Each player has a role, including blockers, jammers, and a pivot, to score points and play defence.

Ottawa's league is called the Rideau Valley Roller Girls (RVRG), and they compete against other local teams. The two main groups are the Slaughter Daughters and the Riot Squad, and the travelling team is known as the Vixens. Thousands of fans attend these games to cheer on their friends and family while sometimes wearing their favourite team colours or emblems or wielding clever signs.

According to Metro News, the RVRG was recently honoured on apprentice level in the Women's Flat Track Derby Association, which is the leading league in the country for this kind of sport.

"It’s a challenging sport," said Leila Younis, who plays for the Slaughter Daughters as Dee Dee Tee, as quoted by the news source. "It’s very athletic and is something different and more exciting than more conventional sports."

There are four games scheduled for the summer that travellers can attend. Although the season kicked off around Mother's Day , there will be other monthly games in June, July and August. On June 16, the RVRG will participate in the Summer Shovin' Double Header at the Barbara Ann Scott Arena and roll against the South Simcoe Rebel Rollers of Barrie and the Luscious Lunch Ladies of London.

The crowds that watch often come from all different backgrounds, including mothers with children and baby boomers, so guests can feel comfortable bringing their little ones and older relatives to the games. Travellers attending these competitions can witness a unique and thrilling sport while enjoying their holiday in Canada's capital.