Roll On You Boys In Green: Irish Roller derby team does the nation proud
The soccer team refused to be rolled over and another Irish team is aiming to do ‘wheelie’ good on the international scene.
The All-Ireland Men's Roller Derby team played their first ever fixture on home soil defeating Scotland by 194-111 in a thrilling encounter at the home of the East Coast Cyclones in Co. Wicklow.
Last March, the fledgling and unranked Irish side knocked Germany out of the Roller Derby World Cup in Birmingham at the knockout stages, despite one of their best players suffering a leg break earlier in the competition. They eventually secured a top 10 finish in the tournament.
“We were happy to see the soccer team doing so well the other night by taking a leaf out of our book,” says Eoin Flynn – a ‘blocker’ and press officer for Irish team.
With the defeat of Scotland and an admirable showing on the world stage under their belts, the wheels have been set in motion for a sporting legacy that is set to gain momentum.
Roller derby is a sporting phenomenon that has increased in popularity with teams popping up all over Europe. Its roots are in 1930s America where the sport was quite prominent until a lull in the 1940s saw the game become more a form of entertainment than a sport.
However, a revival in the last decade has seen the game spill over from the States into Europe. The game is ideal for indoor arenas and great for improving fitness - making it a perfect past time in climates where winters can prohibit outdoor activities.
While the wider game is still female dominated, the men’s version has also enjoyed a similiar jolt. A national ladies team is well established in Ireland and the men’s game is also beginning to gain traction.
“The men’s game is still growing here with three local teams in Dublin, Limerick and Belfast,” says Eoin
“We play for the love of it, with the idea that someday this will be a much bigger sport than it is now,” he adds.
Matches are called bouts and each team has a squad of 14 players with five on the circular track at any one time - four blockers and one jammer. The jammer tries to break through the blockers and lap them. If successful, they score points for their team. The blockers try to hinder the opponent’s jammer and also make way for their own jammer to break through.
It appears quite simplistic but with different formations and strategies used by teams such as a ‘wall’ or ‘hip check’, there’s a lot more to it. There’s no kicking or punching allowed and all players wear full padding and gum shields.
“Some people have described the game as ‘rugby on skates’ but the best description I’ve heard of it is someone described it as ‘'speed chess, on skates, while someone throws chairs at you'. It’s fast and it’s very tactical,” says Eoin.
“The first time you watch roller derby it’s very hard to know what’s going on but as you learn the game you realise there’s a huge amount of tactics involved rather than just skating about and smashing somebody,” he adds.
The team is now looking toward the next world cup in 2016 and are looking to play friendlies to keep their blades sharp in the meantime.
“It was an honour to represent Ireland at the world cup. We’ve a great record of doing well in physical games and roller derby is certainly is one of them. We felt it was right that Ireland should be represented at the 2014 world cup and we’re hoping for an even stronger showing at the 2016 finals.”
More information on how you can get involved in Roller Derby can be found at the Irish Men’s Roller Derby Facebook page
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