Atlanta Rollergirls!!

Yes, you read that right.  It's June 18th and I'm about to head to Atlanta for the roller derby!

Crazy, right?  You should see these girls skate while being tripped, elbowed, punched and blocked--it's insane!  I would never have been able to do this, even when I was young, and I think it's awesome that they can.

Dirty South All-Stars

It's not your mama's roller derby, with an inclined track and rails. These women skate on a flat surface without rails. Remember watching the men's and women's derby on black and white television when you were young?  (if you're as old as I am!)  They'd link arms and slingshot each other around the track.  You can't do that on a flat track, and no one goes head first over the rails, but they do travel to other places to compete, and tonight the Fort Myers team is coming to Atlanta.  I'm actually going to both bouts...Bout 1 is the Sake Tuyas vs the Toxic Shocks.  Yep.  That's what I said.

One particular derby girl, #1905, Regreta Garbo, skates for the Sake Tuyas, who is currently the only undefeated team of the four Atlanta teams.  She also rolls for the All-Star team that competes against the other traveling teams.  I've known her since she played basketball at the high school where I taught.  I'm going with one of her ex-high school teammates--we've gone a couple of other times--to cheer her on.

They hold these things at the Yaarab Shrine Center on Ponce.  You can buy food, non-alcoholic beverages, t-shirts and other souvenirs, and you can also BYOB!  If you want, you can browse the tables in the courtyard for jewelry, paintings, or other art while you listen to the band play between bouts.  There's something for (most) everyone, and the girls promise to put on a show you won't soon forget!