Profile of formidable roller derby jammer Ava-Sk8trix in "Just Out"

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Rose City roller girls have heart and attitude



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When Ava first joined the league, there were only 35 members. Now there are nearly 100. Ava and the other Rose City Rollers are convinced that the sport will continue to grow.
During the season, bouts happen every five to six weeks. Each one costs in the neighborhood of $15,000 to produce. At first, members of the skater-owned, skater-managed league paid heavy dues to fund the bouts. They have since attracted business sponsors for the teams.

“The first was a risk…. But we all knew Portland would come out and support,” says Ava.

Portlanders proved them right. Nearly every bout of the first season sold out, mostly through word-of-mouth promotion and postering. The end-of-season championship drew approximately 3,000 people, and nearly 80 volunteers turned out to help.

Ava says the audience has a great time at bouts because the games are fast-paced and entertaining. But more than that, she thinks the crowd can feel the roller girls’ love of the sport, their unique “attitude and spirit and zest,” as well as the teammates’ connections to one another.

“It is so much more than a sport; it has become my community in a way,” says Ava, who describes her cohorts as the “most incredibly strong” women she has ever known. “I can’t imagine going to a high school reunion, but I could see wanting to go to a roller derby reunion. I love these girls. That’s part of what the crowd sees.”

[WCGreen]

1. You gotta love a strong woman in Knee Pads....

[Oeditpus Rex]

2. This one has Lounge potential

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3. You ain't seen nothin'.

You missed the wardrobe malfunction of Vominatrix.



Yes, that electrician's tape is one of her specialties.

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4. Derby love kick.