Seven Days: Vermont's Independent Voice

Roll ’Em

One of the few legitimate women-only full-contact sports, roller derby kicks butt. Now the Queen City has its own team of 20-odd tough girls keen on a form of sports entertainment that’s experiencing a grassroots revival. (Self-managed teams number nearly 70 nationwide, and Drew Barrymore’s derby flick Whip It is due out this summer.) After a year of practices, scrimmages and skate clinics, the Green Mountain Derby Dames are prepped for playtime. According to team member Kristin Ackerson — a.k.a. “Star Slayer” — the Champlain Valley Expo will host monthly home bouts through mid-May. The Dames roll out their first season with a Saturday match against the Bytown Blackhearts of Ottawa. Local indie-punks Drive the Hour and hip-hop collective VT Union provide the soundtrack, and those of age can grab a beer and cheer on the team’s “jammer” as she makes her way through the motley mob.