Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, Whip It, tells the story of a rebellious Texas teen (Ellen Page of Juno fame) who trades in her beauty pageant life for the rough and rowdy world of roller derby. I have really wanted to see this movie for quite some time but I have yet to get that chance. I still wanted to give my fabulous readers a review and I figured out a great way to do so. I decided that I should talk to some people who know a thing or two about the world of roller derby, so I enlisted the help of some real life roller girls from the Texas Rollergirls Recreational League, the Rec-n-Rollerderby in Austin, Texas . The Texas Rec -N-Rollerderby league is an athletic and social organization formed to give all women the opportunity to learn and play the sport of Flat Track Roller Derby. I was fortunate enough to get to speak with three fabulous and fierce skaters. In derby it is all about having a killer name and these ladies have it covered! I spoke with Penny Pistol, Dottie Karate, and MamaKazie. Here is what they had to say about derby and the movie Whip It.
Encore: What position do you play in derby?
Penny Pistol: Blocker and sometimes Pivot
Dottie Karate: Pivot jammer blocker
Mamakazie: Blocker/occasional Pivot
Encore: Why did you get involved with rollerderby?
PP: I grew up playing all kinds of sports, and spent my teen years playing on a national championship select softball team which took up just about all of the time I wasn’t in school. I suppose I rebelled by shunning any type of athletic competition when I graduated high school. My senior year of college I found myself feeling really unfulfilled with a lot of things in my life and saw an ad for a derby bout in the Austin Chronicle and looked it up on line. I immediately became obsessed with the idea of becoming part of it. The next day I pawned some cd’s, drove to Austin, bought a pair of roller skates and a cheap set of pads, a friend gave me a helmet that they had used as part of their Halloween costume. I hadn’t skated since I was in second grade, but strapped the skates on and taught myself how to skate in parking garages around campus. I was extremely fortunate in the fact that about a week and a half later the Rec League formed and welcomed me with open arms. It was the most intimidating thing I’ve ever done, stepping into the rink with all these bad ass ladies when I could barely stay up on my skates, but it was also the best decision I have ever made!
DK: I went to the inaugural season Texas Rollergirls championship game and thought, “Oh I could SO get into that.” Skating, fighting, and dressing up… it was too good to be true!
MK: I started skating 6 weeks after my second child was born. The birth was so amazing and made me feel strong enough to do anything! I was looking for way to reconnect with my physical self that would keep that feeling going. Really, the last time I had experienced anything like it was when I would go rollerskating one night a week in middle school. Every other day of the week I was the chubby goth kid writing poetry in the corner, but on Thursday nights at C&N Skate Palace I felt like I could fly around the rink. I always carried that memory with me and was super excited to learn the sport of roller derby.
Encore: What was your initial reaction when you heard about the movie Whip it?
PP: I was pretty stoked when I heard they were making Whip-It. I think the old “any press is good press” stands true. Rollerderby has had such a huge positive impact on my life that I hoped it would open other women up to it too!
DK: It’s about time!
MK: Honestly, skepticism. I was afraid it would play up the theatrics of past incarnations of the sport, and that it would be total exploitative fluff. When I learned a bit more about who was directing it and which actors were attached to the project some of that skepticism faded.
Encore: Did you opinion change once you saw the film?
PP: It was great when I saw the movie. I got to see it with a bunch of my derby girls which was really fun. I went in with the expectation that it was going to be a cute, coming of age story with some derby mixed in and that’s what it pretty much is. I mean having chicks like Juliet Lewis and Kristin Wigg portray skaters was fun to see too.
DK: Not at all. I think we all experienced a collective sigh of relief when we found out that Drew Barrymore would be in charge of the first modern rollerderby movie. I love that she focused on having FUN while playing a super aggressive and highly competitive sport!
MK: Yes! I really enjoyed the movie. The version of roller derby played in the movie is really different from WFTDA level flat-track derby, but it was no where near as gimmick laden as I feared it would be. The story was really sweet, and it avoided an entirely formulaic ending.
Encore: What is one thing about the world of Roller Derby that you wish the film did or did not show?
PP: I wish it would have shown a little more the true life side of derby girls. First off it’s a huge time commitment, and people have careers, signifigant others, kids, etc. that they juggle to be able to play. That’s one of things that I respect so much about these women is the passion they have for derby. The dedication and sacrifice that so many people make to play can be really inspiring.
DK: Well obviously I think it should’ve been flat track! While banked track derby is amazing to behold, flat track derby I think truly captures the original Do It Yourself spirit of rollerderby. All you need is a flat surface (we’ve played on tennis courts, basketball courts, and in the streets!) and some skates and you’re on your way. Flat track derby is accessible, which is precisely why there are almost 400 leagues all over the world now!
MK: The film did not do an accurate job of capturing how intensely skaters train. Most of the skaters I know from competitive leagues are on skates at least five days a week, for hours at a time. They cross-train, they go to speed skate classes AND league/team practices. As a result, they are incredible athletes. And if I can cheat and add a second item: I wish the film had done a better job of representing the true diversity in size that can be found in roller derby. I can think of no other sport where a 5’2” 110 pound skater can share the track with a 6’ 200lb skater. It’s been really inspiring for me to see women of all sizes, from a huge age range, come together in this sport and I would love for the rest of world to get to see that women of all sizes can be serious athletes.
Encore: Why should other women get involved in Roller Derby?
PP: It’s a unique opportunity to be able to create an alter ego for yourself, you choose your name, make your costume and have the chance to become this other version of yourself for a little bit, it’s a really great outlet for women. I also feel that it is so empowering to be able to be competitive, aggressive and really physical with people and be encouraged and embraced for it. I mean really there’s not a ton of opportunities out there for women to be able to put on a pair of fishnets and hit other girls (legally of course) and not be objectified - but respected for it. I have met the most amazing women playing rollerderby and feel so lucky to be able to call them my friends.
DK: Because, really, why wouldn’t you? It’s fun, it’s a great workout, and it’s totally empowering! There’s this saying we have in derby: “Rollerderby means never having to say you’re sorry.” As in, I’m not sorry that I’m a strong, talented, bad ass woman that just knocked you DOWN. Every woman deserves to get to experience that feeling.
MK: This sport has introduced me to women aged 18—47 from all walks of life. We have rednecks, attachment-parenting devotees, professors, accountants, students, bartenders—it’s this crazy mix of women who might not ever cross-paths with each other if it weren’t for roller derby. This sport unites us in competition on the track and gives us an opportunity to become engaged with our community (through service projects) all in a business environment created and managed by skaters. The sport is fast, intense and FUN! I’m a parent to two small kids, I work full time as a university administrator and I’m in grad school—lacing up my skates and hitting my skate-sisters is the highlight of my week! Every woman should have the opportunity to play this sport and discover her community and herself.
