Let battle begin

GEARED up, and psyched up, for Roller Derby.

roller derby

ERIN Joly is a graphic designer, and a mum, in her daily life. But when she pulls on her rollerskates she's Apollonia Thunderpussy, a super-sassy, take-no-prisoners warrior in the Sydney Roller Derby League.

That’s her sitting on the bench before a recent bout, with teammates Torture (centre), Trippy Longstockings (left) and Kitty Galore.

Don’t let those kooky pseudonyms give you the wrong idea: Roller Derby is hell on wheels. Two teams skate around an oval track, each with a designated “jammer” who scores points for her team by lapping members of the opposition. Brutal blocks, body-checks and pile-ups are par for the course. Such is the melee, seven referees adjudicate each bout. It’s not only about the biff, though: serious skill, athleticism and tactical nous are required at the top level.

The current revival of Roller Derby is a far cry from the ’70s, when it was a theatrical, faked-action spectacle for TV. These days the sport also goes hand-in-hand with a culture that embraces punk aesthetics and a big streak of gung-ho female empowerment. It’s a heady mix, and it obviously appeals: the Sydney league, which was set up in 2007, has doubled this season to four teams thanks to a big influx of new skaters (or “Fresh Meat”, as they’re officially known). Taking on a pseudonym is part of the initiation, and it sticks; most girls in the league have no idea what their fellow skaters’ real names are.

It’s the camaraderie of it all that Erin Joly loves. And also the deep satisfaction of sending an opponent flying with her favourite move, the “booty-block”. “The big hits are a lot of fun,” she says. It can sometimes spill over into real life, though. “When I go to brush my teeth at home, if my partner’s at the sink I’ll sometimes give him a little booty-block, without thinking, to make some space. And he’ll be like, ‘Whoah there, Thunderpussy...’”