It's Derby Time!!!

Oh no my friends...this isn't the Kentucky Derby...it's the Steel City Derby Demons! Pittsburgh's own all-female roller derby league.

The Steel City Derby Demons are made up of four teams: the Bitch Doctors, the Wreaking Dolls, the Slumber Party Slashers and the Hot Metal Hellions. So of course, it was only appropriate for myself and my friends, Rick & Sheri, to get out and support the Demons for a Saturday night roller derby rumble---heyoo! The battle was between the Slumber Party Slashers and the Hot Metal Hellions--let me say for the record that these have to be the toughest ladies in the 'Burgh!!!

I have seriously considered starting an amateur roller derby league, here in Pittsburgh, for those of us working in the child welfare & mental health fields--as a healthy stress reducer of course. Maybe this should be my next poll...should I begin a roller derby amateur league? To be continued on this on...

Here are a few photos from Saturday Night's Main Event--yee haw!

Here I am with my 16 oz. fountain Cola getting my hydrate on at the pre-derby festivities.

These are Sheri and Rick's, "kill'em, knock'em out, pull their hair" faces.

The start...let the games begin!!!!

Do I see pushing and roller tripping?

Here are the Hot Metal Hellions (Green) preventing the Slashers (purple) from passing and gaining points.

Here are the rules of the game, just in case you were curious...and I know you are!

Each 12- to 14-member team skates five players at a time. Each has one "jammer" -- identified by the stars on her helmet -- who starts out 20 feet behind the pack and can start scoring after she catches and laps them.

But she must get past the other team's three blockers and lead pivot (in the striped helmet), who work to impede her while helping their own jammer. After lapping the pack once, each jammer gets a point for every opponent she legally passes.

Breaking the rules -- elbowing, back-blocking -- can result in the assessment of minor penalties, four of which equal a major and penalty-box time.

The lead jammer can halt the shift of play, or jam, at her discretion; otherwise each jam lasts 2 minutes. An unlimited number of jams, with 20-second breaks in between, continue for a 20-minute period, and the game is broken into three of these periods, like hockey. If the score is tied at the hour's end, an overtime jam decides it.