Roller Derby Showcase
Roller Derby Showcase
Enchanted Mountain League collabs with Ellicottville’s indoor skatepark
There is no doubt about it - roller derby brings the heat! That’s what’s cooking next Friday at Daily City Train (DCT), Ellicottville’s exclusive indoor skatepark at 2 Bristol Lane (next door to Tim & Bonnie’s Pizza). If you’ve ever been curious about the sport, mark your calendars for February 7th at 6:00pm for the Enchanted Mountain Roller Derby Showcase during DCT’s regular ladies’ night skate.
In anticipation of this event, ellicottvilleNOW caught up with Jennifer Pavlock, sponsorship & dues chair and league secretary who goes by her derby name, “Belle of the Brawl.” We chatted about the event details and discussed what a “bout” is all about. Pavlock, a Cattaraugus native, now resides with her husband in Olean.
“I’ve been collaborating with the owners of Daily City Train, and we’ve decided to combine it with one of their ladies’ night late skate sessions,” said Pavlock “We’re going to be doing a meet and greet with some of our skaters and league members - come out and meet us, ask questions, anything that they want - and then we’re also going to be doing a couple of demonstrations.”
Coordinating the event with the league’s training team and the owners of DCT, Pavlock is devising a plan on how to use the skatepark. “We’ll take a few team members and show the basics of blocking and jamming, and just kind of explain the game altogether,” she said.
For those unfamiliar with roller derby, Pavlock explained that the game - or “bout” - is broken down into two 30-minute halves, which are further broken down into sessions of play called “jams,” lasting up to two minutes each. “During each jam, there are five players from each team out on the track at a time; four of them are blockers, and one of them is a jammer,” she said. Players wear helmets, knee pads, elbow pads, and skate on quads (four-wheel skates). “Our referees are allowed to use inlines if they choose to, but many of them don’t,” Pavlock continued.
The jammer, indicated by a star on her helmet, is the points earner for the team, explained Pavlock. “During gameplay, the blockers are playing offense and defense at the same time. They are both trying to block the other team’s jammer from getting through and earning points, as well as trying to assist their own jammer and trying to get them through so that the jammer can get points, and a point is earned by passing the hips of each opposing blocker, so you can earn up to four points on each scoring pass,” she stated.
What’s more, players can pick a “derby name,” although they have the option to skate under their own name, should they choose.
Founded in 2010 in Olean, the league slowed down a bit during the pandemic, according to Pavlock. Her team, the Hellbilly Heartbreakers, participates in 10 bouts a year, hosting five at home, and traveling for the rest. “Our home venue is the William O. Smith Rec Center in Olean,” she said. “We’re a non-profit organization; we partner with other local non-profits, so for each one of our home games, we donate 10% of our ticket sales to another non-profit in the community.”
Right now, the Hellbilly Heartbreakers are the only team in the Enchanted Mountain Roller Derby league, but Pavlock is hopeful that more league members will join and fill out the B team, known as the Allegheny River Rats.
Don’t miss the Hellbilly Heartbreakers’ season home opener on Saturday, April 19th at the Rec Center in Olean. “Doors open at 6:00pm, game starts at 6:30pm, play time is one hour, and there is an intermission as well, so it will be closer to an hour and a half, start to finish,” Pavlock said.
As for the showcase at Daily City Train, co-owner (and publisher of ellicottvilleNOW) Brenda Perks confirmed that “this event is for anyone who’s ever been interested or curious about roller derby - all genders, all ages. Even if you are not looking to join derby, you can still come out to enjoy meeting the athletes, asking questions, and learning what they are all about.”
The showcase takes place on Friday, February 7th at DCT at 6:00pm. There is no entry fee, however, donations are welcomed and any donations will be shared with the EMRD to support their organization’s operation costs. If you’d like to skate with the derby girls, bring your skates, or rent a pair at DCT. Skatebaords, scooters, and BMX rentals are also available.
“We’re all about bringing people together, whether they’re quad skating, skateboarding, on scooters, blades or BMX bikes,” said Perks. “Our park is designed so that no matter what your skill level - beginner or experienced - it’s a fun space to learn, grow, and progress. Being able to host groups like EMRD helps to showcase the culture and get more people involved.”
For more information on the event, find Daily City Train on Facebook or follow them on Instagram (@dailycitytrain.skate). Event details can also be found on their website at dctskate.com.