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Contra Costa Marketplace - July 2015

are held at the Craneway Pavilion in Richmond. Average attendance is between 1,200-1,800 people. There’s a limited number of opportunities to catch a game—only 6 more events listed for the rest of the year—so be sure to plan ahead to catch a matchup. Your next chances are July 11th and August 8th, both at the Craneway Pavilion. “We produce the events ourselves,” said Chamberlain. “From the announcing to the event setup to the skating to the halftime entertainment—it’s all done on a volunteer basis.” It’s a community-oriented, nonprofit organization that also happens to be wildly entertaining. “It is a very unique event,” said Chamberlain. “It’s really exciting, it’s fast-paced, it’s not staged; we don’t know who’s going to win, we don’t know what’s going to happen.” While a lot of the efforts are volunteer based, the competitors take their positions very seriously. “These girls are incredible athletes,” said Chamberlain. “They train anywhere from 4-6 days a week; they work really hard to be really good at this crazy sport that we’re all in love with and it shows in our events. Our fans get really into it.” If by now you’re thinking of competing instead of just attending, a great way to get started is with B.A.D.’s Reckless Rollers program. It’s a way to get your skate-equipped foot in the door and it can qualify you to attend the yearly tryouts. At $10 or less per session, it’s great to even just have some fun, get some exercise, and experience a taste of the roller derby life without all the commitment. If you’d like to check out the rules before going to a game Chamberlain recommends simply Googling “rules of flat-track roller derby,” but she assures us that the commentary at the game will keep everyone on board. “As announcers, it’s a big part of our job to explain what’s happening on the track,” she said. “Explain the penalties, explain the strategies.” She’s confident that you’ll be able to understand what’s going on, even if it’s your first time at a game.” B.A.D. does have an all-star team that plays international games. They’ve yet to play in another country but they’ve competed against teams from Australia, London, Vancouver and more. In Chamberlain’s words, you should come support the Bay Area Derby Girls “to promote strong, athletic women and have a really good time while doing that. You should definitely come out and see what it’s all about.” In our words, well, we second Chamberlain’s. So call some friends and make some plans! It’s one of the fastest growing sports phenomenon in the greater Bay Area. For more details visit their website at bayareaderbygirls.com


Contra Costa Marketplace - July 2015
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