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Under my wheels
Kirstin Innes gets her skates on for a day's training with the Glasgow Roller Girls
istress Malicious meets me. as arranged. in the foyer ol' the sports centre. She‘s easy to spot: she's tall and elegant. with tattoos and bright scarlet hair. ()h. and she's on rollerskates.
I'm here to train with the Glasgow Rollergirls and learn about the women-only roller derby. which. with l4 leagues all over the
UK. is going through something ol~
a renaissance. It's really not your average team sport. First ol‘ all. the players look impressive. even just for a practise session. In the US. where it‘s now a televised sport. it‘s widely associated with alternative music. goth and punk scenes. The Glasgow Rollergirls wear eyeliner. stripy tights. and. in the case of ace ‘jammer‘ Troublegum. tartan rniniskirts.
Rollergirls also need proper names. Bubbly. excitable team captain Barbara Kerr. for example. rejoices in the title Sister Grimm.
‘lt’s a play on the Brothers Grimm.‘ she explains ‘because I write. Everyone picks their own — it's like an alternative personality that we adopt on track. I‘m a healthcare professional. so I spend my days picking people up and helping them along. and here I'm knocking folk down and doing my very best to hinder them.‘
Although there is an element of
showing off about roller derby. don’t think for a second that they‘re not taking it seriously.
COOL SPORTS
Baseball
It's not just rounders you know. Beyond its similarities. baseball is a game of skill, speed and tactics. Find out how by heading along to the Edinburgh Devils or the Glasgow Baseball Association, where beginners are always welcome.
See www.baseballscotland.com or call 0131 476 4458.
12 THE LIST 19 Feb-5 Mar 2009
THEY WEAR EYELINER,
ST RIPY TIGHTS AND TARTAN MINISKIRTS
Aussie rules football
With team names like The Bloods and The Bodysnatchers. some may be put off by this mix of rugby. football and no-holds barred violence. Don't worry. though, newcomers of all ages. skill levels and experience are always welcome. and with teams in Glasgow. Edinburgh and Aberdeen there's no excuse. See www.sartl.org.uk or call Andy Butler on 07919 092214.
'It is a proper sporl.‘ Mistress Malicious says. ‘lt‘s very e\citiltg. but we do train hard.‘
Games. or jams. are played in
two-minute bursts by two teams or
live. The 'packs‘ ol‘ l'our ‘blocker‘s‘.
travel up l'ront: the smaller. speedier ‘jammer's’ start l'rom behind. Their
Underwater hockey Underwater hockey. or OCIOUUSH. is as Simple and as fun as it sounds. and the Glasgow Underwater Hockey Club are always welcoming new members. Just head along to Nonh WoodSide Leiswe Centre on a Monday evening at 80m. All you need is your swrmsurt. and the first lesson's free. See glasgowoctopush.trioodcom
ROLLER DERBY
Equipment
Who should avoid it i ‘-
.'o .“,.‘ F) .04 J" ‘ o
Details E9
goal is to complete as many laps ol the track as possible; the blockers job is to stop them. Using hips and burns and shoulders.
liner‘gy is high and the pace is l‘r'enetic; play us do l'r'equently end up in the ‘sin bin' alter major penalities. but they’re very good at regulating themselves and /oom back into play as soon as their penalty time is sery ed.
Despite having been pretty good on skates 30 years ago. as an adult. I'm very wobbly and exceptionally gratcl’ul to be told that I won‘t be bouting today. Instead. sal'ely padded at knees. ankles. head and wrists. l‘rn given a crash course in. well. crashing. In such a last-paced sport it’s important to learn to la” sal'ely and I‘m impressed with my'sell' when l (spontaneously) manage what Sister Grimm describes as ‘a pretty good l‘our— point lall’: knees. legs and elbows tucked in (backside and personal dignity not so neat).
The Rollergirls have endless patience l‘or newcomers. and despite the l'erocity (it their on-pitch personalities. are welcoming. l‘riendly. and looking for new members. It could be you. ll. you don‘t mind the bruising.