Gem City Roller Derby team faces Windy City Rollers in doubleheader this weekend

This weekend, Dayton’s own Gem City Roller Derby team will face the Windy City Rollers in a special doubleheader event at the Dayton Convention Center.

Gem City Roller Derby was founded in 2006 and has grown significantly in the time since. One of its traveling teams, Purple Reign, is ranked 19 out of 135 teams in the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association rankings.

Credit: Alex Perry

Credit: Alex Perry

Roller Derby is a game primarily played by women, and the Gem City Roller Derby team is no different. According to its website, the team “accepts skaters who identify as women, trans women, intersex women and/or gender expansive.”

While men are not able to join the team as players, the GCRD accepts people of any gender for refereeing and other positions.

According to the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association’s website, the game is played with two five-player teams. Over the course of two half-hour periods, or jams, the team attempts to score points with a player called a jammer.

A jam starts with each team’s jammer attempting to pass the other team’s players, known as blockers. The first jammer to pass all the blockers is called a “lead jammer.” The two jammers then earn a point for each subsequent opposing player they pass.

A jams ends after two minutes or whenever the lead jammer decides.

The game has many different rules and techniques, which can be found at rules.wftda.com.

Credit: Alex Perry

Credit: Alex Perry

The games start at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sept. 28. The doors to the venue will open at 4:30 p.m.

Tickets can be purchased online for a discounted rate or at the door.


How to go

What: Gem City Roller Derby vs the Windy City Rollers

When: 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sept. 28. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

Location: Dayton Convention Center: 22 E. Fifth St., Dayton

More info: gemcityrollerderby.com

About the Author