Norfolk roller derby celebrates 10th anniversary

Players jostle for position during the Green vs. White matchup at Scrimmapalooza, hosted March 28 by Norfolk County Roller Derby.

Lisa Timpf

Advocate Contributor

Tin or aluminum is listed at the traditional 10th anniversary gift.

But Norfolk County Roller Derby, founded in 2016, celebrated their 10th year of operation in a different way - by hosting a scrimmage roller derby tournament March 28 at the CIBC Auditorium in Simcoe.

In a scrimmage tournament, participants sign up as individuals, then are placed on teams, with an effort made to balance skills. Though scrimmage tournaments have been held elsewhere, hosting a scrimmage event in Simcoe is a first for the local roller derby organization.

‘Scrimmapalooza’ drew participants throughout the province, with athletes coming from North Bay, Sudbury, Niagara, Durham, Sault Ste. Marie, Hamilton, and other locales. In all, 120 skaters registered, and were assigned to one of eight teams.

Identified by their number and their “derby name,” which included monikers like ‘Trackula,’ ‘Big Green Fax Machine,’ and ‘Meemaw,’ skaters took to the track wearing helmets, elbow pads, and knee pads. As action heated up, the reason for the protection was evident. Roller derby involves a lot of pushing, shoving and jockeying for position, and spills are inevitable.

Scrimmapalooza offered a colourful environment, with the CIBC Auditorium decorated with a balloon archway. Merchandise and information tables offered a variety of items, and face-painting services were also available.

One of the vendors, ‘Thud,’ who also skates with the Norfolk Knockouts, was on hand with hand-made crocheted items including catnip toys, while ABEL Enterprises, a local PRIDE organization, and an equipment supplier also had a presence. 

Tony Zwicewicz of Rollerskatin.ca made the trip from Woodstock to set up his booth, where tape, roller skates, helmets, and other gear were available for purchase. Zwicewicz said he’s been roller skating recreationally all his life. He started selling roller skating equipment in 2006.

Zwicewicz noted that roller derby has become “super popular,” with teams “in almost every pocket of Ontario.” Though COVID provided a bit of a setback, the sport has been picking up again in the years since.

Though roller derby teams often play matches with other teams, the scrimmage format has its upside for skaters. ‘Witchy Woman,’ a skater from North Bay who made the long drive to Simcoe, said part of the appeal is “meeting new people.” 

Who you end up playing with, she noted, is the “luck of the draw,” and you can end up playing with skaters you have competed against. It’s fun on and off the track, she said. When asked what she finds appealing about roller derby itself, Witchy Woman said, “it’s fun, it’s physical, it’s fast, and it’s a community.” 

‘Nightmare,’ a member of the Norfolk County Roller Derby organization, noted that Scrimapalooza had spinoff benefits for the community. With skaters coming from all over Ontario, some opted to stay overnight in local accommodations.

Though some team-vs-team roller derby events have taken place on the multi-purpose floor of the Simcoe Recreation Centre, Nightmare noted skaters enjoyed skating on the rubberized flooring of the CIBC Auditorium, the venue for Scrimmapalooza.

“You can stop on a dime here,” she said. “Skaters prefer it.”

More information about Norfolk County Roller Derby’s coming events can be found on their Facebook and Instagram pages.