It's High Time for a Post About Roller Derby

First things first, you may be wondering WTF is Alsica? We (Jess and Kyrie) sometimes like to write posts collaboratively, but Blogger won't let us both be authors on a post. So we took parts of our names unused in our nicknames and created the blogging entity/silly beast called Alsica.

So, both of us play roller derby, a fact that we've alluded to in several previous posts. Friend/spouse/commenter Bill has suggested that we devote an entire post to derby, which we are all too willing to do. So, without any further ado, we present:

Reasons We Love the Shit Out of Roller Derby

1. It's all about the ladies. Women are far too often ignored and/or not taken seriously when it comes to sports. Roller derby, I think, is a good candidate for changing that. Though there are some men's and coed teams, derby is dominated by women. Most teams are amateur, so it's something that is truly created by women, for women.
2. This focus on women is particularly great if you work in a male-dominated field. Don't get us wrong, men are awesome. But it's important to have lady-friends, too, and derby provides them in spades. In fact, derby is responsible for bringing Jess and Kyrie together, and, by extension, for this blog's existence.
3. It's an opportunity to unleash your inner badass. There aren't a lot of socially acceptable ways to go around knocking people down.
4. On a related note, it's a great way to develop good sportsmanship. Women send each other flying across the track, and, unless it's a douchebag illegal move, there's no reason for anyone to get upset.
5. It builds positive body image. Constantly being around fit women of all shapes and sizes will rewire your brain regarding what's normal, healthy, and attractive. Finding out what you're physically capable of can boost your opinion of your own body, too.
6. It's something of an instant community. That is not to say that everyone is friends right away - that isn't the case. In any group of people, some will get along better than others. But you have a common set of goals within the team. And you can relate to other people who don't live near you on the basis of your shared love of roller derby.
7. It's kind of a queer subculture. That isn't to say that all derby players are queer - though many are. It also tends to be a queer-friendly crowd. But beyond that, it's a place where gender norms are shifted. There is no expectation that femininity means weakness or delicacy, or that they need men to tell them how to play their sport. Derby is queering athleticism in some ways.