Bath City Roller Girls to Raise Money for Detroit Dog Rescue at March Bout

Hopefully the luck of the Irish will be with Mt. Clemens’ own Bath City Roller Girls next weekend, when the ladies from BCRG take on Midland’s own Chemical City Derby Girls.

Bath City will face Chemical City at the Gibraltar Trade Center in Mt. Clemens at 8 p.m. March 16.

But if anyone is lucky this March, Bath City is hoping it’s the dogs at the Detroit Dog Rescue. Bath City will be partnering with the St. Clair Shores-based nonprofit this month, collecting dog food during the March bout.

Bring a bag of dog food to the bout and you’ll automatically be entered to win one of several fabulous gift baskets.  Plus, all money earned from the raffle goes back to the dog rescue.

So who is Bath City? The Bath City Roller are a local, skater-owned roller derby league based out of Mt. Clemens and include skaters from around Macomb County and Metro Detroit. Now in its third year, the league continues to grow and attract fans of all ages.

Never seen roller derby before? Well, what are you waiting for? Here’s a quick primer before you walk in the door:

• First, roller derby games are called “bouts.” Lady skaters (it’s girls only though the guys do coach and ref) wearing quad roller skates compete on a flat track.
• At any a given time, a team puts five players on the floor for “jams” — which can be as long as two minutes. One player from each team is the jammer, and it’s their job to break through the pack of blockers to score points.
• The hits are hard, real and may result in a roller girl sliding into the audience.
• Confused as to who “Jacklyn Ripper” is? All skaters adopt a derby name upon joining the league, and they often personify their alternate egos.
• Derby girls don’t fit any stereotypes. The Bath City Roller Girls skate with hair dressers, journalists, students, PTA moms, wedding planners and teachers.
• This isn’t your grandma’s roller derby. According to the sport’s governing body, the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), the flat track version of the sport evolved in 2001, with more than 400 leagues worldwide.

The ladies skating with Bath City Roller Girls skate because they love it; they’re true athletes who work hard to create a sporting and entertainment experience like no other. The ladies of roller derby encompass the true DIY spirit — taking leadership roles in the league, organizing bouts and tournaments and coaching each other.

Combined with the dozens of small roller derby leagues across Michigan, it’s no wonder roller derby is the fastest-growing sport in America.

Tickets for the March 16 bout are $10 at the door and $8 at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/328107. Parking at Gibraltar is $2.

For more information on Bath City Roller Girls, visit www.bathcityrollergirls.com. Like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/pages/Bath-City-Roller-Girls) or follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/BCRollerGirls)

More dates during Bath City’s 2012-13 season:

• April 13: Bath City Home Game! Bathtub Betties vs. Devil Duckies
• April 20: Bath City vs. River Rats Roller Derby
• June 8: Bath City vs. Small Town Outlaws
• Aug. 17: Bath City vs. Traverse City Cherry Bombs