Mt. Clemens' Bath City Roller Girls Start the Year Off Right With Jan. 19 Bout

The new year is here and the ladies from the Bath City Roller Girls have one resolution: to play more roller derby.

Mt. Clemen’s own Bath City Roller Girls hit the track for the first time in 2013, .

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, teachers and even aerospace engineers.
• 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 Jan. 19 bout are $10 at the door and $8 at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/276633. Parking at Gibraltar is $2.

For more information on Bath City Roller Girls, visit www.bathcityrollergirls.com.

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

• Feb. 16: Bath City vs. Mitten Mavens
• March 16: Bath City vs. Chemical City
• March 23: Bath City vs. River Rats (AWAY)
• April 13: Bath City Home Game! Bathtub Betties vs. Devil Duckies