The Red Stick Roller Derby team is completing its inaugural season, which began on Jan. 17 at the Baton Rouge River Center. And the team is coming off a victory last weekend in Auburn. Mary Koehler, psychology senior and co-founder of the team, said the victory last weekend was a big step for the team. “I know a lot of people were excited to hear that we beat Auburn at Auburn,” Koehler said.Koehler founded the first women’s roller derby here in Baton Rouge in summer 2007.Koehler said she was interested in the sport after seeing the team in New Orleans and figured Baton Rouge would be a great place to start a new team. “Me and a friend got on MySpace and contacted females in our area in the same age group and invited them to come out and join us,” Koehler said. “We had about seven girls show up for our first practice, which was in July 2007.”Roller derby isn’t a new sport. The first games of roller derby were played back in the Depression era. But the new wave that has taken the country by storm is more contemporary and fitting to the times. Koehler said she’s really proud of the team’s progress.
“We have a 5-2 record, which is fantastic,” Koehler said. “We started in July of 2007, and our first match wasn’t until this January. The time we had to prepare really paid off.” Koehler said the inaugural season will end in September right before LSU football season starts. “We don’t want to ask people to pull away from LSU football games,” Koehler said. The team’s secret weapon, the Smearleaders, have also had a good season so far. Formed around the time the team got its actual start, the Smearleaders, dressed in roller derby-esque attire, have been providing original cheers and performing at halftime shows. Danielle Sears Vignes, theater senior, took the role of forming a group of supporters who would be at home bouts to cheer them on. Vignes, also known by her teammates as Dee Zasta, said she called upon people she knew who had performed on stage at the University or were cheerleaders in high school. “The men and women I chose were people I knew would bring excitement to the game,” Vignes said. “It was a great opportunity to form a structure of support for our team and at the same time bring a unique form of entertainment to Baton Rouge.” Vignes said she’s glad to have the Smearleaders on her side. “They are hysterical,” Vignes said. “There will always be a need for the Smearleaders on our team.” Vignes said the Smearleaders are a lot of fun but do need a few more committed individuals to join their cause. “Two of our Smearleaders will be leaving town at the end of the spring semester,” Vignes said. “We are openly recruiting, and there is no experience needed. Smearleaders just need a willingness to cheer our roller derby team on, possibly dress in outrageous clothing, and enjoy the nature of the spectacle.” The Red Stick Roller Derby team is looking forward to continued success this season and already has goals in mind for next season. Koehler said the team is hopeful to play a wider range of teams next season. “We are looking to bring teams from bigger leagues, teams who have been at it longer,” Koehler said. Koehler also said recruitment of new players is at the top of the list of goals for next season along with more home matches at the Baton Rouge River Center.”The River Center and the people have been fantastic so far,” Koehler said. “Hopefully, we can continue and play there more regularly, about one home bout a month.” Sigourney Morrison, fashion design senior, said playing on the team has been great. “It’s been really interesting to see the amount of progress we have made throughout the season,” she said. While Morrison is unsure if she’ll be a part of the team next year, she is hopeful next season the team will be bigger. “Right now my plan is to finish this season out and see what happens with school in the future,” Morrison said. “I would like it if next season we had enough members to have two teams. That way we could have intersquad matches.”Morrison also hopes matches could be scheduled ahead of time in future seasons, allowing better planning for events and school. “I hope we can book matches in advance and have everything scheduled before the season begins,” Morrison said. “That would save a lot of headache with school.” The next match for the Red Stick Roller Derby team is May 16 when they take on the Big Easy Rollergirls in New Orleans.—-Contact Joshua Chenier @ [email protected]