By Jessica Isaacs
More than 500 shouting fans showed up to ASU’s Holmes Center on Saturday to show support for the hard-hitting female athletes behind the Appalachian Rollergirls and to see the teams in action.
Team Captain Mallory Sadler, a.k.a. “Honey Boom Boom,” said the Rollergirls were excited to see such an enthusiastic group of folks show up for their final home bouts of the season.
“We had a really good crowd. They were so energetic the whole time and I got a lot of compliments from the Classic City girls on the intensity of our crowd,” Sadler said. “A lot of time they were rooting for anyone who was doing a good job, and they were totally in it the whole time.”
The ARG All-Stars, the group’s A team, had their work cut out for them in the night’s first bout against the Classic City Rollergirls from Athens, Georgia.
“We were really an underdog in our first bout versus Classic City,” Sadler said. “Everybody thought we would lose and we were ranked a lot lower than them, but we pulled out a good win.”
The Boone Shiners, the ARG’s B team, showed a lot of force in their bout against the Star City Rollergirls from Roanoke, Virginia.
“Our Bs held their own over a team that was tougher than we thought they would be,” she said. “They didn’t win, but they all really enjoyed themselves and put up a very good fight in that bout.”
There are no more home bouts left on the schedule for the Rollergirls, but you can still keep up with them! The remainder of their season has them traveling the region to take on other teams from the Carolinas.
They’ll face the Gate City Rollergirls in Greensboro on Sept. 12 and then head south to challenge the Greenville Derby Dames in South Carolina on Sept. 19. They’ll wrap up their season with an Oct. 24 bout in Raleigh against the Carolina Bootleggers.
Want to keep up with these forceful female athletes? Follow them on Facebook to see photos of girls on the road, keep up with their latest news and check on results from their upcoming bouts.
Can’t get enough of the Rollergirls? If you’re interested in joining the ranks of these dynamic ladies, you’re in luck. They’ll be hosting boot camp training sessions and open recruitment beginning in early October.
Don’t have any experience with roller derby? Don’t worry. If you’re enthusiastic and ready to work hard, the girls are ready to teach you all you need to know.
“Our group is made up of a little bit of everything. We have had girls who have already done a lot of team sports and are looking for the next thing,” Sadler said. “I came in with no sports ability whatsoever. I just wanted to make new friends and be a lot more active.
“We get college students and we get moms. You don’t even have to know how to skate — we’ll teach you.”
To learn more about the Appalachian Rollergirls or to get involved in boot camp, visit them online and follow them on Facebook.
Check out these photos from Saturday’s double header at the Holmes Center!
All photos courtesy of/by Terry Bruce.
The Appalachian All-Stars take on the Classic City Rollergirls:
The Boone Shiners take on the Star City Rollergirls:
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