After yet another rousing home team victory at the Expo by the Calamity Janes over New Hampshire Roller Derby, Maine Roller Derby was thrown a significant curveball. Actually the curveball came a bit before that last bout, in the form of the Port Authorities' Pennsylvania-based opponents having to cancel on us at the last possible minute. This unfortunate occurrence led to a round of emails to roller derby leagues near and then far, desperately searching for another team to play. Unfortunately the short lead time meant that every team we contacted already had games booked or were otherwise indisposed.

Our options were coming down to canceling the date, which would have been a hassle and disappointing to both fans and skaters, or else putting together an all-Maine exhibition bout. This had its drawbacks as well, not the least of which being staffing the event. We're a DIY, skater-owned and #operated organization, so usually whichever team is not competing on game day does all the support work at the bout, from ticket-selling to merch table to being Bench Manager for the competing team. With all hands on deck for an all-Maine game, it becomes quite a resource-deprived situation.

But that's the beauty of our organization # we have been scrapping and scraping and pulling ourselves up by our skate-boot straps since we were meeting in local pizza joint 2.5 years ago trying to figure out how to create a roller derby league. Hence this obstacle was just another small bump in the road that we have overcome with sheer awesomeness (read: sweat, blood, tears, ulcers, and love). To wit:

This Saturday, those who find a seat at the Portland Expo are going to see arguably the most exciting roller derby bout since our spring season. Yes, I know, of course I'M going to say that, but let me tell you why it's true. MRD has taken the members of our two teams, the Calamity Janes and the Port Authorities, and mixed, matched, and mashed them into two totally bursting-with-talent teams for Saturday: Team Wicked vs Team Good. This is a one-time deal since MRD's two official teams are created to play opponents from other leagues, as they've been doing up to this point. But this Saturday you have a chance to see the highly competitive skaters of MRD challenge each other in a derby-lovefest of epic proportions.

You're going to see the likes of the Port Authorities' Punchy O'Guts and Lois Blow holding it down with the Calamity Janes' Fist City Kitty and Wrex Zilla. You'll not fail to notice the Authorities' Breezey and Patty O'Mean laying carnage on the track for Janes' jammers The Zipper and Itsy Bitsy Fighter to blast through. It's mayhem, it's madness, and yes I will say it…it's going to be wicked good.
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-Saturday, October 11th at the Portland Expo, 239 Park Ave.
-5 pm doors and band, 6 pm action
-Live performances by Full Contact Kitty & UpBeat Feet Dance Company.
-Donate goods at the door for the Animal Refuge League and receive $2 off adult ticket. See ARL website for list of needed items.