Every time a cowbell rings a derby girl gets her wings.

Mandi Mayhem, always present and accounted for.

Saturday night saw the curtain come down on the 2007 Gem City Roller Girl’s second season. It was a bittersweet evening at best, due in no small part to the off track performances rather than the competitive action on the cement oval. Something was missing at last night’s bout and it wasn’t just Hannah Barbaric. The fans were ready for a celebration last night. The season record didn’t matter to us. Playoffs and championship trophies didn’t matter to us. Shucks, we didn’t really care if the Gem City Girls finished off the season with a win or not. The most important thing to us, the fans of Dayton, Ohio Roller Derby, was showing up for the finale of the season and showing a little love for a group of women who’ve become an important part of our local community family.

Saturday night should have been a celebration of some important victories for the Gem City Roller Girls. First off, you people have achieved something a lot of other sports organizations have failed to do; you survived a second season. That’s right, do you know how many baseball, football, wrestling and basketball leagues have folded up their camps without having completed one full season let alone two? That is a significant accomplishment and you should be very proud.

We're talking really "big" Roller Girl fans.

Last but not least, and I just don’t care what the final score indicates, you have given your fans the very thing you seem to feel you have failed at and that is winning roller derby. Yeah, I said “Winning Roller Derby”. You’ve won the hearts of those of us who have come out to see you play. We’re intelligent fans and we realize that building a winning team requires time and patience. As long as you’re busting your butts and playing hard you won’t hear us complaining. As a matter of fact, the very next bout you’re playing in and the only thing you’re feeling is frustration at the point total on the scoreboard, I want you to turn an ear towards the sidelines and give a listen. You’ll hear cheers, cowbells and shouts of encouragement and appreciation. You’ll hear the true sound of victory; fans who love you no matter what you do: win, lose or draw. We won’t quit on you even if fellow teammates do...

Hannah, you don’t leave people you love you without saying goodbye. You disappointed a lot of folks. One last skate was so much to ask?

Now, I want to hand out a little love to some of my favorite girls. Right now it’s just a tip of the hat, but I’ll find a way to give the “Diggler Award” a little more substance.

First Annual “Diggler” Awards

Not a pocket rocket...

“Never Say Cry Award”-Goes to Polly Rocket.

All I can say is I’ve seen women in "Jerry Springer" relationships who take less punishment on a bout by bout basis than Sweet Polly. It never ceases to amaze me the hits she’ll get up from and keep right on skating through the pack. When she starts wind milling that fist in the air it pumps the crowd up and you just can’t help but love her for her grit and determination.

Always putting a positive spin on things.

“Best face Forward Award”-Goes to Seoul Sister.

At every bout I’ve attended there is always one skater on the track long after everyone else is in the locker room. She always has something positive to say and I’ve ever heard her speak a negative word about anyone or anything associated with the sport of Roller Derby. She loves what she’s doing and she loves the fans who love the sport. Seoul Sister puts a wonderful face on the world of Roller Derby and represents everything good about the women who make it happen.

H-m-m-m... Would flambé be the right term here?

“Best Signature Move”-Goes to Cherry Tart.

Come on, when she lifts that skirt and flashes the “cherries” what’s not to love? Even when there’s nothing else to say she still says it all.

“Fan Favorite Award”-Goes to the Gem City Roller Girls who’ve stayed.

There is something just as important as winning and that is commitment and team loyalty. When the love of your fans is as important as victory on the oval you come away with something that will last long after the thrill of victory has perished. You come away with our respect and admiration. You girls should hold your heads high because you’ve shown your partners, your children and those of us who love to watch you skate that you are warriors in every sense of the word. You’ve shown us that you are equals and in some cases even better than equals. You are hometown heroes and we applaud your toughness, your determination and your accomplishments.

With that I declare the 2007 season a wrap. Thanks for the many wonderful memories and I hope to see all of you next season.

P.S.

I’ve still got a ton of photos to get through and I’ll be posting again within the next few days.

Keep checking back because you never know when the “Diggler” is going be in the mood to start handing out the good loving...

XXX
OOO