WEBVTT 00:00:00.033 --> 00:00:04.866 [Crowd noise...whistle blows] 00:00:04.866 --> 00:00:07.199 Just as the competition season ends, 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.933 training for the Greater Toronto area 00:00:08.933 --> 00:00:10.799 roller girls begins. 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:13.833 In 2007, the GTA Roller Girls became 00:00:13.833 --> 00:00:14.933 Toronto's first 00:00:14.933 --> 00:00:17.199 not-for-profit flat track roller derby 00:00:17.200 --> 00:00:18.233 league. 00:00:18.233 --> 00:00:20.633 Creator Cynthia Brooks formed the league 00:00:20.633 --> 00:00:22.299 in hopes of finding a fun 00:00:22.300 --> 00:00:25.200 community building physical activity. "I 00:00:25.200 --> 00:00:25.900 wanted to do 00:00:25.900 --> 00:00:28.400 a good exercise but I don't love gyms 00:00:28.400 --> 00:00:30.066 too much. I find the machines kind of 00:00:30.066 --> 00:00:32.799 attack me. I never know how to work them 00:00:32.800 --> 00:00:33.200 so 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:35.433 I thought let's just start this. 00:00:35.433 --> 00:00:37.499 Experience is not necessary to join the 00:00:37.500 --> 00:00:38.233 league. 00:00:38.233 --> 00:00:40.399 Skaters of all skill levels are welcome 00:00:40.400 --> 00:00:42.866 from experts, to freshie beginners. 00:00:42.866 --> 00:00:44.466 "We actually have just started our 00:00:44.466 --> 00:00:45.999 freshies training program it's about an 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:47.500 eight to ten week program. 00:00:47.500 --> 00:00:50.066 We have two usually freshly intake days 00:00:50.066 --> 00:00:51.266 where you come in. 00:00:51.266 --> 00:00:53.099 We give you skates, you sign a waiver of 00:00:53.100 --> 00:00:55.200 course, uh, we give you some skates and 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:56.933 gear, and you try it out. So we teach you 00:00:56.933 --> 00:00:58.866 how to fall, how to skate, 00:00:58.866 --> 00:01:00.632 and then you learn to love it like we 00:01:00.633 --> 00:01:02.799 all do. Under the coaching of Kirk 00:01:02.800 --> 00:01:03.733 Narayan Singh. 00:01:03.733 --> 00:01:05.599 The Roller Girls have competed against 00:01:05.600 --> 00:01:06.933 teams across Canada 00:01:06.933 --> 00:01:09.333 and the United States. The league is 00:01:09.333 --> 00:01:10.933 divided into two teams - 00:01:10.933 --> 00:01:14.133 the G-stars and the Derby Debutants. 00:01:14.133 --> 00:01:16.299 Last December the Roller girls became an 00:01:16.300 --> 00:01:18.133 official member of the Women's Flat 00:01:18.133 --> 00:01:20.399 Track Derby Association. 00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:22.633 B;ocker Nikki Trombley believes that this 00:01:22.633 --> 00:01:23.666 change will motivate 00:01:23.666 --> 00:01:26.132 both teams. "All of our games are a lot 00:01:26.133 --> 00:01:27.433 more 00:01:27.433 --> 00:01:29.666 serious and competitive which is really 00:01:29.666 --> 00:01:30.632 exciting for us. 00:01:30.633 --> 00:01:32.933 So here's how it works - the game of 00:01:32.933 --> 00:01:35.033 roller derby is played between two teams 00:01:35.033 --> 00:01:37.833 of five for two half-hour periods. 00:01:37.833 --> 00:01:40.066 Each period is divided into segments of 00:01:40.066 --> 00:01:41.199 two minutes called 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:43.666 jams. On each team there are three 00:01:43.666 --> 00:01:44.466 blockers, 00:01:44.466 --> 00:01:47.999 one pivot and one jammer. The blockers in 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:48.533 the pivot 00:01:48.533 --> 00:01:50.633 form a pack and try to prevent the rival 00:01:50.633 --> 00:01:52.633 team's jammer from passing them 00:01:52.633 --> 00:01:54.299 while helping their own jammer break 00:01:54.300 --> 00:01:55.833 through the other team. 00:01:55.833 --> 00:01:58.133 Any body part above the mid thigh can be 00:01:58.133 --> 00:01:58.866 used to block 00:01:58.866 --> 00:02:01.432 except forearms elbows hands and the 00:02:01.433 --> 00:02:03.033 head. 00:02:03.033 --> 00:02:05.099 A point is scored each time a jammer 00:02:05.100 --> 00:02:07.600 surpasses the opposing team's pack. 00:02:07.600 --> 00:02:09.500 The team with the most points at the end 00:02:09.500 --> 00:02:11.266 of the hour wins. 00:02:11.266 --> 00:02:13.432 But to these women roller derby is far 00:02:13.433 --> 00:02:15.499 more than just another sport. 00:02:15.500 --> 00:02:17.433 Reasons for joining the league vary 00:02:17.433 --> 00:02:19.033 amongst the group of women. 00:02:19.033 --> 00:02:22.866 For Avatori it was self-exploration. 00:02:22.866 --> 00:02:24.799 "At the time I had actually just broken 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:26.633 up from a relationship 00:02:26.633 --> 00:02:29.499 and was feeling kind of funny about 00:02:29.500 --> 00:02:30.533 myself and 00:02:30.533 --> 00:02:32.533 not really knowing what I was doing. A 00:02:32.533 --> 00:02:33.833 The co-worker actually 00:02:33.833 --> 00:02:35.999 skates in a league in Barrie and she had 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:37.600 suggested that I come out to their fresh 00:02:37.600 --> 00:02:39.500 intake that we do here every year. 00:02:39.500 --> 00:02:42.800 And I put skates on and I fell in love 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:44.466 with it and I've never looked back. 00:02:44.466 --> 00:02:47.199 For sure. Meanwhile for Maria Catricella 00:02:47.200 --> 00:02:49.033 it was an outlet to let go of inner 00:02:49.033 --> 00:02:49.999 aggression. 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:51.500 "I like that I can hit people that was 00:02:51.500 --> 00:02:52.800 what drew me in because watching the 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:53.666 sport on TV 00:02:53.666 --> 00:02:55.899 was just people, just all out like 00:02:55.900 --> 00:02:57.433 hitting each other all over the place 00:02:57.433 --> 00:02:59.033 and that's what I wanted to do because 00:02:59.033 --> 00:02:59.999 there aren't really any other 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:02.800 sports that you can do that in. Since 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:03.666 joining the league 00:03:03.666 --> 00:03:06.232 Tori describes it as a second home. "It 00:03:06.233 --> 00:03:07.666 becomes a place where 00:03:07.666 --> 00:03:09.332 you come to to let the rest of the world 00:03:09.333 --> 00:03:11.666 kind of melt away and 00:03:11.666 --> 00:03:14.532 you become a person that you maybe don't 00:03:14.533 --> 00:03:15.833 necessarily feel like you can be in your 00:03:15.833 --> 00:03:16.866 everyday life." 00:03:16.866 --> 00:03:18.532 As soon as they step onto the roller 00:03:18.533 --> 00:03:20.466 rink, the roller girls take on new 00:03:20.466 --> 00:03:21.732 personas such as 00:03:21.733 --> 00:03:24.799 Tiny Tank, Cherry Blossom, Disgrace Jones, 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:26.133 and so on. 00:03:26.133 --> 00:03:28.233 Brooke's husband coach Narayan Singh 00:03:28.233 --> 00:03:31.033 created her alter ego, Splat Vinotar. 00:03:31.033 --> 00:03:32.866 "Because he knows I'm kind of klutzy he 00:03:32.866 --> 00:03:34.132 actually said that um 00:03:34.133 --> 00:03:35.599 maybe I shouldn't do derby because I was 00:03:35.600 --> 00:03:37.200 klutzy so that made me more determined 00:03:37.200 --> 00:03:38.133 and that's why 00:03:38.133 --> 00:03:40.933 I do this." Blocker, Sarah Bratmobile 00:03:40.933 --> 00:03:41.733 Seneschal 00:03:41.733 --> 00:03:44.799 based her name on her favorite superhero. 00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:48.133 "In derby we're kind of a big fan of puns 00:03:48.133 --> 00:03:50.699 uh, so I sort of went with that for 00:03:50.700 --> 00:03:51.600 bratmobile. 00:03:51.600 --> 00:03:54.466 I mean who doesn't love batman so I 00:03:54.466 --> 00:03:56.066 just counted the brat in there. 00:03:56.066 --> 00:03:57.999 Although the league is funded entirely 00:03:58.000 --> 00:03:59.200 by its members. 00:03:59.200 --> 00:04:01.500 The GTA Roller girls also give back to 00:04:01.500 --> 00:04:02.800 the community. 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:05.100 Past initiatives include work for Plan 00:04:05.100 --> 00:04:07.500 Canada and food banks in Toronto. 00:04:07.500 --> 00:04:08.800 I think that's one thing I love about 00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:10.133 this particular league is that there's a 00:04:10.133 --> 00:04:11.899 lot of outreach. As far as doing 00:04:11.900 --> 00:04:13.833 fundraising for other 00:04:13.833 --> 00:04:15.333 charitable organizations besides 00:04:15.333 --> 00:04:17.199 ourselves and I think that's really 00:04:17.200 --> 00:04:17.733 important. 00:04:17.733 --> 00:04:19.733 Tremblay also says that the role of 00:04:19.733 --> 00:04:21.899 girls hope to serve as role models to 00:04:21.900 --> 00:04:22.700 both women 00:04:22.700 --> 00:04:25.200 and children. "I think kids, especially 00:04:25.200 --> 00:04:26.633 Canadian kids grow up seeing that 00:04:26.633 --> 00:04:27.999 daddy's play hockey and that's 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:30.700 okay and people don't question that but 00:04:30.700 --> 00:04:32.000 as soon as they say well you're bringing 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:33.500 your kids to watch you play derby it's 00:04:33.500 --> 00:04:34.933 like what's the difference if daddy's 00:04:34.933 --> 00:04:36.066 playing hockey? 00:04:36.066 --> 00:04:38.066 Why can't mommy do something that's also 00:04:38.066 --> 00:04:39.499 very strong 00:04:39.500 --> 00:04:41.100 and uh and I think it's a it's a 00:04:41.100 --> 00:04:43.100 wonderful thing that I'm showing my kids. 00:04:43.100 --> 00:04:45.266 As for the future of the league, the GTA 00:04:45.266 --> 00:04:47.032 Roller girls are determined to make 00:04:47.033 --> 00:04:47.899 their mark. 00:04:47.900 --> 00:04:49.433 "We're just trying to see if we can get 00:04:49.433 --> 00:04:51.033 up in our ranking and 00:04:51.033 --> 00:04:53.433 play games and that's about it. We try to 00:04:53.433 --> 00:04:55.199 hopefully, maybe one day 00:04:55.200 --> 00:04:57.433 like to have our own building. That's the 00:04:57.433 --> 00:04:58.633 future. 00:04:58.633 --> 00:05:00.699 We are not going to give up and we're 00:05:00.700 --> 00:05:02.700 going to fight and you're going to 00:05:02.700 --> 00:05:05.600 be put through hell when you face us 00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:06.933 and, so I hope that one day we're 00:05:06.933 --> 00:05:10.233 a name that people here really respect. 00:05:10.233 --> 00:05:13.099 For sure. When it comes to the derby the 00:05:13.100 --> 00:05:14.466 GTA Roller Girls show 00:05:14.466 --> 00:05:16.632 no signs of slowing down. For Toronto 00:05:16.633 --> 00:05:22.066 Today, I'm Julianne San Antonio.