The Rosebuds are Portland's junior derby team (ages 14-18), and I am one of their assistant coaches. These 17 girls blow me away. When we started the Rosebuds at the beginning of the summer, most of them could barely skate. They couldn't stop, they couldn't cross over on corners, and some of them had never even seen a roller derby bout before.
Fast forward a few short months, and they are representing Rose City in a National tournament. Sure, they didn't have to qualify like our travel team, the Wheels of Justice, who came oh-so so close(we're #9 now, the top 8 skate at Nationals). Yes, they still have a lot to learn, like pack awareness.
But it makes me proud to see them decked out in their awesome neon uniforms, skating as a team, actually playing roller derby. And just think where they'll be in another 6 months!
Day passes are still available if you want to come see them play tonight. They're playing both half times, once against the Eugene Gems and once in mixed Northwest junior derby scrimmage.
As a side note, Northwest Knockdown is going to be amazing. I was at the Expo last night, laying down Seattle's track. The stage and lights are all in place, there's a practice floor in the back, there's tons of space for vendors from all over the country, it truly will be the Kiss Rock Show of Roller Derby. I get butterflies in my stomach when I think about this weekend, and I'm not even playing.
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