The future of roller derby; Seattle squad to face Valley skaters Sunday in Palmer

PALMER — Since the Su Sirens began skating seven years ago, they’ve been breaking barriers, bones, and milestones. The Su Sirens competed in the state’s first Junior Roller Derby Tournament in 2018 and will face the South Side Revolution, a squad based out of Seattle, Washington, on Sunday at the MTA Sports Center.

“Here in Alaska it’s different obviously, because it’s not as intense as it is Outside. But I wanted to bring a team here so they could play at that intensity level,” said Erika Bills, AKA Dolla Bills, the Sirens coach.

At 11 a.m. on Sunday, the Sirens, the Revolution and Cold’n Heart out of Fairbanks will skate in a trio of level three junior roller derby matches, marking the first time that a team from Outside has competed in the Last Frontier.

The Sirens started in 2012 skating halftime bouts during adult league roller derby action. More and more kids came out to skate, and the Sirens have 20 rostered players ranging from ages seven to 17. Level one junior roller derby is focused on the strategic aspects of moving the jammers through the blockers without contact. Level two features some contact, and level three is full contact junior roller derby. Charlene Johnson, AKA Cranbeary, serves as the head referee. Her daughter has been skating with Bills’ daughter for seven years. Bills’ daughter Mekenna will skate as one of the Su Sirens’ captains on Sunday alongside Lisa Adams. Adams will skate her last match as a member of the Su Sirens before she ages out of the junior program.

“Roller derby as a sport has evolved quite a bit from that big hits kind of mentality where the strategy is improving,” Cranbeary said. “Building that strategic mentality in juniors has really helped to make the game safer but certainly no less action packed. It’s still a very fast paced game.”

The thriving Sirens have been able to benefit area roller derby teams, as well as providing an avenue for long-term participation. Bills’ daughter is looking to attend college soon and hopes to have a roller derby team nearby to skate with. The Denali Destroyer Dolls and BoomTown Derby Dames both have benefitted from young skaters graduating from the juniors program ready to contribute to a fast growing sport.

“Roller derby is a great opportunity. It’s a little bit football, little bit chess and a little bit speed skating all rolled into one. It’s a very unique sport. It’s an extremely inclusive sport and that’s something that by nature from adults all the way through junior leagues, it’s a place for a lot of kids that feel like they don’t quite fit in. It’s a place for them to come together and be themselves and they can get out their aggressions,” Cranbeary said. “I think that’s really helped us to graduate quality skaters from the juniors program. When they age out at 17, they turn 18 they’re ready to play adult roller derby.”

Junior roller derby teams have sprouted in Anchorage and Fairbanks, but the Sirens have gotten anxious to play someone new. Bills said that the success of the program has resulted in some lopsided victories, and the Revolution will certainly offer fresh competition. Cold’n Heart and the Sirens will both play the Revolution before combining to play a bout with rosters from each team. The South Side Revolution recently returned from a national tournament in Florida where they faced off against some of the nation’s top teams. The Revolution boasts the largest junior roller derby team in the country with 100 rostered skaters, whereas the Sirens have 20. Only 12 will skate for each team, but the Revolution bring a pedigree of play to the state that has never been seen before. Bills said she attempted to contact more than 20 teams in hopes of bringing them to roll in Alaska, but most teams compete on the national circuit and want to play sanctioned teams. Junior roller derby in Alaska is not yet sanctioned, but the Revolution agreed to play anyway.

“There’s no right or wrong way to look or feel or play. It’s diverse. It doesn’t matter if you’re tall, skinny, long hair, short hair, it doesn’t matter. There’s a place for you on the team,” Bills said. “As long as they put their heart and soul into it they can make the minimum skills and enjoy the game.”

Bills and Cranbeary have been involved in the game almost as long as their daughters and enjoyed watching them grow up skating together.

“It’s kind of crazy to watch how some of these girls have grown from kind of babmi’s on skates to being hard hitting level 3 dertby girls,” Cranbeary said.

Contact Frontiersman reporter Tim Rockey at tim.rockey@frontiersman.com.