Photo: Courtesy, Gold Coast Derby Grrls

By RYAN DIXON

Some of you may remember watching roller derby on TV, which, as you know, was all scripted for sports entertainment. The women of the Gold Coast Derby Grrls (GCDG) skate under the sanctions of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). They skate under a governing body and are a legitimate sport much like the NFL or NBA. The GCDG are in their apprentice stage with WFTDA, meaning that they have to show that they can meet the WFTDA national standards when having a bout, have sanctioned bouts, provide all paperwork required and show the sports womanship that is desired by the Association.

By doing so they will be allowed to officially join WFTDA and be eligible to become nationally ranked. The biggest thing they have to prove is that they can put on bouts the same way other teams in the Association can. Their last bout on Dec.11 saw the GCDG take on the Garden State Rollergirls.

Joining them for practice last Thursday, the GCDG gave the Agenda and insider’s look at what it takes and what it means to be a Derby Grrl. The new Grrls to the team have to go through several phases. First is Fresh Meat, where they learn the basics of skating and falling on the hardwood. Second is Rotten Meat, where the Grrls learn how to hit and the more strategic side and the game play of flat track derby. When the ladies are in those two stages they are called by their given names. Grrls who’ve earned their stripes get to choose their derby name and number. Two of the founding members have the two most interesting names: Carnivorous Licks and Freek-A-Rella. When asked what made them want to bring derby to South Florida, Licks said, “Freek and I have been here since 2007, almost four years now, and when a former member had a ‘Rally the Rollers,’ I was behind it 100 percent.” And as Licks said, four years later and the GCDG is going strong.

As said before, the GCDG are in the probationary phase with WFTDA. Their last bout before they become full members is on Jan. 8 versus the Tampa Tantrums. Unfortunately, due to a scheduling conflict, the bout will be closed to the public. But not to worry, the GCDG will be in action Feb. 12 facing Charlotte at the Fort Lauderdale War Memorial Auditorium in Holiday Park. North Carolina seems a long way to travel for a derby bout, but “they can come as far as they want for an ass-whooping, we don’t care,” says Freek. “If they want, we’ll go there too”. To warm up for the February bout, the GCDG will be hosting a Jell-O wrestling event at Churchills Pub, located at 5501 NE Second Ave., in Miami.

Not only do the Grrls want to promote their sport and grow their league, but they strive to promote giving back to their community as well. Their last bout in December was a fundraiser for Toys for Tots. The morning before the bout they also had a motorcycle run to benefit Toys for Tots and the week before there was another Jell-O wrestling event at Boston Johnny’s in Hollywood. The ladies also supported HIV awareness and other notable causes by skating in last year’s AIDS Walk, animal welfare and women’s empowerment projects.

The 2011 schedule for the GCDG is packed with bouts with in state and out of state opponents. Tickets for the upcoming bout in February can be purchased through Ticketmaster and by visiting  www.goldcoastderbygrrls.com.

For anyone interested in joining, there is an orientation on Feb. 6 at Gold Coast Roller Rink, located at 2604 S. Federal Highway, in Fort Lauderdale. Be sure to check out the CGDG’s website for a complete bout schedule and information on sponsoring the Grrls.