Cape Girardeau Roller Girls Start New Season With Recruiting
By Emily Sladek

The Gape Girardeau Roller Girls, or CGRG, are in the thick of another derby season. Fundraising has started; bouts are scheduled; and the league is ready to take on new members. Do you have what it takes to be found anywhere near the track? Maybe skating isn’t your cup of tea, so read on as there may be something else to interest you! February 6 and 13 from 6-9pm at AC Brase Arena, you can find out all you want to know about the league!
 
It takes a lot of guts to put on skates race around a track trying either to score points for your team or deter the other team from scoring their own points. It also takes a lot of sportsmanship, patience, and physical work. On the track, the skaters often seem ruthless and aggressive. Off the track, though, they are not so bad. You can catch them at events such as the Southeast Showcase, various parades, and more promptly at the Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge. Several of the team members are currently accepting donations to send them into Lake Boutin to raise money and awareness for the Special Olympic organization. Making their presence known is important to the League as it helps bring in even the least likely of derby spectators to enjoy the League's hard work and athleticism.
 
To be on skates, however, it’s not all about the knee socks and flashy tights. Without some stripes in the mix, bouts would be a disorganized tizzy of flying elbows, illegal blocking, and skater pile-ups (which often happen anyway!) Without further adieu, hats off to the referees who regulate and enforce the rules of the game, also known as "The Zebras." Seen going forward, backward, the wrong way and occasionally crashed to the ground (just because they have stripes doesn’t make them immune to gravity,) the referees have to follow every move the skaters make in order to call the game in all fairness. Knowing the rules inside out is most important to this herd.
 
Last but certainly not the least of all  one more very important group to mention are the non-skating officials, or NSOs, whom also fit into the zebra category. Who else is going to sell tickets at the door, or keep score so the winner can be determined? Without the dedicated NSOs, many aspects of the bouts would be left a mystery. Much of the behind-the-scenes stuff would go unfinished and the question of who had the most penalties in a bout unsettled. For many NSOs, being a part of roller derby is important, but due to physical limitations, time constraints, or other factors, being an NSO keeps them in the derby family and gives them a chance to help out the team in an important way. There is a need for new NSOs all the time, so don’t hesitate to try your hand at penalty tracking, score keeping, white board operations, among many other tasks.
 
There is much more to roller derby than skates and a clipboard. If you’re interested, check out the Fresh Meat nights offered in February. Show up for more information, and keep in mind that just showing up is not binding! Remember to bring your ID for age verification, a mouthguard if you intend to get on skates, and some gear if you have it! (If you don't have gear, there will be some for you to try out!) Perhaps you would just like to learn a little more about the sport, or maybe you’re looking to join. Either way, enjoy the opportunity to ask questions, take your chances on skates, and learn more than you ever knew possible about roller derby.

For more information, visit the CGRG website!