The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
Catch the action at Jorgensen Park rink
by Than Acuff
If you haven’t realized it yet, the Gunnison Valley has a roller derby team and four years into the process, the Gunnison Valley Roller Girls (GVRG) continue to gain steam in the world of flat track roller derby.
The GVRG is ramping up for the big 2015 season and team co-founder Renee Newton points out that numbers have been strong at all practices.
“Everyone’s on board and numbers have been awesome,” says Newton. “We’re learning to skate as a team and are able to work on strategies and ideas and execute those.”
The GVRG headed to Alamosa a couple of weeks ago and came back with the first win in the team’s brief history, taking down the SLV Scarlet Rollers. They will now showcase their talents right here in the Gunnison Valley as they host a bout (that’s roller derby-speak for game) at the Jorgensen Events Center indoor rink on Saturday, May 30 at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5 p.m.
The bout is more of a display of flat track roller derby in what is called a “mixed scrimmage bout,” bringing in players from four different teams from Moab to Salida to compete together.
“It gives us a chance to work with more experienced girls from around the state,” explains Newton.
According to Newton, the GVRG will be split up to have team members on two separate teams, with visiting girls filling out the rosters.
“We really lucked out in that we’re getting a nice big group of girls coming so we’ll have two fully rostered teams,” says Newton.
In addition, the mixed format allows some of the more inexperienced GVRG athletes and local referees to get a bout under their belt without the pressure of a full-on match.
“It makes it a little less stressful, a little more low key,” says Newton.
Nevertheless, Newton points out, despite the “low key” atmosphere, once the whistle blows for the start of the bout, the action will be full on.
“We’ll still be going 100 percent,” assures Newton.
The bout will be held on the indoor rink with doors opening at 5 p.m. and the action starting at 6 p.m. The cost to get in is $5. Food has been donated by Tully’s and Gunnison Liquors will provide libations with a portion of the proceeds from the evening to be donated to Habitat for Humanity.
Newton looks for the team to work out a few more kinks at the mix-up before they host a rematch with the SLV Scarlet Rollers at Big Mine Ice Arena on Saturday, June 13.
“We just want to get some more practice in before we have another full bout,” says Newton.
