Central Michigan Mayhem: Roller derby team forgets day jobs for physical competition
During the day, Claire Kaisler spends her hours in an office or a courtroom with her job as a drunk driving defense lawyer. At night, she spends her hours on a track knocking other women off their skate-clad feet as her roller derby persona, "Juris KnockedHER."
The Claire resident and Mayhem vice president laces up her skates twice a week to play on the Central Michigan Mayhem roller derby team — a female flat-track roller derby team.
The Mayhem competed against the Lansing Mitten Mavens on June 11 at Spinning Wheels Arena in Mount Pleasant. The team lost 146-140.
"We were short two referees so a lot of the shots we saw weren't called," said Candice Roestel, nicknamed "Vex Machine." "But I love roller derby because my teammates are my family. I love them and they love me. The game is a lot of fun."
With an ambulance parked in the parking lot and EMT's standing by, the game started at 7:30 p.m.
Within the first 15 minutes, a Mayhem player was taken off on a stretcher after receiving a high-block from an opponent.
More than 50 people attended the bout. A brave few settled in the front row seats, nicknamed "suicide seats" because of the high risk of skaters falling in their laps.
"We played hard. Our player got injured and was taken away, so that fueled our fire," Roestel, 26, said.
Flat track roller derby is a fast-paced, full-contact team sport. Each team member must wear a helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards and a mouth guard.
Kaisler, who grew up playing sports, said roller derby is more physical than the other sports she’s played.
“Everything is fair game. If I’m trying to get past someone, it’s completely okay for them to try to knock me off my feet," she said. "It’s very mentally challenging in a way that’s different than any sport I’ve ever played. You have to be thinking the whole time.”
The game, referred to as a “bout”, starts with five skaters on each team on the oval track. Four girls play “blockers” and one girl is the “jammer”. The goal of the jammer is to score points by lapping as many players as possible. This team member wears a star on her helmet so the opposing team knows who to hit.
The blockers simultaneously play offense and defense by working to prevent the opposing team's jammer from getting through, while helping their team’s jammer get through the opposing team. The blockers stay in a line to prevent the jammers from getting through, but if the jammer succeeds, she must make a full lap before being able to score a point.
“I play blocker because I like to prevent the other team from scoring while also helping my own team succeed,” said Sara Potter, otherwise known as “Doctor Potter”, president of the Mayhems.
Nicknames are a tradition of the sport and are universally used throughout the teams. Players choose their own names and are often a play on words, an aspect of their personality or connected to their everyday job.
Players' nicknames are printed on their jerseys and they introduce themselves to other players with their chosen names.
“Nicknames allow us to create a persona for ourselves while playing that’s different than everyday life. We have girls who are lawyers, teachers, mothers,” Kaisler said. “But on the track, they can be whoever they want to be. It’s a sense of identity that you get to create for yourself that you don’t get in everyday life.”
The team ranges from women in their 20’s to their late 40’s. One Mayhem member recently just turned 50.
Kaisler said the age differences don’t translate onto the track. If someone hits her, no matter their age, she hits them back. It's that level of respect and understanding that caused her to fall in love with the game.
“We are one of the most friendly group of women I’ve met. We have different personalities, so they clash sometimes, but we are one of the most welcoming people I’ve ever met,” she said. “I felt like part of the team within the first few practices. We have women of all shapes, sizes, sexual orientations, religions. We welcome anyone, no matter what.”
The Mayhem’s bout season runs from September to June. Potter said the team is always accepting new skaters and referees. Those interested in learning more can access their website.
