Founded in 2011 and managed by Murder Ride and M Pyre Wrecker, Deadly Rival Roller Derby has long served as an empowering and fun outlet for women in Tampa Bay. It also happens to be the ONLY banked track roller derby league in Florida and the entire southeastern United States. The league mounted its banked track in April 2015, transitionING away from a flat track, at its home, The Slayground, 4033 35th Street North, and has rolled through the competition since. On Saturday, April 9 the group celebrates their one year anniversary with a special roller derby event. There will be a Team Orange vs Team Black match, and a special appearance from Mayor Rick Kriseman. The festivities begin at 6:30pm and costs just $12 at the door. You can also purchase advance tickets online.

The rules are simple:  contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short match ups (jams) in which both teams designate a jammer who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team. The teams attempt to hinder the opposing jammer while assisting their own jammer—in effect, playing both offense and defense simultaneously. The bout is played in two periods of thirty minutes. Scoring occurs during jams, which last up to two minutes. During a jam, points are scored when a jammer on a scoring pass (every pass a jammer makes through the pack after the initial pass) laps members of the opposing team.

Practices are open to the public and invite women from all over the area to lace up their skates and give the sport a try. For those who roll around the track month after month, the experience is nothing short of cathartic. The league is currently recruiting for the 2016 season (must be 18+). You don't need a history of skating or participating in roller derbies to be elligible. The women of Deadly Rival will train you and get you ready to be a part of one of the finest organizations in the Burg. Interested residents are invited to attend any of their practices, which take place Monday night at 8:15pm at The Slayground. Men are also invited to attend to train to be referees. 

*Photo by Josh DeSario

Over the last year they've also worked exhaustively to give back to the community. They've worked closely with CASA, Big Cat Rescue, Clothes to Kids and other St. Pete organizations to raise much needed funds.

If you want to know a little bit more about what you're in for before you roll onto the track we recommend you check out their gallery of their battle scars. Beyond the game, the roller derby events also feature local food trucks, beer, wine and raffles. 

Eariler in 2016, Deadly Rival was one of only four teams in the country selected to participate in a "Spring Fling" round-robin style tournament out in San Diego. “While I love hitting my teammates, I cannot wait to hit the skaters from these other teams!” said M. Pyre Wrecker, skater and league co-manager, “We’ve been training three, sometimes four days a week and while we still expect to get our butts kicked by these more experienced teams, we are simply honored to be included and will surely put up a fight!” 

Roller Derby fast-paced, high octane, hard hitting sport that commands your respect from the moment the game begins. For a full schedule of events happening this spring/summer click here.