AUSTIN, Texas — It’s been two years since Texas Roller Derby (TXRD) had a bout. Their last one was on Feb. 29, 2020.
The Leap Day bout was between the previous year’s champs, the Holy Rollers and the Cherry Bombs. The bout was close the entire time and came down to the final jam. The Cherry Bombs ended up winning by only one point.
“Everyone said it’s the best game they’d ever been to, and then the whole world shut down like a week later,” said Cherry Bombs skater Scrappy.
There isn’t much social distancing when it comes to roller derby. So, instead of having bouts, the skaters tried to fill the void by other means. Some turned to skating at the park, some built ramps to skate on. Texas Roller Derby looked to GoFundMe and Patreon to get funds to stay afloat without bouts.
Now, what they lovingly refer to as the "most entertaining sport in the world" returns. Saturday, Feb. 19, will be first bout for TXRD since Leap Day 2020. The bout will be available via livestream through Texas Roller Derby’s social media.
“It's just a really exciting feeling. It's a really fulfilling feeling and it feels like, you know, we're finally getting back to it. All the hard work that we put in over the last two years to keep our business afloat and to keep us keep the legacy of TXRD alive is finally coming to fruition,” said Cherry Bombs skater Zara Problem.
This year, the TXRD bouts will have themes and a mashup of teams, which means you won’t see your typical TXRD teams. Saturday’s theme is "Rough and Tumble." The livestream starts at 5:30 p.m. and the action starts at 6 p.m. Tickets to watch the livestream are $7.99.
PEOPLE ARE ALSO READING: