Miner Minors: roller derby teens learn self-confidence, teamwork

It's an aggressive, full-contact sport with players hip-checking, elbowing, blocking and even tripping others to gain points for their team.

The junior roller derby team in Sudbury, the 'Minor Miners,' has been around for two years.

It started when the daughter of one of the members of the adult women's roller derby team wanted to play, too.

Scott Baldisera coached the junior team, and said he's been surprised how quickly the sport took off.

"A young teen of one of the adults here found out that down south they had junior roller derby, so she was interested in finding out if Nickel City Roller Derby would be interested in starting that," Baldisera said.

"So she took time to write out a long proposal and presented it to the board of directors. The board of directors loved the idea, so they ended up saying we're going to try this as a pilot project and see where we can go from there."

There are three levels of junior roller derby. Up until now the young team from Sudbury has been playing non-contact derby, but that will change in a few weeks when they compete in a level three bout.

15-year-old Willow Culgin, who goes by the name Bambi on the track, said the team is preparing for the more intense level of play.

"We've been practicing hitting a little bit and just jamming situations and situations that would happen on the track," Culgin said, "ones we've done before are no-contact. Level three [junior roller derby] is you can hip-check and shoulder-check."

But like other sports, it's not all about winning or losing. Parents have commented on changes in their daughters since joining the team.

Krista Reimer's 15-year old daughter Logan — or Loggie Skywalker on the track— said roller derby has helped her daughter feel confident about herself.

"There [are] girls from all walks of life, all different interests and they all come together as a team, no judging, no bullying," Reimer said.

"Here you really have to work as a team," Reimer said, "there is not a hockey puck or a volley ball or a soccer ball that's going to make the points. It's a team player [who scores] and you have to help that team player through. I think it's the acceptance and the fact that you can be unique and it's embraced."

16-year-old Sage Turchan likes the acceptance. She said she can just be herself — or rather her derby persona, Slaughter Daughter.

"I wanted a place where I could do what I wanted to do and where I could express how I felt. I thought derby was a good place for that," Turchan said. "I think it has made me more confident about myself and my self esteem is better, I think."

The Nickel City junior derby's level three bout is set for August 20th at the Carmichael Arena in Sudbury, when they'll play a team from Alliston, Ont.

For those interested in learning about roller derby or taking it up there is a session called Fresh Meat planned for August 24th. That will take place at their training site, the Sudbury Events Centre at 19 Regent Street (the old Mine Mill hall).

Morning North6:03Junior girls roller derby team in Sudbury

Sudbury has a junior girls roller derby team and they're preparing for their first full-contact bout in a few weeks. CBC's Angela Gemmill found out how the team has made a big impact on the girls.