Friday, April 16, 2021

Recalling Pominatrix and the Windy City Rollers

As things start happening again, the Windy City Rollers jumped (or rolled) back onto my radar. The league is looking for a new home for their practices. I wrote more in depth about WCR's search for a new home at Catching Up With the Windy City Rollers for Global Women's Sports Radio.
The Windy City Rollers were co-founded by Elizabeth Gomez (aka Juanna Rumbel) and Kelly Quinn Mallozzi (does she have a fun roller name?) in 2004. 
The Rollers are the first flat-track Roller Derby league established in Chicago.  The all-female and non-binary folks league have four league teams that play within the league, as well as two travel leagues, an A and B team, that compete with other leagues around the world. WCR also hosts various clinics, including skating clinics. More than 1,000 skaters have represented WCR over the years.
As I have written previously, this roller derby isn't the televised roller derby I grew up watching. While it still retains fun names and some theatrics, it is a legit sport, complete with statistics and scoring. It is a bit confusing at first, but entertaining nonetheless. Eventually, I caught on to the scoring system and it became more fun. I still don't understand why they are called skaters and not rollers.
Pominatrix was one of the skaters at WCR. She has an impressive resume, including 2009 with the Haymarket Rioters, 2010 with Second Wind and 2010-2012 with Hell's Belles. She was also a staff member after that. 
Pominatrix was just one of example of the friendly folks at WCR. They are always happy to mingle with fans (even us annoying older reporter fans). It really is an all inclusive atmosphere. In that way, it is much like comic cons. Everyone fits in.
Go to WindyCityRollers.com for more info. Also, check the Windy City Rollers Facebook page for more frequent updates.
Pominatrix and me in Chicago, IL-February 2017.

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