Most people remember their first time.
For Megan Pinfield that time came this past fall.
The North Vancouver mom had never played a contact sport before and had no idea what it would feel like to get hit by an opponent.
"The first time that really happened and I went flying, that was a bit of a shocker. But once you get the first one out of the way it's OK," she explains. "It doesn't seem as bad now even though sometimes it probably is worse than that first one. But the first one is always the one you remember."
Pinfield is a member of Riot Girls, one of four teams in the Terminal City Rollergirls roller derby league. She is new to the league this year after making it through the "fresh meat" training and getting drafted by her team.
If you haven't seen a recent roller derby bout, it's worth taking a look. There are many rules to the game, but the gist of it is simple. Two teams race around a flat oval track. One player from each team, known as the jammer, attempts to score points by lapping the opposing team's blockers.
Blockers try to stop jammers by hitting them with their shoulders or hips, and it's not unusual for players to wipe out because of it.
"It's a very physically demanding sport. It's full contact, and it's not staged, it's real. So when you get hit it hurts," explains Pinfield.
But there is an upside. "There's something about realizing that you can get knocked down over and over and over and keep getting back up," she says.
This Saturday, the league will host its season opener, a double-header at Kerrisdale Arena with Faster Pussycats facing off against Public Frenemy, and the Riot Girls versus Bad Reputations. Pinfield admits that Bad Reputations is a tough team to beat.
"It's going to be interesting. Every bout is different and it's so dependent on who's out on the line, who's in the penalty box, who plays what move, and you just never know what's going to happen. I think that's why it's so exciting."
Roller derby had its heyday in the 1970s and '80s, but is experiencing somewhat of a revival with leagues cropping up across North America in recent years.
In the past, it was known as much for its
theatrical elements as its rough contact. While cheeky costumes and names are still part of the fun, roller derby players take their sport seriously.
"This is a real sport," says Pinfield, whose derby name is Green Megs and Ham. "These women are athletes and they are working so incredibly hard for this."
And they have the wounds to show for it. Bruises, sprains and other maladies are par for the course.
"Nobody wants to get injured but I think we all kind of go into this knowing it's probably going to happen at some point," says Pinfield, adding with a laugh: "I think it's also a little bit of a badge of honour in derby to have big bruises."
With its combination of combat, costumes and a bit of kitsch thrown in, there is much to like about roller derby. For Pinfield, what piqued her interest in the beginning is different than what appeals to her now.
"I think in the beginning it was just the novelty of doing something on roller skates because I used to roller skate as a kid and thought it was fun," she explains. "But I think that it has shifted now for me. It's all about the people involved. It's just an amazing group of really smart, athletic, intelligent, intense women that are all working for the common goal of winning the bout."
This Saturday night, Pinfield will hit the rink as Green Megs and Ham, but by day she is a clinical therapist, and says with a laugh: "I spend most of my day putting people back together and my evenings tearing them down."
Terminal City Rollergirls begin season 8 on Saturday, April 5 at Kerrisdale Arena. Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets at the door: Adults $15, Kids $10. Info: terminalcityrollergirls. com.
