BLOOMINGTON — The mission for the BOOMington Blockheads is pretty simple.
“The goal is to be as inclusive as possible,” Elamon White (AKA Purple Fury) said. “Roller derby is such an empowering [and] safe space that gives you the courage and confidence to take up space unapologetically.”
It’s confidence White didn’t always have.
“I started as a baby deer on skates,” White said. “Now I'm full-contact, two years in, and I have made the best decision of my life.”
White is the head of marketing for the BOOMington Blockheads, a roller derby team that’s part of the Bloomington Roller Derby League.
“It is intense, but we are a sport and we like to be taken as seriously as any other competitive sport,” White said.
Today’s roller derby is not the roller derby some folks may remember from television several decades ago.
“We don't throw punches anymore,’ White said. “We do legal hits with our shoulders and our hips. I actually get to hit my friends for fun and then we all pat each other on the back when we give each other good hits.”
Executing a good hit takes a lot of practice and the Blockheads make sure every team member is provided adequate training before engaging in physical contact.
“It's a hard thing to learn,” head coach Samantha Fitzgerald said. “You're learning how to safely and effectively use your body against others, to block them or push them, while on roller skates. It can be a bit of a challenge, but if you stick with it, then anyone can do it.”
And including everyone is essential for the Blockheads.
“We want everyone to have an opportunity to participate in roller derby,” White said. “Not only is our mission to include all skill levels and backgrounds, but also not letting finances be a hindrance either.”
The BOOMington Blockheads have loaner gear and rental skates to ensure no one is excluded from experiencing roller derby.
The team also gives back to the Bloomington community.
"We regularly pick up trash outside the Western Skateland roller rink because this is our home," White said.
The team has also partnered with The Cat's Closet.
"They have a vintage clothing store as well as a cat lounge that helps get kittens adopted," White said.
If you’d like to see what roller derby is all about, the final bout of the season is September 22 at Western Skateland in Bloomington.
The BOOMington Blockheads will take on the TERRORZ Roller Derby at noon.
