Roller derby builds connections with women in the community

Gibson Arena is the home to the Cornfed Roller Derby, Muncie’s only roller derby team. This evening, though, the team was sharing their craft with new skaters.

Debbie Roberts, also known as Debbie Darko in the Derby, a player and president of Cornfed, describes the team’s unique way of introducing young women to the sport.

“Many teams do tryouts once a year, and you already have to know how to skate and play,” said Roberts. “We’ve never done that. We accept everyone, no matter whether you have to grab a hold of the wall when you first come on. That’s no problem; we’ll teach you how to skate.”

Roberts says that Cornfed values their impact on the community. Specifically, the effect that their team can have on young women in the community.

“We like to be a positive force in the community,” said Roberts. “It’s not very often that young girls can see a strong, women-dominated sport.”

These open practices are entirely new skater-focused, teaching newcomers different skills and strategies that can help them acclimate to the sport.

Cornfed Roller Derby hosts these events at Gibson Arena throughout the season to give women as many opportunities as possible to join the team and learn more about the sport.

The team will host their first scrimmage of the season on November 23rd when Gibson Arena hosts 15 Roller Derby teams from six states. Cornfed will also host more open practices on the last Tuesday of every month, apart from December, when the practice will take place on December 17th.

Contact Eli Grasham with comments at eli.grasham@bsu.edu.