A main attraction of RollerCon is the opportunity to participate in challenge bouts. What are challenge bouts? Put simply, they’re shortened bouts that have a fun theme. The bouts are only half an hour with no halftime and you accrue four penalties before being ejected. The bout themes are anything from the semi-serious challenge (Team NM vs Team Utah) to the flippant (Team Trueblood vs Team Twilight). RollerCon 2013 saw gnomes, gingers, beards, countries, and comic book characters play for thirty minutes at a time with a mix of skaters from around the globe in sex-specific or coed bouts; all in good sportsmanship and humor.
While skaters do have to sign up beforehand for themed bouts, their organization is somewhat chaotic depending on when the challenge bout is scheduled. For instance, bouts scheduled for the last day of RollerCon or that compete with popular social events (Black and Blue Ball) will see more last-minute recruits than skaters that signed up for the bout early on.
Since you can jump onto a roster 20 minutes before a bout start means you should carry a variety of colored tops and have a sharpie handy to scribble someone else’s number onto your shirt or (in the case of several of us jumping onto the Colonies vs Brits bout) roll up your shirt/skate in a sports bra and sharpie the number right onto your back. Last minute add ins also means you could end up being a brunette playing for team Blonds or, as Ginja and Goldy found out, you can be a red head and a blond on team Cholas sporting khaki shorts and red shirts with sharpied-on tear drops to fit the theme.
While skaters do have to sign up beforehand for themed bouts, their organization is somewhat chaotic depending on when the challenge bout is scheduled. For instance, bouts scheduled for the last day of RollerCon or that compete with popular social events (Black and Blue Ball) will see more last-minute recruits than skaters that signed up for the bout early on.
Since you can jump onto a roster 20 minutes before a bout start means you should carry a variety of colored tops and have a sharpie handy to scribble someone else’s number onto your shirt or (in the case of several of us jumping onto the Colonies vs Brits bout) roll up your shirt/skate in a sports bra and sharpie the number right onto your back. Last minute add ins also means you could end up being a brunette playing for team Blonds or, as Ginja and Goldy found out, you can be a red head and a blond on team Cholas sporting khaki shorts and red shirts with sharpied-on tear drops to fit the theme.
This year also saw the opportunity for assigned bouts where you submit your name and skill level into a virtual hat and you’re chosen for a team on a given day/time.
The best part? You play with a variety of players. And I mean not just from a different state or country. I mean you get to play with some pretty big names. How many times will I ever get to play against Kim Janna or block for Ehrma Gerd? Our league was able to play with and against some of the top skaters in this sport. And whether you had your lunch handed to you or you took them out in style, the fact is that skating with talent makes you better.
Almost nothing beats hearing a player yelling at the first five seats “Next five!” signaling the start of a new jam and a new mix of players ready to take the track and fight for the honor of Spock, over the shoulder boulders or mustaches.
-Hell Paseo #7
Rink Rash Revolutionaries, Sucias, Team Cholas, Team NM, Team Skankles, Team Borderland, Team Colonies, Team Desert Rats and Team Lipstick Lesbians
The best part? You play with a variety of players. And I mean not just from a different state or country. I mean you get to play with some pretty big names. How many times will I ever get to play against Kim Janna or block for Ehrma Gerd? Our league was able to play with and against some of the top skaters in this sport. And whether you had your lunch handed to you or you took them out in style, the fact is that skating with talent makes you better.
Almost nothing beats hearing a player yelling at the first five seats “Next five!” signaling the start of a new jam and a new mix of players ready to take the track and fight for the honor of Spock, over the shoulder boulders or mustaches.
-Hell Paseo #7
Rink Rash Revolutionaries, Sucias, Team Cholas, Team NM, Team Skankles, Team Borderland, Team Colonies, Team Desert Rats and Team Lipstick Lesbians
