DENVER — Roller Derby may not be for the faint of heart, but the sport is open for anyone who can handle a bit of contained aggression. Rocky Mountain Roller Derby is particularly aiming to be an increasingly inclusive space.
"One thing we like to say is that derby is for every body, not just one body type," Audubondage said. "That's something that we think is very important. And our mission is to empower women and gender expansive people through athleticism, community, and inclusivity."
Nothing proves this mission more true than the family of skaters at Rocky Mountain Roller Derby. Longtime derby athlete Cybil War encouraged her trans and non-binary kids, Centurion and Showtime respectively, to join this inclusive space.
"They were eight-years-old and 13-years-old when I started them in roller derby," Cybil War said. "I found that it was a really great way to equalize power, especially in a BIPOC family where we really kind of came with a lot of traumas and a lot of stigmas against women being in sports and women being in sports that were full contact."
Centurion sure didn't mind the full-contact nature of derby.
"The physical aspect of the sport was not only alluring but the gladiatorness (sic) of it, there was a persona you got to choose," Centurion said. "My mom was someone completely different on the track and so was my sibling."
Centurion and Showtime grew up in derby culture, thanks to their mom's affinity for the sport. As an El Salvadorian civil war survivor, Cybil War wanted to take back her power when she settled in Austin, Texas. Her children are glad they were thrown into the flat track at such a young age.
"How many kids get to say, 'yeah, I beat up my mom on the track?'" Centurion joked.
Cybil War shakes it off. She said sometimes its hard to keep up with the strength of Showtime and the speed of Centurion.
"You know what, it's okay! You might be real frustrated at your mom today, I might have said some really crappy things to you, and you deserve to get out on that track and meet your mom on the same level," she said.
While they may push and shove on the track, the Rocky Mountain Roller Derby team truly embraces each other for their individuality. Cybil War was relieved to raise her children in this rink.
"I didn't know back then when my kids were eight and 13 that it was going to really impact their lives and that then we were in a community where they could express their real selves and my kids could then decide to go ahead and come out as they were and have a community that already responded to them and knew how to support them," she said.
Centurion, who finally embraces their true self at 19-years-old, can't thank her mom and community enough.
"Having a community that was not only forgiving for how I went through the changes but also I knew that they wouldn't care, if that makes any sense. It didn't matter," she said. "There were people who looked like me who played this sport and whenever I got onto the track, I got to be the person I wanted to be. I got to be Centurion and that's who I want to be. I want to inspire to be like that every day of my life."
The Rocky Mountain Roller Derby is hosting its 18+ Pride Night Saturday at 7pm at the Rollerdome, doors open at 6. Open recruitment is June 29. More information at https://www.rockymountainrollerderby.org/