Burning River Roller Girls @ CSU Wolstein Center 3/13/10

OK, I was a little skeptical about attending roller derby. I did spend a couple of days getting reacquainted with the sport, watching old clips of Joanie Weston on YouTube. But I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by many things while seeing it live at the Wolstein Center at Cleveland State on March 13. The crowd of over three thousand was really into it, knowing the rules for the most part, and cheering for their favorite players. The girls themselves were more organized and athletic than I thought, and both bouts of the night were enjoyable to watch. There was a lot of action, and I think most people in attendance thought they got their money’s worth.


The Cleveland league is made up of four teams, with the best players on each team making up a traveling squad that plays in national tournaments. The local teams, the Hellbombers, the Rolling Pin-Ups, the Hard Knockers, and the Cleveland Steamers, play a round robin schedule with a championship bout set for June 10. The best players on each team make up a traveling squad called the Burning River Roller Girls who play similar teams from other cities.


This is the fourth season for roller derby in Cleveland and it started with a bang, with a record setting crowd for the first of five nights of action at the their new home at Cleveland State. The next night of bouts is on Saturday, April 3. Visit http://www.burningriverrollergirls.com for more information.




Greg Cielec is a local writer who covers mostly music and sports for a variety of publications and websites. He is also a full time English and creative writing teacher at Streetsboro High School; an adjunct professor at BGSU Firelands College and Lakeland Community College; and a football coach at John Carroll University.

He has published two books of fiction, My Cleveland Story (1998) and Home and Away Games(2006), and the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Michael Heaton has called him “the Mark Twain of Cleveland.” Check out his website and blog at http://www.GregCielec.com.





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One Response to “Burning River Roller Girls @ CSU Wolstein Center 3/13/10”

  1. sue chandler

    Thanks for the great write up.. the Girls are great and work very hard. !! I admire each on of these lovely ladies. and have been a fan for the past 2 years. Saturdays match was exciting and they get better each time I see them skate. They are not only in shape but have to play defense and offence at the same time. It’s a great sport. Of course I am partial to the Pin Ups.. but then again I am a Mama to one one of these wonderful gals. !!!
    Go Pin Ups. !!!!! PP’smama.

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