Somer City Roller Derby starts off season with win in Knoxville
Jun. 22—One down, (at least) one to go.
The Somer City Roller Derby squad rolled back into action this weekend after not competing since 2019 due to COVID-19 concerns, and came away with a win, vs. the Hard Knox Roller Girls in Knoxville, Tenn.
The final score Saturday at the World's Fair Exhibition Hall was 218 SCRD, 134 Hard Knox — a healthy margin of victory for the local team in green and white.
"We were nervous getting back out there after three years, but it proved to be even more fun than we remembered and so worth all the hard work we've put in!" said Amber Lawson, who skates under the name "Amber Waves of Pain."
The squad is just getting back into the swing of things, after COVID postponed what would have been a follow-up to a successful debut season in 2019. The team developed a loyal fan base here in town, playing its bouts at The Center for Rural Development, but had to put things on hold for the last couple of years.
This year's schedule is shortened — the Knoxville bout will be followed with one home date August 20, against a Chattanooga team. Another away date is possible for September, but that hasn't been solidified yet.
It essentially helped the team pick right up where they left off — they finally got the first club win in history in their last home bout of 2019. Starting their next active season with a win showed how hard SCRD has worked in the extended time away from competition.
"The win felt fantastic and Hard Knox were great hosts and players," said Lawson. "More than anything we were just thrilled to be able to play with our teammates again and see everyone in action."
Ami Stigall, a.k.a. "Whoopi Rollberg," credited the win to the team's dedication to stay consistent as possible during unprecedented times.
"We haven't had a coach since 2020 so our trainee committee, (made up of) just some of the teammates, have been working hard to get us skilled in the basics, building our stamina with endurance, teaching us the rules, the vets telling us their experiences and everything," she said. "Not to mention, as a business we have survived the beginning of this pandemic thanks to us keeping the faith and the support/sponsors from our community.
"There for a while, we weren't doing anything like almost everyone else but we just did what we could within the social distancing guidelines," Stigall added. "Our roster is bigger than it has ever been and we are so dang proud of ourselves."
Fans are encouraged to mark the Saturday, August 20 date on their calendars to come out and see Somer City Roller Derby at The Center for Rural Development.
