Normally, the only sounds you hear at Maroa City Hall are things like city council meetings or people stopping by to get a building permit. But a few times a week, the large hall on the backside of city hall is home to a rowdy Prairieland Punishers roller derby team practice.
WGLT visited a recent Punishers practice as they prepared for their double-header bouts Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Interstate Center in Bloomington.
This is not just any bout. The second showdown, at 7 p.m., is the first-ever bout open to both women and men that’s sanctioned by the Women’s Flat-Track Derby Association [WFTDA].
Punishers skater Sierra Henry from Bloomington said that Open Gender Division bout is big deal.
“Hopefully there’s gonna be more opportunities for roller derby in Central Illinois and beyond,” Henry said. “I know there were a lot of leagues that folded during COVID, so being able to bring everybody together through this bout is really incredible.”
The Prairieland Punishers formed in Decatur about 14 years ago. It’s since evolved into a more regional team, with skaters from Bloomington, Peoria, Champaign, Springfield and Decatur. They practice in Maroa, a central hub about 30 south miles of Bloomington.
The first thing we wanted to know was, how do you win a roller derby bout?
It starts with the two types of skaters, called “jammers” and “blockers,” who zoom around a flat oval track.
“You win by getting the most points, and you get points by jammers passing blockers,” said Goldie Rocks, a skater from Pekin. “So for every blocker that a jammer passes, they get a point. I’m a blocker, and the jammer wears a star. So that’s why my shirt says, ‘Blockers aim for the stars,’ because I’m going for that jammer, to prevent that person from passing me.”
If that sounds a little bit chaotic, that’s because it is.
Punishers captain Melissa Sylvester, aka #Smashtag, from Champaign-Urbana, said roller derby is unique.
“It’s the only sport that I know of that you play offense and defense at the same time,” she said.
What makes a good skater? Practice helps, but it’s also an attitude, a skill set and a will to win.
“What makes a great skater is the wanting to be a great skater. Put in the effort, putting in the time on skates. That’s what makes somebody a great skater,” Sylvester said.
Social connections
The Punishers like winning, but it's clear it's about much more than winning.
On this close-knit team, friendships form fast. Being part of a team like this also opened some skater’s eyes to new experiences, new surroundings, and new people.
“It’s the people. It’s the camaraderie. It’s the friendships. I met my best friend through roller derby. I met my husband through roller derby,” Sylvester said.
Punishers skater David France of Clinton goes by the derby name “Havoc.” He'll be one of the men skating in the Open Gender Division.
“I do derby for the practices,” France said. “That’s where you come and see your friends. You spend time with friends. You work together to accomplish certain things. You’re trying to make them better. They’re trying to make you better. It ends up being a relationship where you support each other on the track, and you have a family that has your back and supports you off the track also.”
Relationships are not all that roller derby offers to these skaters. They also get some bruises, sometimes full-blown injuries, though there are rules aimed at preventing that.
“In my first year, in my very first game, I broke my ankle and tore all the ligaments on the right side of my foot,” Sylvester said. “I’ve had a couple of concussions. And I’ve had a broken nose and broken orbital socket, which is why I wear a visor now.”
Bouts and boot camp
You can catch the Prairieland Punishers in action during Saturday’s double-header.
They'll start at 5 p.m. with a bout against Demolition City Roller Derby from Evansville, Indiana. Then at 7 p.m., it's the sanctioned Open Gender bout with the Peoria Prowlers. Fans are welcome at both.
And if you catch the roller derby bug and want to try it yourself, the Punishers are hosting an open-gender boot camp this fall, with the kickoff set for Sept. 19. All skate levels are welcome, and no prior experience is needed.
“Show up. One moment can change your life. You can have friends for the rest of your life. But if you don’t show up and make yourself present, nothing will ever happen,” France said.
You can watch video of the Prairieland Punishers in action below:
