Last night, the Alamo City Rollergirls’ Las Tejanas team took on Dallas troupe Assassination City in a season-ending bout that was important for a few different reasons. First of all, the close of the 2010 season marked the fifth full year of flat track roller derby in San Antonio. A line of boisterous fans snaked along the side of the Rollercade awaiting doors, proving that the ACRG’s booming fan base has come a long way since the league’s 2005 inception. The reason? Fans get extremely attached to these skaters.
Although Drew Barrymore’s Whip It! brought the sport’s underdog, girl-power message to the big screen in 2009, local fans have always been inspired by their hometown skaters. Case in point: Las Tejanas’ Miss Treater, #1705. Treater earned her spot as a fan favorite by skating off and on with the ACRG for five years in the jammer position. When it was announced that Sunday's bout would be Treater's last, due to retirement, the Rollercade crowd let out several disappointed boos. But they excitedly cheered her on throughout the bout, shouting Treater's catchphrase “Old Chicks Rule!” over and over again.
We’re sad to see the feisty, outgoing Treater hang up her skates, but her departure serves as a reminder that the ACRG is continually looking for talented new skaters to join their ranks. Former skater Tanya “Billie Midol” Montez said the ACRG will continue to host open recruitment nights at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every month at the Rollercade. Montez is one of three league managers for the ACRG, and she said athletes should already know how to skate before coming to the open tryout.
“We don’t train girls anymore,” Montez said. “You should have good balance on your skates and be able to do crossovers. We don’t want someone who just wants to come out and look cute in their fishnets. It’s serious, and you’re gonna work your ass off!”
The 2011 regular season won’t kick off until April, but Montez said newbies who aren’t up to par should start skating now. Endurance work without skates is also highly encouraged. In the meantime, we’ll keep tabs on news/notes from the track to keep ACRG fans and potential skaters updated.
