Getting back on track: Dickinson’s roller derby team learns from mistakes, ready to host second home bout

When the Dickinson Roller Derby team organized its first home bout on June 28 against the Electric City Roller GrrrlZ of Great Falls, Mont., the team was only hoping for some people to show.
No one expected the actual turnout with packed bleachers and more than 530 tickets sold.
“It was pretty amazing because when you looked out there, we only knew the number after the fact, but the bleachers were pretty well full and we didn’t really anticipate too large of a crowd,” said Paula Williams, a blocker and vice president of the team. “We had worked our butts off to make sure we were selling tickets and getting the word out and getting on the radio and as much media as possible.”
Williams and her teammates were ecstatic about the reception from the fans and hope to duplicate the turnout for the team’s second home bout that starts at 7 p.m. today at the Dickinson Recreation Center.
The team will host a rematch against The Coal Miner’s Daughters of Gillette, Wyo., a team they played away from home on May 10.
“I started the league a year and a half ago, and at that time I never imagined we’d have 530 tickets sold; thats just crazy,” blocker and founder Whitney Johnson said. “It was really overwhelming and great, and I only hope we have half the people that we did at that bout at this bout.”
While they were able to put on the bout from start to finish, there were a few kinks. The team was relieved for the big crowd, however the large amount of people and scrambling to get them all in caused delays in the start of the bout.
“We still had people coming in the doors, and we were trying to wait for them and eventually we were like, ‘No, we need to get this going. The fans are getting anxious,’” jammer Leslie Olheiser said.
In its first year of competition, the Dickinson roller derby team has been learning as it goes along, including how to put on a bout. All three players admitted there were things they could have done better, but it’s been a lesson learned and will only make today’s bout even better.
“We learned everything. We never even laid down a track before, putting the tape down,” Johnson said. “We never used the scoreboard. We’ve never done anything. Going into this bout we learned what to do what not to do.”
But the team isn’t alone. Most of Dickinson’s competitors have been fully established teams - between two to five years. While the teams may be fierce and sworn enemies on the track, they are more than willing to help each other, give pointers and try to help others develop skills off the track.
Dickinson sees the Coal Miner’s Daughters as more than just competition, but as friends and mentors. The teams have a strong bond off the track and are excited to get back together.
“They’re just awesome and they’re super helpful,” Williams said. “The friendships are there between us and that league. We’ve made connections and they’ve just helped us out with information when we’re planning our bouts and we can source them as ask about this and that.
She added: “We’re extra excited for this one because we have a pretty good bond with this particular league and happy to have the come up here.”
Today’s bout will not be just exciting and physical; it will also be emotional. Dickinson plans on honoring two separate people during its bout - a nine year old girl from Williston who fought cancer and a guest skater who’s husband, also a derby referee, died tragically in a motorcycle accident last Saturday. Johnson said the team’s will be skating in his honor.
“It’s going to be very emotional, very touching bout and we can’t wait to skate with the Coal Miner’s Daughters, but at the same time we can’t wait to do this for the little girl and our friend’s husband,” Johnson added.