With the regular season wrapped up, Adelaide Roller Derby (ADRD) is now prepping for its Grand Final event at Adelaide Showground on 31 July.
The action will see all four squads participate with Mile Die Club and Road Train Rollers to meet in the major bout – the winner to be crowned 2021 champion.Salty Dolls and Wild Hearses will also battle each other with bragging rights (till next season begins) on the line.
A safe space for the LGBT+ community, Adelaide Roller Derby is a great way to spend an afternoon and evening with a family-friendly atmosphere, alongside the fierce competition on the track. The players as well as the diverse crowd and commentators all contribute to the fun of the event.
"Adelaide Roller Derby was established in 2007 and is Adelaide's oldest and largest roller derby league," ADRD says.
"If there's one thing we love, it's talking derby! Our league is a not-for-profit organisation that is owned and operated by the ADRD skaters and officials.
"We are super-proud of the community we have built for ourselves and are really grateful to all our supportive family and friends who cheer us on from the sidelines.
"We are also very fortunate to have the support of our sponsors, who have been fantastic at helping us get where we are today.
"If you're new to the world of roller derby, never fear, it's heaps of fun to play and just as much fun to watch. Come along to our next bout and find out for yourself."
If you're interested in lacing up your skates and joining the action next year, ADRD will host an info night at Wheatsheaf Hotel 5 August. More information.
Here, we profile Salty Dolls player Crafty.
Who is... Crafty #101. I have been playing with Adelaide Roller Derby and the Salty Dolls since the start of 2018.
My role... Blocker and current team co-captain.
My first roller derby bout was... 2017 with Murder City Roller Derby. I'm pretty sure I spent the whole game looking terrified.
When did you settle on your roller derby name, and was it a unanimous decision... It was given to me by league mate Bowdacious Bruiser, because I do a lot of crafts. It just stuck!
Crafty (centre) in action. Image © Pete Hayward
Social media is... Way too prominent in my life, especially as I look after most of our league's social media pages.
My favourite app at the moment is... I really like Instagram, but it can result in a lot of mindless scrolling.
To date, my most embarrassing moment was the time... Screaming at a nurse after getting my wisdom teeth out, telling her I needed my teeth because the surgeon told me he'd let me keep them. I had no control over what I was doing yet knew exactly what was going on, like I was watching myself from afar. I never saw her again, so if that nurse is reading this, I'm really sorry. I promise I'm not that mean or rude normally.
What celebrity/famous person would you love to be the team's spokesperson... Popeye! For pretty obvious reasons.
Three people you'd like to invite around for a dinner party... Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver) because he's my favourite artist and has been for a significant amount of time. Erin Phillips because she's an amazing and inspirational sportsperson. Benjamin Law because he's creative, funny and insightful.
If we were coming over to your place, what would you cook us? Lasagna - I've perfected my recipe. The secret is adding garlic to the béchamel sauce! With a side of home made garlic bread and red wine (not homemade). Yum.
When it comes to pets are you a lover or hater of our furry friends? Lover! I'm an absolute cat person, I have two rescues. I'd have many more if I could. I also have a tattoo that says 'cat lady'.
The last time I saw the inside of a gym was... I wouldn't even know. Maybe 2016?
What's the one chore you dislike the most? Work (for legal reasons this is a joke). In reality it's probably cleaning the bathroom.
Do you have any phobias? I'm scared of fish and probably eels too. I'm not sure why, but I'm sure a puffer fish once expanding right under my chest has something to do with it.
Would you ever partake in a reality show? Yes, if I could be a referee for the 'Kitten Bowl'.
If you could prank any of your friends, who's your target, and how are you bringing them down? I wouldn't even know where to begin with pranking someone! I'd probably end up feeling really guilty about it and think about it for the next ten years and think that my friend secretly now hated me.
Which fictional character best describes your personality? My boyfriend has always said I remind him of Private, one of the penguins from 'Madagascar'. I'd like to think it's because I have the traits – like being down to earth and trying to sort out conflicts in a non-violent way – rather than a physical likeness. The jury is out on that one.
Last show you binge-watched? I watched all of 'The Serpent' in just under a week. I was so hooked by the bizarre life of this guy I happened to have never heard of before, and baffled by the way he managed to escape prison and prosecution over and over.
