Meet D.C. Rollergirls Skater Laura Farley

Roller derby, which enjoyed popularity from the 1880s into the 1920s and during other points throughout the 1900s as changes were made to the sport, has welcomed a new legion of players and fans in more recent years, thanks to the formation of grassroots leagues by newer roller derby enthusiasts. Skaters across the United States—and overseas, as well—have started leagues. Washington, D.C. is home to the D.C. Rollergirls (DCRG), who celebrated their fifth anniversary as a league in 2011.

To introduce Arlington residents to a unique and interesting hobby that one of their neighbors explores in her downtime, Ballston-Virginia Square Patch interviewed DCRG skater and Arlington resident Laura Farley.

Farley has been skating with the D.C. Rollergirls since February 2009. She decided to try out after a high school friend described her experience skating on Richmond’s roller derby team, the River City Rollergirls.

“We talked a little bit about the sport, and I knew immediately that I needed to check this out for myself. The next day, I looked up the D.C. league on the web and e-mailed the DCRG recruiting contact about how to get involved. It turned out the next month the ‘fresh meat’ program was beginning, and the rest is history,” detailed Farley, who had never skated or participated in roller derby before.

During the league’s 16-week “fresh meat” program, she learned basic skating and derby skills, and after passing her assessments, became an official league member. Once she was official, Farley contemplated an important decision—what to use as her derby name. Players often spend considerable time selecting just the right name to identify them throughout their derby careers.

For Farley, her new passion for roller derby coincided with her passion for the then-new HBO show “True Blood,” starring Anna Paquin as Sookie Stackhouse. “Right away, I thought of doing something relating to the show and the name Sookie,” she explained. Still, she found herself considering other name possibilities before ultimately returning to Sookie Slaughterhouse, her very first choice for a name.

Farley’s skills have improved considerably since she began playing roller derby, she noted. “The veterans on the league are great about training all the new skaters that come in and helping each of us individually during practices. There is always someone to answer your questions when needed. And as my coworkers have noticed, I am coming in with fewer bruises every week, so they say I must be getting better!” she added.

Participating in the DCRG league is a big commitment, “more than you expect when joining,” observed Farley, who is a member of the D.C. All-Stars, DCRG’s travel team. (DCRG also has three home teams: Cherry Blossom Bombshells, D.C. Demon Cats and Scare Force One.)

“Depending on the week and what teams you are involved with, you have around three to five practices per week. Because I belong solely to the D.C. All-Stars, I will usually have one or two practices for the All-Stars and one or two practices for the league per week,” she described. During the busy months of the All-Stars season, which runs from February through September, Farley typically travels a few weekends per month to bouts all over the United States. 

In addition to practices and bouting, Farley and her fellow league members are responsible for the tasks necessary to keep the volunteer-run league thriving. So, “we spend just as much time off skates contributing to the league as we do on skates through promotion, events—such as the National Cherry Blossom Parade, the Clarendon Mardi Gras Parade and other neighborhood festivals—and general league business,” detailed Farley, who serves as DCRG’s treasurer and also serves on the executive board in that position. Also, she serves as the league’s financial representative for the Eastern Regional Tournament, which DCRG will co-host with Baltimore’s Charm City Rollergirls this September.

Farley said that she plans to continue her involvement with roller derby. “I would love to see the All-Stars continue our climb up the rankings in the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, and I would really love to be part of that team for years to come and contribute to making that happen,” she detailed.

For Farley, the opportunity to skate with her “wonderful” fellow teammates and league members is the most rewarding aspect of her DCRG experience. “I have come to meet some of the most inspiring women on and off the track,” she asserted.

For anyone considering giving roller derby a try, Farley recommends meeting up at area skating rinks with other skaters also coming out for the first time. This gives DCRG hopefuls the chance to try out their skates and gear together and get to know each other. She explained that preparing for tryouts in this way helped calm her nerves, and “it was nice having the companionship and encouragement from all those girls before actually going to our first practice.” She also stresses the importance of watching a bout and learning the sport.

Off the track, Farley spends her days working in the finance division of a government agency, and when she’s not devoting time to the D.C. Rollergirls, she enjoys playing soccer or other pick-up sports in warmer weather.

“I also travel a lot when I get a free weekend. I’ll go visit friends from Philadelphia and New York or take a trip to the beach. Since my family is from the area, some of my favorite time spent outside of derby is hanging out with my two, soon-to-be three, nieces, or just meeting up with my parents or sister for lunch or dinner,” she stated. Farley grew up in Northern Virginia and went to high school in Fairfax County, then returned to the D.C. area to be closer to her family after graduating from college in Philadelphia.

The multitude of places to explore in Arlington and the D.C. area is a big draw for Farley. “My favorite part about living in Arlington is never being bored. My favorite places to go around Arlington and D.C. mainly center around drinks, food or sports.  Any combination of those is the perfect place,” she remarked.

In addition, “Besides the fact that there are so many places to eat, hang out with friends or go watch a sporting event, my bedroom window overlooks the Potomac and the Washington Monument. It is exciting living in a city with history being made each day and having everything D.C. offers right at your fingertips,” Farley said.

To learn more about the D.C. Rollergirls or for an upcoming events schedule, visit http://dcrollergirls.com.