A beginner's guide to the Brewcity Bruisers

Milwaukee’s own roller derby league the Brewcity Bruisers kick off another season of full-contact girl-on-girl roller skating action this Saturday. If you haven’t been lured by the promise of fish-netted, mini-skirted girls skating in a circle and beating the crap out of each other after three years, well, what the hell’s wrong with you? Fear not, A.V. Club Milwaukee will set you straight. Here’s all you need to know to wander into the Milwaukee County Sports Complex in Franklin and not be completely lost.

Know your teams
Crazy 8s: Possibly the scrappiest team in the league, the black and yellow ninja assassins were the ’07-’08 league champs but fell short of the championship bout last season. Still, don’t count out a crew that stunned the mighty Rushin’ Rollettes last year in a thrillingly brutal overtime bout while only fielding 11 healthy skaters. (Think of it as only having two lines available for a hockey team—substitutions were limited and exhaustion was high).

Shevil Knevils: The lovable underdogs of the league, the Shevils have only won two bouts in league history—but one of those put them in the championship two years ago against the Crazy 8s.

Maiden Milwaukee: The “Workin’ class, kickin’ ass” Maidens in pink and black are known for having some of the fastest jammers in the league, including crowd faves Rejected Seoul and The Romaniac.

Rushin’ Rollettes: The two-time and defending league champs, these Marxist maulers are the team everyone loves to hate, with a reputation as having some of the hardest hitters in the league.

Know your positions
Jammers: These are the only skaters that can score points. However, the initial pass through the pack doesn’t score—instead, the first jammer through the pack without committing a penalty is considered the “lead jammer.” According to first-year Rushin’ Rollette Blue Siren, “being the lead jammer gives you the strategic advantage over the other team’s jammer. You can race through the pack and score your points then call off the jam (a 2-minute-max round of play) before the other jammer has a chance to get through and score.”

“A good jammer is someone who can really see the pack and find her line,” adds Trash Talkin’ Tina of the Shevil Knevils. “She figures out who she can use as a pre-jammer, which one of her blockers will lend an assist, which blockers on the opposing team are problems. A good jammer needs to be able to multitask and skate smart through the pack and score as many points as she can.”

Blockers: Each team has three blockers in the middle of the pack that help their team’s jammer pass the opposing blockers (which is how points are scored), while trying to prevent the opposing jammer from passing anyone. There are four basic blocking techniques: pre-jamming, which is clearing a path for the jammer; trapping, where three blockers surround the opposing jammer; wall building, where two or more blockers get down in a plow stop position and slow the girls behind them, and of course, the made-famous-by-Hollywood whip. “Whips are crowd pleasers since that’s what says derby to most people,” says Slamela, a blocker for the Crazy 8s." There are a variety of whips to watch for, including hip whips, belt whips, and arm whips.

Pivots: Found in front of the pack wearing a vertical stripe on their helmets, pivots help control the pace of the pack, says Freckillz of the Rushin Rollettes. “They can slow it down if their jammer is on her way back around the track and trying to catch up to score more points. Alternatively, they can speed up the pace if the other team's jammer is trying to catch up to the pack to do the same.“