A Note on the Cedar Rapids-Eastern Iowa Situation

I wrote them off for dead.

Upon hearing reports trickle in regarding a player exodus from the Cedar Rapids Rollergirls, which included A Few Screws Lucy, Ali AssassinatHer, Krash Saunders, Lemme Adam and Kentucky Pain, I was ready to sound the death knell them. How could any league come back from that?

Thankfully I was wrong.

Since the exodus, CRRG not only did not split up, they have been thriving as of late with the Helldorados on a two game winning streak and a seemingly refreshed attitude.

So what happened? Much has been made of the why and wherefore of what happened. Theories have been tossed about concerning why players left and what the plans of the Eastern Iowa Outlaws, the league where many CRRG girls who left wound up. In the interest of full disclosure, I should add that two of EIO's co-founders, Dead Lee Danni and V-Train, came out of the CRRG league. The theories I have heard tossed around are so ridiculous and contemptible that they are not worthy enough to even post on this blog.

Still, I will weigh in on what happened.

We have all heard of the term "team chemistry" countless times. It's cliche. Yet it's true. Chemistry is an essential part of what makes a great team. Each derby girl is a element in that team mixture. Sometimes everything comes together and the mix runs smoother than a rhapsody. Other times it doesn't work out. Its not the fault of the elements/derby girls in most cases.

Does that mean the girls who left CRRG were dragging the team down? Not at all. I had the privilege of watching Kentucky Pain, Lemme Adam and Ali AssassinatHer in the inaugural bout of the Eastern Iowa Outlaws against the Mahaska Mayhem. All of them are talented players and made valuable contributions to EIO's bout. They seem quite at home in their new team. Meanwhile, instead of going under or sink into a malaise, CRRG has performed as a cohesive and disciplined Derby unit in the last two matches.

This leads me to believe that this split may be one of the few that benefits all those involved. Does that mean that we should all desire that splits like this should occur? Not at all. Roller Derby is a family and family arguments are the ones that hurt the most. It should be the priority of the Derby community and those of us who write about derby to encourage healing and reconciliation between members of the two leagues who may have loose ends to tie up.

Judging from conversations with people in both leagues, I believe there is every reason to be optimistic that whatever rifts exist between the two leagues will eventually achieve reconciliation and future CRRG-EIO bouts look very likely. Even if I am wrong on this, since derby is a family, it is best to keep whatever issues that caused the rifts "in house" and not to be speculated about on the internet.

In the meantime, we derby fans have much to look forward too. CRRG has two more games to capitalize on the Helldorados two game winning streak. EIO will be bringing to gospel of derby to the Tri-State Area starting on Oct. 9 with their first home bout.

Long live the Cedar Rapids Rollergirls and long live the Eastern Iowa Outlaws and damn anyone who says different.