Talk Derby to Me: Eight-wheelers roll with the punches
Photo by Joe McClendon
Kansas City is a town known for its sports—football, baseball, soccer… we’ve got it all. But a little off the radar is a crew doing their own thing, on eight wheels.
Skater-run, hard-hitting, and no fluff, the Kansas City Roller Warriors have been sliding on all eights for 20 years now.
The league was founded in 2004 by a small group of passionate derby players. “They wanted to create an empowering and competitive space through the sport of roller derby,” says Taylor Sifford, the league’s marketing officer.
That vibe stuck. Now, it’s a full-on league with three home teams—Strawberry Hellions, Midtown Misfits, and 18th & Vines. They also have two travel teams—the All Stars and Plan B—that take on leagues around the country under the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association banner.
Even when the skates are off, the Roller Warriors stay busy. Community drives, local orgs, LGBTQ+ events—you name it.
“We foster athleticism, leadership, and community,” Sifford says. “We’re about inclusivity and teamwork—building strength, on and off the track.”
Sometimes that means personal wins, like finding your people. “This league changes lives,” Sifford says. “We’ve seen folks go from never skating to full-on athletes.”
Photo by Joe McClendon
Brooke Shuey, aka Spanky, got her start with roller derby in a junior league. She skated through middle and high school but took a break for a few years in college.
Now a Strawberry Hellion, she made her derby comeback last year. “It’s like coming up for air again,” says Shuey. “There’s a certain mindset people in roller derby have. It’s a collective community of inclusivity, friendliness, and queerness, which I really love.”
Especially in a place where finding that kind of community can be tough. “It’s women-led and gender-expansive,” she says. “A lot of queer people don’t feel like they fit in with normal cultural things in America, especially in the Midwest. So these kind of niche groups of people are where we all kind of find each other.”
Libby Semler, aka Pound Cake, joined two years ago after her sister signed up.
“I couldn’t let her do something cooler than me,” she says with a laugh. She and her sister CJ, aka Sailor Doom, both play on the Strawberry Hellions.
The sisters had been skating around during COVID lockdowns, but derby was a whole different game.
Photo by Joe McClendon
“I was hooked in theory, but I was not very good at first,” says Semler. “I had some fear. I was a little wishy-washy. But I kept going. I joined my team and met my friends.”
Now, she’s all in. “I think the people make it unique,” she says. “There are people from totally different walks of life, so many ages doing this. It feels more supportive than any other sport I’ve done. Everyone is just here to have fun.”
“It’s not about being perfect,” Semler says. “It’s about showing up and having fun.” And that seems to be the sentiment across the board. Twice a year the league has training for those who are derby-curious. The program includes juniors, referees, non-skating officials, and volunteers. It’s a whole ecosystem dedicated to having fun and simply trying your best.
So what’s even the point of roller derby? Two teams compete during each jam, which is a two-minute period. The objective is for the jammer to score points by lapping members of the opposing team to score a point. Blockers try to shut them down. It looks like chaos, but it’s chess on wheels.
Photo by Joe McClendon
And yes, a bruise or two is inevitable. On a bad day, maybe a broken leg. “A lot of people won’t say ‘break a leg’ before a game, because even though it’s not common, it’s not uncommon,” says Shuey.
The teams hold weekly practices and scrimmages. For the Strawberry Hellions, each practice is led by a different team member. Practices are all about rolling with the punches—fine-tuning techniques, practicing plays, and hanging out with friends. It’s about hitting the ground skating but sharing a few laughs along the way.
Home bouts run from fall through summer at Memorial Hall in KCK—two games a night. Tickets start at $15, a pretty good deal for a wild show. The pinnacle of the season? The Rink of Fire—the league’s annual championship.
About 100 active members keep it all rolling—skaters, volunteers, scorekeepers, everyone pitches in.
“It takes a village,” Sifford says. “We’re fully skater-run. Nobody’s on the sidelines.”
On Saturday, May 31, the Kansas City Roller Warriors will host a doubleheader where KCRW All-Stars face off against Big Easy Roller Derby and 18th & Vines match up with Strawberry Hellions. More information can be found on KCRW’s Facebook.
