Earth Day bout: Pollution vs. Solution

KAPA‘A — Brisk winds buffeted the Kapa‘a Inline Hockey rink as the sun made its way below the horizon and the chill of the night took over to set the stage for the Earth Day intra-squad bout of the Garden Island Renegade Rollerz.

Sunday being Earth Day and the pick up date of the Roller Derby girls’ fundraising sweet bread, the theme of Pollution vs. Solution was a natural, said Roxy 3, a member of the Solution team, garbed in “good guys” white. Their tops were emblazoned with various green icons.

On the other side of the court, Pollution appeared in the “bad guys” black and bright orange before an audience which filled the bleachers and overflowed onto the concrete floor of the inline hockey rink.

“The girls are getting ready to play a team of girls from Maui in June,” said Chiquita Banana, normally a referee on the court, but relegated to scorekeeping during the Sunday bout.

“They try to get in as much practice as they can before the bout in June and have intra-squad bouts at least once a month.”

She was explaining the presence of the roller derby girls to a visiting San Diego skater who dropped in to help with the scoreboard.

Following normal protocol, the girls got onto the taped-off track for an introduction roll, the announcer acquainting the audience with the scoring procedure as well as pointing out various aspects of the bout.

The battle between Pollution and Solution was a tight one, the lead see-sawing between the black and white and settling at 85-77 in favor of Pollution at the half.

The G.I. Renegade Rollerz are dedicated to providing an opportunity for women athletes to achieve their maximum potential, athletically, intellectually, and socially through the sport of roller derby, states the GIRR Facebook page.

Practices are held on the Eastside and the Westside with a Thursday “Skate the Beach Path” starting at 5 p.m. at the Kealia Beach restrooms. Westside practices start at 5 p.m. Thursdays at Hanapepe Heights Park.