Panhandle United Roller Derby
By: Monica A. Heimes, League President/Safety Director & Dorian N. Busby, League Treasurer/ Fundraising Director
Panhandle United Roller Derby (PanU) is a full member of The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) and is currently 270 out of 325 ranked teams. Through dedication and hard work, the league has acquired six wins and two loses during the first half of the 2017 season, and most recently finished third at “Savannah Summer Slam Tournament” in Savannah, Georgia.
The PanU All-Star Team is a group of talented/skilled roller derby skaters from Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana and Florida. On June 23rd, the team packed up their gear and headed to Savannah, Georgia for “Savannah Summer Slam”. This WFTDA sanctioned tournament featured five women’s roller derby teams, and was the first tournament for the PanU All-Star team since the team was established earlier this year.
Their first bout of the tournament was on Saturday, June 24th against the hosting team, the Savannah Derby Devils. With quick feet and hard hits, PanU out played the Savannah Derby Devils with a final score of 292 to 68. The bracket style tournament allowed the victorious PanU All-Stars to play a second bout on Saturday against a higher-ranking Tallahassee Roller Girls from Tallahassee, FL.
The PanU All-Stars maintained their solid blocking and defensive walls momentum from the first bout during the first half which allowed the PanU jammers to score points quickly. However, during the second half of the bout, the Tallahassee Roller Girls maintained a tight lead and eventually outscored the PanU All Stars with a final score of 170 to 129. This loss, would result in the PanU All-Stars playing a final bout on Sunday, June 25th to battle it out for third place against the River City Rollergirls from Richmond, VA. The entire bout was an intense and strategic game of scoring points and constant lead changes. Within the last five jams of the bout, the PanU All-Stars eventually secured the lead in points to bring home a 3rd place victory with a final score of 150 to 106.
With the WFTDA sanctioned games played during “Savannah Summer Slam”, PanU anticipates seeing their WFTDA ranking increase during the next WFTDA quarterly ranking announcement.
As we begin July, the 2017 season is at a halfway point. Your next opportunities to catch live roller derby action in the Fort Walton Beach area will be on Saturday, August 19th for a double header when YOUR home team, the Beach Brawl Sk8r Dolls lace up against the Clarksvillians from Clarksville, TN. Then on September 16th, PanU will host a double header against Savannah’s B and All-Star (Hellians and Derby Devils respectively) teams. The Beach Brawl Sk8r Dolls will take on the Hellians, and the Derby Devils will have a re-match against PanU All-Stars.
All this action will take place at the Northwest Florida Fairgrounds in Fort Walton Beach. Panhandle United Roller Derby is currently recruiting skaters, referees and volunteers.
You can continue to support YOUR local roller derby league by visiting and sharing our webpage, www.panhandleunitedrollerderby.com.
