Roller derby is back in Cincinnati — and in a big way. Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022 marks the Cincinnati Rollergirls’ first public game since 2019 and the team’s first-ever game at Cintas Center, the 10,224-seat arena on Xavier University’s campus. CRG was scheduled to play a four-game home season at Cintas Center in 2020 but had to cancel its entire season due to COVID-19. Now, finally, they’re ready for their big debut.

The Teams

CRG will take on Vette City Roller Derby from Bowling Green, KY in a Women’s Flat Track Derby Association-regulation double-header, with the A teams playing at 6 p.m. and the B teams playing at 8 p.m. Saturday will mark the first official meeting between the two teams and it’s for bragging rights only, as the WFTDA is still overhauling its game sanctioning process and rankings system.

As of March 2020, the last period for which WFTDA rankings are available, CRG was ranked 67 out of 367 teams worldwide and Vette City was ranked 161. And while neither team’s roster is the same as it was in 2020, Flat Track Stats still predicts that CRG has a 96% of winning the A team matchup.

The Skaters

CRG’s Black Sheep (A team) roster includes 11 returning skaters; three transfers (No No; Shocka, When the Walls Fell; and Syke); and a new skater to watch, Whitlash. She’s one of several skaters who joined CRG in 2020 and then were forced by the pandemic to wait over two years to play their first games.

Black Sheep alternates Jackie the Ripper and Star Flatten’em also appear on the Violent Lambs (B team) roster and will also be playing their first public games. Other new faces on the Lambs roster include Kat A Strophic and Mazel Tov Cocktail, with double-rostered Black Sheep skaters filling out the rest of the lineup.

Vette City’s A team, the Vixens, will be taking on the Black Sheep with a small but mighty roster of 12 compared to the Sheep’s 15. Skaters to keep an eye on include Bambi ThumpHer, Jenferno and captain Soda Pop Ruckus. Vette City is also double-rostering several skaters for their B team, the Hot Broads, whose roster also includes two skaters playing in their first game: Floorah and Hexecutioner. 

The Halftime Entertainment

During halftime of the Black Sheep game, catch a glimpse of the future of roller derby during a 15-minute Cincinnati Junior Roller Derby demo. And during the break between the Sheep and Lambs games, say farewell to four of the skaters who have decided to hang up their CRG jerseys: ¡I, Caramba!, Jas Hubbard, Kostasaurus and Sailor Scary, who is skating with the Black Sheep on Saturday night before moving to France on Sunday.

The Bottom Line

You don’t want to miss CRG’s triumphant return to the track and your first and only chance to see them at Cintas Center this year. The team’s second and final game of the fall is Oct. 8 at Sports Plus, but the team is hoping to return to Cintas Center next spring — and a strong showing from fans on Saturday night could help get them there.

Game Day Details

• What: Cincinnati Rollergirls vs. Vette City Roller Derby Double-Header
• When: Saturday, Sept. 10. Doors open at 5 p.m., the Black Sheep play Vette City Vixens at 6 p.m. and the Violent Lambs play the Vette City Hot Broads at approximately 8 p.m.
• Where: Cintas Center at Xavier University, 1624 Musketeer Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45207
• Tickets: Buy in advance online and save! Adults: $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Groups of 10+: $10 per person in advance. Children 3-12: $5 in advance, $7 at the door. Children 2 and younger: Free. College students, faculty and staff with ID: $7 at the door.
• Parking: Free
• Accessibility: Cintas Center offers 30 marked parking spaces for guests with disabilities and 104 wheelchair-accessible seats with accompanying companion chairs. Entry to the accessible seating area is available at gate 8A on the east concourse (via switchback ramp) or at gate 7 on the west concourse (via wheelchair lift).
• Concessions: Hot dogs, pizza, popcorn, nachos, beer and more
• Official pre-game location: Listermann Brewing Company, 1621 Dana Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45207
• Official after-party location: Dana Gardens, 1832 Dana Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45207
• Livestream: Twitch 

Game 1 Rosters

CRG Black Sheep: 007 Miss Demeanor (she/her) // 10 Krystonite (she/her) // 111 No No (they/them) // 116 Ursa Maimher (they/them) // 154 Crystal Whip (she/her) // 314 Wicked Widget (she/her) // 32 Big Red (she/her) // 40 Whitlash (she/her) // 43 Wheezy (she/her) // 519 Shocka, When the Walls Fell (she/her) // 63 Princess Derby (she/her) // 6313 Ellie Stab’er (Chad) (she/her) // 721 Syke (she/her) // 86 Nuk’em (she/her) // 92 Sailor Scary (she/her) // Alt 1: 100 Jackie the Ripper (she/they) // Alt 2: 71 Star Flatten’em (they/she)

Vette City Vixens: 12 Soda Pop Ruckus (captain) (she/her) // 149 Bambi ThumpHer (she/her) // 1888 Chas the RipHer (she/her) // 22 Atta Kontrol (she/her) // 25 Lickety-Splint (she/her) // 28 Ol Hamboni (she/her) // 413 Jenferno (she/her) // 5 Red (she/her) // 55 Queen of Hearts (she/her) // 80 Janet Snakehole (she/her) // 92 Lex Luther (she/her) // 931 Kill’N (she/her) // Alt: 1968 Wiley Kayote (she/her)

Game 2 Rosters

CRG Violent Lambs: 05 Kat A Strophic (she/her) // 007 Miss Demeanor (she/her) // 10 Krystonite (she/her) // 100 Jackie the Ripper (she/they) // 111 No No (they/them) // 116 Ursa Maimher (they/them) // 154 Crystal Whip (she/her) // 18 Mazel Tov Cocktail (she/her) // 314 Wicked Widget (she/her) // 32 Big Red (she/her) // 40 Whitlash (she/her) // 519 Shocka When the Walls Fell (she/her) // 63 Princess Derby (she/her) // 71 Star Flatten’em (they/she) // 721 Syke (she/her) // Alt: 6313 Ellie Stab’er (Chad) (she/her)

Vette City Hot Broads: 13 Floorah (she/her) // 138 Low Low (she/her) // 149 Bambi ThumpHer (she/her) // 2 Hexecutioner (she/her) // 21 Slip Happens (she/they) // 22 Atta Kontrol (she/her) // 23 Silent But Deadly (they/them) // 28 Ol Hamboni (she/her) // 42 Scarlet Fever (she/her) // 5 Red (she/her) 50 Tiffie Twister (she/her) // 55 ItsPopTart (she/her) // 92 Lex Luther (captain) (she/her) // Alt 1: 551 Queen of Hearts (she/her) // 931 Kill’N (she/her) // 12 Soda Pop Ruckus (she/her)

Non-Skating Officials

Dorothy Galeforce, Cincinnati Rollergirls (she/her) // Galvatron, independent (they/them) // Geoknitter, independent (she/her) // Just Jon, independent (he/him) // Kill C Grammar, independent (he/him) // Nick Hoffman, Cincinnati Rollergirls (he/him) // Ranger Danger, Naptown Roller Derby (they/them) // Robin Lamb, Cincinnati Junior Roller Derby (she/her) // Scotchy Scotch Scott, Gem City Roller Derby (he/him) // Silken Tofu, independent (she/her) // Stabby McNeedles, Cincinnati Rollergirls (she/her) // Wishbone Breaker, Gem City Roller Derby (she/her)

Referees

bmd (2113), Cincinnati Rollergirls (he/him) // Bona Petite, South Bend Roller Derby (she/her) // Croc, Columbus Terrorz (he/him) // Dandelion, Gem City Roller Derby (he/him) // Mos Ref (9630), Black-N-Bluegrass Roller Derby (he/him) // Nick Tater, Ohio Roller Derby (he/they) // Scrappy Sue, Cincinnati Junior Roller Derby (she/her) // Wil Tweeton, Gem City Roller Derby (he/him)