South End Life: South End Derby Team Scores New Skaters With Inclusive Policy

Inside the Delridge Community Center, the basketball gym buzzes with the sounds of urethane wheels rolling, clacking, and squeaking on the floors. It's a Sunday, when the center hosts roller derby practices and scrimmages, making it one of the few places between Everett and Tacoma that supports the active local derby scene. The vibe on the floor is a focused flow of movement.

Roller derby is a full-contact sport where each team has one skater on the floor called a "jammer," who wears a star on their helmet. The jammer's job is to score points, but to do it, they have to get past the opposing team's four "blockers." Known for its DIY punk flair, roller derby relies on teamwork and strategy — all while each player races around a rink on eight wheels. Roller Derby is popular in the Pacific Northwest, hosting dozens of leagues and hundreds of skaters. Though there's a pretty strong LGBTQ community in the region's derby, BIPOC skaters aren't well represented.

In 2024, members of Rainier Roller Riot (Rainier), a South End derby team, started a BIPOC roller derby program called BAM BAM to teach the sport at no cost to new skaters after its numbers had dwindled from the pandemic. The classes brought in a wave of local BIPOC skaters. Leadership member Jordan Alam, who goes by the derby name "Bear Witch Project," or "Bear," says the group launched the PNW Roller BIPOC Alliance of Terrific Skaters (BATS) team a year later to encourage the new skaters to continue their growth. 

The year before, the group changed the former code of conduct of Rainier to create a safer space for trans skaters and developed a robust accountability process to address gender- and race-based harassment, inappropriate behavior, and problematic language. The code change also supports gender-nonconforming skaters as well as BIPOC teammates. An accompanying white caucus was also developed through Rainier to support the BATS program. Since then, the South End's BATS has expanded its membership to Everett; Bellingham; Portland, Oregon; and British Columbia, Canada.

"Having built that scaffolding helped us to not just have our code of conduct policy be a static document that you tap to sign, but something through which we have meaningful conversations," Bear said. "We often consider derby or other sports to be more about players building their skills or having good endurance. But the culture of a team really changes how you play, so people who have less skills can play well and win if the culture is there to support them."

Susie Wu — whose derby name is "Wu's Your Momma," or "Wu" for short — is a finance committee member for Rainier and a member of BATS.

She was drawn to derby 15 years ago when she wanted to take on exercise after her second child was born.

"Roller derby has allowed me to come to peace with my body image. It's empowering. I went through the same thing that many people do, where we want to be thinner and look a certain way. I've learned through this sport that my body is powerful and strong. It's a sport where physically, many different body types can be very successful in different roles," Wu said. "There are fast and agile petite skaters who can zip through a pack. People with bigger body types have talked with me about how difficult it was growing up feeling large, but in this sport, it's an advantage for blocking, and they can jam because they can bowl over other people. Everybody wants you on their team. That's just two body types, but there are many different body types with talents that fit them."

"Roller derby is one of the things that I joke saved my life," Liz "Curves 4 Days" Morales, a BATS BAM BAM mentor, said. "My anxiety was really bad. [Derby] is such a complex sport that you can't think about anything except for what's happening in front of you. Especially with a team I trust, like BATS, I'm able to move my body, not think too much about everything else, and by the end of it, [my] brain chemistry becomes much more relaxed."

Kiandria "Loc N Load" Weaver is from South Park.

"Being with a team of people, and growing with people and having cries and laughs together, is very moving," Loc said. "Seeing my teammates struggle with something at a certain time, and then seeing them overcome it — it's really, really nice. I don't have the words, I'm just happy. Go, us!"

Valerie "Death Valley" Smith is co-captain for Rainier and one of the founding members of PNW BATS. 

"I'm scared of falling. I don't like going fast. None of why I do this makes sense," Death said. "It's all about the community. We've got great vibes. I keep coming back."

Jessica "PINKSLIP" McCormick is new to roller derby. She started skating with BATS in 2025 through BAM BAM.

"From gear to food to electrolytes, BAM BAM covered all the expenses. They just wanted you to show up as you are, so I invited one of my best friends to the league. Her derby name is 'Aphrobitie,'" PINKSLIP said.

Aashiyana "Bones" Koreishi is a leadership member of BATS and a Rainier skater. She's been skating for 11 years.

"My parents came from India to the States. It was interesting growing up in terms of knowing you're different and trying to maintain confidence in yourself — and also trying to assimilate or fit in," said Bones. "When I was growing up, it wasn't as cool to celebrate your culture outright. Over the past 10 years, we're creating these groups and communities that support those that have been marginalized. I didn't necessarily lean into the cultural side of myself growing up. Having the opportunity to explore myself with my culture in this way and help create opportunities for others to come together has shifted my derby career."

Got an idea for a South End story you'd like to see us cover? Let me know: Yuko.Kodama@SeattleEmerald.org.