The Suwannee Scribbler: Meet Aqua-Holic

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August 8, 2012

The Suwannee Scribbler: Meet Aqua-Holic

Jim Holmes CNHI The Suwannee Democrat Wed Aug 08, 2012, 08:11 AM EDT

Live Oak — Sometimes in my old age, it amazes me how out of touch I have become with today’s pop culture. For instance, several weeks ago I was invited by a friend to attend a roller derby event over in Lake City!

Roller derby!? Heck, I hadn’t even heard anyone use those two words together in decades…and the only experience I had with the alleged sport (I equated roller derby with professional women’s wrestling) took place when I would catch the “pros” on TV every once in a great while doing their thing on a slanted, elevated track.

Well, apparently when it comes to roller derby, things have changed dramatically in the past 10 or 12 years. In fact, it appears while I was “out,” roller derby - the amateur, flat-track version - became very much “in” among a significant number of today’s young women. (I use the word “young” liberally, as there have been some gals in their 50s and 60s who have participated.)

The sport has exploded, not only in the USA, but around the world. Globally, more than a thousand leagues are now said to be in operation. Here in Florida, the growth has been no less spectacular, with 24 different teams competing. One of those is the ACR Hunnies, whose home rink is at Lake City’s Skating Palace.

It was one of the Hunnies who in early June invited my wife and me to attend the team’s next home “bout.” You may not know her face, but if you read the Suwannee Democrat, I’m sure you are familiar with her name, as the reporter byline, “Misty A. Ward” appears weekly.

Of course, if you go to one of the Hunnies contests, you won’t see her name on any program. That’s because these gals all adopt skating alter egos. In Misty’s case, it’s “Aqua-Holic.” And she’ll be joined on the track by the likes of Lethal Dose, Kinky Kuddles and Breeze Bayou! (Coming up with these crazy names has got to be part of the fun.)

Misty tells me she loved to roller skate as a kid in her native North Dakota, but had gotten away from it after marrying and starting her family. (She and hubby Erin live near Branford and have two little girls; five-year-old Madison and three-year-old Liberty). Then, in August of last year, she discovered the Hunnies! And although admittedly “petrified” with the roughhousing that goes with the sport, Misty decided to give roller derby a shot.

Today she describes her involvement this way. “The more you have of it, the more you want of it!” She finds the whole experience “empowering” and loves the relationships she has built with other gals on the team. That admiration appears to have been reciprocated, as Misty is now the Hunnies’ co-captain.

Roller Derby however, does require a real commitment. The Hunnies train about three hours weekly, either at the rink or in a gym. Plus there is the outlay for equipment. It can end up costing you hundreds of dollars, even if you buy it secondhand. Then there are the injuries. Misty says seldom are they serious, but bumps and bruises are part and parcel with the sport.

The Hunnies next home bout is this Saturday evening (Aug. 11) in Lake City when the team takes on Ocala. The rink doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the bout getting underway about 7. You don’t need to know anything about the sport, as there is an explanatory demonstration before the bout.

Tickets are $8 at the door. The seating situation is pretty casual, so you might want to take a folding chair or two, although for two-bucks more, you can get a rink-side seat. The fact that you are in “suicide row” is a pretty good indicator of how close you are to the action. Lynda and I sat there and had a blast!

Unfortunately, we ended up reluctantly leaving at half-time. Our departure had nothing to do with the contest. We were freezing! After all, the rink is kept quite chilly to accommodate the skaters. So, the next time we go, you can bet we’ll be taking sweaters and wearing long pants. And finally, if you’d like to learn more about the Hunnies, you can check them out on the internet at acrderby.org.

Jim lives in Live Oak.

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