Burning River Roller Derby: Cleveland’s Rebels on Wheels

“Burning river” was once the most infamous jab thrown at our city, but that just made the comeback story all that much sweeter. The Burning River Roller Derby turns those punchlines into whips, hip checks and one of the wildest events in all The Land.

Rebels on Wheels

Burning River Roller Derby, The Land’s very own crew of rebels on wheels, are going out match after match kicking butt and taking names. Rolling onto the court with all the swagger of 90s WWE wrestlers and names like Frank-N-Hurter, Baby Ruthless and Slay-Her Swift, they embody all the things that define this city: they’re tough, unapologetic, and most importantly — fun.

Still serving up body checks, bruises and hometown pride after 20 years, a Burning River Roller Derby bout is a can’t-miss outing for die-hard sports fans and anyone seeking a uniquely Cleveland dose of controlled chaos.

From the team’s conception in 2006, Burning River Roller Derby spends their regular spring and summer season traveling across the Midwest and beyond to demonstrate just the kind of grit that’s born in The Land. When they’re not on the road, the league hosts home games through the fall — like November’s Black and Blue benefit match.

Roller Derby 101

If the extent of your roller derby exposure comes from “Whip It,” expect just a few surprises. Though the sport is equally as hard-hitting and high-energy as the silver screen promised, it’s also strategic — requiring athletes to rely on their knowledge of the game’s complex rules, teamwork, and split-second decision making while hurtling around the track on skates.

Let’s break it down: Roller derby is a full-contact sport where two rival teams score points by having their designated “jammer” lap opposing players (“blockers”) around the track. After the jammer fights their way through the pack, they earn one point for every opponent they pass on each lap. A full "bout” usually lasts 60 minutes, split into 30-minute halves that consist of two-minute rounds called “jams.” The game was traditionally dominated by women but is increasingly inclusive of other gender identities.

Still not too sure what’s happening on the track? Don’t sweat it. At every bout, a Burning River Roller Derby member sporting an “Ask Me About Derby” vest is nearby, ready to break down the rules and help get you up to speed.

Community and connection

But Burning River Roller Derby is more than a sport. Organization president and longtime blocker Killer Queen said the team has a mutually beneficial place in Cleveland, giving back to the home that has shown them so much support through volunteering, park cleanups and community trail skates. As a women-focused, gender-expansive team, it’s a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community, women who have long been told that contact sports don’t have a place for them and anyone else who feels ‘other.’

Killer Queen joined the organization after she attended her first bout in 2013 and promptly decided that her next stop would be to buy a pair of roller skates. Despite having no history of operating on eight wheels with or without the body checks, she was determined to learn how to skate in the two weeks before the next tryout — and she did. Why? Because Burning River Roller Derby was a force unlike one she had ever seen.

“It was just seeing a bunch of women being athletic, like really, really athletic. In terms of the skating aspect, it was something I’ve never seen before. I just was like, ‘This is it.’” Killer Queen said. “So I joined.”

The sport became a place for her to focus on what her body was capable of, rather than what it looked like, and an opportunity to discover her own definition of strength and determination — ironically finding a safe space in a full-contact sport known for its body checks and bruises.

Catch the action

Though Burning River Roller Derby’s regular competitive season has wrapped up for the year, there’s still plenty of action left to catch. The annual Black and Blue benefit match returns to the Cleveland Heights Community Center on Nov. 21, with doors opening at noon and the action starting at 3 p.m. Along with all the speed and strategy that one can expect from a Burning River Roller Derby match, the event features crowd favorites like full-contact musical chairs while raising money for a local organization close to the team’s heart.

The proceeds of this year’s benefit will go to Crooked River Roller Derby, an independent nonprofit junior league — making it a perfect opportunity to experience the derby excitement while supporting the next generation of blockers and jammers.

Killer Queen has one message for the derby-curious: Give it a shot, come to a game and find your own supportive community in The Land of Something For Everyone — even if that something is watching people knock each other around on eight wheels.