CLEARFIELD – Central Pennsylvania’s own Northern Alleghany Backwoods Bruisers (NARD) face off for the first action-packed bout of the season on March 19 against Plan B of the State College Area Roller Derby (SCAR).
Doors will open at 4 p.m. and the first whistle is at 4:30 p.m. Both of the teams belong to the Keystone Derby Conference (KDC), with members that represent a broad geographical area across Pennsylvania.
The Bruisers are comprised of local amateur athletes from Clearfield, Punxsutawney, Dubois, Brookville, Philipsburg and St. Marys and all places in between.
Members of the 2015 KDC champion Bruisers have been looking forward to the 2016 season’s opportunity to defend their championship title. They have trained through the off-season, and both of these talented teams consist of seasoned players (“veterans”) and new recruits (“Freshies”).
They have been busy preparing to slay the competition. Team captain and Freshie coach, Sara Heffner, is feeling positive and says, “I feel confident in the abilities of the rookies, and they will contribute to a successful season opener. Everyone has worked so hard.”
Local derby fans wearing Bruiser black and blue will greet the visitors in purple, at the Skate Station in Clearfield. Plan B was the only team to battle the Bruisers and win during the regular season last year, so they have had ample time to plot their revenge strategy.
According to Bruiser’s Coach Cap’nMerica, Ryan Seaburn, “We plan to rely on derby fundamentals, including our formidable walls. As we have in the past, we are planning to utilize our new anchoring strategy as the key to the victory. While Plan B is a strong competitor and last year’s match was intense, we anticipate this match to be a smashing spectacle.”
This family-friendly event promises some serious sports, serious fun, lightning fast skating and thunderous hits.
NARD partners with a local community charity for each bout, and contributes a percentage of ticket sales to the non-profit organization. They will also collect material goods and contributions directly from the public when applicable.
The Bruisers are excited to support Snacks to Grow On, a non-profit based in Punxsutawney, which works to help local children get the healthy nourishment they need. The team is looking forward to doing their part to help smash childhood hunger.
These local community ties and connections are important in roller derby, and the sport is known for its grass roots approach and community relationships. Please consider donating to this worthy organization, www.snackstogrowon.com.
For those women (and men) who are interested in trying something new, spring recruitment is on April 3. For more information about this and the Derby in general, you can visit Northern Allegheny’s Web site at www.northernalleghenyrollerderby.org or ask a derby girl at the bout.