Cortez has certainly seen its share of unique sporting events, but never something like this. Beautiful women, clad in knee and elbow pads, racing around a gym floor on skates. Yep, roller derby is coming to Cortez and for die-hard fans and curious spectators alike, this is a can’t-miss event.
Scheduled for Aug. 31 at 5 p.m., the 4 Corners Rollergirls, a group of local women dedicated to the sport of roller derby, will take on the 4 Corners All Stars at Cortez Middle School.
While many local residents may be surprised to learn that Cortez plays host to a roller derby team, the fact of the matter is that the team has been competing for the last two years.
“We’ve been practicing for about two years,” explained head coach Steve Heath. “We’ve been playing a lot of different leagues. We play all around the Colorado Plateau and we’ve also played in Prescott, Ogden and Salt Lake.”
Until now, however, the 4 Corners Rollergirls have been unable to display their talents to the local community. Therefore, when the opportunity to host a bout at Cortez Middle School presented itself, the Rollergirls were all in.
“The Middle School seats 568 people,” said Heath. “(Roller Derby) is really an exciting, hard hitting, full contact sport for women. It really brings out the best in the women and everyone is encouraged to attend. The team is very excited.”
Tickets to this year’s inaugural event cost $10 and may be purchased at the door prior the event. Doors open at 4 p.m., and families are encouraged to attend.
Without a doubt, Aug. 31 will be an exciting night at Cortez Middle School so come down, kick back and watch your local team skate, block and smash their way to victory.
