SLEMON PARK, P.E.I. — SLEMON PARK – As the Summerside Twisted Sisters prepared for the roller derby team’s 2019 home opener and tripleheader at The Plex in Slemon Park on Saturday afternoon, they shared a sense of camaraderie.
Co-captain Shelley Schurman, colloquially referred to as “Hellcat Fury,” said she gets into the zone by knowing her teammates have one goal.
“Roller derby is competitive, but it’s really all about the sense of community,” said Schurman. “It’s a very inclusive fun sport for people of all walks of life and backgrounds.”
The Twisted Sisters kicked off their season with bouts in Moncton, N.B., Windsor and Halifax, N.S., before returning home to play against the Fredericton Spitfires and the Kickin’ Vixens from New Glasgow, N.S.
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Scores
- Roller derby scores from Saturday’s tripleheader at The Plex:
- Fredericton Spitfires 128 Summerside Twisted Sisters 68.
- Kickin’ Vixens (New Glasgow, N.S.) 162 Twisted Sisters 127.
- Spitfires 133 Vixens 102.
“I look for the holes and take a whip at them to get through. A lot of the time I find that if I move quickly, I can get through the defence. But my agility helps me a lot through the game,” grinned Harvey, who demonstrated her speed on the track after a five-year span of playing the sport.
“I’m 38-years-old, with three children, and there are no other team sports for me that I can play and compete at this level, so roller derby really is empowering for me. Especially after I’ve had a hard day and can go to a practice and just work off tension with my teammates,” she continued.
Harvey acknowledged when the game is over the teams' high-five and pick each other up with grace.
“A lot of women don’t have the opportunity to be in a full-contact sport, and this is one that just makes you feel good all-around, it makes you feel strong, fast, and powerful,” she continued.
“And returning to Summerside is great – the Twisted Sisters are such a fun team to play.”
Click here for story on Twisted Sisters' home opener and Saturday's tripleheader at The Plex:
Optimism
There was no lack of optimism for the start of the new season by Maureen Gay, a veteran member of the Twisted Sisters.
“Maureen is our formidable player on the track. She’s known throughout the game because of her big hits that you want to avoid,” laughed Schurman while acknowledging her team brought a thrilling combination of speed skating, strength and strategy to the stage that was equally as exciting for the spectators.
“The Spitfires are a very competitive team, but the Vixens are one of my favourite teams to play because we have so much fun on and off the court,” concluded Schurman.
