Courtesy of Zero Photography.
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The founders of the team and the head coach practicing contact drills.
In the lexicon of roller derby, the Belles of Chaos are looking for fresh meat. Roller derby is a contact sport that requires speed and tenacity. The structure of the game consists of two teams composed of four blockers and a jammer, – the jammer’s goal being to make as many laps around the track as possible without being blocked by the opposing team. “It’s pretty much like football on wheels and without a ball,” said Isabel López, one of the members of the Belles.
Back in early 2013, a passion for skating brought together a group of bold, energetic women to join forces and form Laredo’s first and only roller derby team. Originally called the Roller Ritas, the women began recruitment efforts around town. What started of as an occasional hobby quickly took on a life of its own. The team started practicing weekly – at first with just a few members, some skates, and a limited knowledge of the sport. As their efforts grew, so did their setbacks – dangerous practice locations, a lack of city support, and an unreliable leadership structure that made the team impossible to sustain. “Some of the initial founders left, and the team died off, but they had already planted the roller derby idea in the other women,” shared Melissa Esquivel, one of the veteran members of the team. The team dealt with leadership challenges and eventually dissolved.
Esquivel, otherwise known by her Derby Name Monster, talked about her early experiences. “After the Ritas dissolved, we tried starting up the Laredo Riot Roller Derby but that didn’t go anywhere, and it fell apart, even though there were women who were dedicated and great skaters.” In 2014, Griselda Soto, founder of the Belles of Chaos, contacted Esquivel. “[Griselda] told me she still wanted to do roller derby because she loved the sport, so I told her, ‘hell yeah!’ even though I was eight months pregnant.” With passion and determination, six original Belles set out to recruit, often finding waves of interest. Members would show up, only to quit after a few months of trying. “We went from six to ten girls in a few months, but life happened and we would be back to four or five committed members,” Esquivel continued, “even finding a reliable practice location was a challenge.”
Courtesy of Zero Photography.
Ula Lukzso Klein, Griselda Soto and Melissa Esquivel (left to right) practicing contact drills. Klein is the president, while Soto and Esquivel are the founders of the Belles of Chaos.
The Belles constantly fought soccer players for a space at Lafayette Park. Even after getting a city permit for the space, the practice circumstances did not necessarily improve. The lights at the park would be off at night, even though the women were still practicing. They would call the city to keep them on slightly past 10, the end of their practice time, only to get a negative response. “They would basically say ‘deal with it – lights need to be off exactly at 10,’ but we would drive out there on other days and see them on around 11 or 12,” shared Esquivel.
The women were unfazed by adversity. They skated in cold weather, hot weather, on cloudy days, on rainy days, always with the determination to keep the team growing.
Enter Ula Lukszo-Klein, a TAMIU professor of literature with five years of derby experience under her belt. Since her arrival to coach the Belles, the team has been able to grow and fully understand what roller derby is. Klein has been a member of three teams and has competed in five bouts. “I joined because it looked really cool. I saw a bout and the women who played were tough and strong, and I wanted to be like them,” said Klein, also known as Jane AweStun.
Part of roller derby requires members to pass a minimum skills test, a safety standard set by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) to ensure only qualified players are on the field. Some of the requirements include having an extensive knowledge of the rules, skating backwards, and being able to skate 27 laps around a regulation track in under five minutes. Under Klein’s leadership, seven girls have been able to pass their minimum skills test. Another improvement has been a change in practice location, from an unlit, outdoors skate rink, to an indoor wood-floored basketball court at the Barbara Fasken Recreation Center.
The Belles have held numerous fundraisers, including an Alamo Drafthouse screening of Whip it!, a coming-of-age story about a high school girl who finds her voice through roller derby. The Belles have also had the opportunity to interact with teams from other cities and have even played in out-of-town bouts, or mash-ups. A mash-up brings together skaters from different teams and backgrounds to give them the opportunity to experience a real bout, even though their teams may not have a structure to host one on their own.
Although the Belles have matured as a team, a committed membership base continues to be a challenge. The team has gone from having two practice days a week at the Fasken Rec Center to only one due to low member turnout. The Belles have hosted a series of recruitment events, including having a booth at the Por Vida Tattoos International Tattoo Festival. With Klein and Esquivel’s commitment, the Belles of Chaos are hoping to grow their membership base and be able to host Laredo’s first bout in May.
“Roller derby is fun, it’s a great workout, and it’s exciting and different. Roller derby is about being tough and fit at the same time,” shared Klein, encouraging Laredo women to join the team.
The Belles are hosting a recruitment event on Tuesday, February 21, at 6 p.m. at the Barbara Fasken Recreation Center. No skating experience is necessary, and loaner gear is available for newcomers. For further information, contact laredorollergirls@hotmail.com or message the team on Facebook at Belles of Chaos.
Photos Courtesy of Zero Photography
