Spencer Pickles

Black Press

A roller derby player from Saanich is on her way to Manchester, England to compete in this weekB次元官网网址檚 Roller Derby World Cup. Vicky Zdancewicz, known by her derby name Rage, has been chosen as a member of Team Indigenous.

B次元官网网址淚 was completely blown away and honoured and flabbergasted and shocked that I would be given this opportunity,B次元官网网址� said Rage. B次元官网网址淭o be the first skater from Vancouver Island to compete in the World Cup, itB次元官网网址檚 an incredible honour.B次元官网网址�

Not only is this a first for the island, but this is a first for Indigenous people on a world stage. This is the first time roller derby, or any sport, has included an all-Indigenous team. Team Indigenous features 20 members from Canada, The United States, Argentina, Samoa and New Zealand. B次元官网网址淭he mission and purpose of Team Indigenous Roller Derby is to unite the Indigenous roller derby community representing the proud once-borderless communities of their ancestral lands on these continents,B次元官网网址� said Rage whose grandmother is a member of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation of Northern Saskatchewan

Rage has been playing the sport for nine years ever since she saw a match at Eagle Ridge Community Center in Langford. B次元官网网址淚 thought, IB次元官网网址檝e never played a contact sport before, I donB次元官网网址檛 know how to roller skate,B次元官网网址� said Rage, B次元官网网址渂ut I know I want to try that, so letB次元官网网址檚 do it.B次元官网网址� Her tendency to fall over earned her the nickname Tumbleweed upon first joining the Eves of Destruction but she trained hard and within six months she made their charter team. SheB次元官网网址檚 been playing ever since.

Rage is a mother of two. Her children, seven and three years old, will not be travelling with her to Manchester but will be cheering her on from home. B次元官网网址淭hey are so proud of me,B次元官网网址� said Rage. B次元官网网址淭heyB次元官网网址檝e been there every step of the way, brought me ice packs out of the freezer to soothe my sore muscles, and stroked my head and told me itB次元官网网址檚 all going to be OK when IB次元官网网址檓 crying, really frustrated. They know that I can do it so I know I can do it.B次元官网网址�

Rage describes her training as dynamic. She practices roller derby every day, running drills with her teammates, and supplements that training with powerlifting, kickboxing, gymnastics, calisthenics, cross fit, body weight workouts, running, swimming, and boxing. B次元官网网址淩oller derby is such a dynamic sport and your body is asked of so many things in the moment that I wanted to keep confusing my body in my training,B次元官网网址� said Rage who will play the position of jammer, the player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team. B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 why my training has been so all over the place: to create muscle confusion and make me a stronger faster more powerful skater. IB次元官网网址檝e done my homework and put the work in and IB次元官网网址檓 ready for Worlds.B次元官网网址�

The Roller Derby World Cup takes place Feb. 1-4 in Manchester, England. Team Indigenous is one of 38 teams competing for the cup. You can watch online here: /.