FMC News & Events
Bay State Brawlers Roller Derby
Fitchburg, MA
Once the ice has melted for the season over at the Wallace Civic Center in Fitchburg the Baystate Brawlers are ready for their spring/summer home! The Brawlers are Central Massachusetts’s premier nonprofit roller derby team and have been with the Civic Center since 2014.
We recently spoke with Meghan Beaulieu aka Derby name “Maulie Walnuts” about this exciting sport. Meg joined the team in 2015 after watching the season prior. “I had a friend who played, and she was driving by my house on her way to practice and said you should come try it. They offered a bootcamp that teaches you how to play and I got hooked!”
According to SportsFoundation.com, “Roller Derby emerged in the United States during the 1930s, initially as a skating marathon. Its founder, Leo Seltzer, along with sportswriter Damon Runyon, crafted rules that gradually molded the sport into its contemporary form. Since its inception, it has gone through multiple resurgences and more specifically in 2001, a significant revival of Roller Derby emerged in Austin, Texas. The emergence of the Texas Rollergirls signaled the beginning of a DIY, grassroots movement. This new wave prioritized inclusiveness, gender equality, and a stronger sense of community, giving rise to the modern-day Roller Derby movement.”
The Bay State Brawlers have skaters from as close as Fitchburg and Gardner but also as far away as Salem NH and Nashua NH. Skaters range from 18 years old to even in their 50’s and 60’s. According to Meg, you do not need to have any experience, “some people come in with skating experience and some come in with none and start just because it looks fun.” Just like Meg who started in a boot camp offered many years ago, the Brawlers have opportunities coming up to try out this exciting and growing sport. It’s also a great way to get fit and make new friends! The next New Recruit BootCamp begins on Wednesday, May 8th at the Wallace Civic Center and runs for 8 weeks with 16 classes altogether. For more details and to sign up please visit their website Bay State Brawlers Roller Derby
HelloRollerGirl.com said it best, “Roller Derby is more than a sport with a bunch of ladies bashing each other on a track, it is an incredibly tactical sport with more than a 40-paged rulebook”.
Looking forward to supporting the team? Then be sure to mark your calendars for their home-opening doubleheader on Saturday, June 8th vs the Long Island Roller Rebels & then an Expo Game vs two home teams. Tickets available here: 6.1.24 Home Doubleheader Tickets – Bay State Brawlers Roller Derby (square.site) or choose to be a home season ticket holder 2024 Home Season Tickets – Bay State Brawlers Roller Derby (square.site).
The Baystate Brawlers are grateful to have their home track be the Wallace Civic Center and we look forward to cheering them on this 2024 season!
Wallace Civic Center
1000 John Fitch Highway
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
