Women of the Flint Roller Derby play for the ‘greater good’
This story was originally published by The Flint Journal and MLive Media Group.
FLINT, MI -- For the women of the Flint Roller Derby, whose team motto is “greater good,” it isn’t just about the game.
It’s about friendship, doing the right thing and being a part of the community.
The community shows up for the group as they did on May 20 when a line of fans stretched around Rollhaven Skating Center before the doors opened and later cheered them on during a bout against Fox Cities Roller Derby.
Players with colorful derby names like Helen Wheels and Domme Sawyer battled to score points in a game of strategy, skill, and endurance.
Some fans jumped out of their seats cheering while others pounded on the ground as the women of the Flint Roller Derby fought their way to a 169-98 point victory over Fox Cities in their first ranked match since 2019.
Jess Dunkin, whose Derby name is Dunkin, has been playing 13 years for Flint.
In that time, she has seen the amount of support the city shows for its sports teams like the Flint City Bucks, Flint Firebirds and Flint Roller Derby.
“It feels amazing to have Flint behind us… Flint Roller Derby has some of the best skaters in the state and so to have people come out from the community to see these amazing woman athletes is exciting,” Dunkin said. “I think it shocks people a lot of the time the amount of athleticism they see out here.”
The Flint Roller Derby team it is smaller than other teams in the sport, but the outfit sees this as an advantage since it allows for closer relationships between teammates.
Grace Sawyer, also known as Domme Sawyer, has skated on larger teams but thinks the vibe on Flint Roller Derby is completely different from any other.
“There is something really beautiful about being good friends with everybody on and off the track,” Sawyer said.
For players who’ve been on the team for years, the sport has become engrained into their lives and the meaning for them has gone far beyond just winning or losing.
Katie Cotton, who goes by the derby name K Cotton, has been with the team for 15 years.
Cotton said that she wouldn’t be where she is in life without the team since it is where she got her current job and where she met her husband Nick Cotton, who is now the coach for the team, while he was a fan cheering the team on years ago.
“I have seen the personal growth in hundreds of amazing people, coaches, referees, players on this team, literally thinking of the growth I’ve seen from some of my teammates makes me tear up and it gives me goose bumps just thinking of the silly things that can come from putting on a pair of skates,” Cotton said.