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Health & Fitness

Shoreline Roller Girls Evol Betty and Painya Collida By Christopher TANK Annino

 

Strength, and talent are some of the weapons of choice of the wonderful ladies of the Shoreline Roller derby out of Groton, Connecticut. The league is only a few years old but they are growing fast and furious in the roller derby community.  This sport is not for everyone in regards to participation however you cannot help but admire the passion for the game. It fuels them as they whip past the turns while withstanding some hard hits. The rolling wheels on their feet clap like thunder as they explode with a lightning speed around the highly dangerous curves of the rink. 

Two of their featured skaters are blocker Evol Betty which is love spelled backwards and veteran skater Painya Collida. And although both girls can play both positions jammer and blocker I am highlighting the positions that they have mastered. Both girls play for the Salty broads A Team and for the Burlesque Bruisers.  Painya Collida is a master of all the different disciplines of skating. She is what is called a RINK rat which is someone who practices at skating rinks nonstop. Painya is fast and technical with how she skates, she executes very difficult moves effortlessly. Her style is very similar to the Yankee Clipper Joe DiMaggio. She approaches everything with grace and speed. “I get an awesome feeling when I go out there, when I put the skates on I feel good. One of my best moments in my roller derby career was when I had played Maine’s Calamity Jane’s and our team won and I had gotten the MVP. “ Painya is one of the key individuals in the organization that helps coach rookies and teach them the ropes.  Painya is also the team Captain of the Bruisers.

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Another key individual Evol Betty who is head of the training committee as well as Capitan of the Broads has more of a different style then Painya and even though its different for what she has to do it is very effective. Off the skates she is a very kind and respectable young lady. However as soon as she laces those skates up she is a bleached blond bomber with a streak of mean. Her job is to create an impenetrable fortress so no speed skating jammer could penetrate. She is famous for some of her hits especially when she gives someone a hip bump. Even though she is visually intimidating she exercise’s sportsmanlike conduct and ethics. Her athletic background is in gymnastics and softball, when asked what was her best advice ever given to her she had said “don’t give up fight for what you believe in.”

 

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Shoreline Roller Derby will be having a meet November 10th the Steam Queens vs Burlesque Bruisers and there will be a rare mens match the CT Death Quads vs Mean MT Boys at Galaxy Roller Rink 210 Bridge Street, Groton Connecticut. Check out www.shorelinerollerderby.com
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