With the downer that is COVID-19, Foley Sports Tourism (FST) is excited to be able to share some good news. The Foley Event Center will now be home to the Senior Roller Derby League, Standby911.
The contract, signed April 1, 2020, will allow for the six teams to play each of their season games in the Foley Event Center. The season stretches from mid-January to the championships in early April when the Golden Walker will be awarded.
Senior Roller Derby, whose players must be 65 or older with a valid AARP card, has many of the same rules as its younger sister, with some notable exceptions. Walkers are allowed though canes and motorized scooters are banned after a worrisome incident in Branson, MO last year. Each period, or jam, lasts 15 minutes, rather than the usual two as play tends to be slower. However, senior roller derby players are just as intense as traditional players and are allowed more protective padding.
Standby911 League Chairwoman, Blu Hared, said she’s hoping the Foley community will support the fledgling league and that they will find a home at the Foley Event Center for the long-term.
“We are ready to roll in 2021,” Hared laughed, “Senior roller derby is really an up and coming sport and we’re so blessed that FST has taken a chance on us. We may not be rolling as quickly as some of the younger girls but don’t ever underestimate the checking power of a woman who’s had a hip replacement.”
Foley Director of Recreation and Sports Tourism, David Thompson said he knows the partnership will be great for the City of Foley.
“These competitions fit closely with our mission. We will start each event mid-morning so that afterward spectators and participants can get out in time to spend money in Foley by dining at establishments that offer early-bird specials,” Thompson explained. “And frankly, these women scare me a bit so I didn’t want to say no.”
For more information on the upcoming Standby911 season please contact Stephanie Donald, she has a bridge she’d like to sell you.
