Philly Roller Girls play at Class of 1923 Arena

Thought Penn’s campus would be devoid of live sports action this summer?

Though there certainly aren’t many Penn sports around using the facilities, that doesn’t mean that no one is. This past weekend Penn’s Class of 1923 Arena was overrun by a roller derby event as members of the Philly Roller Girls took part in a pair of matches against teams from Pittsburgh and Erie, Pa.

The Philly Roller Girls are an all-women roller derby league and a member of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), which is the highest governing body in roller derby.

The organization is intended to help promote strength and athleticism through competition, while also fostering important leadership skills and helping support local charities in the community.

The league is comprised of four teams – the Liberty Belles, the Independence Dolls, the Block Party, and the Cheese Skates – each of which has a unique role and level of talent.

This weekend the Liberty Belles and the Block Party competed against the Steel City Roller Derby and the Eerie Roller Girls, respectively. The Liberty Belles are the all-star team of the organization and compete in the top level of interleague play, while the Block Party is more of a pick-up team.

This isn’t the first time that the Roller Girls have used the Class of 1923 Arena. In fact, the organization has used Penn’s arena, along with Temple University’s Liacouras Center, for years.

Though the organization won’t return to skate on Penn’s campus until next season, they will still be around the area later in the summer. The Roller Girls have games in Feasterville, Pa. and Philadelphia remaining on their slate, which wraps up in early November.

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