Burlesque Brawlers!

When you mix physically and emotionally empowered women with a twist of lace, leather or lingerie, you will realize you are getting more from less at the Houston Roller Derby.

Three women from Montgomery County have participated in derby bouts for around two- and- a- half years, and have struck fear in the brassier of their opponents from across the nation competing with their team, the Burlesque Brawlers.

On Saturday, and again on July 5, the ladies of the Houston Roller Derby will take to the rink in Shenandoah at Jopa Sports.

League Secretary Jojo Mixon, better known as “Creeping Beauty” for her ability to creep and destroy her opponents, said the derby bouts draw crowds and keep them due to the competitive and exciting nature of the sport.

“It shows we can do pretty much everything; it’s a legitimate sport, and you never know what’s going to happen,” she said. “Seeing girls in short skirts and fishnets is nice, but we’re not eye candy. When they come out, people always want more and more.”

The name of the game in roller derby is for the jammer to score as many points as possible while trying to evade the blockers and pivot, two lines of defense who live to make the lone jammer suffer on her quest to score.

Fresh off their trip to California to compete in the “Roll for the Cure” tournament, benefiting breast cancer awareness, the Houston Roller Derby is gearing up for their “Suburban Slam Series,” with dates from now until October.

The Houston League has four teams with personalities to match, including the Bayou City Bosse$, the Burlesque Brawlers, the Machete Betties and the Psych Ward Sirens.

The Houston Roller Derby's all-star team, HaRD Knocks, travels to compete against leagues across the nation.

Carrie Bishop, known as Ms. Treatment to her derby family, was talked into auditioning for the team by her friend, Kirsten Bubier, better known as Mata Scari.

Bishop, a jammer for the Burlesque Brawlers, is an elementary school counselor in The Woodlands, and said when she steps into the rink to compete another side of her personality is able to show, to the acclaim of the elementary school staff.

“I’m a therapist and counselor by profession, it’s like a dual personality when we play; it’s like rugby on skates,” she said. “It seems to be quite a cool thing with my staff; of course they look at me and say ‘You’re such a skinny thing,’ or ‘Is she crazy, or losing her mind,’ she said. “But it’s more seen as a ‘Wow, look at what she’s doing.’”

Bubier echoed her friend Bishop’s comments on taking a different personality, and said the athletes leave all their aggression and competitive edge in the rink before coming home to their families.

“You definitely become more aggressive, but you leave it all in the rink,” she said, “Then you come home and you’re Betty Crocker.”

Bubier said the derby draws interests from all walks of life, and brings them back for the competitive nature and spirit of the sport.

“The rock and roll girls in fishnets and on skates are what brings them in, but the sport is what keeps them coming back in,” she said. “We don’t have a certain demographic; everybody loves roller derby.”

The Houston Roller Derby will be venturing into Shenandoah at Jopa Sports June 28 and July 5.
By Elliott Cochran