Rolling along
Meg Hewings
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Kwasny's Neon Skates
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Montreal roller derby is in business. The grassroots smash-up sport that found its resurgence in the underground is truly growing popular. Summer matches at arena St-Louis are regularly sold out, and Beast of the East, a 16-team, 28-game local tournament held back in April, was a smashing success. "I always want more people skating," laughs Alyssa Kwasny, the 25-year-old founder of the Montreal Roller Derby League. Better known to fans as #40oz Georgia W Tush, the feisty Kwasny has been introducing women to the sport since 2006, both in Montreal and in cities across Canada.
Now she's opening Neon Skates, Montreal's first roller-skate shop. "You can order skates online, but it's a challenge to find the right fit! Now our league and all of Eastern Canada can access skates and gear ordered and fitted by a player - someone who knows gear well."
The cozy spot, a small boutique in the back room of vintage store Local 23 (23 Bernard W.), is painted neon yellow (a nod to the colour worn by Kwasny's travel team The New Skids on the Block) and specializes in a wide range of skates and protective gear. There's also "nerdy stuff" like in-skate booties to prevent blisters, wheels, starter kits, player-designed clothes (Pivot Star) and accessories (because fanny-pack hats "look awesome").
"Derby has evolved as an organization and as a business," says Kwasny. The level of competition and athleticism has increased too. "Our two-year plan was to get awesome, then be awesome - and we kind of did it!"
laughs Kwasny of the Skids. Now ranked number 6, the team hopes to kick butt in an upcoming match in Yonkers, N.Y., and make the nationals."We run the league ourselves, and instead of being paid we put the money back into the league to make it more accessible and sustainable."
It's working. Kwasny has only been in business a few weeks, but some stock at Neon Skates is already on backorder. Her weekly recreational roller-skate around town occurs on Mondays starting at 6:30 p.m. at the store. Last year over 200 new recruits tried out to join the Montreal league, and starting Aug. 10 a derby Boot Camp will train and recruit fresh blood - register at recruitment@mtlrollerderby.com.
I`m happy that I found this article! Iwas looking for a place to buy skates and could only find online stores. This will be my first pair of skates and I realy want to try them on!!!!I hope I can find your store! 23 bernard west, montreal?
Thanks Julie
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Julie Taylor
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Congrats on the new shop and all your successes in this business!! You must just love what you do! Good luck in N.Y.!
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Bridget Mandigo
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