Thirteen of the best roller derby teams from around the globe met last week in Portland for the first Women's Flat Track Derby Association world championships since the pandemic. In 2019, St. Louis’ Arch Rival All Stars got fourth place — an all-time best for the team.
They went even further this year, making their way to the final game.
“There's nothing in derby that replicates the energy of a building that is packed with the most passionate people,” said Arch Rival skater Stephanie Bondhus, known by her derby name Bolt Action. “It was really nice to be back.”
With a score of 141-104, Arch Rival ultimately placed second in the tournament after a hard-fought bout against the long-standing champions, Portland’s Rose City Rollers Wheels of Justice.
“We left it all out there. We did everything in our power to win that game,” Bondhus said. “[Rose City is] a really strong team, and we came the closest that I think anybody has. I'm really proud of what we were able to do.”
Bondhus and her teammate Alinna Prince, otherwise known as LuxFurious, attribute Arch Rival’s success to their strong coaching team and the fact that most of their players came back after the COVID-19 hiatus.
“We had a very strong mindset of, ‘We're the team to beat,’” Prince said. “We felt that energy from every player.”
Prince and Bondhus joined St. Louis on the Air to discuss what it means for St. Louis’ roller derby team to be ranked No. 2 in the world, share some roller derby 101 and talk about their passion for the sport — which extends off the track.
“A lot of folks use the saying, ‘Roller derby saved my soul,’” Bondhus said. “There is something so empowering about having a space where strong women, queer women, anybody can come and be themselves and be accepted. Most of us consider ourselves a little bit of outcasts, and we find this chosen family where it's safe to be yourself.”
Arch Rival’s league — which includes the All Stars, Arch Rival Nemesis, Fleur-de-Linquents and a junior roller derby team — will begin its 2025 season in February. For those interested in joining, they offer training for a new class of skaters in early January.
“We don't just throw you out there to get hit. We teach you how to skate. We teach you how to fall safely so nobody's getting hurt,” Bondhus said. “I would also add that, even if you don't want to be a skater, there's still a place for you within roller derby. There's a need for people that can either be on skates (referees) or off-skates officials and volunteer in that capacity.
"You can come and just volunteer — come to practice and maybe blow a whistle, or help with setup or help haul merch," she added. "There is a place for anybody to fit in, and it's not just about the skaters.”
Learn more about roller derby in St. Louis by listening to the full discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or click the play button below.
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Jada Jones is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
