Skip to content

‘Bloody’ high hopes for Canada

Mission’s Elizabeth Pedersen heading to junior roller derby world cup
12348843_web1_derby4
Elizabeth Pedersen, aka: Bloody L, is one of six players from B.C., and the lone player from Mission, on Team Canada which will battle it out against some of the best young derby talent in the world at the Roller Derby World Cup.

Mission’s ‘Bloody L’ and her Team Canada squad are getting ready to paint the town red later this summer at the Junior Roller Derby World Cup later this summer in Pennsylvania.

Elizabeth Pedersen, aka: Bloody L, is the one of six players from B.C. and the lone player from Mission on the team, which will battle it out against some of the best young derby talent in the world at the world cup.

It’s the second time that Canada has sent a team to the event, and the squad is aiming to improve on the bronze medal they earned at the last world cup.

The Grade 11 Mission Secondary student said she first got curious about the sport after seeing roller derby players in a parade in Pitt Meadows. She quickly joined the team out there and began skating with them.

The skating part of the sport came naturally to Pedersen, who figure and speed skated for about eight years. The only problem was that the team in Haney didn’t have a junior squad, which meant she would have to travel to Chilliwack to join the NWO junior team based out there.

“I began when I was about 11,” she said, noting she participated in a non-contact and purely positional version of the sport in Haney. “But to be able to play on a junior team I had to do the ‘fresh meat’ program in Chilliwack.”

Pedersen continued to learn and develop her skills in Chilliwack, and said she fell in love with the sport.

“You really get thrown into it and you learn the rules and get more comfortable the more you do it,” she said. “But what really drew me in is the community. Everyone is so accepting and super supportive.”

She said her nickname ‘Bloody L’ came about from some of the elaborate make-up she wore early on into her career.

“I’m super into special effects - that’s what I want to get into when I’m older,” she said. “So I used wear a lot of scary make-up for games. I don’t do it as much anymore because the level I play is more professional but that’s where the name came from.”

Pedersen admitted that she has suffered a few concussions from the aggressive sport, and that the risk of injury is always there but she said it’s worth it. She said her crowning achievement in the sport was being named to Team Canada.

She participated in a series of tryouts which took place all across Canada where a panel of coaches judged players based on their strength and endurance. She attended a tryout session in Chilliwack and then got the call that changed her life.

“I started crying I was so happy,” she said. “I was jumping off the walls. I was pretty hopeful that I would make the team because I’m confident in my ability but it was still amazing.”

Pedersen primarily plays jammer on her home team in Chilliwack, but has been used as a blocker for Team Canada. Jammers are relied on to provide the offence, and Pedersen said she likes the challenge of jamming. She has the ability to play both positions at the world cup, which could prove useful for the Canadian team.

As the team prepares to make its way to the event they are seeking help from the public with travel costs and other fees. A GoFundMe account has been created for the trip and can be found at ca.gofundme.com/getteam-canada-jr-2018-to-world-cup.

The world cup runs from July 20 to 24, and Canada will take on teams from Australia, Europe, Great Britain and the United States. For more information on the event, visit juniorrollerderby.org/2018champsandwc.

12348843_web1_derby1
12348843_web1_derby2


Ben Lypka

About the Author: Ben Lypka

I joined the Abbotsford News in 2015.
Read more