The Great Catsby, CGRD prepare for derby scrimmage

A little more than seven years ago, Poplar Bluff native Catrina Huskey and her husband decided to change things up on date night.

Instead of the usual dinner and a movie, they decided to take in a roller derby match.

The wasn’t the night where her new moniker would come to fruition but it wouldn’t take long for her derby persona to be born.

The Great Catsby, along with the rest of the Cape Girardeau Roller Derby team, will compete Saturday in their Summer Slam that features six scrimmages with one main event at the end of the night. The event starts at 9 a.m. at the AC Base Arena in Cape Girardeau.

The event features 17 teams from around the Midwest, including teams from Wisconsin, Tennessee and Illinois, among others.

Huskey admitted she was intimidated when she first saw derby but after speaking with a few of the players at a health fair, she decided to give it a go.

To derby, one must be able to do the main thing it takes to compete in roller derby — skate.

“I had skated when I was a kid at the local skating rink but I hadn’t skated a lot since I was probably 13-14 years old,” she said. “But we have skaters of all levels that start. If you don’t know how to skate, we teach you how to skate. The first thing we teach you is how to skate safely and how to fall safely.”

Now, a seven-year veteran of the Cape Girardeau Roller Derby, Huskey has worn many hats for the club, including being a member of the training committee and helping find worthwhile causes for the organization to donate to.

“We donate some of the funds from each game to a charity,” she said. “I love doing that.”

Huskey said she’s seen some changes in the group since her entering as they were down to only nine members just before Covid shut them down for two years.

But now, the group is thriving.

“We have a whole new crop of skaters,” she said. “Really excited people that are learning to play derby. We’ve had a lot of brand new people and new energy. I love it.”

The club also has a mentoring program for those new members that want a little extra help when joining.

“If a brand new person comes in and they don’t feel comfortable asking a bunch of questions, they can get a big sister and help them along in the process,” she said.

The team is compiled from all walks of life, said Huskey. She added players start at 18 with her seeing one team having an athlete as old as 60. She said the team is primarily female but they have had some males in the past.

Roller derby is comprised of blockers, like Huskey, and jammers.

“I’m mainly a blocker who wants to be a jammer but most of the time I block,” she said. “That’s just what I’ve always done but I also enjoy jamming just because it’s fun to be the one to look forward and also score the points. It’s exciting but it’s a lot of pressure so I don’t know if I want to do it all the time.”

Huskey said the team has become her family but they don’t just see each other at practices.

“We also do stuff in the community,” she said. “We are active with parades. We did an event with some young women a month ago where we taught them about derby and did a presentation about self-esteem. We’re very active about giving back. That’s our main thing.”

Huskey said those interested in joining the club, wanting information on tickets for Saturday’s scrimmages or their matches in August and November, can find them on Facebook or www.capegirardeaurollerderby.com.

For those thinking about attending on Saturday, Huskey said they can expect a lot of action.

“It’s a lot of fun to watch,” she said. “It’s an exciting game. It’s fast but once you catch on, it’s so much fun. We have concessions at the game so if you want a hot dog or a beer, we have that available. If you want to join the team, it’s the most positive community I’ve ever been a part of. I love all the people I’ve met through derby. We’ve all become really close friends. We want each other to succeed. I’ve never been a part of a community like that before.”