Sports

Long Island Roller Rebels Prepare For Their Bouts in Seaford

Long Island's only all-female flat track roller derby league uses United Skates as practice rink.

The 2013 Long Island Roller Rebels season is underway and Seaford is the place where much of the hard work and preparation for upcoming derby bouts take place.

Since forming nearly a decade ago as Long Island's only all-female flat track roller derby league, the Rebels have utilized United Skates of America in Seaford as their practice rink with Skate Safe in Old Bethpage used for home bouts. The Rebels' All-Star team features 20 women from all over Long Island who after working their day jobs, will typically head to United Skates usually three times a week during the nine-month season for intense practices.

"It is an aggressive sport that is fun to play and is physical," said Lauren Madonia of Bellmore, who goes by the skater name "Captain Morgan" and is president of the Roller Rebels. "We like beating each other up and then going to work the next day."

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Ashlee Cohen of Plainview, whose skater name is "Berry Boom Boom", said after busy days attending Touro Law School in Suffolk County, she enjoys being able to get away from her studies for some time on the United Skates rink with teammates on weeknights.

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"I like the dedication that it takes and how physical it is," said Cohen, who is in her first year with the Rebels.

The commitment of the Roller Rebels is a financial one in addition to the hard hits on the track. The players do not get paid and have to come up with the funding for equipment and rink time. In addition to seeking out sponsors, fundraisers for the Rebels are held throughout the year, including a recent benefit at the The Leaky Lifeboat in Seaford.

Madonia, who works as a medical biller by day, said after an 8-2 season in 2012 as a Division II team, she would like to see the Rebels improve their performance in 2013 to reach the highest level of the sport.

The Long Island Roller Rebel All Stars have their second home bout scheduled for this Saturday evening against the Garden State Roller Girls at Skate Safe, located on 182 Bethpage Sweet Hollow Road in Old Bethpage. Doors open at 7 p.m. with first whistle slated for 8 p.m.

For further information on the Roller Rebels, log onto their website or Facebook page. For a recent behind the scenes video on the Roller Rebels posted on former Patch personality Stacey Sweet's website, lifeissweet.tv, click here


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