The Appalachian Hell Betties and the staff at Bird Arena transformed the hockey rink into a bowl arena to kick off the Hell Betties competitive season.
The Hell Betties will compete against the Glass City Rollers of Toledo in their third competition and first-ever home bout Saturday evening.
Finding a venue was one of the hardest parts of putting the bout together, said Amber “Vera Venom” Young, an Athens resident who does CAT scans and MRI scans at O’Bleness Memorial Hospital and is part of the Hell Betties.
“We only have Bird during the summer, so we are limited to putting on a performance during the summer,” Young said.
Dan Morris, director for Bird Arena, has been a huge help, Young added.
“He (Morris) has been enthusiastic about the environment we want to create and the sport itself,” Young said. “We want to give back to Athens during the summer months and promote other sports.”
To transform Bird into a bowl arena, glass was taken down from the north end, bleachers were brought in to accommodate additional spectators and a track and stage were set up for the Hell Betties, Morris said, adding that there will also be a place for spectators to purchase beer at the event.
“The Betties rent the arena out, and we just help them with whatever they want,” he said. “We want to provide the best time for them and others.”
Although a lot of work goes into transforming the arena, Morris said he would like to continue supporting the team.
“This is an intriguing event, and the Hell Betties are very active community members,” he said. “The arena holds 500 people, and 400 tickets have been pre-sold, so they have made this quite the community event.”
A portion of the ticket sales will also go to benefit My Sister’s Place to provide items for the house or anything they need, Young said.
“Because we are a full women's league, we wanted to give back to an organization that helps other women to become stronger and helps them to a better spot in their life,” she said.
Watching a live roller derby event is different than how some people might picture it, Young said.
“I know I was completely unaware of what it was until I could see it in person,” she said. “It's just a lot of fun, and if you haven’t experienced it, you should.”
An after party will be held at Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery, featuring local bands, DJs and dancers, and a specialty “Hell Bettie” drink.
“The event coincides with Brew Week, so we thought it would be a good way to mix the two together,” Young said. “It’s going to be a fun event for everyone.”
ao007510@ohiou.edu
Never been to a bout? Check out some video of the Betties in action here: http://thepost.ohiou.edu/content/appalacian-hell-betties
