Wichita’s roller derby league has grown to more than 40 skaters. For the first time in more than 15 years, Wicked City will field two home teams.
Wheels, boots, plates, trucks, elbow pads and mouth guards: These are the tools of the trade for the skaters of Wicked City Roller Derby. Founded in 2006 as ICT Roller Girls, the Wichita-based league announced last month that they are expanding to include two home teams: the Delano Devils and the Riverside Riot. The teams will make their debut on Saturday, March 22, at The Cotillion.
“The decision to make home teams came from having so many people on the team that we could finally make it happen,” said Delaney Smith (Eva Knevil), who has been with the league since 2018 and plays as a pivot and jammer on both the travel team and the Riverside Riot.
Wicked City has grown to over 40 skaters in the past year, which made the expansion possible. For more than 15 years, the league fielded only a travel team composed of their 14-20 strongest skaters.
“Our coaches, Gnar and Ariel, brought it to our attention that most large leagues have home teams which creates a great fan base and a fun rivalry,” Smith said.
With its trademark circular shape, The Cotillion is ideal for the round-the-track action — there’s practically no bad seat in the venue. Announcers, non-skating officials, and the scoreboard perch on the stage. The Cotillion’s “seasoned” wooden floor gives Wicked City an advantage, as many visiting teams have to adjust to the slick, fast track.
Wicked City hopes the return of home teams will engage the community. “We want to create a large fan base, and we hope that will bring in even more skaters,” Smith said. “Eventually (we hope) we can even create another home team.”
The season runs from March to October. So far, three home games and two away games are on the schedule, but more games may be added as other leagues’ seasons take shape.
“I”m so excited for home teams because everyone will have a chance to play,” said Mandy Berkely (The Mikanic), who first started working with the league in 2010 as a massage therapist. She put on skates in 2019, and now she’s a blocker for the Riverside Riot and the league’s travel team.“Plus, this is a great opportunity for the new skaters to get out on the track.”
Smith also played this season for Team Kansas, a roller derby team of 24 skaters from around the state. In January 2025, Team Kansas competed at the Y’allstars Southern Skate Showdown in Thibodaux, Louisiana. While the team entered the tournament ranked ninth, they finished fifth and received the title of Team of the Tournament as a recognition for their performance as a whole.
“I learned that regardless of how good I think I am, I have to let go of control and trust the team,” said Katy Schoenhofer, who has been playing roller derby since 2009. She skates as a jammer for the travel team and the Delano Devils home team. “I learned to trust that people know what they’re trained to do, and it’s something that we brought back and talked with our teammates about.”
Trust and encouragement are two things Berkley appreciates most in her Wicked City teammates. “I love how roller derby brings people from all walks of life together,” Berkley said. “I would never have met most of the amazing strong women on my team otherwise. On our team everyone belongs, and we all are supportive and encouraging of each other.”
But roller derby isn’t only about the camaraderie skaters build on and off the track. It’s also a chance for them to square off against out-of-town leagues in a full-contact sport that features big blocks, some of which send skaters flying into the 10-foot “splash zone” — a taped-off buffer area around the oblong track. And jammers like Schoenhofer elicit excited screams from the crowd when she jumps the apex of the track to avoid a hit and snag a handful of points.
Wicked City will play one of their regional rivals at the double-header event this weekend: Twister City, a league out of Oklahoma City. Later this season they’ll play the Kansas City Roller Warriors of Kansas City, Missouri, and Rock Town Roller Derby from Little Rock, Arkansas.
“I am excited to play Rock Town again …It was a crazy, crazy close game last season, mostly because we’re so close in skill level,” Smith said of the 158-150 game that ended with Wicked City victorious. “What makes a good game both for fans and players is when you’re playing someone evenly matched. It makes for a great show and opportunities for growth, both as a team and as individuals.”
For those new to the sport, Smith suggests fans listen to the announcers and get involved during the half-time and between-game activities like a rubber ducky toss and other opportunities to win prizes and merchandise. With jam-by-jam calls and color commentary, announcers like Big Red, Chris the Friend, and Shelly Shankya (yours truly) give fans key insights into plays and score break-downs as jammers pass opposing blockers on the track to earn points for their team, or as skaters commit penalties and have to spend 30 seconds in the “sin bin,” or penalty box.
Berkley suggests new fans watch a YouTube video about the basics. “There is so much going on (during a game) that it can be confusing. My best advice is to pick a player and watch closely. Jammers are amazing tricksters, so as they work, you can see how the blockers try and prevent them from scoring.”
This piece originally appeared in The Shout, a Kansas-based arts and culture publication. Click here to read more from The Shout.
shelly. walston. writes. 