By Chelsea Laskowski

Outlaws Derby match remembers one of their own

May 11, 2014 | 3:47 PM

It’s been almost two years since the Prince Albert Roller Derby Outlaws lost one of their own, but they’re still paying tribute to Amber “Red Daun” Jones.

Jones was considered “fresh meat,” or a new derby player who hadn’t passed her skill test, when she passed away suddenly last June.

She never got the chance to compete with the Outlaws because she broke her leg before her first derby.

They held a memorial scrimmage match last year and “it was just a really fun night to honour Amber and to try to remember her in the best way that we as a derby family knew how to do. And it was such a successful event and everybody had such a good time that we decided to make it an annual event,” said Sandy Elsaesser, aka Vexatious Valkyrie.

She explained they put on an exhibition game in which players from across the province were invited.

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On Saturday afternoon, players from Prince Albert, Saskatoon, and Moose Jaw came out for their black versus white match at the Dave G. Steuart Arena.

With 10 players for each team, four less than a usual scrimmage, the women had a physically demanding bout. Over 60 people sat in the audience to take in the event.

There was plenty of shoulder checking, take downs, and even a bloody nose after one contestant took an elbow to the face.

They chose a scrimmage game out of respect for where Jones was at in her derby career, Elsaesser said.

“It’s where some of our freshly benchmarked Outlaws are going to play in their very first game.”

Elsaesser said roller derby wasn’t just a passion for Jones when she passed away, she had a few family members that used to compete as well.

“They were also members of our derby league when Amber passed away. They haven’t been back to play, it’s a little tough for them, kind of a reminder,” she said.

claskowski@panow.com

On Twitter: @chelsealaskowsk