NEWPORT NEWS— Founded four years ago, the Ghost Fleet Roller Derby (GFRD) team hopes of develop a strong, courageous, and athletic community through the sport of roller derby.
The GFRD is part of the Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby Association. The team was started by several former roller derby players as well as some newer individuals. The name was chosen in honor of the James River Reserve Fleet (JRRF), the oldest of the eight original National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) sites, and one of only three that are still in operation. The team is one of three roller derby teams in the area, with the other two being the Dominion Derby Girls in Virginia Beach and River City Roller Derby in Richmond.
“We found that there was a community, especially amongst our military residents, whether they’re in the military themselves or if they’re military spouses,” said Gina Facteau, who is the league’s secretary. “We came up with the name Ghost Fleet because when we were initially practicing, the only rink we had available to us was out in Smithfield. So, taking the Smithfield bridge every day, you drive right past the ghost fleet ships. So we thought that was a really nice nod to our location.”
Since its initial founding, the team has now primarily partnered with Peninsula Family Skating Center in Newport News. They are also the team’s home rink.
Due to the niche nature of the sport, Facteau says that the team does have to routinely travel in order to get gameplay.
“We put a lot of time and effort and our members are super committed to the sport,” said Facteau.
Roller Derby is a full-contact sport. Facteau says people might remember the highly entertainment-focused roller derby from the 80s that was aired on TV, and says it is different from that, but it is still an aggressive, fast-paced, and fun sport to watch.
The GFRD team is also a non-profit and does its best to take part in community events. Each home game, a different organization is chosen to donate ticket proceeds to. Facteau says that the team also tries to do volunteering when it can, saying it is “by the skaters for the skaters.”
The skaters take on additional responsibilities besides just showing up for practice. The team has different committees for marketing and fundraising that the team participates in, so that the team can remain sustainable.
High up in the team values is diversity and inclusivity. Even though the team is part of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, they are welcoming to trans and non-binary skaters as long as they are more comfortable playing a woman’s sport. The team is also always looking for volunteers for a variety of positions.
In order to skate with the team, the individual must be 18 years or older. There is no junior league at this time. Intakes are done every quarter and is currently has one ongoing. The next orientation night is going to be on Wednesday, April 22. The team also says if you’re in a position where you can only skate for a season or a few months to try out anyway, as they understand that, being in a military area, turnover can be high.
To learn more about GFRD, visit the official website.
