On June 24, Toronto's Hogtown Roller Derby league will host its first home game after a near four-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

In their first action-packed triple header home game of the season, the team will compete against Alliston’s Renegade Derby Dames and players will be happy to be there. 

For those unfamiliar, roller derby is played on an oval track by two teams of five players, all wearing quad rollerskates.

There are many rules, but each team's main objective is to score as many points as possible by having their jammer, a specified player wearing a star cap on their helmet, pass players of the opposing team. 

Every player has a "derby name," adding a colourful quirk to an already creative and progressive game. At a glance, the sport flourishes through self-expression: coloured hair, tattoos, fun outfits and unique makeup.

According to Vice, roller derby has a long-standing relationship with feminist and queer communities because it's an unusually inclusive sport.

"It's always been a fairly queer sport," says veteran player Emily Fowler, a.k.a. Hollyween III: Season of the Witch. So it's fitting that the team's official comeback intersected with Toronto's Pride celebrations.

As for inclusivity, Fowler says the objective of the league is to have everyone feel welcome. "Whether you want to skate or volunteer, there's a spot here for you."

In fact, Hogtown Roller Derby is a not-for-profit league, meaning it's run entirely by volunteers, from the referees and game officials to the coaches who devote multiple hours a week to training new players.

Hogtown coach Elsa Morena, aka Dead Lasso, says it's a "passion hobby" for those involved. 

The love of the sport and the community that has formed around it is what drives the volunteers and players to keep it going. Hogtown played for twelve consecutive seasons before the City of Toronto implemented lockdown policies in 2020.

Since then, the league members have been elated to return this summer in full force.

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"After being away for so long, one of the things we were kind of worried about was, 'Will people still be interested?' but we realized that this league is so resilient," says Morena.

There are no tryouts to join. Instead, Hogtown offers an eight-week Derby 101 program every fall and winter for “freshies” (a.k.a. new players) interested in learning the game.

Any concerns about having enough players to maintain the league were squashed after a strong turnout of freshies in the training season. 

The program ($180) was reinstated in the fall of 2022 and is open to all skill levels, including those who have never skated. Once a player graduates and joins the league, they only need to pay a $50 monthly fee to participate.

The Junior Jawbreaker team, which was created just before the pandemic, is so stacked with players under 18 that it's presently at capacity. "In the long term, we'd love them to continue playing derby and join the adults," says Fowler.

Hogtown Horror and Renegade Derby Dames celebrating after their game in Alliston, ON. earlier this season.

It's clear to Morena that the league's decision to prioritize community was the right path.

"Because why else are we doing this if it's not to have fun?" she says. "You can just see it in the way people play and their attitude towards the game, there's just a lot more growth."

Hogtown is playing at home again on July 22 and August 19. The league has also been hosting a one-of-a-kind tournament for new players known as 'The Fresh and The Furious' for the last 11 years.

Players from all over Ontario and even the US make the trip every year, which makes this year's comeback all the more meaningful. This year, the tournament falls on July 8 and 9.

"We think it's really important in the community because it encourages a lot of players who are just starting out in this sport, and it's a really fun event to be a part of," says Morena.

For more information and game schedules, you can check out Hogtown Roller Derby on Instagram.