St. Charles County-based St. Chux Derby Crew are hosting a quad-wheeled showcase this weekend where monies raised help benefit future competitions while additional donations aid an area non-profit.
SCDC presents the second annual “Skatesgiving: Slamming Skates and Filling Plates” Sunday at Steel Shop Athletic and Events (49 Lawrence St., Saint Charles). Doors open at 4 pm and the first whistle blows at 4:30 pm.
Tickets are $10 for general admission while children under 12 are free.
The roller derby franchise, founded in 2009, anticipates the return of the flat-track fundraising frenzy launched a year ago.
“We’re so excited to be hosting Skatesgiving again this year,” said SCDC President Trekkie Monster. “We had some incredible feedback after last year’s event, and seeing our friends from other leagues sharing their excitement to return just boosts our appreciation for the derby community. Their support is invaluable.”
What makes this event unique will be the complexion of teams facing each other. Rather than the traditional set-up of a SCDC team competing against a visiting opponent from another city, multiple all-gender teams culled from regional roller derby franchises will be assembled based on skaters’ tenure and skill set.
Alongside SCDC, other athletes Sunday will represent the following Midwestern leagues: Arch Rival Roller Derby (St. Louis), Confluence Crush Roller Derby (Metro East Illinois), COMO Roller Derby (Columbia), GateKeepers Roller Derby (St. Louis), Kansas City (MO) Roller Warriors, Rolla (MO) Rockets, Cape Girardeau (MO) Roller Derby, Southern Illinois Roller Gremlins (Marion, IL), Prairieland Punishers (Decatur, IL), Brigade of Handsome Gentlemen (Marion, IL), West Kentucky Rockin’ Rollers (Paducah, KY) and Capital City Hooligans (Springfield, IL).
Photo Credit: Brian Ledford
A trio of exhibitions will be presented, beginning with a 30-minute “Rookie Rumble” for athletes newer to the sport. That’s followed by a pair of two-period, 25-minute exhibitions: an advanced contest for those with one-to-three years of flat-track play and a finale for skaters that possess longer tenures.
“Having three playing levels gives skaters the opportunity either play at a level they feel comfortable in or allows them to challenge themselves and level up their skills,” assessed Trekkie Monster. “In the case of the ‘Rookie Rumble,’ some of these skaters will be scrimmaging for the first time outside their leagues. This game offers them a controlled environment to test their gameplay knowledge and track awareness.”
SCDC returned to full-time play in the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) earlier this Spring and looks to host future events at the St. Charles home track.
“Profits from this year’s event will help us to host additional events in 2025,” said Trekkie Monster. ”Skatesgiving may serve in part as a fundraiser for SCDC, but ultimately, that’s not our measure of it being a successful event. It’s more important to us that we bring our community together, that we build a fanbase for roller derby in St. Charles, and that we can provide assistance to (a local) food bank.”
For the second straight year, SCDC selected Bridgeton-based St. Louis Area Foodbank, which has distributed over 46 million meals to Missouri and Illinois families since its 1975 founding. Fans can bring non-perishable items to the event for a direct drop-off.
Items that can be donated include: all canned goods, boxed rice, pasta and cereal products, peanut butter, crackers, granola bars, as well as personal care and baby items.
“The STL Area Foodbank not only serves St. Louis, but St. Charles County as well,” said Trekkie Monster. “As a non-profit ourselves, it’s important to us that we find ways to engage with and give back to our local community. Especially in November, a food drive is one of the most impactful ways of inviting others to participate to kick off the season of giving with us.”
SCDC encourages their faithful fan base to attend.
“Thank you for your support and encouragement in 2024,” said Trekkie to the loyal locals. “We’re looking forward to hosting more home events in 2025!”
More info on SCDC can be found at their official website.
By trade, he is a six-time, regional Emmy Award-winning news videographer/editor for KTVI/KPLR-TV. By hobby, he is a writer for Litehouse Media, dating back to February 2014. Emphasis is on featuring and promoting local women's sports, but will cover anything that is not reported by traditional media outlets. Also a contributor to local concert reviews. Finally, he prefers Diet Ski over coffee.
