Brandywine Roller Girls scrimmage tonight was a slug-fest. The skaters were over their wide-eyed “OMG, we’re actually going to start hitting each other!” suprise, and were getting down to business. Business, in this case, meaning slamming each other off the track so that the jammers can’t score!

Tonight, head referee Tommy Gears (on the right) was teaching two new refs: Joey Shears and Wild Wild Wes (left and center), about penalties. There’s back blocks, where a skater pushes the skater in front. There’s elbows, forearms, tripping, there’s cutting the track; there’s all kinds of stuff to watch for. It’s hard to see what’s happening — there are so many people, so many elbows being thrown. “Tommy, when can I make the call? How can I be sure I saw-“

“Make that call loud and proud, fellows!” I heard Tommy saying to them. “Just remember: Black and White is Always Right!”