New Hampshire Roller Derby June 8 double header

MANCHESTER – ­ Roller derby fans are in for a heart-pounding treat with the line up of New Hampshire Roller Derby's (NHRD) June 8 double header. 
    At 5 p.m., two of the league's home teams the Seabrook Meltdowns and Nightmares on Elm Street will battle each other in a rematch of the thrilling 2012 Kennedy Cup Championship bout last August. The Nightmares came out on top, 179-145. Both teams this season are thus far undefeated. Will the Meltdowns be able to unseat the Nightmares, the league's reigning champs for the last two years? Find out June 8 at the JFK Memorial Coliseum, 303 Beech St., Manchester.
    The excitement continues at 7 p.m. when NHRD's Skate Free or Die All-Stars take on the Carolina Rollergirls, of Raleigh-Durham, NC. Carolina has remained in the top 10 teams in the Eastern Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) division for at least the last six years and continues to be a formidable opponent. WFTDA just released its most recent rankings, showing Carolina at No. 8 in the East and No. 31 internationally.
    Skate Free or Die All-Stars (SFOD) have been working hard since the end of last season and all the hard work has paid off.  The team started this year off strong with a 3-1 record so far this season, with wins against NEO Roller Derby, Rideau Valley Vixens and Maine Roller Derby. They had a more than respectable loss to the No. 22 ranked Steel City Derby Demons in March. With WFDTA's new rankings, SFOD has jumped 11 spots in the past two months, currently landing at No. 12 in the East and No. 58 internationally.
    "This is one that's winnable for New Hampshire," said SFOD co-coach Johnny Cash Machine.
    If SFOD can top Carolina on June 8, they could move up enough in the rankings to earn a spot to compete in a Division II tournament this fall. Cash and co-coach Carroll Huss said the goal for SFOD this season is for the team to be ranked in the top 10 spots in the East and compete in a WFDTA-sanctioned division tournament. Come help support the team in their effort to solidify a spot to a divisional tourney by cheering them on as they take on the fierce ladies of Carolina Roller Derby.
    The charity for the June 8 bout has a special place in the hearts of NHRD league members. Former NHRD skater PutUNya Grave #74, her husband Lenny and their adopted son Isaias have been battling Isaias' Dravet Syndrome since last October. Isaias suffers from a number of different types of seizures and the disease affects every aspect of the family's daily lives.
    NHRD fans who wear purple to the June 8 bout will receive $1 off admission. All proceeds collected through this format will be donated to the Dravet Foundation in honor of Isaias to help raise awareness and find a cure for the syndrome. As NHRD fans love to represent their favorite skaters and teams, simply wearing a purple hair ribbon, purple nail polish or purple bandana will show support for PutUNya and her family.  
    To learn more about Dravet Syndrome, visit www.dravetfoundation.org/.
    Doors open at 4 p.m. Presale tickets are $10 and $12 at the door. Children 10 and younger are free. A beer garden is available for those 21 and older with proper ID. Fans wanting to sit trackside are asked to bring their own lawn chairs.
    Purchase tickets online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/293179. 
    NHRD is always looking to add members to its growing family. For more information on becoming a skater, ref or nonskating official (NSO), visit www.nhrollerderby.com or email info@nhrollerderby.com. Not into the competitiveness of roller derby? Just want to get fit? NHRD just launched its new recreation league. To sign up or for more information, email recteam@nhrollerderby.com.