Nothing random about experience brought by Random NPC

Kent Kraft/For the Gazette
Random NPC, left in black, just beats Kim Kong, right in white, to be lead jammer during the Solar System Smackdown earlier this year.

By KENT KRAFT

For the Gazette

Most years, there are regulation changes in sports that fans may or may not be on top of, since they don’t change the overarching nature of the game itself. For instance, in the National Football League, they automatically reviewed all failed fourth-down conversions as of 2023, and all scoring plays as of 2011. In Major League Baseball, they added a pitching clock, which has decreased the total time of a game by an average of 45 minutes.

None of those rule changes alter the sport in a way that would alter the understanding of a long-time fan. Sometimes, however, there are major rule changes that fundamentally alter a sport.

In football, the forward pass wasn’t legalized until 1906. Shot clocks weren’t implemented in professional basketball until 1954 and the three-point line didn’t start until 1979. Flat track roller derby didn’t start until 2001.

Random NPC has skated with Keweenaw Roller Derby (KRD) for about one-and-a-half seasons so far. They actually came out of retirement, something forced on them by a knee injury severe enough it needed surgery, to come and skate with the team.

Before joining KRD, they had played for several years in a junior league (for players under the age of 18) and an adult league in Oregon, with the Emerald City Roller Girls. They also played for a time with the Granite City squad out of Aberdeen, Scotland. Comparing roller derby between these places, they’ve noticed a difference, not in regional game play, but in how roller derby has continued to evolve and define itself over the years.

To Random NPC, the changes to the sport since flat track derby has taken off in popularity were set to increase the safety to the players, make the gameplay more digestible to the audience, and to drive home the seriousness and legitimacy of the sport.

At this point, they think a sweet spot has been achieved of keeping in the showy, fun and flashy nature the players can bring and the more serious athleticism shown by the players. There are both hobby and competitive teams and players out there; KRD is a wonderful blend of both.

Growing up on the introverted side of the social spectrum, Random NPC surprised both their mother, and their self, by showing an interest in roller derby. Despite the sport still being young in its revival at the time, their mother was more than happy to help make it happen and supported their choice.

Being around a group of unapologetically strong women during their developmental years is something they don’t take for granted and they cited a common refrain from people in the sport, that roller derby saved their soul. Sure, the game also destroyed their knee at one point, but they wouldn’t trade in the years of derby for anything.

The sense of community on a roller derby team is something every derby member has mentioned during these interviews, and Random NPC cited it as the reason they, too, keep returning practice after practice, bout after bout.

Without derby, they don’t think they would’ve had the wherewithal to try new experiences like studying abroad in Scotland. Not only did the team help them come out of their shell more, but they were also able to make a connection to the derby team in Scotland and found someone willing to give them a place to stay that was closer to campus and cheaper than the dorms would’ve been.

Obviously derby has been impactful in their life, and they hope to make an impact on the track as well during bouts. They’ve realized over the years that it isn’t just about the impact you make, but also the impact made by others you’ve inspired.

The impetus to this realization came towards the end of their junior career when they were approached by a player younger than them. This person mentioned they had originally come to watch their cousin participate in the new skating program, but seeing Random NPC skating had inspired them to join up as well.

Such an affirmation given freely by another person is something that has really stuck with them. New players have to come from somewhere and Random NPC hopes that the KRD skaters put on an impressive show that inspires audience members to join up.

For those who have made it this far and are still confused about their chosen roller derby name, Random NPC, a brief but necessary background: in roleplaying games (both tabletop and video varieties), players create characters who are led through a journey by the coordinator, called a dungeon master, or DM. That player paints the story for the players through narration and through the general population outside of the players’ characters.

Anyone who is in the story and not controlled by the players, but by the DM, are called nonplayer characters, or NPCs. Think of it as the random people you pass by or briefly encounter on a day-to-day basis.

A proud, self-labeled and unapologetic nerd at heart, Random NPC enjoys roleplaying games and thought it would not only be an amusing name, but also an entertaining one to hear from the commentators. “And a Random NPC is now our lead jammer…”

They went even deeper into the name choice saying they also see it as a sort of alter ego, something like Wonder Woman or Bat Girl, who have an academic day job, but put that aside and kick some butt against the criminals of the night. By extension, they feel they could just be a Random NPC to a person during the day who you might not notice passing, but on the derby track, you’re certainly going to notice when they pass you.

Continuing with the theme, they chose the number 4, because that is how many hit points a random villager NPC has in Dungeons & Dragons. With a mischievous smirk, they added, “and anyone who has seen me play knows it’ll take that many hits before I’m on the ground.”

Given their history, they’ll be the first to admit that serious injury is a very fair worry for someone to have, whether they’re new to the sport or a long-time veteran. However, they also are swift to point out no one will push you to go beyond your limits.

One of their favorite things about roller derby is the celebration of individual growth from season to season. While there are some players who are focused on intense athleticism, they don’t push that on to others.

Everyone is encouraged to look inside themselves and know when and how much they’re able to contribute to the team.

Further, Random NPC added there is a lot more to derby than skating, with a multitude of jobs off of skates or even no contact roles on skates like referees. If you’re even remotely interested in helping KRD, there is a space where you’ll fit in perfectly.

When asked what they would say to someone who has never been to a bout before, Random NPC’s first offering was, “If you like hockey, but it’s summer, try roller derby! It’s a similar atmosphere and a lot a fun to watch.”

Then, they had an inspired follow up: KRD players feed off of the crowd’s energy in a symbiotic relationship between players and fans. The more fans in the stands cheering them on, the more energy they’ll be able to bring to the bout. There’s a lot of local pride here to represent the Keweenaw well when hosting teams and traveling for games.

KRD is a local and grassroots organization that really needs community buy in and support to sustain the team. Even just coming to the bout supports them, and there’s only one more chance to do that.

You can cheer on Random NPC and the rest of the KRD team at the last home bout against the Kingsford Krush on Aug. 31 at 6 p.m. in the Calumet Colosseum, with doors opening at 5 p.m. If you want to know more about supporting Random NPC and the team, including learning how you can be a part of the action by volunteering, you can visit the KRD website at https://keweenawrollerderby.com/.