Ottawa gym teacher eyes roller derby glory with Team Canada

Students at Hopewell Avenue Public School inOld Ottawa South are taking an unusual interest in this week's Roller Derby World Cup in Manchester, England.

That's because one of their gym teachers, Rene LabrosseMme. Labrosseto her studentsis co-captain of Team Canada.

Labrosse, 30, shared the news with students at a big presentation before leaving. Their reaction, she said, was energizing.

"I had students I didn't know high-five me in the hall, students ask how they could watch and tell me they would wake up at 6 a.m. to watch our first game," Labrossesaid from Manchester.

"I can't wait to return to Hopewell and tell them all about it."

So farCanada is undefeated at the 38-team tournament, handily beating Wales and Russia on Thursday, the contest's opening day.

The competitors will soon be whittled down to the top eight teams, which willcompete for the title. Canada is hoping to make the cut and face main rivals Team U.S.A., Labrosse said.

The Big Labrosski

Labrosse, who has played a variety of competitive sports including rugby,hockey, soccer,ultimate, table tennis andvolleyball,first tried roller derby inearly 2014.

Roller derby challenged me as an athlete, and is still challenging me any time I step on the track.- Team Canada co-captain ReneLabrosse

"The moment I put skates on, I was really excited by the prospect of learning so much and adapting to a new way of skating," she said.

She began her roller derby career withthe Capital City Derby Dolls before joining Montreal team The New Skids on the Block,currently ranked eighth bythe Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

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Labrossealso coaches the sport.

"I have helped teach many skaters what I know," she said. "Roller derby challenged me as an athlete, and is still challenging me any time I step on the track."

The rough-and-tumble sport has also allowed her to adopt a different persona when she competes, Labrossesaid.

"I'm pretty quiet much of the time, but on the trackthat goes away and Iam focused and intense."

Unlike some of her teammates such as Shania Painand Maya Mangleyou, Labrossehasn't settled on a nickname.

"Over the years, teammates and friends have given me versions of my name that I've gone by, including 'Bro,''Labrosski' and 'The Big Labrosski,' which I do put on jerseys from time to time," she said.