For most of my time in Columbia, The Regulators have been something I’ve only heard about. They had a reputation for being a fan favorite team in this city. They were known for being a delightfully talented team of kind and caring people in a sport where gentleness doesn’t seem to be the main goal. After spending a Sunday afternoon with the Richland County Regulators, I am proud to say they live up to the hype.
The Richland County Regulators are a Columbia-based roller derby team made up entirely of women and queer individuals. They are a part of the Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby Association. Founded in 2007, the Regulators came from the heart of head coach Dell. Dell explained, “We wanted to get a roller derby team together because it was getting popular in the underground scene. I wanted to be a coach because I was good at sports and loved all kinds of sports.” On why he was drawn to the sport, Dell continued, “And then in the 80s, I watched roller derby and back then it was like wrestling, not like what we do now. I liked it because this is one of the only sports that has defense and offense at the same time. And that’s rare.”
For a very action-packed sport, the origin of their team's name is no different. According to Dell, he was inspired by real-life vigilantes of the 1700s Regulator Movement in South Carolina. The movement saw civilians dissatisfied with the lack of crime control and seeking justice when there was none. Many of the Regulators’ grievances were with the British government being slow to provide proper services to the colonies. Our modern-day Regulators may not be vigilantes, but they provide a safe space for queer people and women where the South Carolina government can’t or won’t.
For newcomers at a Regulators game, expect the unexpected. Head coach Dell explains, “It’s action packed. It’s hard to explain the 1st time you see it because it’s just chaos in a track.” Co-Captain Furby Fatal continues, saying, “They can expect a lot of yelling, fun yelling. It can be very involved even in the crowd. Usually, the people who show up to our games are Columbia regulars, so it's nice to root for your people.”
While the Regulators are a chaotic bunch and what Furby Fatal describes as “the band of misfit toys”, president of the team, Hursula, describes the team as a “safe space for women, nonbinary and transgender people.” Head Coach Dell says, “I don’t want anybody to be left out. People have differences and that’s fine. You just want to play derby, get good at skating, and have fun.”
When coming to the team for the first time, Furby Fatal found it to be a place where they could be themselves. Fatal said, “I love it because it feels very body inclusive. So many different body types can play this game. There are so many different positions you can do. So, for me coming in as a little bit more of a big bruiser, I found that I can utilize my strength.” Fatal continues, “I feel like we’re all outsiders. We’ve made a little community for ourselves. I can be my weird, unique self and nobody judges me.”
The Regulators are a place where everyone is welcome, and that extends to the experience needed to join the crew. This band of misfit toys has a broad walk-on policy that gives anyone the chance to become a team member even if they’ve never worn a pair of skates. Fatal recounts their own experience saying, “I moved here in 2016, and I started going to a new hairdresser. She told me she plays for the Richland County Regulators, and she’d been whispering in my ear since I was 16 to get involved.” Fatal continues, “When I turned 19, I saw a flyer that was basically saying ‘Open Skate. We’ve got the gear, just come!’ and showed up and 4 or 5 years later here I am.”
The Regulators are always looking to expand their crew, whether that be team members or supporters, Dell explains, “Come to our games, go to practice, and try out. Everybody can try out. We don’t care if you’ve never skated before.” Fatal continues, saying, “Show up to our games, follow us on social media and like our stuff. Whenever we procure a permanent practice space hopefully within a year, we’ll be advertising our home games a lot.”
The Regulators don’t just want the Columbia community to support them without returning the favor. The team is incredibly active in the community and is giving back to their supporters and home county year-round. Fatal explains, “We do a lot of volunteer work. Every year we like to hold this kickball fundraiser for the Harriet Hancock Center. All the money and proceeds go to them. We like to go to the Soda City market and hand out flyers, or we’ll go to protests at the State House. We’ll go there as a team and represent.”
The kickball fundraiser, ‘No Base Like Home’, is returning May 30th. This annual event pits The Regulators against the Drag Queens and Kings of Columbia and acts as a fundraiser for the queer youth center, The Harriet Hancock Center, and is often sponsored by Free Mom Hugs South Carolina. For more information, keep a close eye on The Regulators social media.
My time with the Regulators is something I will cherish going forward. I got to see a part of Columbia I never really interacted with before. I saw how much love is put into this team and their chaotic sport, as well as how much love they give back to their supporters and their community. The Regulators are almost indefinable, but I think Hursula, the President of the team, said it best. To be a Regulator “means being part of the community and helping each other where we can.”
If you want to become a Regulator or just want to support them in any way you can, check out their Instagram page and follow for updates or take a peek at their website to learn about them straight from the source.