Sunday night’s Texas Rollergirls‘ doubleheader was a night of two distinct halves. The championship bout was a fascinating clash of styles, as the Hotrod Honeys took the title with an 88-24 win over the Hustlers, while the third-place playoff saw the Hell Marys push the Honky Tonk Heartbreakers through a nail-biter, ultimately falling short 43-45 on the very last jam (full recap tomorrow).

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But the bittersweet edge to the night was the number of big name retirees, including some founding names of the sport like Bettie Rage, Electra Blu, and Cat Tastrophe. Hotrod captain Cat and fellow retiree Grudge Judy of the Heartbreakers talked about why they’re leaving the track behind, and what the sport has meant to them.

This article appears in July 31 • 2009.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.