DC Roller Girls Get Ready to Rumble!

Brought back into the spotlight with the cable television show “Roller Girls”, most people associate these costume-clad skater girls as the rough and tumble type. However, upon meeting one of these would-be skating divas, it’s obvious that this may not be the case. Many women involved in roller derby not only have children, but work full time. They are the girl next door who you’d never imagine would put on a pair of skimpy shorts and race around a track, plowing through competitors. 

For those of you who aren’t schooled on the laws of roller derby, it all happens on a rink with five girls from each team. There are three positions; pivots, jammers, and blockers. The single pivot leads her three blockers around the rink, right next to the opposing team’s blockers and pivot. This is called “the pack”. Each team’s jammer stays behind until the referee blows his whistle, signaling that the jam has begun. It’s the jammer’s job to push her way through the pack, and gain a point for each opposing team member she passes. The lead jammer (jammer who is in front of the opposing team’s jammer) can signal an end to the jam by placing her hands on her hips, and possibly keep the other team from scoring. 

It’s an action packed game that can be littered with falling bodies and injuries. While these girls might be decked out in make-up and 80’s reminiscent outfits, they wear nearly as much equipment as a professional football player. Learning to fall is a fundamental part roller derby, and these girls know how to do it well. The DC Roller Girls are currently seeking more girls to add to their roster, but as they say, “roller bladers and pansies need not apply”. Women who want to join must be over the age of 21, and have medical insurance. For more information, you can visit their website at www.dcrollergirls.com .