NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Northwest Arkansas Roller Derby skaters Nicole “Devil’s Reject” Ferguson and our model Janelle “Diabla Pequeña” Bernales explain some of what makes a rollergirl a rollergirl.
ROLLERGIRL NAME “It’s fun to give yourself a different name,” a liberating alter-ego. Some NWA Roller Derby names include Slammerella, JoAnn of Arc, Bloodweiser, Scarlet Knuckles and Beelzebunny.
HELMET Some rollergirls wear hockey helmets, but many prefer skateboarding helmets, “’cause those are actually better at preventing concussions.”
ATTITUDE “You gotta have a lot of confi dence to be in this sport, or people will eat you alive.”
LOVE OF THE GAME “It can be hard on you, so it’s important that you really enjoy what you’re doing.” And they all do. “It’s fun. It’s so addictive.”
MOUTH GUARD To keep those stunning smiles intact.
TEAM SPIRIT NWA Roller Derby has four home teams - the Gatlin Girls, Hardwood Hustlas, Heartbreak Rollers and Pistol Whips - which are drawn upon for the league’s All-Star traveling team.
WRIST GUARD A team captain broke her wrist during one bout, “because it got caught in some girl’s cleavage, actually.”
MUSCLES NWA Roller Derby practices two or three times a week, and many skaters train on their off days. “It’s pure athleticism. ... Nothing we do is staged.”
ELBOW PAD Protective pads are “the most important thing you will own in roller derby.”
TOUGHNESS If you’re trying to liken it to another sport, “roller derby ... is probably most similar to hockey.”
QUAD SKATES “Everyone upgrades their skates,” changing the wheels and other components to suit their tastes.
TOE STOP Need an explanation on this one?
CAMARADERIE “We’re a big family.” There’s something great about “being with other strong, weird women !”
INDIVIDUALITY From young to old, big to small, sexy vixen to girl-next-door, there’s a place for everyone. “That’s the great thing about roller derby - there’s no one type of girl who can play.”
KNEE PAD Skaters are actually trained to fall forward onto their knees and elbows. “If you fall forward, it’s 95 percent recoverable. If you fall back - not so much.”
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BOUT SCHEDULE
HOME TEAMS
6 p.m. Sunday - Pistol Whips vs. Hardwood Hustlas, Gatlin Girls vs. Heartbreak Rollers
March 13 - Gatlin Girls vs. Hardwood Hustlas, Heartbreak Rollers vs. Pistol Whips
April 17 - Bout between third and fourth place
May 29 - Championship bout
WHERE - Starlight Skatium, 612 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville (444-STAR)
COST - $12
CONTACT - http://nwarollerderby.com (444-STAR)
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ALL-STAR TEAM
March 26 - Away, vs. CoMo Derby Dames
April 9 - Home, vs. Ass City All-Stars
May 21 - Home, vs. ICT
June 18 - Away, vs. No Coast
June 25 - Away, vs. Springfi eld Roller Girls
WHERE - Home games are at Starlight Skatium, 612 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville (444-STAR)
COST - $15
CONTACT - http://nwarollerderby.com
Whats Up, Pages 16 on 02/18/2011