CityView Magazine

wrestlers at Ring Warriors Carolina in Hope Mills. They are housewives, mothers, students and professionals. But come game day, they don fishnet stockings, face paint, rainbow-striped socks, knee pads, helmets and their signature camouflage uniforms. No one calls them Mom, ma’m or even by their Christian names. Their game names are splayed on the backs of their shirts, the more colorful the better. The Rollergirls participate in a fast- paced competition called a bout with three 20-minute sessions that feature two teams of five players skating counter-clockwise around a thin oval track. Here’s how it works: players are either blockers or jammers. Jammers force their way through the pack of skaters and score points when they do. Blockers do their best to stop the opposing jammers, but they also have to help their own jammers move through the pack. The jam is over either when it is called off by the lead jammer or when the jam time reaches two minutes. Then it starts all over. “Women have very little choice in organized sports once they get out of college,” says Rachel Sumja, a team founder. “Rogue Rollergirls gives women in Fayetteville and the surrounding areas a competitive sport to participate in.” For a town the size of Fayetteville, Mary Achey says the team is as large and competitive as those from bigger cities. “I think the military has a lot to do with it,” she said. Some service members or military wives know they’re not here long so, “They make an impact as soon as they can.” She says they also come equipped with discipline and a drive to set goals and accomplish them. Maureen “Mo” Bak says the women who play derby are competitive, but off the rink, there is a sense of camaraderie. “There’s a sisterhood,” she said. “It’s an aggressive, tough sport, but it’s still very feminine.” The Rollergirls usually attract several hundred fans, women and men, for their bouts. The Rollergirls have a bout set for Feb. 15 against the Soul City Sirens, their Augusta, Ga., rivals. Fans will stack the bleachers. A professional announcer will give the play-by-play. And a few brave souls will even step inside the rink for the “suicide seats.” Watch out, it might get extreme.CV Opposite | The women of the Rogue Rollergirls are mothers, students, housewives and professionals. Top | Come bout day, they put on the fishnets, skates and camouflage. Above | Rachel, Mary, Kristi and Heidi are fine out in the civilian world, but on the rink the Rollergirls answer to their derby names, names like Leatherneck, TriixE Titanium, Risky Biscuit, Crystal Chaos, Temporary Sanity and Suthurn Hail. Top left | The league has gone from a few to an undefeated powerhouse. CityViewNC.com | 57

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