Mess with them and you could end up in a whole new world of hurt. They're the mighty Derby Dames of Abliene and this weekend they're rolling into Wichita Falls to deliver a finishing blow to the Wichita Falls Derby Dames.
"It's not like that Drew Berrymore movie," says Caitlin Mckensen. "It used to be scripted and what-not, but it's not like that anymore."
Here's how it works. Five players from each team are on the floor at a given time. Four play the role of "blockers" and the final player serves as a "jammer."
"We don't use a ball, the ball is basically that jammer," explains Mckensen.
The blockers goal during the game, is to create a path for the jammer to score. Each time the jammer makes it past an opposing player, they receive a point for their team.
"They're trying to make a way for their jammer, yet trying to stop that other jammer from the opposing team," Mckensen says.
Stopping the other jammer, however, can sometimes involve a little force from the opposing team's blockers and neither player denies, Roller Derby can be a very dangerous game.
"I had a couple broken ribs last season," confesses Derby Dames player Stacey Horton.
Horton also broke two fingers while playing, but none of her injuries have ever kept her off the track.
"It's just something about the love of the game, it doesn't matter if you get hurt," she explains. "It's not a matter of IF you're going to get hurt, it's a matter of WHEN you are going to get hurt."
And some of the worst injuries come when opposing players decide to bend the rules.
"If you have a really good reffing staff, they'll catch them," explains Horton.
The penalty for cheating? Two minutes off the track.
The Derby Dames take on Wichita Falls at the Abilene Civic Center this weekend and the girls promise a good show.
"We've won almost every game that we've had so far," says Mckensen. "We're hoping to take this one as well."
Connect With The Abilene Derby Dames:
vs. Wichita Falls
Saturday, June 16th
Find them on Facebook!
Twitter: @abilenederby
"It's not like that Drew Berrymore movie," says Caitlin Mckensen. "It used to be scripted and what-not, but it's not like that anymore."
Here's how it works. Five players from each team are on the floor at a given time. Four play the role of "blockers" and the final player serves as a "jammer."
"We don't use a ball, the ball is basically that jammer," explains Mckensen.
The blockers goal during the game, is to create a path for the jammer to score. Each time the jammer makes it past an opposing player, they receive a point for their team.
"They're trying to make a way for their jammer, yet trying to stop that other jammer from the opposing team," Mckensen says.
Stopping the other jammer, however, can sometimes involve a little force from the opposing team's blockers and neither player denies, Roller Derby can be a very dangerous game.
"I had a couple broken ribs last season," confesses Derby Dames player Stacey Horton.
Horton also broke two fingers while playing, but none of her injuries have ever kept her off the track.
"It's just something about the love of the game, it doesn't matter if you get hurt," she explains. "It's not a matter of IF you're going to get hurt, it's a matter of WHEN you are going to get hurt."
And some of the worst injuries come when opposing players decide to bend the rules.
"If you have a really good reffing staff, they'll catch them," explains Horton.
The penalty for cheating? Two minutes off the track.
The Derby Dames take on Wichita Falls at the Abilene Civic Center this weekend and the girls promise a good show.
"We've won almost every game that we've had so far," says Mckensen. "We're hoping to take this one as well."
Connect With The Abilene Derby Dames:
vs. Wichita Falls
Saturday, June 16th
Find them on Facebook!
Twitter: @abilenederby
