Roller skates can be a fun way to stay in shape, but for the stars of roller derby, it’s a way of kicking some butt — because that’s just how these ladies roll.
They’re fast, they’re furious and they’ll roll right over you.
Precious Navarro, Vice City Rollers: “Miami’s Vice City Rollers is a women’s flat track roller derby team.”
Roller derby started way back in the ’30s.
The sport got a boost in the last decade thanks in part to movies like “Whip It,” starring Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page.
Precious Navarro: “It’s very empowering to have a female-dominated sport that’s contact and to have teams of women that are all different shapes and sizes.”
The league hosts events all over South Florida, and now, they’re looking for a few good women.
Actually, they’re looking for some fresh meat!
Precious Navarro: “So the fresh meat class is a 12-week course. Eight weeks are dedicated to beginning skills. All the way from just rolling on your skates to falling safely. After the first eight weeks, you get tested.”
There is a method to the madness. Teams compete to send a player called a “jammer” through the pack. That’s when things get down and dirty.
Precious Navarro: “The person with the star on their helmet has to pass once, and after that first pass, she scores a point on each opponent that she passes.”
It’s rugby on roller skates!
Precious Navarro: “It’s a contact sport, so we are gonna hit. We’re gonna hit each other, but we try to make it safe as possible.”
But it’s all in good fun.
Nastassja Zygmuntowicz, Vice City Rollers: “I like the community. Everyone’s very supportive of each other. We all come from different places, and we support each other here, and it’s just a good sport to let some energy out.”
Vanessa Toro, Vice City Rollers: “We welcome all kinds of people from all walks of life. For me, it’s just a great environment to express myself.”
So if spin class is getting a little dull, strap on some skates, put on your pads and roll with the punches.
Regular league practices are held on Mondays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and on Wednesdays and Fridays from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
FOR MORE INFO:
Miami Vice City Rollers
Suniland Hockey Rink
9300 SW 152nd St.
Miami, FL 33176
305-707-4443
www.miamirollerderby.com/
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