Got a Girl Crush On: Women’s Roller Derby!

These ladies know how to throw a killer hip (and tit) check in the name of one of the most undervalued competitive sports. Roller derby requires some serious skill as it’s all on roller skates–not blades–as well as some clever naming as punny names are highly encouraged (I decided my derby name would be “Ruth Skater Ginsberg”).

Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups (“jams”) in which both teams designate a scoring player (the “jammer”) who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team. The teams attempt to assist their own jammer while hindering the opposing jammer — in effect, playing both offense and defense simultaneously. 

Modern roller derby is an international sport dominated by all-female amateur teams, in addition to a growing number of male, co-ed, and junior roller derby teams, and is as a roller sport under consideration for the 2020 Olympics. Most modern leagues share a strong "do it yourself" (DIY) ethic which uniquely combines athleticism and elements from punk, camp, and third-wave. (via)