>> The first thing you need to
know about roller derby is that
anybody can derby.
[techno music]
>> It's incredibly fast-paced.
>> Go, go, go!
Like, let's go faster.
Push yourself, give it
everything you've got.
>> You get to skate.
You get to eventually hit
people.
You get to wear awesome outfits.
>> It gives you a chance to
challenge yourself everyday.
>> It's kind of like football,
but on wheels and in a circle.
>> It's probably the best
workout I've ever had.
>> It's pretty much the most fun
you can have on skates and
turning left.
[electronica music]
>> Roller derby actually started
as a competition.
>> Announcer: -- takes off,
there she goes!
>> It was more of a WWF kind of
feel.
You know, women would wind
themselves and hit like this.
>> Announcer: Rock'em, sock'em
action a big back track.
>> It has definitely, very
definitely, moved to the sport
and athletic aspect.
I think that is absolutely
fabulous.
[rushing sound]
>> The question people often ask
me is, how do you play?
Or what's the point?
You go around a track and
there's two teams, five people
on each team, four blockers and
one jammer on each team.
You win by your team scoring
more points than the other team.
You score points by your jammer
getting past the members of the
other team.
So that's the point.
>> The Mad Wreckin' Dolls
started in 2010.
They started because there were
people that were trying to get
into the Mad Rolling Dolls.
They're WFTDA certified and they
play on a national level, and
they did not get drafted onto a
team.
Because, well, there's only a
certain number of spots.
They didn't want to stop
skating.
They wanted to keep training.
They just love roller derby,
they didn't want to give it up.
So they got together in a group
and they said, how can we skate
more?
They formed the Mad Wreckin'
Dolls.
[crowd noise]
[techno music]
We have all different kind of
people in this league.
>> I'm a large animal
veterinarian.
>> I'm a French teacher.
>> I am an integration project
manager.
>> I'm a science writer.
>> I'm a seamstress.
>> I work in government.
>> I decided to do roller derby
at a particularly difficult
time in my life.
>> A lot of things were
changing.
>> I was in the process of
becoming a so-to-be single mom.
>> I figured I would either grow
old quickly, or I could get my
fanny moving and start to be an
active person.
>> On a particularly difficult
weekend I thought that I needed
just something, a positive,
healthy distraction.
I went to the open skates, fell
in love immediately.
So here I am.
>> Mission accomplished.
[electronica music]
>> I think roller derby has
given me a stronger sense of who
I am.
>> It's really nice to have a
part of me that feels
comfortable with what I'm doing,
and feels like I belong, rather
than feeling like everything is
a struggle.
>> At least for me, I think
being in roller derby allows me
to have a somewhat different
persona.
>> When you have 100 women who
accept you for who you are, and
who support you and who help you
push yourself--
[crowds screams]
-- it just makes you happier
with yourself.
It gives you a sense of self and
contentness.
Also it's really great to be
able to come to practice when
you're a little irritated and
just hit some girls.