In the world of contact sports, opportunities are often sparse for female athletes. But since the resurgence of roller derby in the early 2000s, women across the country have enjoyed participating in the fast-paced sport. Keeping the game running strong throughout the Cobb community, Peach State Roller Derby (PSRD) offers women the opportunity to join in the fun for experienced players and newcomers alike. Primarily going by their skater names, the team is excited to see the sport picking up traction and building a fanbase.
“In the early days, the public view was still very much that it was a spectacle more so than a sport,” said BiblioBlitzkrieg, the team’s Assistant Coach. “It’s been really delightful to witness the sport’s reputation elevate and be taken seriously…now there is a much clearer awareness of both the athleticism and risk involved.”
Since 2011, PSRD has remained a community staple serving as a nonprofit, amateur sports organization. Originally called the Marietta Derby Darlins, they merged with the Rome Roller Girls in 2015 to form PSRD, a Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) ranked team. While creating a supportive, inclusive, and diverse environment for their team members, PSRD offers training for adult women interested in becoming skaters. While no prior experience is necessary, those interested must be aged 18 or older and able to skate while having the proper skates and safety equipment.
“During the pandemic, while roller derby was placed on hold, we spent the time working on developing a new skater curriculum designed to teach the basic skating skills needed to play roller derby safely,” BiblioBlitzkrieg said. “We offer four-week workshops to go over those skills progressively. The workshops cover balance, falling, stopping, agility, and speed while adding fun and games to introduce the skaters to the sport as well as the team.”
Roller Derby is an intense display of athleticism that empowers women in a competitive team setting.
“Roller derby is a fast-paced, high-scoring sport, which makes it fun to watch and easy to get sucked into. Not only that but because it’s full-contact and on wheels, it provides a lot of unexpected thrills,” said Estrogeena Davis, one of the team’s blockers and occasional jammers. “It brings a unique recreational experience to the women of East Cobb, in addition to providing a very distinctive spectator sport.”
PSRD has several upcoming appearances on its calendar. The next bout is Sunday, August 13, at 11am at Sparkles of Kennesaw. They can also be seen skating at the East Cobber Parade & Festival at 10am on Sunday, September 9, where they will also have a booth at the festival.
Visit peachstaterollerderby.com to learn more about the team, future events, and how to become involved.
