Yank on your leggings and lace up your skates – it’s roller derby season.
The lovely ladies of Central Coast Roller Derby host their season opener at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Skate Mor skating rink in Paso Robles. The match will be between The Heart Breakers and The Home Wreckers.
This is the first match of the year for the organization that formed only two years ago.
Both teams are made up of members of the CCRD, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to go easy on one another.
This is the third time CCRD teams have played each other aside from practice scrimmages, and the organization is having the match to entertain fans and give CCRD’s traveling team some more practice before skating head-on into the 2008 season.
So far, CCRD’s traveling team has six matches scheduled for its nine-month season against a variety of California roller derby leagues, but has already set its sights on one foe in particular, Angel City Derby Girls.
CCRD faced ACDG in 2006 and was defeated by more than 80 points, said team manager and traveling team member Berta the Hurta.
Overall, CCRD has lost to ACDG three times.
“(The first time) we really thought we were really good and we all went there with our ego pumped up, and when we got there they showed us the floor every chance they got,” Hurta said. “We’d really like to have a win with them.”
Veteran jammer (the speedy position that earns points) Wonder Roller already has high expectations this season.
“I just like to continue improving my game and get my points up and work on being more effective in the pack,” Roller said. “I feel like I miss some opportunities because there’s so much going on. I just want to work on getting our team strong, getting strong together and really just kicking ass – it’s fun to win.
“We just now started to know how each other skate and CCRD is known for being heavy hitters – we can really be a force,” she added.
Rookie blocker (a skater in a pack trying to slow down rival jammers and push forward their own) Sub Miss has similar goals.
“My biggest goal this year is to build endurance, to skate longer, harder and faster,” Miss said.
However, CCRD also has several large off-the-rink goals.
“We want to give to charity,” Hurta said. “Each year we’ve given $5,000, plus time. This year we’d really like to see that increase.”
The organization is also looking to receive Women’s Flat Track Derby Association certification and will begin asking rivals to write letters of recommendation to the WFTDA board of directors to expedite the process. Hurta said CCRD hopes to be certified by December.
Tickets for Saturday’s match are $12 in advance and $15 at the door – youths get in free. All proceeds go to Big Brothers and Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo.