Women on Wheels Get Fit And Destroy

For many people, physical fitness can be a grind. Aphorisms such as “no pain, no gain” speak to the depressing reality that exercise can seem an odious chore in which results are best achieved through ritual self-punishment. You push faster and you push harder, because outcome has somehow become tied to suffering in our culture.

But what if you could get fit while inflicting, instead of enduring, punishment?

Two Loudoun County women – who answer to their skater names, Debi Does Dulles and Slade Ripfire – just launched Northern Virginia Roller Derby for women over 18..  Their goal?  To help women get fit and have fun at the same time.

“I’ve been involved with roller derby for about three years now,” Ms. Dulles recently informed me. “There are a few leagues around the DC area, but nothing in Loudoun County, so we decided to start one.”

The sport can be quite hard-nosed, but the goal of Northern Virginia Roller Derby is to have fun, above all else.

“What’s great is that you can create an alternate personality and be whoever you want to be,” Debi explained. “It gives you an outlet for aggression.  It can get physical.” 

And the workout is intense.

“It’s not easy to play roller derby,” she said. “It’s grueling and requires a lot of endurance.”

While prospective skaters do not need to know how to skate or know any of the rules to participate, they must have health insurance.

Practices are held every Monday and Thursday night from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Douglass Community Center in Leesburg. All interested parties are invited to stop by. Regular bouts will begin once enough players have joined.

Go to www.NoVarollerderby.com for more information.