War Town Derby Dames rolling along on the rink

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

They’re the women who prefer wheels over heels. The War Town Derby Dames are a group of ladies who make up a roller derby team in Warner Robins.

Roller derby has a surprisingly long history: It first emerged as a contact sport in the late 1930s; started broadcasting on TV in the late ‘40s; and had a bit of a TV revival in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

The sport as we know it today is mostly an all-female, woman-organized amateur sport. The 22 derby dames in Warner Robins practice twice a week at Olympia Skate Center.

The CEO of the team, Stephanie Mercer, said, “It’s more than just skating to us. It is exercise, fellowship and a self-confidence booster.”

These days, roller derby is well established. Mercer said there are teams in most states with Georgia having 12 of its own. The sport even has its own movie, 2009’s “Whip It.”

The women who play this sport are from all walks of life. Mercer said it’s a unique group made up of all different types of women. Some do it for the exercise and some love the sport itself and the exercise is just a bonus.

Roller derby is a contact sport. The basic strategy of the game is to get the most points. Each team has five girls. Four are blockers and one is a jammer. The jammer scores points by passing the opposing team during a bout, which is equivalent to a quarter in football or an inning in baseball.

The War Town Derby Dames are a non-profit organization and are always welcoming new members or sponsors.