It’s a game of toughness, of being able to think about offense and defense simultaneously--on a swivel.
“Roller derby is a powerful sport for all types of people, all different shapes and sizes, all different ages,” said player Erin Stillwell. “It’s very tough, but it’s very fun.”
WATCH: See how roller derby plays out in the video player above!
The Kansas City Roller Warriors started as a league 2004 and is a member of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association.
Within the city’s league, there are four teams:
- Knock Outs
- Black Eye Susans
- Victory Vixens
- Dreadnought Dorothys
There are also an All-Star team and travel team.
MORE: Kansas City Warriors Home Season Schedule
Stillwell (derby name, Lady Kill Shot) plays for the Dreadnought Dorothys. She is mainly a blocker, but also plays jammer and pivot.
Roller Derby Notes: There are five players from each team on the floor: four blockers, one jammer. Learn more about the rules here.
Stillwell decided to try roller derby after graduating from Johnson County Community College
“Why not?” she said. “I didn’t play sports growing up and so I signed up and I haven’t stopped ever since.”
Jammer Casey Honeywell started playing in 2009. She was never into aggressive sports. On the floor, she is known as Case Closed.
- Want a cool roller derby name of your own? Try this name generator!
“I just, kind of like everyone else, started showing up for recruitment night and the rest was history,” Honeywell said. “I love the competition. I’m really competitive, that’s not a secret around here. I love the camaraderie. It’s the only team sport I’ve ever played – I’ve only played individual sports. It’s just a great family of girls.”
Honeywell and Stillwell were selected to play on Women’s Roller Derby Team USA. It is the first official United States Roller Derby National Team affiliated to the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Federation of Roller Sports.They will play for the country in 2017 World Roller Games held in Nanjing, China.
"It's a really fun game to play. There's a lot of strategy involved and a lot of idiosyncrasies. A lot of people take it at face value and see it as a lot of fun, which it is, but it's also a lot of strategy involves, a lot of skill and a lot of work," said Honeywell.
Want a cool roller derby name of your own? Try this generator!
