By Colin Gurney
Although local Omaha roller rinks have closed over the years, some residents have not hung up their skates.
The Omaha Roller Derby, a local not-for-profit organization, first formed in 2006. Number 38 on the team, who goes by Crash Hartless, has been around since day one, and said that through roller derby, both she and the team have grown slowly but surely.
“It has that bonding mentality,” Hartless said. “where there’s just not many other places where you feel that so earnestly and organically. Especially for adults. Especially for women.”
The team practices several times a week, using body and mind alike in intense drills and skirmishes. Head Coach Penelope Bruise said that despite the challenges on the rink and in everyday life, members are eager to stay engaged.
“I’ve never seen anyone come in and try it and say ‘no, I hate this,’” Bruise said. “They all love it, and we break our bodies for it, and we still come back.”
The coach says that roller derby is a rigorous yet exciting outlet for members to release stress that builds up in everyday life.
Members of the Omaha Roller Derby volunteer to keep the organization going. The league consists of both adult and junior leagues, and practices are held year round.
