Mandurah's roller derby team rolls into first bout of the season

The club’s two teams, the Brute Squad and the Shrieking Eels, will face each other in the first of three bouts for the 2015 home season.

Playing in their new home of The Zone in Kwinana, both teams are hoping to take out this year’s season.

“[The Brute Squad] are pretty confident going into this year’s season, even though it was the Eels who took it out last year,” Brute Squad skater Mel Bent said.

“Above everything, we hope just to put on a good show for everyone to enjoy.”

Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five, who roller skate in the same direction around a track. 

Both teams have a designated scoring player, the ‘jammer’, who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team.

The teams attempt to hinder the opposing jammer while assisting their own to overtake as many players as possible. 

One of the most recognisable traits of a derby skater is that, like Mel Bent, they have pseudonym personas while on the track that are puns of their real names. 

This is the second season the Dread Roller Pirates have worn their skates as one, and are still looking to expand their ranks.

Next week is the last week potential derby stars can take part in the Dread Roller Pirates’ fresh meat program, which trains up new skaters and referees.

Training is on Monday and Wednesday nights, from 5.30-9pm.

For more information go to dreadpiraterollers.com.au or find Dread Pirate Rollers on Facebook.