Some of the Northshore Roller Derby Lethal Ladies pose for a shot at a recent practice at Skater's Paradise. The team will play its second home bout against the Big Easy Roller Derby at 7 on Aug. 6 at the Harbor Center.
Offer Rocker has been a jammer for the Northshore Roller Derby for five years.
Crimzin Doll, captain of the Lethal Ladies, played for the rival Big Easy Roller Derby before moving to Slidell.
Nikki Hitz, president of the board for the nonprofit Northshore Roller Derby.
Jeanne Woodrick, a realtor, skates as Offer Rocker.
Crimzin Doll, captain of the Lethal Ladies, played for the rival Big Easy Roller Derby before moving to Slidell.
Nikki Hitz, board president of the nonprofit Northshore Roller Derby
Some of the Northshore Roller Derby Lethal Ladies pose for a shot at a recent practice at Skater's Paradise. The team will play its second home bout against the Big Easy Roller Derby at 7 on Aug. 6 at the Harbor Center.
Offer Rocker has been a jammer for the Northshore Roller Derby for five years.
Crimzin Doll, captain of the Lethal Ladies, played for the rival Big Easy Roller Derby before moving to Slidell.
Nikki Hitz, president of the board for the nonprofit Northshore Roller Derby.
Jeanne Woodrick, a realtor, skates as Offer Rocker.
Crimzin Doll, captain of the Lethal Ladies, played for the rival Big Easy Roller Derby before moving to Slidell.
Nikki Hitz, board president of the nonprofit Northshore Roller Derby
Northshore Roller Derby Lethal Ladies opened their 2022 season at a new venue, and their audience more than doubled. After starting 10 years ago in Mandeville, the team became homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic until finding a space at the Harbor Center in Slidell.
The Lethal Ladies are an amateur sports team that competes on a flat track.
“Flat track roller derby is a world sport," said Jeanne Woodrick, of Covington. "Right now, we’re steadily growing.”
Their second home bout, "Prom Night: A Brawl to Remember" against Big Easy Roller Derby will take place from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Aug. 6 at the Harbor Center, 100 Harbor Center Blvd.
In keeping with the prom night theme, the public is invited to bring gently used prom dresses to donate to help local youth during the upcoming school dance season.
“We’re adjusters, nurses, insurance agents. We’re all real people, some with full-time jobs, some with kids, married, single — living our lives," Woodrick said. “Adding roller derby spices things up.”
Woodrick is a local real estate agent whose derby name is Offer Rocker. Teammates include Rouxthless, Misfortune Cookie, Quiet Storm, Mermaid Mayhem and Swamp Rash. Teams field five players on the track, with four blockers and one jammer.
“I’m a jammer, I’m a point-getter,” said Woodrick.
The Lethal Ladies practice Monday and Thursday nights throughout the year, except Christmas and Thanksgiving, at Skater’s Paradise in Slidell. That’s where prospective members can put on skates and gear or just watch to see if they have what it takes to join the team.
“It takes endurance, skills and foot work,” she said. “You get to skate, and you get to run into people. It’s a very physical, full-contact sport.”
Woodrick always loved to skate and went to a practice on a dare. They’ve traveled as far as Lake Charles and Pensacola, Florida. Five years later, she is still learning and welcomes the opportunity to play teams like Big Easy Roller Derby.
"We're a sisterhood that challenges itself. It’s stress relief, and we laugh a lot.”
As their numbers grow, Northshore Roller Derby is close to forming a second team so they can scrimmage against each other to advance their skills and training.
“The days of hair pulling” have evolved to a regulated sport, she said. “It’s aggressive chaos. Essentially, it’s football on skates.”
They weren't the only derby to scramble for venues during the pandemic. Some teams now practice in warehouses, while others have folded.
But the Northshore Roller Derby season continues with homes bouts against the West Florida Roller Derby Aug. 27 and a Christmas Mashup Dec. 17; and away games with the West Florida Roller Derby Sept. 10 in Pensacola and against the Capital Defenders Oct. 1 in Baton Rouge.
"We are already booking the 2023 season," she said.
For the upcoming game, doors open at 6 p.m. and the bout starts at 7 p.m. General admission for those 13 and older is $15 at the door and $10 in advance; $5 for those 8 to 12 and free for those 7 and under. Season tickets are $30.
The half-time show will be provided by local marching group Slidell Synch. The Harbor Center will offer concessions of beverages, a bar and food such as hot dogs, hamburgers and jambalaya to pasta dishes and snacks. There is seating or the public can bring their own.
Northshore Roller Derby is a nonprofit that uses its sport to support two local charities, the St. Tammany Humane Society and Safe Harbor. They will be taking donations for Safe Harbor at Saturday's competition and will collect donations from the Safe Harbor Wish List.
For more information, visit www.northshorerollerderby.com.
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