In many sports, rough physical contact is reprimanded with a penalty. But for the women in the Twin City Derby Girls roller derby league, they “don’t apologize for hitting.”

Roller derby is a full-contact skating sport that includes elbowing and body checks. It differs from other sports in its physicality as well as the “mental fitness” participants achieve. 

“As women, we learn to take up as little space as possible, but this sport teaches you that you are valuable and that you deserve to take up the space you occupy,” said Dr. Kathryn Clancy, professor of anthropology at the University and participant in the Twin City Travelers team. 

Clancy explained that roller derby builds women’s confidence by allowing them to be aggressive and teaching them that they have (non-reproductive) value as physical beings.

“You can be competitive and aggressive, and instead of that being seen as ‘unfeminine,’ it is applauded,” she added.

Kate Kobak, a Savoy resident and mother of two, will begin her second derby season this year. As she said of the intimidating sport, “If you are not there mentally, your physical performance will suffer. There is a partnership between thought and physicality.”

As for the physical aspect, Deb Sosnowski, member of the Twin City Travelers team since September 2011, praises the assortment of skills roller derby forces participants to incorporate into their workouts.

“With more traditional sports, there is less to learn,” she said. “We all already know how to run and jump, but skating and the skills it requires are a whole other entity.”

Clancy said roller derby has the potential to benefit women in whichever way they choose, depending on what type of results they wish to see.

“Your muscle mass will increase quite a bit. We all get bigger butts and thighs because those are the muscles we use when we skate and hit,” Clancy said. “While people have lost weight, roller derby usually leads to a gain of muscle mass.”

For roller derby athletes to lose weight while participating in the sport, Clancy said the athlete must be particularly cautious of their caloric intake, as with other sports of this caliber.

“You’re going to come home from practice hungry, because of how hard you will have worked out. Weight loss can be achieved if you go in with the intention of weight loss and adhere to a diet plan,” she said.

Clancy is also a part of the league’s fitness committee, a private forum that aims to “support the fitness of our league-mates.” Here, derby skaters can find simple supplemental workouts to complement their fitness off skates. Nutritional tips are also available for beginners, such as what to eat before and after a practice.

“We support the fitness of all different kinds of people and tailor workouts for beginners and more athletically advanced players,” Clancy said.

Kobak said that while the sport is an excellent workout, the team also has fun choosing their own “skate name” and assuming an alter-ego while on the rink. 

Kobak’s own skate name is Maraud Lebowski, inspired by one of her favorite films.

“You can choose to go by your real name, or you can choose a name that empowers you while you skate,” Kobak said.

Clancy incorporated her profession in anthropology to her skate name, Anthrobrawlogist. 

Roller derby is an inclusive sport whose participants range from young to old, big to small, and all in between. Women in roller derby leagues use this muscle-building and confidence-developing sport as an empowering workout. 

As Kobak puts it: “It’s pretty kickass to do things that are slightly scary.”

Hannah can be reached at [email protected].

Editor’s Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Roller Derby involves physical fighting. Fighting is strictly prohibited on both the local and national level. The Daily Illini regrets this error.