Women's Roller Derby Dishes Out Fun, Friendship and Fitness

Amber Mori drives a forklift in a warehouse in Gaithersburg, Maryland. As a working mom, she's on the go 24/7. But twice a week, Amber transforms into "Cykosis," a fishnet-wearing, skatin' diva, who bumps and jabs her way around a roller rink.

Because bashing, bruising and bumping are all part of the game, players also learn how to fall to reduce injury. Amber has been skating for more than a year as a member of the "Mason Dixon Roller Vixens" roller derby team. What started out as a lark has now become a passion for her. "I love it; it's a great way to get out, be invigorated -- and the companionship is wonderful," she says. "And I've got legs as strong as pythons."

Women's roller derby started as a professional sport in the 1920s, when teams criss-crossed the country, jabbing and jostling and duking it out for money and, eventually, the national championship. By the 1970s, roller derby teams (and their fans) started to wane.

But with the resurgence of the extreme sports craze, women's flat track roller derby has made a comeback. Tired of pilates and Jazzercise, a lot of women started looking for more exciting outlets to stay in shape; the campy novelty of the sport piqued interest. Now, nonprofessional groups such as the Vixens are popping up all over the country...More?

source: cnn.com