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    Ohio Roller Derby Kicks Off 13th Season Saturday

    The Ohio Roller Derby (OHRD) are set to open their 13th season on Saturday, March 17 at the Ohio Expo Center.

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    Sam Tucker, who goes by the name Kegel Scout on the track, says this is a year of rebuilding for the league. There have been a lot of retirements, however the league’s rookie class has stepped up to the plate. OHRD still has its two teams, the Ohio All-Stars and Gang Green, as well as its recreational league for those preparing for OHRD tryouts or participating for fun.

    Tucker started with the Ohio Roller Derby in 2016. She played roller derby in Colorado years before, but quit because of an injury. When she moved to Columbus in 2014, she met a few league members at ComFest and decided a return was needed. Now, Tucker serves on the Board of Directors and manages bout production and practice space needs, a role she credits as a product of team effort.

    “The magic of this sport is we make it all happen,” says Tucker. “We are the players and the producers and the refs and the policy initiators and announcers and coaches and game schedulers and hype-people.”

    “We own this sport. This sport owns us,” she says.

    For Tucker, roller derby is truly gratifying, which leads her to believe that with enough interest, Columbus could be just as obsessed with the sport as she is.

    “Roller skating is pure joy for me. Getting hit or hitting others while on roller skates is even better. How are people not as obsessed with this sport as we are?” she says. “Yes, we are all sad about The Crew, and we hope they stick around. But c’mon. We’ve been around for a decade. Columbus! Invest in us! No Regrets!”

    OHRD regularly partner with a community organization or nonprofit each season in a continued effort to be a major part of the community.

    This season, OHRD is partnering with Kaleidoscope Youth Center, a Columbus-area LGBTQ center for youth, Girl Scouts of America, and the Transgender Children’s Legal Defense Fund. Sponsors for this season include Transformation Athletics, an organization promoting body-positive fitness training, and Bruised Boutique, an online shop for roller derby equipment and apparel.

    All OHRD home games this season will be held in the Ohio Building at the Ohio Expo Center. Saturday’s opener will see Ohio’s All Star team play at 5 p.m., with Gang Green playing at 7 p.m.

    OHRD’s home schedule is as follows:

    March 17 vs. North Star
    April 7 vs. Ann Arbor
    April 21 vs. West Virginia (CT) and South Bend (GG)
    May 12 vs. Charlottesville
    June 9 vs. Dub City (CT), and Steel City B (GG)
    June 30 vs. Garden State (CT) and Athens (Green Machine)

    For more information about OHRD’s upcoming season, visit ohiorollerderby.com.

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    Taijuan Moorman
    Taijuan Moormanhttps://columbusunderground.com
    Taijuan Moorman is a former reporter and social media specialist for Columbus Underground and The Metropreneur who covered civics, arts, entertainment, lifestyle, and business news and features.
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