The Anthracite Derby Dames are searching for more teammates and places to practice as they launch a women's roller derby team.

Team member Katlyn Blevins of Pottsville moved to the area from Lancaster County, where she was part of that county's Dutchland Rollers. The Rollers are members of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association.The Dames need to get 14 members on their roster; currently they have about 10 women interested. They practice at various paved basketball courts in the Schuylkill and Carbon county area, and are seeking additional practice venues."We need an 80-by-50-foot area, with about a 10-foot buffer around it," she said. "If we get to the point where we can have bouts, we'll need room for spectators."Interested people can contact Blevins by emailing her at

anthracitederbydames@gmail.com, or message her through the Facebook page of the same name. The Dames must be at least 18 years old. Gear needed includes skates, mouthguard, helmet and pads for knees and elbows."It's a contact sport. That's one of the things I like about it, the athleticism," Blevins said. "It's not girls in cute outfits. You have to be tough."Roller Derby FactsTwo teams, five each, are on the track at a time. One person will be a jammer, who scores points by lapping members of the other team as the teams skate around the track.As the jammer tries to get by skaters, members of the other team will try to block her as they try to assist their jammer at the same time. The competition is called a bout, and there are two periods, each 30 minutes.Professional roller derby started in the 1940s and was first televised in 1948. The Women's Flat Track Derby Association has about 1,250 amateur leagues worldwide, with about half of them in the United States.Currently, there are WFTDA teams in the Wilkes-Barre and Reading areas. It's one of the sports being considered to be included in the 2020 Olympic Games.