The Ohio Roller Girls are about to strap on their skates, pads and helmets as they get themselves psyched for the third season of intra-league roller derby action at the Ohio Expo Center. The Take-Outs are coming off another exciting season after snatching the Envy Cup from the Sprockettes.

Can they dominate for the third year in a row, or will the Bank of Brawlers, Blackeye Bullies or Sprocketettes roll over their champion competition?

The Ohio Roller Girls, LLC is Columbus' first and only all-female, flat-track roller derby league. OHRG was started by Scarlette Fury in April 2005 and has grown to include 60 members/owners to this day. The teammates have been broken into four teams. During their first season back in April through September 2006, these teams competed on the flat track for the first time. Now they have a new home at the Laushce Building at the Ohio Expo Center, which they had first obtained for their second season in April 2007.

The women of this league are members of the Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby Association and are committed to advancing recognition of the sport at a local and national level as well as facilitating the development of athletic ability, sportswomanship and goodwill with other flat-track roller derby leagues. They hope to become an important part of Columbus by active participation in events, activities and community involvement.

It takes quite a bit of skill and hard work to be a Roller Girl. The league holds tryouts for before every season. The women are judged in relation to categories such as basic skating skills, falls, balance/agility, skating with others, and blocking - all of which have subcategories as well.

This season the league has drafted some of the greatest roller derby talent ever seen in Central Ohio. So no matter what happens, the flat track is sure to be filled with the fastest skaters, the hardest hitters and the most dedicated female athletes Columbus has to offer.

“These women are athletes. They take this sport seriously. They skate fast and hard and when they’re on the track delivering hits, I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end,” says Anthony Dill, the team’s media relations coordinator. “Roller derby is coming back. People are excited about it.”

If you’re excited about the Ohio Roller Girls, come see what they can do on March 2 as their third season kicks off when the Sprockettes and Take-Outs line up for a rematch of last season’s Envy Cup, while the Bullies square off against the Brawlers.

Other matches are scheduled for April 6, May 11, June 8 and July 6. All matches start at 5 p.m. in the Lausche Building at the Ohio Expo Center. Single game and season tickets are now on sale at www.ohiorollergirls.com.