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Efforts are being made to found a roller derby team in Portage la Prairie.  Tina Jansen who is putting the team together says roller derby is a full contact, competitive sport with an element of creativity.

She says you are allowed to chose your own fun name and fashion your own unique uniform.  Jansen says if you play roller derby, you are an athlete.  She adds the skaters are all female, but they do need men to referee as they need a one for every three girls on the track.  Jansen says referees attend practice and also get to pick a name, being involved in every aspect of how the game works.

Jansen adds if you are interested and have never skated before, they can train you.  She says they want to start practices in May though it depends on the skill level of individuals who sign up because the transition from an inline skate back to the original quad skate might be difficult for some.  Jansen says they have 15 girls signed up with a meet and greet scheduled in a couple weeks to go over how the game is played and code of conduct.  She hopes to have 20 to 25 women to start but if more want to join, they will take anyone they can get.

Jansen stresses you have to be the age of majority in order to compete in roller derby with no age maximum cap.  She says they will take girls as young as 17 but need written parental permission.  She adds they can participate in practices but will not be allowed to compete until they turn 18.  E-mail portagerollerderby@gmail.com if you are interested.