when i grow up, i want to be a texas rollergirl

This past Sunday, the Texas Rollergirls held tryouts at Playland:

Each year, as players move, retire or get pregnant, a few precious Roller Girl spots open up, said Lacy Attuso, known to the roller derby faithful as the inimitable announcer Whiskey L'Amour. The league's four teams were scouring the tryout pool for aggressive, lively skaters who would make good jammers, blockers or pivots.

In the dim, purplish light of Playland, unglamorous except for the large, glittery skate hanging from the ceiling like a disco ball, the women glided — or wobbled — their way through a series of drills. They slalomed around cones, jumped over obstacles and showed off their braking capabilities.

One, a spunky, slight woman with pigtails named — for real — Michelle Kwan, earned the impromptu nickname Bloody Lip after she sprawled onto the part of the track known as Bodybag Boulevard.

"I like it when girls take chances, fall down and get right up," said Laurie Rourke, aka the Wrench. ("My persona is a mechanic," she explained.) By day she's a personal trainer; by night she captains the Hell Marys, a team of plaid-skirted women who pay homage to the wayward Catholic school girl.

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Some of the roller girl wannabes had already picked out names for themselves. Nannette Walker, who calls herself a roller derby groupie, opted for Kitty Scratch. A former freestyle ice skater, Jen Loving, said she's called Stompy by her family.

Halfway through the night about half those trying out were cut. But there didn't seem to be any tears.

"If you're tough enough to come out here, then you're not going to be a crybaby," Attuso said.

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