OCALA, Fla. – After their full-time 9-to-5 jobs, a group of women in Ocala head to a different kind of workplace —one defined by strength, speed, and sisterhood, otherwise known as the Ocala Women’s Roller Derby League, Brick City Rollers.
Armed with knee and elbow pads, helmets and mouth guards, the full-contact sport is played around an oval track where players battle to outscore opponents using a human “jammer” who pushes through blockers in a test of strategy and endurance.
While roller derby isn’t exclusively for women, the popularity of women’s leagues has grown exponentially over the past 30 years, evolving from a niche activity into a highly competitive, sanctioned sport with rules, overseen primarily by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association . Modern, skater-run leagues have expanded to include hundreds of member leagues across six continents.
And from grit and bruises to bold makeup and self-expression, Brick City Rollers embrace both power and femininity without compromise.
“You can be any age. You can be any size. You can be underweight or overweight. You can be sexy. You can be strong. This sport celebrates all different tools that you have as an athlete,” said team Captain and 16-year derby veteran Vinessa Chevalier aka Poise N’ Control.
Chevalier, like the rest of the team, practices Tuesdays and Sundays for hours, some who have been with the team for years, others just a few months. Despite the gaps in sport experience or the vast personal differences simply because of age, each of the players echoed the same, incredible sentiment - once you’re on the team, you’re family.
“This sport gives you the opportunity to get any aggressions out. It’s also a full-body workout. There’s never a time you don’t come out and sweat,” said another player, Talia Lee-VonBender aka Madam BattleAxe. “This is all about uplifting each other. We help each other when we’re down,” Lee-VonBender added.
And no, you don’t have to know a single thing about roller derby if you’re interested.
Chevalier outlined a tier system that introduces potential athletes to the sport by teaching them the fundamentals, including ‘how to fall’, accumulating practice time, and gradually transitioning newer teammates into action.
Brick City Rollers also has extra gear and sponsors who help with the cost of equipment, so that there are no financial barriers to joining.
Learn more about Brick City Rollers, their season schedule and community events.
But for these athletes, roller derby isn’t about changing how others see women.
It’s about redefining themselves.
‘Come as you are’
“I have tattoos and I wear glasses—everyone really embraces who you are,” said Rae.
Inside the rink, individuality isn’t just accepted—it’s celebrated.
Chants echo as wheels hit the floor. The energy is electric. This isn’t just a sport—it’s a statement.
“You can be the tough one. You can be the sexy one. You can be the smart one,” said Vinessa.
More than a game
Over the past three decades, roller derby has evolved into a sanctioned, rule-driven sport. But beyond the structure, it has become something more powerful—a space where women can fully exist in all their complexity.
“You can be any age. You can be any size,” Vinessa explained. “This sport celebrates all the tools that you have as an athlete.”
From everyday life to derby persona
On a typical Tuesday night, Talia Lee-VonBender trades in her roles as a medical educator and mom for something entirely different.
On the track, she becomes Madam Battle Axe.
“It gives you the opportunity to get any aggressions out,” she said.
But she’s not escaping her life—she’s enhancing it.
“It’s a full-body workout. There’s never a time you don’t come out here and sweat.”
Built on strength—and support
The Ocala Brick City Rollers are more than teammates—they’re a community.
“This is all about uplifting each other. We help each other when we’re down,” Talia said.
For many, the league offers life-changing connections.
“It’s given me every gift I have today—from incredible friendships to strength and health,” Vinessa added.
Power meets femininity
On the track, it’s full-contact competition. Players battle to outscore opponents using a “jammer” who pushes through blockers in a test of strategy and endurance.
Off the track—or even on it—there’s no single way to be a woman.
From grit and bruises to bold makeup and self-expression, these athletes embrace both power and femininity without compromise.
Rewriting the rules
Roller derby in Ocala is doing more than scoring points—it’s breaking barriers.
By challenging outdated ideas of “ladylike behavior,” these women are reclaiming space, identity, and strength on their own terms.
This Women’s History Month, they’re not just making history.
They’re rolling right through it.