The Red and Black

The Athens Roller Derby is made up of students and non-students who practice at Skate-Around USA. (CAROLINE KILGORE | The Red & Black) [Click to enlarge]

Sometimes people call Pam Enlow "Dirty Hippie."

But those people aren't being mean - it's her roller derby name.

The sophomore from Canton and a group of other women get together every week to skate around as the Athens Roller Derby.

"It's a great social environment," Enlow said. "You get exercise, but it's really just a lot of fun."

The group is new, having started only about three months ago, but it has already caught the interest of women in the area with a small amount of promotion through MySpace and flyers around town.

"There are about 20 (women) who show up on a regular basis," said Amanda Hart, a University graduate from Suwanee. "And we are still open to new people coming in."

The group is open to all women - students or nonstudents - of any age.

"It's about half and half, students and nonstudents," Hart said. "The oldest is in her 40s, but it's mostly younger girls."

And women who are interested don't have to know how to skate yet.

"Pretty much 95 percent of the people skated when they were younger," Hart said. "But there are people there who skated their whole lives, and you can tell who they are."

Angela Matheney of Athens isn't really in either of those groups.

"I can count the amount of times I've been skating on my hands," she said. "But I've always wanted to skate."

Even so, she's been in the derby for a few weeks and only suffered some burns and bruises.

"It's worth it," she said. "It's been nothing life threatening."

Some of the women who haven't skated since they were kids said it hasn't been too difficult to get back into it.

"Everybody is getting better faster," said Beverly Babb, an Athens residence who has been in the derby for a few months.

However, some are still having problems getting started.

Athens resident Katie Selvey said, "I definitely have a long way to go." But she has time.

"Our team is about a year away from competitions," Hart said.

Women interested in being a part of the Athens Roller Derby can go to the group's MySpace page.

Future participants also can visit the practice space at Skate-A-Round on Cherokee Road, off Lexington Road, in Athens from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sundays and Wednesdays for now.

Monthly dues are $30, which cover the practice space, T-shirts and the future Web site, but new members can come to their first four practices for free.

Everyone should bring his/her own knee and elbow pads, wrist and mouth guards, helmets and skates.

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