When Natalie Hancock wants to wind down or work out, she reaches for one thing.

Her quad roller skates. Yes, the old-school, four-wheeled kind.

She spends "any and all free time on my skates," said the Wheeler Army Airfield resident, 31.

Hancock is in the process of recruiting women to join a new roller derby league, the Honolulu Derby Girls, of which she is team captain and coach.

"I love the game and learning everything there is to know about it to make my team the best they can be," she said.

The Honolulu league follows the official rules of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association. In a nutshell, the sport involves a 60-minute bout between two teams of five players each — a jammer (the player who scores points), three blockers and a pivot (the defense).

Basically, scores are earned each time a jammer passes an opposing blocker or pivot. To impede a jammer, the defense can block using certain body parts. The women play on a cemented flat track, so full protective gear is required. And quad roller skates are a must — no inline skates are allowed.

Hancock started roller skating when she was 10 years old. At 12, she was on a speed-skating team and won many trophies at several competitions.

So it's no wonder she found the urge to start a roller derby league — the only one in the state, she said.

"Then within our league, we will break up and make separate teams," Hancock said.

Founded in mid-October, the league will probably hold its first competition in about eight weeks.

In Hancock's eyes, there's no better workout.

"Physically, it is a lot of work," she said.

Roller derby is a full-contact sport. When skaters are blocked, they cannot be hit above the shoulders, on the back of the torso or booty, and on or below the knee.

"But (anywhere) else, it's a free-for-all," she said.

"It is a lot of work on your legs because you're taking a lot of knee falls," Hancock added.

During practices — held twice a week at the Marine Corps Base Hawai'i hockey rink — players have to practice falling on their knees and coming back up, she said.

"You can't even practice with us unless you have your full (protective) gear," she said.

All players are required to wear knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, a mouth guard and helmet.

"You're falling down, you're getting hit, but you're so padded and protected that ... you get right back up and you just keep going," she said.

Being in good physical shape is important to participate in roller derby, Hancock said.

"But you know what? We have (players of) all shapes and all sizes," she said. ... "We have positions for everybody."

The league has more than a dozen dedicated members, and Hancock encourages anyone interested to join.

"We're actually just a small family," Hancock said. Roller derby is for "the kind of girl who just really is looking for some close friendships, meeting some awesome girls and having a good time."

Reach Zenaida Serrano at zserrano@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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