The next time you find yourself wondering where you can find some cute girls on roller-skates, check out L.A.'s own roller derby team: The Angel City Derby Girls. But be ready to rumble. These ladies aren't afraid to take names...or a beating... in their quest for speed, glory, and good fun.

For those of you not familiar with the derby, this is how it works: Two teams of five, consisting of four defensive players and one offensive player or jammer assemble with the objective of getting the jammer past as many blockers as possible in order to score points. The defensive players must block the jammer with any part of their body above the hips. Meanwhile, everyone is skating fast around a circuit track. A contact sport... and not one for the faint of heart.

While not the brawling betty type, I have to admit that there's something fascinating about a bunch of girlies who aren't afraid to get whooped while whizzing around with wheels on their feet. A weird blend of athleticism, punk, and overt sexuality, contemporary roller derby is an enticing new grassroots trend.

If you're as curious as I am and want to check out some live action, it just so happens that The Big One: California Women's Roller Derby Championship is coming up April 5^th and 6^th. Outside of that, our local Angel City Derby Girls now have their own space downtown, Heaven's Gate, where they host the occasional bout with neighboring roller girls. Check out their site, www.angelcityderbygirls.com, for event listings.