Nipissing Roller Derby looks to get rolling again with an open skate

The Nipissing Roller Derby team is hoping to once again grow the sport in North Bay.

The sport was widely popular in the area a few years ago, but came to a halt when the pandemic hit.

"I love this game, I love roller skating. It's a weird game, it's not for everybody. I love the insanity of it," said Andre Merritt, a member of the team.

The team held an ‘open skate’ to gauge interest in the sport, the event saw more than 50 members of the community come through the door.

The event was held Saturday at the Callander Community Centre and also served as a fundraiser for the league.

Officials told CTV News that there is now hope the roller derby game will grow again.

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"It's this strange culture, bizarre community," said Merritt.

"There's not a lot of opportunities for middle aged women to throw their bodies at each other."

"Most people don't really know it exists in North Bay, so our main focus is to get our word out there, and get people aware of who we are and what we're doing," said Kelly Gillard, another member of the team.

"It's great for fitness, cardio, that kind of stuff, and the team of women is amazing."

Officials said with the interest shown at the open skate, they are hopeful they can bring back both competitive and community roller skating to the area this year.

For more information on the Nipissing Roller Derby, visit their Facebook page.