Rollin’, Rollin’, Rollin’

By Samantha Price | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Photo Illustrations by Samantha Price

By day, Juliana Anderson is a junior at Flagler College- by night, her screaming fans know her as Cambria Killcannon.

Anderson and her sister Jessica MacMillan, a former Flagler College student and St. Augustine local, joined Jacksonville’s Roller Girls eight months ago.

The girls were hooked after watching the girl-powered movie “Whip It,” a story about a girl who fell in love with roller derby. “It’s basically like you get a new family when you get in, all the girls are really sweet… they don’t look it some of the time, but they’re usually really nice,” Anderson said about her teammates.

The most important point of the game, according to Anderson, is safety.

“You have to wear full gear anytime you play, just to be safe, because it’s a full contact sport. You have 6 week training process, where they teach you how to fall correctly and all the stops that you can do,” Anderson said. “Once you master the basic skills, are stable on your skates and can take and receive hits, you take a skills test- which you have to pass before you can bout,” said Anderson.

“Bouting” is the roller derby term for competing in a game.

The sisters’ team received national recognition last December, as an official Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) team. The team’s acceptance into WFTDA will allow them to compete against other experienced WFTDA teams across the country.

For the Jacksonville Roller Girls, it’s not just about scoring for their team, though. JRG is recognized for their strong philanthropy with charitable organizations like The Blood Alliance, Toys for Tots and the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.

Anderson’s team is having their first WFTDA-sanctioned bout on April 16^th at UNF Arena in Jacksonville.