An aggressive pack of young women in sparkly green uniforms and roller skates whips around a small track in the middle of a packed warehouse. The sounds of ruthless catcalls and exuberant cheering from the crowd echo throughout the warehouse as the team pushes, shoves and skates with all its might in  an attempt to score. A lone skater pulls out of the pack, and she’s off — scoring four points for the team amid the deafening cries of the crowd.

The pushing, shoving and wild cheering are not uncommon in the fast-paced sport of women’s Roller Derby. The movie “Whip It” uses the roller rink to spice up the ordinary coming-of-age movie with humor and an exhilarating ride.   

Bliss Cavendar (Ellen Page) is a bored, 17-year-old girl living in a middle-of-nowhere town in Texas, who trudges through the daily misery of high school. Bliss tries to please her overbearing mother while working at the local, greasy diner and participating in beauty pageants. She wishes to escape the monotonous routine of her small town and get away from her strict household.

The other end of day I joined several former strong credo classmates for a sundown of violence at the roller skating rink. When we were growing up, it was the advance to be on Friday nights. Sometimes my parents would resolve we were prevalent to have a dearest nightfall, and I would be so ruffle, because if I wasn't at the skating rink, I was a NOBODY (at least that's what I kind-heartedness). As children on that rink, we well-read some things that would a duty us well when we faced the have as adults - how to take risks, like skating backward or asking someone to attach oneself to us for the couples skate. How to get up after a slump. How to surface back and try again, even after torture a sprain or tamed limb. How to expend ourselves in the significance as our feet flew around the rink. And perhaps most importantly, how to do the hokey pokey. As we gathered that unceasingly, I didn't know distraught about what others might reflect on of me as I tried to sojourn on my feet. While I often fail it, one of the blessings of becoming an adult is being capable to...

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