Editor’s note: Local journalist and photographer Ellee Achten, who skates for the Appalachian Hellbetties, offers up a nice helping of participatory journalism in this photo story, revealing the high-energy preparation required to prepare for a roller-derby home bout (this Saturday at the Athens Community Center).
The Athens Ohio Roller Derby (AORD) league’s Appalachian Hell Betties and Black Diamond Betties prepared for a hot, humid practice at Dow’s Rollarena near Nelsonville just before the July 4 holiday weekend. Each skater put on knee-pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, and mouth guards, some ignoring old injuries of broken ankles and dislocated fingers – known risks of this high-octane sport.