The Abridged version:
A new skating facility in Sacramento’s River District has generated more energy among the Sacramento Roller Derby’s local enthusiasts.
Sacramento has been home to a roller derby community for almost 20 years.
Anyone can get involved, as a participant, volunteer or fan.
Cole Bogue leads a double life. By day, she works in the insurance industry. But three nights a week, and many weekends a year, the redhead dons roller skates, a mouthguard and protective gear to transform into “Shock N’ Auburn,” her Sacramento Roller Derby alter-ego.
Over a decade and a half ago, Bogue wanted to be a roller derby girl for Halloween. Her costume search led to a tryout. And now she is the league’s most-tenured player with 16 consecutive seasons under her belt.
“I tried out, and I fell a lot, but I loved it,” Bogue, now 44, said at the 2026 season opener on Feb. 21. “And they said, ‘All right, come back next week. We’ll teach you how to skate.’ And the rest is history.”
Cole Bogue AKA “Shock N’ Auburn,” coaching Sacramento Roller Derby’s Capital MaulStars, in a season opener game on Feb. 21st, 2026 in Sacramento. (Tyler Bastine)
The Bearhouse arrives
Just three years ago, Sacramento’s roller derby community was wandering — practicing and playing at various spaces as they waited for their current facility at 1701 Thornton Ave, a warehouse in Downtown Sacramento’s River District, to get up and running.
The 26,000-square-foot, $1.5 million new home, called the “Bearhouse,” opened in October 2024. It was made possible by a generous gift from an angel donor, who also covered the $600,000 in construction costs.
A sign for Sacramento Roller Derby’s season opener on Feb. 21, 2026. (Tyler Bastine)
On Feb. 21, the Bearhouse and SRD hosted teams from Auburn, Mexico and Utah for four games over an eight-hour day. Judy “Rhodes Warrior” Licciardello was especially proud of what settling into a permanent location meant for a community she finds near and dear to her heart.
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“Our building has only been open for a year and a half, and every month we find a new thing to add to,” said Licciardello, the special education teacher and member of the league’s Capital MaulStars. “Now we can really have a growth mindset, instead of a survival mindset.”
Licciardello, who juggles roles as player, referee and the league’s executive director, said one of her great hopes for SRD is that the wider Sacramento population learns more about them and finds ways to participate.
Sacramento Roller Derby’s junior team, Beastie Bears, compete in a season opener game on Feb. 21, 2026 in Sacramento. (Tyler Bastine)
Roller derby approaches 100th anniversary
Roller derby began in earnest in the 1930s and over time developed a dedicated fanbase attracted to its somewhat playful but rowdy participants. It was was popularized in the 2009 movie “Whip It,” based on the 2007 book “Derby Girl.” The website of its governing nonprofit organization, the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), says it oversees more than 450 leagues on six continents.
Sacramento Roller Derby is an all-volunteer, nonprofit league consisting of six adult and two junior teams of varying skill levels.
Sacramento Roller Derby’s junior team, Beastie Bears, celebrating a win at a season opener game on Feb. 21, 2026 in Sacramento. (Tyler Bastine)
‘Marginalized gender’ skaters welcome
The league is open to all adults who identify as being part of a “marginalized gender” which includes women, transgender individuals and nonbinary individuals among other identities. The junior teams, ages 8-17, are co-ed.
“Just because it’s an all-female sport, I don’t feel discriminated at all,” said 14-year-old Emmett Weiner, AKA “Percy Smackson,” a he/him player on Beastie Bears, a junior team. Like many of the junior players, Weiner had his pronouns sewn on his jersey.
Roller derby seasons run 18 months, though Sacramento Roller Derby recognizes an annual season and is currently in its ninth.
When Bogue emerged on the roller derby scene nearly two decades ago, the league included two teams — Sac City Rollers and Sacred City Derby Girls. It merged into one league in 2018. Today, Bogue is player #451 on Capital MaulStars, one of the six adult teams.
Sacramento Roller Derby junior team, Beastie Bears, during a practice game. (Tyler Bastine)
Jammers and blockers
Games are played with five players in two 30-minute halves, each consisting of 15 two-minute “jams.” Players are on offense and defense simultaneously. Scoring occurs when a team’s designated jammer manages to circle the track and get by the opposing team’s blockers.
“You’re constantly thinking, ‘I’m playing offense now, oh, I’m playing defense now’” Bogue said. “And that switch has to be incredibly quick, and you have to be doing it in unison with your teammates.”
Bogue is a jammer. “I like to think of them as Mario,” she said, likening her role to the video game icon. “We collect the coins.”
Sacramento Roller Derby’s Capital MaulStars compete against Mexico’s Juarez All Stars in a season opener game on Feb. 21, 2026, in Sacramento. (Tyler Bastine)
No one too old
If you’re reading this and thinking, “I’m too old for this,” well, think again. Many SRD players wear their age as a badge of honor.
“Derby keeps you young,” said I.M.GoodzElla, civilian name: Aura Ella Abasolo-Rabino, #96 on Bruin Trouble. “I am 53, and unlike my other friends, I’m not on high blood pressure medicine or high cholesterol medicine. I get motivated to go to the gym, because all my (roller derby) peers around me go to the gym too.”
Sign up to learn, train
If you’re looking to learn and play, start with the 101 training program, a series of six-week classes for adults and juniors. The fee is $76. Come fully clothed with a mouth guard and a water bottle.
“You don’t need any gear, you don’t need any skates. We’ll provide everything to you,” Licciardello said. “You just have to be willing to try and willing to fail and willing to try again.”
Sacramento Roller Derby’s junior team, Beastie Bears, compete in a season opener game on Feb. 21, 2026 in Sacramento. (Tyler Bastine)
Joy is worth injury risk
Skaters move around the flat track quickly, and the basic movements of the game — trying to race through human walls while others use their arms and hips to block them — is not for the faint of heart. The risk of injury is real.
To many involved with Sacramento roller derby, that is worth the reward.
“I mean, you’re gonna get hurt in every sport,” Tedey “Trash Panda” Vincent, a high school freshman on Beastie Bears junior team, said. “I think that this one’s just more fun.”
It might help ease one’s mind to know that credentialed medics are at every game, and coaches have their CPR/First Aid certifications.
Rachel Harrell, aka “Merle Hazard” of Sacramento Roller Derby’s Capital MaulStars, competes in a season opener game on Feb. 21, 2026, in Sacramento. (Tyler Bastine)
Something for everyone
On the day of the season opener, Tedey Vincent wore her war paint — a face of expressive blue and glitter make-up and a helmet hand-painted with “EAT THE RICH” and “MELT ICE.” Vincent was one of the many teens who participated in late January’s ICE protests,
“Roller derby is one of those sports where everybody’s just kind of going all out with everything. I just do a different makeup look every time,” she said. “And I thought I would go with some blue, since our team is blue.”
A safe place for self-expression was just one of the many benefits participants said they get from the sport. “Community” was another big buzzword, followed closely by “friends.” Satisfying one’s mental health was also spoken about as a big attraction of the sport.
“Most of my very close friends are all from Derby,” Hannah “Red” Frank said. Frank is a controller at a local private high school and has been skating with SRD for 15 years. ”It’s all kinds of different people that I would have never met outside of here.”
“I have really bad anxiety, and I tend to huddle myself up in a ball,” said 12-year-old Violet “Danger Mouse” Emery, a Beastie Bear, while holding her mouthguard in one hand and a cookie in the other. “Derby kind of makes me feel like I don’t have to do that.”
Christina Ann “Jessamine KillaWatts” Davis Watts, a mother of three, said roller derby was a form of mom-self-care.
“We balance our lives for our kids. We have to have balance for ourselves,” she said.
Violet “Danger Mouse” Emery of the Beastie Bears during a team practice in Sacramento. (Tyler Bastine)
Rolled around and fell in love
Another possible perk of a life on the flat track? You could fall in love.
Judy Licciardello did just that when she met her now husband, Michael Don Scoreleone Licciardello, at a 2013 game in Merced. Judy was skating, Michael was “in stripes” as a referee. Cupid was clearly flying around.
“The magic moment was when she was smiling at me, and I felt like I was hit by a bus, said Michael Licciardello, who works at Hewlett Packard Enterprises in Roseville. “And we found each other through the community afterwards.”
Their wedding cake was topped with a silhouette of the couple kissing on skates.
Judy “Rhodes Warrior” Licciardello of Sacramento Roller Derby’s Capital MaulStars competes in a season opener game on Feb. 21, 2026, in Sacramento. (Tyler Bastine)
Donors, volunteers always welcome
Donations are always good, and you can also look into becoming an official. Volunteering — and thus getting a free ticket to a game — is also a fun option.
“Volunteer shifts include snack bar, track maintenance, check-in, clean up, bathrooms, parking attendant, security, announcing, running the Twitch live stream and getting the crowd excited.” Judy Licciardello said.
“Roller derby is for everyone,” Bogue added, echoing a common SRD mantra spoken by many at the season opener.
Everyone, of course, includes the audience. The season opener drew 245 ticket-buying fans. By the end of the day, it was standing room only.
One set of bleachers was packed with parents of junior skaters, aka the “Beastie Bears Battalion.”
The Bearhouse is looking for help on that.
“We need bigger bleachers,” Judy Licciardello offered. “So we’re officially on the hunt!”
Parents watching a Sacramento Roller Derby junior team at the season opener on Feb. 21, 2026. (Tyler Bastine)
Helen Harlan is a Sacramento-based freelance writer and cocktail waitress.