Port Macquarie Roller Derby League president Ashleigh Stoddart has been given the task of returning the competition to its glory days.
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Roller derby is a fast-paced, full-contact sport played on quad roller skates. Each game is two, 30-minute periods composed of two minute plays, or "jams".
Stoddart, known as "Munster Smash", said the league used to be popular in Port Macquarie before the pandemic hit in 2020 and now the rebuild has begun.
"It was a really big deal until [the competition] died out so we have had to rebuild it," she said.
"We're slowly getting there; we haven't got enough for a local competition so we do things with our sister leagues in Coffs Harbour and Great Lakes.
"Nobody really knows it exists so it's hard to get the word out."
The president described roller derby as being "like playing chess and football at the same time".
"You've got two teams like you do in a football match and a 'jammer' has a star on their hat and they have to get through," she said.
The first person through gains points and with every lap and player a jammer passes, more points are accrued.
But the main contributing factor about roller derby was the ability to have fun and exercise at the same time.
"We mainly do Thursday night training which is like a Skate Fit training and derby skills session," she said.
"It's a bunch of people that like to get together; we're flexible so if you can't make one week you go the next week. I've noticed a lot of new people start and they're wanting to know what it's about."
An event was held at Wauchope on December 10 which was the first one in three years and Stoddart hopes it can be the beginning of a new era.
"The event we held a few weeks back was really important because the coach that was there was a previous member," Stoddart said.
"She went down to Newcastle for uni, then joined the Newcastle league and now is playing for Australia this year."
The next step in the sport's potential return is another training event which will be held on the first Thursday of February.
"At the moment we really rely on our sister leagues to play any games and we do travel for them, but we used to not have to do that which was great," Stoddart said.
Training is from 6.15pm on February 2 at Wauchope Indoor Stadium.
