SAGAMIHARA FAMILY HOUSING AREA, Japan – After losing 80 pounds over the past year, Tara Culbertson wanted to find a unique exercise to stay in shape while making new friends.

Willing to try something new, Culbertson, the director of Morale, Welfare and Recreation at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, decided to revive the local roller derby team that had dissolved due to the pandemic.

Called the Zama Killer Katanas, the team once held regular matches with other nearby teams such as the Yokota Scary Blossoms and the Yokosuka Sushi Rollers.

Culbertson hopes to soon reignite those friendly rivalries as her team searches for new players, officials and volunteers.

“I would like to meet some cool, smart ladies and just make my own friends here and not just work,” she said.

Roller derby is played on a flat, oval track with two teams of up to five skaters vying to score the most points during two 30-minute periods. One skater on each team, called the “jammer,” scores a point after passing an opposing player on the track with help from their teammates, who are called “blockers.”

The game is a full-contact sport, but there are rules on how players can safely make contact with their opponents.

Roller derby is also known for its quirky player names. For instance, Culbertson’s stage name is “Bettie Rage.”

“I think it’s kind of badass,” she said of the sport. “It’s kind of rebellious and has lady power. These are girls who are confident, strong and cool.”

Master Sgt. Shanika Johnson, senior enlisted adviser for Army Reserve Affairs at U.S. Army Japan, attended the team’s first official practice on Tuesday.

Johnson said she has been skating off and on since she was 5 years old, but she has never played roller derby before. She was drawn to the female camaraderie associated with the sport, as well as the fitness aspect.

“I was a little bored, so I thought I’d give it a try,” she said. “I met some teammates and they were very welcoming.”

Ashleigh Gosnell, a former Soldier and Army spouse, had the chance to test out her newly purchased skates around the gym at Arnn Elementary School during the practice.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting people and I love team sports, so I think getting involved in something like this is really cool,” she said.

The most experienced skater of the group was Hannah Howard, who helped teach drills to about a half dozen new players.

Howard, an Air Force spouse who goes by “Aris Throttle,” said the sport may initially make some people nervous about trying it out. It can appear aggressive and its roots are a bit punk.

“Those things are part of the culture that people enjoy if that’s what you want out of it, but I think now it’s very inclusive and it’s reached more of a mainstream,” she said.

There are leagues worldwide and the Roller Derby World Cup is played every few years. Earlier this month, U.S. Olympian Erin Jackson, a professional roller derby player, also won a gold medal for speedskating.

Those who attend practice for the Zama Killer Katanas will learn the basics of roller derby, and loaner equipment is available to help them get started.

Women aged 18 and up at any skill level, as well as men interested in becoming an official, can join the practices, which are currently held Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. at Arnn.

“It really is for everybody,” Howard said. “One of the things that we were asking tonight is, ‘What do you want to get out of roller derby?’ Because not everybody wants what is perceived of it – the punk, alternative style of it. Some people want exercise, some people want to make friends. All of those things are possible in roller derby, while having fun hitting people.”

To join a practice or for more information, readers can email the team at [email protected].

Related links:

U.S. Army Garrison Japan news

USAG Japan official website