Joy Marie Hallare / The Collegian

Until “Whip It” hit theaters last year, talk of women’s roller derby was, well, there was no talk of women’s roller derby league. But if there were, it would most likely stir up images of tattooed misfits on skates in neon fishnets and striped knee-high socks.

Fresno’s very own roller derby team, Atomic Assault, have undoubtedly put a spin on local sporting events. Roller derby may very well be the sport that sums up Fresno””there’s food, beer and live music; it’s culturally diverse, police are on standby and it’s always looking to recruit more girls.

During the day the members of Atomic Assault work a nine to five job. But by night, each player skates under a satirical alter ego like “Dredful Doll,” “Hellbilly” or “Barbie Wire.”

With practices four times a week and one bout scheduled on the second Saturday of each month, the all-woman team might just accomplish its main goal: “to be at the level to compete at nationals,” said team member Paris Trefz aka “One-Lung Hoe.”

The women of Atomic Assault came home empty handed from the Dust Bowl Tournament in Bakersfield last month.

Last Saturday, however, the parking lot of The Skate Asylum, located on H Street in downtown Fresno, was transformed into a flat-track rink for the team’s first home bout of the season. The radio station 105.1 The Blaze came out for the public match along with psychobily-punk band Midnight Howlers, fire twirlers, dancers and hundreds of fans.

The arena hit capacity and Atomic Assault dominated the bout against the Bakersfield Pirates, 145 to 93.

Fresno State graduate turned Atomic Assault promoter, Elfego Franco, said the self-organized team has a lot to prove since the City of Fresno has backed up the team.

“We got to show Fresno that we are roller derby. We’re not some chintzy little team that is just going to play here and there. We have big goals,” Franco said. “When people Google Fresno, Atomic Assault should pop up. We want to be up there with the Monsters, the Grizzles and Fresno State’s football and baseball teams.

A roller derby game is called a bout. Each bout consists of jams””two-minute intervals in which teams score points. Each team consists of four blockers, one of which is the pivot and a jammer.

The blocker prevents the opposing team from scoring while the pivot sets the pace of the pack. The pivot is identified by a striped helmet and can never be passed. The jammer races around the track, scores points and calls the jam. Before the jam begins, each team lines up””pivots first, blockers second and jammers last.

The jam starts when a whistle is blown and the blockers take off. A second whistle is then blown that signals the jammers.

The jammers can be identified by a star on either side of their helmet. The lead jammer can call the jam by putting her hands on her hips, which signifies that a jam has ended.

Players can bump, push and whip members of their own team, however, knocking the opposing team outside the zone of engagement leads to a penalty. The zone of engagement is the area between the lower hips and upper chest. A bout is an hour-long game and the team with the most points at the end of that hour wins.

Offical rules and regulations are determined by The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, which is the governing body for women’s flat track roller derby.