On Oct. 21, the Route 66 Roller Derby team held a masquerade brawl at the Old Red Barn in Amarillo to fundraise for their team and socialize with the community.

Admission was $5 for attendees who wore masks and $7 for those who did not. Included with the fee were drinks and pizza. There was music and an area cleared for dancing and karaoke.

They were sponsored by Budweiser who provided them with beer for the night, and Pizza Planet donated pizza.

“It was a great opportunity to meet the local roller derby girls, and I was really excited to get to go to a masquerade,” Kathryn Morton, an Equine Business major, said.

The Route 66 Roller Derby team is a group of women who come together to skate and compete. Roller derby is a contact sport that consists of two teams of five members going one direction around a skating track . The teams play offense and defense to help their designated scoring player and hinder the opposing scorer. The scorer is trying to lap the other team to score a point.

“We hang out, we love each other, we’re a family and we’re sisters. And when we get on the track we take all our aggression out,” team member Shiner Block said.

The Amarillo based team was created in November 2006, and they have competed ever since.

“It takes up a lot of your time, but if you’re dedicated and you love it, then you’re going to do it,” team member Drama Dawna said.

The season has ended this year, but the team continues to fundraise for next year. They are working to finish raising the money they need to keep their spot at the Amarillo Civic Center.

The Route 66 Roller Derby Team is always recruiting for new members, referees and other volunteers.

To get more information or join their team, check out the Route 66 Roller Derby Facebook page or their website.