ZOE Hennessey fell in love with roller derby at the very first bout she attended.
"As soon as the game finished I found a volunteer and asked 'How do I become a part of this?'," she said.
"I was hooked from the very start." Ms Hennessey is a senior skater for the Harbour Hellcats, one of three teams that competes in the Newcastle Roller Derby League, which is having its season opener on Saturday.
The first game will be a grand final rematch between the Fort Smashleys and the Hellcats.
"When people first come to watch they may not know what to expect, it's pretty fast paced and highly strategic," she said.
Jammers need to make their way through a pack of members of the opposing - and their - team to score points.
While competitive, don't expect any violent clashes.
"It's a full contact sport, but we're really strict about how we go about that," she said.
"You have to have full protective gear and there's a lot of rules to follow.
"There's no elbowing, pushing over, anything like that."
Ms Hennessey said newcomers have to complete two 14-week programs before they hit the track, but the sport was well worth the time investment.
"We're all very close," she said.
"We all come from different walks of life, different situations, but we all have one thing in common, which is our love of roller derby. It's so inclusive."
Ms Hennessey said it was an "amazing feeling" to hear the crowd react.
"To hear the roar when the jammer breaks through the pack is electric."
The home season comprises seven games. The league's representative team, the Dockyard Dames, travels to compete in other tournaments.
Even those who don't want to skate can be involved as volunteers and officials.
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