TACOMA, Wash. — Roller derby is a niche sport, but it's helping one group of students find their way in Tacoma.
Now, some teams are losing their practice space, and their hoping the community will come together to help them build one of their own.
Monday night at the Boys and Girls Club in Tacoma means practice for the Tomorrowland Junior Roller Derby League. Elementary schoolers to high schools glide around the floor in skates, and all genders are welcome.
"This sport - it's just about community and fun," said Coach Chris Cooley.
Cooley says they've been able to build an inclusive environment. It's a highlight of the week for teens like Victoria Hampton.
"Skating is such a huge part of my mental health, personally," Victoria said.
However, come June, the league won't have a place to practice, with sports like pickleball taking over the gym space. It's an even bigger blow after another skating rink where the league used to practice closed down in March.
"We could potentially get about four hours a week down at the skating rink in Olympia," Cooley said.
But that's not enough hours for the league, and it's not realistic for some Tacoma kids to get to.
Now, the league is determined to build their own space, and welcome other skaters. That's a $1.5 million vision - but they're starting with a fundraising goal of $550 thousand to buy land and a building for a regulation track.
"It's a very ambitious goal for sure, but the way we struggle for space around here, it was, 'Do we find another band aid or do we come up with another plan to be successful for generations to come?'" Cooley said.
Cooley says the stigma surrounding roller derby comes from mischaracterizations about the sport - that it's a violent activity and that it wrecks gym floors. It's putting the league at a disadvantage against other rec activities for floor time.
But for Victoria and her teammates, it's an environment they can't imagine losing.
"I'm worried that I won't be going outside or talking to as many people anymore," Victoria said. "Most of us would be happy with even just a parking lot if we could find one."
"We're just really hoping that our community really helps us - leans in and helps us just nickel and dime this until we get there," Cooley said.