The Carolina Roller Girls are getting ready to rumble. The season opener Saturday at Dorton Arena pits two strong hometown roller derby teams against each other -- the Trauma Queens and the Tai Chi-Tahs.

These teams, along with the Debutante Brawlers, make up the Carolina Roller Girls League, which is entering its fourth season.

The league's All-Star team earned a national ranking of third last fall. They had been ranked fourth when they knocked off the top-ranked Kansas City All Stars.

"The game came right down to the wire, a real nail-biter" said Robi Steindl, a.k.a. Violet Femme.

Modern roller derby is a fun combination of raw competition and outrageous showmanship.

Steindl, 37, who lives in North Raleigh, skates under jersey number 37. "Thirty-seven is aggravated assault in police code," she said.

Carla Eason, 26, teaches third grade at Rolesville Elementary School, where her students "think it's cool" that she spends Saturday nights on the flat track as SINcere.

Katie Melin, 33, a.k.a. Krewsader Kate, who also teaches at Rolesville Elementary, didn't even know how to skate before she joined the Roller Girls in 2005.

"Roller derby is all about the thrill of being able to do something now that I couldn't do when I was young, she said."

The league practices at Skate Ranch on Trawick Road. Visit www.carolinarollergirls.com for information.