What a workout

Resident builds roller derby track to attract skaters

Advertisement

Summerlin resident Pam Schwab is out to bring roller derby back into vogue. The angle she's promoting is more athletically inspired than spectator driven.

"A lot of people don't realize it but it's a very good workout," Schwab said. "I used to teach aerobics and when I tried this, I went, 'Oh my gosh, this is tough.' "

The businesswoman, who divides her time between here and California, brought her banked roller skating track to Las Vegas after hooking up with northwest residents Patrick and Lali Outhoummountry. They are looking to make it an option for people who want to keep in shape and have fun in the process.

The Outhoummountrys moved to the mainland from Hawaii about 10 years ago and arrived in Las Vegas last year.

While they both have day jobs -- she is a PBX operator at the Golden Nugget, he works as a porter at Bellagio -- they also have backgrounds in athletics. Patrick is a soccer coach, and Lali has three years experience as a professional roller skater. In fact, she has skated with various teams in California including the Outlaws, Bay Bombers, L.A. Stars and Red Devils.

They are in the final stages of establishing a nonprofit organization, Premium Gym of America. The rink, complete with outdoor stadium-like lighting, is part of the plan.

"We want to promote health in away that's fun," Patrick said. "With roller skating, you really don't think of it as a workout."

The banked track is behind their house at 5657 Hickam Ave., which sits on nearly an acre of land.

One of the first things Lali teaches newcomers to the sport is proper skating techniques. The skates used in do not have a stopper, the donut device on the back of roller blades. So she has to teach them how to stop their forward movement in other ways, one of which includes "grabbing the rail and hanging on for dear life."

She also teaches, predictably, how best to take a tumble.

"You do a lot of falling in this sport," she said.

When it comes to speed, skaters can get going at 30 to 35 mph. It goes without saying everyone wears knee pads and other protection.

"Anyone who doesn't wear those things is not allowed to step on the track," Lali said.

Most of the time, the track is used in a counter-clockwise manner. Sometimes they switch direction to give the uphill leg a breather. They try out techniques like whipping each other around the curves in a sort of centrifugal force display.

With so much speed involved, accidents do happen and everyone has bumps and bruises to show for their effort.

One of those enthusiastic about the sport is Melissa McCafferty, 36, a marriage and family therapist. Before meeting the Outhoummountrys, she had not skated since she was a child. She said she likes the sport for the camaraderie, the fun and the chance to be physical.

"She tried it once and went out an bought a $200 pair of skates," said Schwab. "She's so into it."

So into it, in fact, that McCafferty twisted her knee soon after starting on the banked track.

"But it didn't stop me," she said. "Very few things do."

Kelly Weymouth, 38, another newcomer to the sport, said the banked track was "way different" than a flat one.

"The first couple weeks of doing this, everything ached," she said. "But I went down a whole pant size."

Trish Lee, 28, is another new skater. She called it tough, awesome and exhilarating.

"Women do it better," she said. "We lend more grace to the sport. Men, they're more brutal."

Premium Gym of America is looking to sign on more skaters as well as sponsors. Then the plans include moving the track into a dedicated indoor setting.

For more information, e-mail to lvhighrollerderby@yahoo.com.