Roller Derby!

After six years of hurtling around the flat track, Lindsay Parker (a.k.a. The Killustrator) has one wish: That more folks recognized roller derby as a real sport. “It’s definitely getting better,” says Parker, who has skated with Cleveland’s Burning River Roller Girls since 2008. “But a lot of people still recall the theatricality of the old-style leagues. Modern roller derby is legit: We retain the fun names, but it’s a sport.” The league launched its sixth season of fast-paced fun earlier this month at the Wolstein Center. Like all the Saturday-night home games, tonight’s is a double-header. The 6 p.m. bout features the Cleveland Steamers against the Rolling Pin-Ups; at 7:30, it’s the Hard Knockers versus the Hellbombers. Even though the days of banked-track skating are pretty much over, Parker says the pace is just as fast as ever. “Plus fans find that there’s a level of interaction with the players that you just don’t get anywhere else.” That includes a beginners league for girls ages 7 to 17, and an autograph signing session down on the floor after every game. “Where else can you get that close to you favorite athlete?” Doors open at 5 p.m. General admission is $12 in advance and $17 at the door; kids, students, and military members pay less. Get tickets by phone, online, or at the Wolstein Center box office.