Stalking the girl with the glitter eye shadow and roller skates to her left, junior Delaney Turner pushes herself forward, ducking and weaving around the track. This is what a typical practice looks like for Turner: she plays competitive roller derby for the Chicago Riots.

Roller derby is a sport where two teams of girls on roller skates travel in a circle. Each team has a jammer trying to pass the opposing team, also known as the pack. For each girl the jammer passes, she earns a point for her team.

Turner was voted to be the captain on her team of 50 players, and her goal is to be a mentor to the younger girls who play with her.

“[Roller derby] gave me a sense of leadership because I worked up to be captain on the team; it allows me to work on my communication skills. It helps me adapt to [playing] with each of the kids to help them feel safe and valued on the team,” Turner said.

Coach Karen Kinderman said Turner earned captain status through mentoring her teammates. She also would assist others in learning the basics of roller derby.

“She stepped up over her time on our team to become a leader, especially for our younger skaters and our newer skaters. She built that credibility among the team which is how she ended up being voted in as a captain last year,” Kinderman said.

Teammates look up to Turner for more than just leadership off the rink. Kinderman said she handles competition well, leading her teammates in games.

“Unlike some skaters, she has a tendency to not get too deep inside of her head,” Kinderman said. “If she does, she will always raise that flag to me to help get her back in a [good] headspace. She doesn’t let the competition overwhelm her.”

Roller derby is a full contact sport, and players often get injured on the track. Mother Kerry Turner said she feels safer having a medical team present when matches are taking place.

“Of course injuries happen and can be severe in derby, but with a strong foundation of coaching, proper gear and the watchful eyes of the bout referees, illegal hits are kept to a minimum,” Kerry Turner said.

Having been on the Chicago Riots for four years, Turner’s teammates grew to appreciate her leadership role. Teammate and junior at De La Salle Institute Jaela Welch said they’re grateful to have her as a teammate, leader and friend.

“If you ever need someone to talk to about personal issues or derby issues, she’s a person that you can always come to,” Welch said. “She’s a great person overall, and even better when we’re actually playing.”

Turner started playing roller derby when she was 10 years old. She found out about the sport while she was living in Wisconsin. After ice skating for ten years, she quit at 14 to focus on roller derby.

“I’ve been playing since I was 12,” Turner said. “I was always into contact sports; at something we went to go see, I saw [a roller derby ad], and I thought it was cool. My mom found a team, and I went on it.”