ON BREAK:

“Roller derby saved my soul,” Samantha “Slammin’ Sam” di Girolamo said. “You have so much support; it’s a way to get away from things. It’s like therapy. You find so many people that have your back.”

Di Girolamo and other members of the Renegade Rollergirls of Orange County visited Girls Inc. on Monday to give girls an example of being tough, yet girlie.

Girls Inc. is a local chapter of a national organization that works with girls ages 4 ½ to 18 to improve their self-esteem and help them become responsible adults.

“Every one of these girls plays for the same reason,” Jennifer “Jedi Jenn” Zegarra said. “I have 16 girlfriends now.”

Though di Girolamo and Zegarra were attracted to the sport for the challenge, they both said the best part is the camaraderie and relationships they’re able to build.

As di Girolamo explained, many women are drawn to the sport because it is one of the rare sports that incorporates skating.

“At first, I said no, I’m too little,” Zegarra said. “But I went to a bout and it was amazing. It looked like fun. There’s tiny girls like me out there.”

Di Girolamo, Zegarra and Melody “Sugar Crash” Skaggs took delight in teaching dozens of girls from 6 to 10 the sport’s fundamentals, ranging from safety to stopping and sliding.

“We wanna show the girls that there are tough sports out there,” said di Girolamo, whose daughter attends Girls Inc. “You still get to be a girl and cute while playing a tough sport at the same time.”

Roller derby competitors clothe themselves in padded gear and wear helmets and other protective items. The trio explained that in a recent bout, a member of the opposing team jumped on the back of one of their teammates — one of the smallest players, to boot — but she kept skating.

The roller derby girls’ presence at Girls Inc. was welcome. Many of the younger girls were eager to take part in the demonstration. Girls Inc.’s mission is “inspiring girls to be strong, smart and bold,” and the Renegade Rollergirls seemed to fit the bill.

“The girls are taking from [the Rollergirls] that there are sports that can keep them physically in a way that’s not boring,” said Kimberly Harnish, elementary programs coordinator. “There are different options for them to stay active and build camaraderie with other girls.”

KIDS THESE DAYS

What did you like the most about the roller derby demonstration?

“They did cool tricks.”

“It was cool to watch a real sport in real life.”

“They were real cool. My favorite part was when I got to push ‘Sugar Crash.’”

“When they roller skate, it’s cool-looking.”

“It was really fun. It was my first time seeing them, and I wanna see them again.”

6, Costa Mesa