When Jayda Harrison got hit by Brittany Phillips at a recent roller derby practice, she knew that Phillips had to be her “derby wife.”

Harrison and Phillips are members of the Sweet Home CrusHERS, the local roller derby team, which plays under the Covington County Derby League as the Southern Derby Dollz.

The team has been busy practicing on Monday and Thursday nights at Johnson Park to get ready for the upcoming season, which starts in January. A roller derby season lasts from January until November.

Harrison, who plays at the pivot and blocker positions for the CrusHERS, got the chance to compete in her first bout, where she thought it was going to be for “fresh meat” only.

“It was very scary,” Harrison said. “It was actually supposed to be fresh meat, which you know there were supposed to be a lot of people like me who haven’t had much experience before. I got in there and found out there was no other fresh meat besides myself.”

Harrison said she was given two penalties — falling twice around the track during the bout.

“Other than that, I stayed with the pack and did like I was supposed to do and didn’t get hurt,” she said. “That’s the main thing.”

Usually when someone gets knocked down during the course of a bout, a teammate’s derby wife comes in and gets her back, Phillips said.

“We’re technically a derby couple,” Harrison said. “She’s lucky. Like coach (Jim Helms) says, she has the bulldog of the team. Anybody who is going to mess with her is going to hear from me.”

Unlike Harrison, Phillips is relatively new to the team.

In September, Phillips, who is known as “Dixie Chaos No. 27,” strapped on a pair of roller skates and gave the sport a try, and has since become a big fan.

“It’s just one of those things I never imagined I’d do, but when I did it, it was like, ‘wow’,” Phillips said.

Harrison, who is known as “Buckshot No. 00,” said Phillips has learned and progressed a lot at practice.

“When she came in in September, she never was on skates,” Harrison said. “She was on skates for a week, and after a week, she came in and hit the crap out of me. Ever since then, she’s been my derby wife.”

Harrison and Phillips, along with the rest of the CrusHERS, are trying to hold a scrimmage with two teams on Sat., Nov. 9, in Crestview, Fla., league president, Amanda Maggard said.

“There will be some of us who will be ready to bout, and we’ll travel down there,” Maggard said.

Maggard said practices are open to anyone interested in derby.

“Watch and enjoy practice if you’re interested,” she said.

The team practices from 5:30-8:30 p.m. each night, and a season schedule is still in the works, Maggard said.

Additionally, the team is recruiting.

Harrison said all are welcome to come by and try being on the roller derby team, just like Phillips, who came on a trusted word from a friend.

“She didn’t know how to skate,” Harrison said about Phillips. “For some poeple it comes naturally, and for some people, it clicks.

“You really don’t know if you try it,” she said.

For those who are interested in joining the derby team, message the CrusHERS on Facebook at Sweet Home Crushers, or email shederbygirls@gmail.com.