The last time I laced up a pair of roller skates was probably 1998.

So as I entered the Xanadu skate center, located inside the Ritz 13 entertainment complex, on Tuesday night, I was a little nervous.

It helped that I had spent the hour prior to the skate session talking with the founder and manager of the Southern Slayer Derby Dames, the first roller derby league to be formed in the Columbus area.

I had spent weeks toying with the idea of joining the group but something -- nerves, holiday stuff, laziness -- always kept me from going through with it.

I set up the interview to take place prior to a practice to eliminate those excuses.

My knowledge of roller derby is limited. I’ve watched Drew Barrymore’s movie “Whip It” and I’m familiar with Melicious, a media-friendly former member of the Texas Rollergirls, the seminal institution of modern Flat Track Roller Derby.

But with the New Year on the horizon, and at the behest of my editor, I resolved to try my hand at roller derby. (This resolution, along with those of my colleagues, are printed in January’s her magazine. How’s that for accountability?)

I was comforted by the news that there were plenty of other ladies who hadn’t skated in years, but that was overshadowed by the impeccable skill I also saw all around me -- not just in other derby girls, but other patrons of the skate center.

Brandi, the founder and manager whose derby moniker is Isis Immortal, said a private practice space will be available to the league next month, which will make practice and training more focused and less public.

I hesitated for more than a few minutes before stepping into the rink and not a quarter of the way into my first lap I sustained my first injury -- in an attempt to control my speed I reached for the wall only to jam my finger into a window partition.

A finger jam is minor -- the finger in question is already permanently crooked due to multiple jammings in my youth -- but it didn’t seem a good way to start my rollergirl experience.

Working through the pain, and staying suspicious of the wall, I circled around a few more times, feeling freer and more confident with each pass.

The drills were a little too advanced for me, but I watched and learned and got comfortable wearing wheels.

I don’t know how long it will last, but my roller derby journey has begun. Check one resolution box for Katie.

If you’re interested in participating, the Southern Slayer Derby Dames meet 7:30-9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The next session is Dec. 29 and the final session at Xanadu. Starting in January, practices will be held at 3535 Levy Road, Columbus.

Call Brandi at 706-718-6069 for more information.