One of the Cincinnati Rollergirls’ star jammers, most recently known as Hannah Ouchocinco, has decided to return to her roots and her original roller derby name: Hannah Barbaric.

“When I started playing roller derby in 2006, I chose the nickname ‘Hannah Barbaric’ and the number ’85” for my jersey because, at the time, Chad Johnson was my favorite football player,” she explains. “I loved his passion for the game, his work ethic, and his ability to be a Hall of Fame contender but still have fun. These were the same qualities that I wanted as a player.”
When Johnson changed his name to “Ochocinco” in 2008, Hannah jokingly started calling herself “Ouchocinco” and it stuck.
“We even tried to get Chad to come race me on roller skates at one of our games, but he apparently wasn’t up to the challenge,” she said.
What would have happened if Ochocinco had accepted Ouchocinco’s challenge? Now that Chad has left Cincinnati, we may never know. But one thing’s for sure: Cincinnati’s other No. 85 isn’t going anywhere.
“As Chad’s career started going downhill, as he became a seemingly more selfish player and eventually was traded from the Bengals, I realized that I, too, had lost a lot of the passion I had back in ’06 and I wanted to go back to my roots,” said Hannah, who should have her new “Hannah Barbaric” jersey in time for CRG’s March 31 home game. “I am still number 85, but I have found my ‘Barbaric’ fierceness that had been missing for a few years.”
Don’t miss the fierceness of Hannah Barbaric and the rest of the Cincinnati Rollergirls at the team’s 2012 home season opener vs. the Arch Rival Roller Girls (St. Louis, MO) on Saturday, March 10! Doors open at 6 p.m. and the action starts at 7 p.m. at the Cincinnati Gardens, 2250 Seymour Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45212.
Tickets are $10 for adult general admission seating, $15 for trackside seating (18 and older), $5 for kids 7-12 and free for kids 6 and younger in advance through the Cincinnati Gardens box office (open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday), at all Ticketmaster outlets including select Kroger stores, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices increase at the door to $12 for adult general admission seating, $17 for trackside seating and $7 for kids 7-12. Parking is free, tailgating is encouraged and beer is just $1 during happy hour.
And be sure to “like” Hannah on Facebook!