Roller Derby

Roller Derby was invented in the in America in the 1920’s and is the latest, predominantly female sport to be sweeping the nation here in the UK. Although the sport has actually been around for a few years here in the UK, the latest revival was certainly buoyed by Drew Barrymore’s 2009 directing debut film ‘Whip it’ about Roller Derby. Originally, Roller Derby was a non-contact sport and involved simple endurance races on roller-skates but over the years changes to the rules have seen it become a fiercely aggressive sport where two teams of five skaters battle it out on an oval track and a certain amount of contact is allowed. Each Player is also registered under an alias which is know as their Roller Derby Names.

Roller Derby Player Positions

Blockers – Each team has 3 blockers who make up the pack and whose main objective is to stop the opposition’s Jammer from passing through the pack or to stop the opposition blockers from blocking their Jammer.

Pivots – The pivot is the team’s pace maker and starts at the front of the pack. They are also responsible for calling moves during play and are the main guiding force of the team.

Jammers – The Jammer is normally the fastest skater in the team and who’s aim is to lap the pack once before they can begin scoring points.

Objectives of Roller Derby

The basic objective of Roller Derby teams is to get their “jammer” – normally their quickest skater – around the track to lap the rest of the skaters. Each time the Jammer laps the pack their team is awarded a point. Meanwhile the rest of the pack are trying to block the oppositions Jammer from getting through which is where the aggression and contact come into play.

Roller Derby Rules

·         No Pushing from behind (back blocking)

·         Tripping is not allowed

·         Skaters must not deliberately fall in front of another skater

·         Arms must be bent when being used to block

·         No intentional elbowing in the face or chest

·         Blocking must be done within twenty feet of the pack

·         No grabbing, holding or pulling a skater at any time

Roller Derby Teams UK

There are a growing number of teams participating in Roller Derby UK from Brighton to Leeds. Here is a list of the main players:

London Roller Girls – Formed in April 2006 the London Roller Girls are probably the most successful Roller Derby Team in the UK and also the only European member of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (the main governing body of Roller Derby in the US)

London Rockin Rollers – Mean looking London based Roller Derby team who’s home ground is York Hall in Bethnel Green.

Capital City Roller Rebels – This team of Roller Derby girls is near commercial road in London

Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames – As the name suggests this roller Derby team are Birmingham based and train in Stockland Green Sports centre, Erdington, Birmingham.

Central City Roller Girls – Another Roller Derby group from Birmingham who train at the leisure centre in Cocks Moors near Kings Heath, Birmingham.

Other UK based teams include:        

Bedford Bandits

Brighton Roller Derby

Leeds Roller Dolls

Middlesbrough Milk Rollers

Romsey Town Roller Billies

Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls

Tickets for Roller Derby Events

As a relatively new sport with no governing body in the UK, tickets to Roller Derbies must be purchased from the team’s organisers directly. Most Roller Derby teams have a website that you get information about tickets and where to buy them.

Roller Derby Skates

The type of skates used in Roller Derby skating are the old-school style roller skates with 4 wheels, know as quad-skates. The roller Derby quad-skates usually come with shoe or boot already attached with a stopper at the front. Prices of Roller Derby skates can range from as little as £50 right up to £300-400.

Roller Derby Equipment

As well as the obligatory quad-skates, you will also need a few other pieces of kit to begin participating in Roller Derby. Since it is a contact sport you will need to get yourself a helmet, knee pads and elbow pads as well as wrist guards. Again, prices of Roller Derby equipment can vary quite substantially but you can buy a full kit including skates for as little as £150.

Roller Derby Workouts

Even if you don’t fancy actually taking part in a Roller Derby, you can still use a Roller Derby workout as a great way to keep fit. There are numerous Roller Derby Workouts available online that incorporate various moves and warm up techniques used by Roller Derby skaters that will help you to lose weight and tone muscles. For many Roller Derby workouts you don’t even need a pair of roller skates, just a piece of floor and some motivation to get fit.

Roller Derby Venues

The most common type of Roller Derby venue is the team’s local sports hall or leisure & recreation centres as it is one of the few indoor areas with enough space for the teams to train and host bouts. Roller Derby teams are often looking for new and improved areas to train such as disused Warehouses or large industrial buildings.

Located in the city of Derby,  Roller World is the largest maple floored rink in the UK and makes a fantastic venue for avid Roller Derby trainees to practice. Although there is not actually a Derby Roller Derby team, the venue is used by the Nottingham Roller Girls Roller Derby team to practice.

Roller World Derby – Mansfield Road, Derby, DE21 4AW

Of course you don’t have to be into Roller Derby to go to Roller World in Derby, you can go down and revisit your youth by strapping on a pair of skates and skating round the disco ball, or alternatively it would make a great venue for children’s events in Derby.