How old do you have to be to play junior roller derby?

To play junior roller derby with us at Little Brisbane Roller Girls, you must be between the ages of 8-17. 

You can be a boy or a girl.

Do you have to be insured to play roller derby?

Yes, you do. Our insurance is with Skate Australia / Queensland. Insurance runs from the start of each calander year and covers you at all league sanctioned events. 

I've never skated before - can I still play?

At present we are only taking new skaters that are able to skate already. (There are learn to skate star classes on every morning at Mansfield that will teach kids to skate or also at various skate rinks in brisbane (DIGI skate rink @ Browns Plains)). As we don’t have the coaching staff or training room at the moment to teach kids to skate. 

What are the minimum skill required to join Little Brisbane Roller Girls?

If you are a capable skater that can confidently skate and stop safely.

or

Minimum Star Class level 3 achievement.

If you are unsure, come along to one of our weekly training sessions where  we can assess your skill level.

How much does it cost and where do you train?

There are a few costs involved and these are as follows:

• Skate Australia / Queensland Insurance this is between $100 and $130 for the calendar year depending on your skating level.

• Our membership fee of $30 per year.

• We train Wenesday evenings at  Mansfield sports complex, Weedon street Mansfield 

• Training fee is $50 per child for the month. This covers all session (up to 9 per month depending on weeks)

What gear do I need?

All participants are required to wear all of the following protective gear:

• 4 wheel (quad) roller skates

• Helmet

• Wristguards

• Elbow pads

• Kneepads

• Mouthguard

What else should I bring? What should I wear?

Bring a big water bottle as we have a water fountain where you can refill if required come dressed to work out tight jeans, short skirts are not recommended or anything that restricts movement. Tip – pants, shorts or tights that cover your thighs are perfect as they will protect from rink rash when practicing falls and slides. Wear athletic sneakers for off-skates land drills and warm-ups.

Can my boyfriend, girlfriend, mum, dad, or pet dog watch?

Parents are invited to stay for class to observe. If you have friends interested in joining they are welcome to come and watch but are asked to sit in the designated seating area. Unfortunatly no pets are allowed in the building. 

Is it dangerous?

Like any contact sport, participants in modern roller derby may experience physical injury. Bumps, bruises, and scrapes are fairly universal. More serious injuries can include broken limbs and tailbones, separated shoulders, and ligament tears, particularly in the knees.

To minimize these risks, skaters practice injury-avoidance techniques like falling correctly, and work on strength and conditioning to ensure they're in good enough shape to take the beating. A typical roller derby practice session consists of less than 50% scrimmage activity, and focuses more on basic skills, strength, endurance, and safety.

Derby skaters also wear a protective equipment to prevent serious injury. Modern derby rulesets (and insurance providers) require skaters to wear helmets, mouth guards, elbow pads, wrist guards, and knee pads at ALL times while on skates. Some skaters elect to wear additional protection, such as tailbone protectors or padded shorts.

For a little perspective, it's worth pointing out that cheerleading remains the most dangerous sport girls commonly engage in today.

What is the difference between junior roller derby and adult roller derby?

Junior roller derby play on a modified rule set. Out game time is only 2x20minute halves and we allow 45 seconds between jams as we understand these are children.We also have strict contact rules inplace to help keep the players safe and out of harms way.

Why do the skaters use funny, fake names?

Modern derby skaters customarily adopt an alias, or 'derby name'. Initially meant to complement the over-the-top spectacle envisioned by the Austin revival's progenitors, the names have stuck even as modern roller derby quickly evolved toward pure competitive sport.

Why? It keeps the whimsy in the activity. It's a way of not taking oneself too seriously, even while taking the sport seriously. In a nutshell: it's fun! Really, if you have to ask, you probably aren't going to get it.

A handful of skaters have elected to skate under their legal name, rather than an alias, often out of a desire to further emphasize the modern sport's legitimacy. That may become a trend; it may not. The young sport of modern roller derby is still very much a work in progress, so only time will tell.

Okay, I'm completely crazy about roller derby. How can I learn more?

For more information on modern and classic roller derby, start with the following resources:

DVDs:

• Hell on Wheels chronicles the early beginnings of modern roller derby in Austin from 2001-2003.

• Blood on the Flat Track documents the first years of Seattle's Rat City Rollergirls, one of the early modern derby leagues.

• Brutal Beauty follows Portland's Rose City Rollers through their 2009 season and tournament campaign.

• Jam tells the story of classic derby skaters' efforts to revive the sport in the 90s.

Books:

• Down and Derby by Jennifer "Kasey Bomber" Barbee and Alex "Axles of Evil" Cohen provides a comprehensive inside view of modern derby's first decade.

• Rollergirl is a nonfiction book by Melissa "Melicious" Joulwan chronicling the early days of modern derby in Austin.

• Roller Derby, by Catherine "Jayne Manslaughter" Mabe, summarizes the full history of the classic and modern sport through 2006.

• Whip It (originally titled "Derby Girl") is Shauna "Maggie Mayhem" Cross's fictional modern roller derby tale, and served as the basis for the 2009 film of the same name.

• Roller Derby to Rollerjam provides a detailed history of classic roller derby from its inception until just before the birth of modern roller derby.

Web:

• WFTDA website - The Women's Flat Track Derby Association is the main governing body for modern roller derby.

• Roller Derby article on Wikipedia

• JRDA : Junior Roller Derby Associantion - The junior roller derby governing body

• Roller Derby AU - your one stop Australian Roller Derby Community!

Great! I'm ready! What next?

Send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  and we will send you an information pack with all the paper work required to join us.