Stockholm Rollerderby Try-outs

First year skating I went lots to the skatepark

So we have finally decided on a new date to get new girls into Stockholm Rollerderby!
On Monday the 19th March we welcome everyone that want to try rollerderby and have the ambition to become a skater for Stockholm Roller Derby to come and try rollerderby in our practice space. There is more info on it on Facebook - but there will also be more info popping up at our website.  There will be some skates and gear to borrow at the try-outs.

You really don't really have to be able to skate, we can teach you that, but you have to be willing to take a few falls and willing to learn. Of course it is a plus if you know how to skate, and I encourage everyone that want to try-out to get their own gear and find a parking garage and start practicing now... Because the faster you learn how to skate - the faster we can teach you to play derby.

I had never roller-skated when I started derby - but I went and practiced just skating three times a week right before I joined Jet City Roller Girls, because being able to skate forward and to stop is so important.

So here are my tips for you who want to start derby, but is waiting for try-outs:

1. Get your own skates, skates don't have to be superfancy - but seriously, get a pair of rollerskates that you will be able to play derby with Riedell R3's and Sure Grip Rebels are both skates that will take you through the first year, maybe a little longer... I prefer R3's - that is what I started in, they are a little more narrow than the Rebels and mine have lasted forever. When I got new skates I kept my R3's for outdoor skating, and then Kix DeVille from Stockholm used them for her Fresh Meat period, and now a Malmo skater is using them for her fresh meat period.

2. Get your own gear, and spend some money on kneepads, when you start derby you will be spending lots of time falling, especially on your knees. So get big padded kneepads for the first year, if you later on decide to go with less padded kneepads, I don't care. But for the first year - get something fluffy to protect those knees. Other gear you kneed for derby is: elbowpads, wristguards, helmet and mouthguard. Most derbyshops offer some sort of rookiepackage - a deal where you can get the skates and pads for a good deal - uppgrade the kneepads...

3. Now you can start skating... I recommend to find a parking garage, during the less busy hours (if you live in a country where there is snow/rain and no skating rinks) and just get used to being on skates. If it's summer, just go outdoors on smooth asphalt...  There are some instructional videos online of different quality that will help you with things like crossovers and stops... those are probably hte two first things you want to learn after you just just have learnd to propel yourself forward.

4. You are always welcome to ask me questions if you don't know anyone that does derby, I will try to do my best to help out!

Ok, I am off to work now...