Thoughts on roller derby

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scrapalooza
scrapalooza Posts: 335 Member
in Chit-Chat
I was asked to join a roller derby team, but I am not sure. Any derby players out there? Pros & cons.
Thoughts about it in general? I am 47, 5'2" & about 20 pounds away from my goal weight. I have been skating 1-2 times a week for the past 6 weeks so my leg muscles are coming back my speed has picked up but I am just not sure. hmmmm

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  • rebornat45
    rebornat45 Posts: 46 Member
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    I think you should do it, sounds like a great opportunity to meet new people doing the things you love while staying fit.
  • waltcote
    waltcote Posts: 372 Member
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    My wifes niece and nephew are avid roller derby participants. Truly I think it is less about getting fit and the sport then it is about the after partiesetc type activities. That's here in Denver. They go to "Roller Con" in Vegas annually. Hardly ever see pics of the actual roller skatting on Facebook. Mostly pics of the parties. just sayin.:huh: It may be differnt else where
  • BigDaddyRonnie
    BigDaddyRonnie Posts: 506 Member
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    My wifes niece and nephew are avid roller derby participants. Truly I think it is less about getting fit and the sport then it is about the after partiesetc type activities. That's here in Denver. They go to "Roller Con" in Vegas annually. Hardly ever see pics of the actual roller skatting on Facebook. Mostly pics of the parties. just sayin.:huh: It may be differnt else where

    Agreed.

    My SO is involved, and it has created far more arguments than it has benefits or compliments. It will always remain a lowerclass sport because of this ^.

    Too many participants do not take it seriously. To them its a participating sport of ill repute.
  • mank32
    mank32 Posts: 1,323 Member
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    thoughts: pads and helmet. hope you like falling down.

    i have taken tech skate classes lately to build my skills and that's how i know i'm SO not ready for derby. i was thinking it would be fun some day, once i can yaknow stop and turn and whatnot... but i don't generally get along well with women and it seems like a drama-charged environment so maybe not...
  • elisegeringer
    elisegeringer Posts: 9 Member
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    Roller derby is the best thing I've ever done for myself. Hands down. It's helped me stay conscious of my health, build a great deal of strength, and meet incredible people.
  • bettytheyeti
    bettytheyeti Posts: 7 Member
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    Roller Derby is honestly the best thing I have ever done.

    Pros:-Good workout
    -Meet amazing people
    -All fitness levels can join.
    -You get to travel to cool places.
    -Hot pants.

    Cons:-It's expensive. You have to pay membership, insurance, weekly session costs and then you need to buy gear, and that
    stuff aint cheap! My knee pads alone were $120 AUD.
    -It's time consuming. You have multiple practices during the week and then weekend games and sometimes weekend
    training.
    -It takes a lot of hard work. You can't just join derby and expect to play a match straight up. You need to pass assesments
    and prove your skill level.

    If you're unsure, try just going to an open skate at your local rink, see if you enjoy skating normally. Derby isn't for everyone, but once you start, you won't stop!!

    Good luck!
  • 1979sarah2010
    1979sarah2010 Posts: 8 Member
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    My wifes niece and nephew are avid roller derby participants. Truly I think it is less about getting fit and the sport then it is about the after partiesetc type activities. That's here in Denver. They go to "Roller Con" in Vegas annually. Hardly ever see pics of the actual roller skatting on Facebook. Mostly pics of the parties. just sayin.:huh: It may be differnt else where

    I have just celebrated my 1 year anniversary of derby... and I can tell you... i have definitely been to more practices and games than i ihave been to parties.

    I say do it... you will love it!
  • stephmiller810
    stephmiller810 Posts: 1
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    Love Love LOVE roller derby! I'm in my fourth season currently and I won't stop any time soon. I joined roller derby about a year after I had my first MS episode and it keeps the episodes at bay. Because of derby and vitamins I don't need medication, which is the biggest personal benefit. It's great cardio, core and strength building. It is a full contact sport so it isn't for the timid. If you can't take/give a hit then perhaps this is not the sport for you. Go to a game or two, see what it's all about. Or watch some games on YouTube. If you love what you see, then strap on some skates and gear and get on the track! Beware, it's addicting :wink:

    In response to the "partiesetc" comment, most derby girls take their derby career very seriously. My team's after parties consist of food and maybe one drink (a lot of us just drink water). Most of us just want to get home and sleep. Our derby get togethers consist of cross training, derby watching, strategy planing, and lots of food. While there are partiers (as in ANY sport), I think most derby players are in it for the love of the sport and to stay fit/healthy.

    About RollerCon; I've been to two and planing on my third this summer and yes, there are parties but there is way more skating. Classes start at 8am and will go until 12am with multiple classes going on at once. Then there's multiple bouts/scrimmages that happen while classes are going on. RollerCon is basically derby school and you don't take photos while you're on the track learning/skating. Of course you're going to see more party photos because that's when almost everyone is together having fun. I suggest you go to RollerCon before you pass judgement on it.

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