Fresh meat here! I've been training to tryout next week for Curitiba Blue Jay Rollers - Brazil. Wish me luck!

Hey! I play roller derby in New Zealand. I'm at intermediate level. I love the sport and want to lose a few unhealthy kgs so I'm carrying less weight around on the track. I've been on MFP for a while but keep falling off the wagon... I invite you to encourage me to stick with it!! Cheers!

My real name is Michelle and after a 2 year hiatus from derby, I'm finally going back. Actually, I already went back about a month ago. My name WAS St.Val Massacre #1929 of San Diego Roller Derby, but when I quit, I decided to retire everything. Now, I am Cattie D. Ville #57 of SoCal Derby (I hope, as I am still a newbie on this league). My boyfriend is NSOing at the moment and hoping moving into a skating official. His skate name is Couper D. Ville. heh My position is usually power blocker or #3 blocker. And I need a whole lot of motivation. When I quit derby for personal reasons, I thought it was for good. And that really depressed me, in return leading me into becoming lazy and gaining a lot of weight. My endurance is next to nothing, but I am determined to get back to where I was and then some. Anyone else from San Diego?

P.S. RenegadeRileyy, my boyfriend's daughter plays for Gypsy. She's the cute, blonde, high schooler, Kylee. Love her.

Hey everyone! I am Lola la Slam and I play for the Twin City Derby Girls in Champaign, IL.

I've never liked sports. I've never played any either, except for a completely unpleasant experience with softball in the first grade.

A friend told me they had roller derby in my area and that I should go and watch a bout. Of course, I'd seen Whip It, so I knew it was cool. : P I knew about a quarter of the way through the first half that I had to try. I hadn't really skated since Jr. High.. even then I only think I ever when a handful of times. It's been pretty awesome so far. I've been skating for almost a year (in September).

I'm mostly using this site to keep myself accountable. I'm trying to eat healthy and get in lots of excersize.

How do you guys log practice on this site?? I googled around to try to find approximate calories burned by an average derby practice and tried to find something that gets close. I'm tracking it as rugby... I don't know if that's about right or not...

I posted on here awhile ago to introduce myself .. and thought I would add an update.

I made it through tryouts in February 2012, passed benchmarks in early July and was drafted to one of our house teams, the B-52 Bellas right after benchmarks!!!!

BTW ... I am 40 years young and am stoked to state that I have no problem keeping up with the young 'uns!

My derby name is SLAMAZON and I am playing in my first two games this weekend!!!!

Hi everyone! I'm Maeby Rude. I skated briefly in 2007 with the Chicago Siren's fresh meat, but before I could try out the league disbanded. A league formed near me in January, and I skated with them for a few months. However, they had practices before I got out of work so I didn't feel like I could commit to a team if I couldn't make practices.

I also joined a Derby Lite fitness class in January. Derby Lite is a ton of fun and fits my schedule, even though it was a bit of a drive from where I am in Indiana out to classes in Illinois. A friend and I got certified as instructors and became Derby Lite Pivot Partners. We are starting to offer local Derby Lite classes this fall, and I'm super excited! Since starting again with roller derby in January, I've lost over 40 pounds and feel like a whole new person. I still have 50 more to go, but it totally seems doable with derby. I can't wait to bring Derby Lite to other women in my area.

Hey all
i'm Theresa (no derby name as I haven't even begun to look for a group or anything yet- I am afraid I am too big atm and too small as well- 4'11" and about 240lbs) I adore derby though and really want to get small enough and relearn on quads well enough to try within the next year or so- any advice for a wannabe roller gal?!?

Hi! My name is Clara.

I'm not a derby girl YET but I am trying very, very hard. So excited to find a derby group on MFP. I'm 23, a newly minted nurse, and am hoping to join my local team by next summer. Having a bit of a difficult time, since my local leagues don't really do "fresh meat" training for newbs, they do it for girls who've already made the team! So I'm trying to learn the skills by myself. Any tips for a roller-girl in training would be awesome!!!

Hi My name is Tara or AKA : Hop Along Cassidy
I have been doing roller derby for 4 yrs now this is my first year bouting though with a newer team The Sumter Fly Girls from Sumter South Carolina. I love derby !! I am glad I have found a group that will help me with my goal I would like to succeed.

I'm Apocalypse Pwnie.
I'm with Newcastle Roller Derby League in NSW Australia.
This week is my 2nd anniversary and I'm still pre-scrimmage. Granted, our league has very touch standards to meet but I'm a goober full of excuses.
I'm about 2 weeks away from trialing with a team and doing mini scrimmage. I am so pumped and really standing out as a line commander and front player, so I guess #1 or #2. That's really exciting for me.
I jammed for the first time ever on the weekend and scored 4 points!!

Derby has taken over my life and I love it. Not sure where I'd be without it.
Just trying to get myself into the funky fit groove I had last year by eating well and respecting my body. It's one of the things that stopping me from attaining my goal.

I have 2 dreams I want.
One is to have my name announced infront of a crowd with my mum watching. Our announcer has the best voice and I cannot wait to hear him say my name while everyone is watching.
Second is to positionally block so of our best players in a jam. Godjilla and Brign Strong come to mind hehehe.

Woooo! I am so happy to have come across a whole roller derby community on MFP!

I am Ms. Erie Machine and I skate with the Lansing Michigan Mitten Mavens. I first started out with Mid Michigan Derby Girls, but I moved a lil closer to the Mavens (now the Mavens moved further lol) so now I am in between but continue to roll with the Mavens BC they are my most recent team and I have made some close relationships within the team.

By reading some of the previous posts, I feel I don't need to go into detail about my Derby fever... once you've got it, there isn't much going back. I've been skating for over a year now and derby has helped me in many ways to grow into a stronger person physically and emotionally. I am still a shy, quiet one... but derby is also helping break that ice.

I am hoping that by improving myself physically and get more energy and endurance, that's I will be able to concentrate on the skills and strategies of derby instead of my mind on the aches and pains that my unfit body is causing. Roller derby has become an important empowerment to me and gives me a sense of belonging. My team mates are amazing and I want to give them my all. I am ready to make this change in my life and become a strong skater.
Finding this community in MFP has giving me some new light on my encouragement! Please feel free to add me and push me along.

I bought my kit that weekend and planned to try out for Brighton the following week. Went out for the first time without wrist guards on and broke my arm. STUPID

Wow, and here I thought I was the only one to do something so silly. Same thing, the night before my 1st practice with New Hampshire. You are not alone!!!!

You're not skating right now? Booo... I hope you get back out there soon!

Hey hey, Toni Rockalishous Isbelle . I am glad to be a part of an awesome group called San Diego Roller Derby. I started in Feb of 2010. It was the best decision I have ever made. It is good for the mind, and the body. I joined fitnesspal as a recommendation from one of my facebook friends. I do not think they are on here any longer. I have lost and gained and lost and gained. I am on a mission to lose it all and keep it off and to increase my endurance so I can keep up with my 25 year old coach, he just doesn't stop. The team I play for is the Rockette's, we are the undefeated B team this season with only two more games to go Derby loves.

Hey everyone, I'm Ann O'War and I play for and am the head trainer/training coordinator of the South Side Derby Dolls (or S2D2 for short. Our league has an underlying Star Wars them) in Sydney, Australia. I've been playing since 2010 and play on my league's travel team as we started this year, but came from a league that had bouting experience, so we're not completely new. I started off the better part of this year just training because I broke my arm in March skating in a huge bowl with Estro Jen when she made the trek Down Under to do some coaching.

Some of my team mates and I went to Rollercon this year and had a blast! I think I'll be heading over again next year too. I recently just got back from Western Regionals and had the best time and am going to try to go back for Regionals nest year as well.

I am also a cast member of Australia's only roller derby podcast, Viva La Derby!

Hello Everyone! My name is Linda and I am wanting to join our local roller derby team next year. I am looking for any advice anyone can offer me. I used to be a really good skater but it has been a really long time since I have been on skates so I am not that great anymore so if anyone has any advise on how to improve balance I am open to suggestions. My friends daughter skates on the junior team now and I had a friend that used to skate on the team in Charleston. Part of my problem I figured out was my skates I was still using the skates that I bought 20 years ago and I just got new skates 2 weeks ago and my balance has already improved a lot. But I really want to get better before the team starts their next boot camp so if anyone wants to share any words of wisdom please do!

Spend as much time as you can on your skates.
Any time you can't spend on them, balance on one leg and do one leg squats. Squats in general will help.
When you are skating, throw yourself in gung ho and try and make yourself fall over. Pushing your boundaries is awesome and it shows you where your natural balance is.