We run an intake for new skaters 2-3 times a year. If you’re interested in joining us, please fill out this form to be kept up to date when we release our intake dates.
No prior skating experience is necessary to join us. The course runs for approximately 12 weeks, during which we’ll teach you everything you need to skate safely, such as stopping, falling, turning, jumping, etc. Once you’re ready, you’ll move up our rookies training where you’ll begin to learn the rules of roller derby. There’s no pass or fail to this course – our coaches will support you for as long as you need to progress to the next level!
FAQs
What is roller derby?
Roller derby is a full contact sport played on quad skates. Each team has up to 15 players, with up to five being on track at once – four ‘blockers’ and one ‘jammer’. The jammer is the point scorer for their team – they wear a helmet cover with a star on and will score a point for each blocker that they pass. The aim of the blockers is to help their jammer score as many points as possible whilst also trying to stop the other team’s jammer from passing them. There are two 30 minutes halves in each game, made up of multiple two minute ‘jams’. We’d suggest checking out some games on YouTube to get a better idea.
How do I join?
Keep an eye on our social media for our skater intake events! We hold these two to three times a year and places are limited. If you want to be the first to hear when we announce these then fill out this form and we’ll add you to our waiting list!
Do I need any skating experience?
Absolutely not! Our intakes are always full of people at different skill levels. Some people come to us from other roller sports (roller hockey, jam skating, ramp skating, etc.), some people have never had wheels on their feet before! We have dedicated beginners coaches who will tailor things to your level, and we don’t have any ‘pass or fail’ tests throughout our intakes – you can progress at your own speed and take as long as you need to feel comfortable with each skill.
Do I need my own equipment?
Roller derby is a full contact sport and thus requires a lot of safety gear! We have plenty of kit to loan when you first start so don’t worry about spending loads of money on fancy skates before you start. The basic kit required is: quad roller skates, helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, and a mouth guard! All of these things come in many different shapes and sizes and our skaters are always happy to give you recommendations and let you try out their kit when the time comes for you to buy your own.
You can read our new skater information pack here which is full of all the information you’ll need before attending your first session.
How much does it cost?
Your first session with us is free of charge, and then each beginners session is £5. Once you move up to our rookies/advanced sessions, you will move on to a monthly fee which works out cheaper per session.
As with any sport, there are additional costs for equipment, uniforms, and travel. We try to keep these to a minimum for our new members by loaning equipment and fundraising for uniforms.
Am I too old/young/fat/thin/tall/short/etc. to join?
Absolutely not! There’s a place in roller derby for everybody! As we’re a WFTDA aligned team, the only requirements to join us are that you are female identifying/non binary and over the age of 18. If you’re male identifying or under 18, there are other teams in the North East who offer mens/co-ed and junior teams – drop us a message and we can point you in the right direction. In terms of the other stuff – our team ranges from 18 to 50+ and spans every body type and shape so you’ve got nothing to worry about.
What can I expect to learn on the beginner’s course?
Check out our YouTube channel and TikTok for handy videos on what to expect at your first session and the basic skills that we’ll be teaching you. There is no longer an official ‘minimum skills‘ list that we’re required to test but this is still a good guide to what you’ll learn.
Durham Roller Derby 