League Member Information

Basic SCRD Information

Our mission is to play a competitive sport that improves our members’ individual wellness of mind and body, athletic ability, self-discipline, character, and empowerment while promoting the sport of roller derby in Lakeland. The league is also dedicated to providing community outreach through bouts, events, appearances, and charity partnerships.

Pricing

League Member Dues are to be paid between the 1^st-7^th of the month. We send electronic invoices on the 1st, but skaters may pay online or in cash. Dues paid after the 7th each month are subject to a $5 late fee. Dues are not collected during the off-season, which is typically November - January.

Tier 1 (Glitter) / Tier 2 (Purple) Skater Dues: $20/month
Bout-Eligible Skater (Silver) Dues: $40/month
Skating Officials/Non-Skating Officials/Volunteer Dues: No payment required

Attendance Requirements

Glitter Skaters, Purple Skaters, Officials, and Volunteers must attend at least 50% of required practices for half of a season (4 months) in order to be considered League Members. We STRONGLY recommend attending as many practices as possible, as the more time and effort you put in, the sooner you can join us in bouts!
Silver Skaters are expected to attend 66% of required practices to be considered for roster. The more practices you attend, the higher the likelihood of being rostered.
League Members may take a Leave of Absence, but they must inform the Board of Directors in order to avoid being charged for dues or removed from intra-league communications.

Getting Started

Skating experience is not required to start with us, as we’ll teach you all about your gear, basic skating skills, how to hit, and how to fall safely! All skaters begin their journey somewhere, and our tier-based training program prepares you for the rigors of playing roller derby.

To graduate our training program, a skater must pass a two part assessment:

Scenario-Based Evaluations: Coaches will assess skaters throughout their training program and evaluate scenarios in which a skater must show that they have proficiency in skills such as balance, stopping, and falling safely.
Rules Test: All skaters must take a written test that covers rules and procedures.

Necessary Roller Derby Gear

There are A TON of different skate options out there, so gearing up for roller derby can be a little intimidating. All versions of Roller Derby require the following gear to participate on the track: QUAD SKATES, HELMET, KNEE PADS, ELBOW PADS, WRIST GUARDS, and MOUTH GUARD.

Quad Skates
- Look for a metal plate. They last much longer than nylon plates, plus it’s cheaper and easier to replace the boot on your skate, rather than buying a whole new skate.
- Look for an adjustable (as opposed to fixed) toe stop. Adjustable toe stops allow you to swap out toe stops for different heights, hardness, and styles.
- Wheels for your skates can be a very personal choice. Your preferences may be dependent on your skating style, the skating surface, and other advantages. It can take time and experimentation to figure out exactly what you like, but this website provides good information about where to start: Derby Warehouse Wheel Buying Guide
- Recommendations:
  - Sure Grip Rebel Avenger Skates - This set-up includes your boot, a metal plate, wheels, bearings, and toe stops. It’s the first pair of skates a lot of Swan Skaters start with.
  - Jackson VIP Derby Package - This set-up includes your boot, a nylon plate, wheels, bearings, and toe stops. Though it has a nylon plate, this pair of skates is good price point for the first year or two of learning roller derby until deciding what preferences you would look for in upgraded skates.
  - Other recommended skate brands: Vanilla, Riedell, Bont, Antik

Helmets (Multi-Impact)
- Recommendations:
  - Triple 8 Helmets - A good price point for beginning skaters with lots of color and style options.
  - S1 Helmets - S1 offers a large variety style options, including ear-covering styles and visors for face protection.

Knee Pads
- Recommendations:
  - 187 Fly Knee Pads - The typical knee pad most skaters start with. A good blend of decent price point and coverage.
  - Smith Scabs Derby Knee Pads - Another good starting point knee pad.
  - TSG Force V A Knee Pads - Though pricier than the other options, these knee pads provide elite coverage for a high-impact sport like roller derby.

Elbow Pads
- Recommendations:
  - 187 Elbow Pads - The typical elbow pad most skaters start with. A decent price and good coverage.
  - Atom Supreme Elbow Pads - Another good starting point elbow pad.
  - Smith Scabs Elite Elbow Pads - Available in a wide range of color options while providing good coverage.

Wrist Guards
- Recommendations:
  - 187 Wrist Guards - The standard beginners wrist guard.
  - Atom Elite Palm Guards - Light weight option for a low price point. Less intrusive, but not as much coverage.
  - 187 Derby Wrist Guards - Provides more coverage and less likely to come apart after heavy use.

Mouth Guard
- Recommendations:
  - SISU Mouth Guard - Great protection, light-weight enough to allow you to talk and drink through a water bottle while wearing, re-moldable, lots of color options, works with braces, and includes dental warranty.
  - You can also use any moldable mouth guard available at Target, Walmart, sports stores, etc. However, the mouth guard is the preference for most derby players.

Optional Gear
- Upgraded Toe Stops - Some skates come with small, round toe stops that can make balancing hard when beginning. Larger, softer toe stops can allow for more stability, but it comes down to personal preference.
  - Recommendations to check out: Crazy Skate Big Blocs, Bionic Super Stoppers, Gumball Toe Stops
- Toe Guards - Toe guards and covers can prevent your shiny, expensive skates from getting scuffed, while also adding some personal flair. Etsy has lots of sellers that will create custom toe covers.
  - Recommendations to check out: Bont Toe Guards Protectors, Riedell Pro Fit Leather Toe Caps
- Compression Ankle Socks - Can be worn with or without typical socks, these provide extra comfort and reduce blisters - especially handy when breaking in new skates.
  - Recommendations to check out: Bionic Barefoot Booties
- Knee Gaskets - Meant to add compression to knee joint, can be worn under knee pads and help reduce pain.
  - Recommendations to check out: 187 Knee Gasket
- Extra Padding - Wearing padded shorts can give you a confidence boost to be able to try new skills without worrying about injuring your tailbone. There are lots of athletic options for padded clothing that can fit under roller derby gear.
  - Recommendations to check out: Steaks Roller Derby Collection, McDavid Padded Shorts

Where to Get Gear

Local Skate Shops

Skater’s Choice (5121 N Armenia Ave, Tampa, FL) - All Specialty Roller Derby Gear
Skate World (911 N Lake Parker Ave, Lakeland, FL) - Laces, Wheels, Skates
Play It Again Sports (2211 Florida Ave S, Lakeland, FL) - Used Gear/Skates in limited stock
Dick’s Sporting Goods (919 Lakeland Park Center Dr Ste 300, Lakeland, FL) - Pads, Helmets

Online Shopping

Derby Warehouse - https://www.derbywarehouse.com/
Devaskation - https://www.devaskation.com/
Amazon Shopping List - https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/ZGE1WR1QUBS9

Tips

Be wary of fresh meat packages, rookie packages, etc. These often come with poor quality skates and plates.
If you’re looking at something and aren’t sure, ask a Silver or Purple skater for advice.
If you want to buy USED gear, check out the Roller Derby Recyclables group on Facebook.

SCRD Gear Rental Program

We have a limited amount of gear available for you to rent while starting the training program. This gear is meant to be a stepping stone until you are able to purchase your own gear and most of it has been well-loved. What gear we have available to rent changes over time and is available based on a first-come, first-serve basis.

We charge a flat fee of $20 per month of rental with no security deposit required. This will allow you to take the gear home with you and practice on your own time.

Training Program Break Down (Glitter & Purple Skaters)

Our training program is divided into two segments:

Beginning with Tier 1, these skaters are affectionately referred to as Glitter Skaters. This part of the training program takes approximately 12-16 weeks to complete, depending on number of practices attended, and may be repeated. Tier 1 focuses on Skating Basics, and gradually teaching Gameplay.

Tier 2, affectionately referred to as our Purple Skaters, focuses more strongly on teaching Full Contact and Gameplay Strategies. Tier 2 can take between 12-16 weeks to complete, depending on number of practices attended.

Graduating Tiers 1 and 2 is based on coach-evaluated assessments. Once the coaches agree that you are able to execute the tier-based skills safely and proficiently, you will be invited to join the next Tier. For Purple Skaters, this means you will be entered into the Roster Pool for upcoming bouts.

Tier 1 (Glitter Skaters) ➡️ Tier 2 (Purple Skaters) ➡️ Bout-Eligible (Silver Skaters)

Tier 1 - Glitter Skaters

During Tier 1, coaches will cover Basic Skating Skills including:
- Skating posture
- Proper falling procedures
- Stride & Crossovers
- Balance, Agility, Speed & Endurance
- Stopping
- Knee Drops, Knee Taps, & Knee Slides
- Hopping
- Weaving
- Backwards Skating & Transitioning
- Endurance (With the goal being able to complete 15 laps around the track within 3 minutes)
During Tier 1, coaches also begin to cover basic WFTDA gameplay rules. Skaters will be expected to know how scoring works, what to do when knocked out of the track boundary, where to report to when assigned a penalty, as well as other basic gameplay rules.
We understand that everyone learns at a different rate. Some people need multiple Tier 1 and/or Tier 2 sessions before they graduate, and that's okay! Our coaches work with each skater to help you find the best ways to learn. We also strongly encourage skaters to take skills learned during practice time, and work on them at their own pace outside of practices.

Tier 2 - Purple Skaters

During Tier 2, coaches will begin to cover more Advanced Skating Skills, and integrate you into drills with Silver Skaters in order to work you up to Full Contact Roller Derby. This includes the following skills:
- Arm & hip whips to assist teammates
- Hitting opposing skaters
- Positional blocking & forming walls
- Jamming
- Track awareness
- Advanced Endurance (With the goal being able to complete 21 laps around the track within 5 minutes)
By Tier 2, we will also get further in-depth with the WFTDA gameplay rules. Before graduating Tier 2, there is a written test which you must pass with a score of 80%.
Evaluation for graduating Tier 2 is done through assessments done throughout the program by coaches. In order to graduate to Silver Skater, you must demonstrate proficiency in the above skills, score 80% or higher on the rules test, and be considered safe for bout play. The best way to practice these skills is with other skaters, so be sure to attend as many practices as possible to work with your teammates!

Bout-Eligible Skater Expectations (Silver Skaters)

Graduating Tier 2 and becoming a Silver Skater

Submit your Skater Name and Number for approval.
- - Skater Names CANNOT be too similar to an established Silver Skater's name.
  - Skater Names are subject to approval by the Board of Directors.
    - While SCRD is not opposed to clever wordplay, keep in mind that Roller Derby Bouts are frequently considered family-friendly events and your Skater Name may be censored at certain venues.
  - Skater Numbers CANNOT be already taken by an established Silver Skater's number.
  - Skater Numbers CANNOT include uppercase letters. You may include up to four lowercase letters and certain symbols (! $ % &), however keep in mind that WFTDA Officials will leave them out when referring to your number.
    - Ex. Shrimp N Roll's skater number is 60fps, however when being called for a penalty they would be referred to as "(Jersey Color) Six-Zero"
Once you have participated in your first bout, Membership Dues increase from $20/month to $40/month the following month.
Silver Skaters are covered under SCRD's League Insurance, but they are also expected to buy their individual WFTDA insurance in order to participate in bouts.
Congratulations! We celebrate all your hard work!!!! You are now considered a Silver Skater and are entered into the roster pool.

Transfer Skaters

For a skater to transfer to the Swan City Roller Derby team, they will need to be assessed by the Head Coach to ensure the skater meets bout-eligible expectations.
Transfer skaters should provide a letter from their past league to ensure that the skater left their league in Good Standing.

Rostering Standards

When there are more than 15 Silver Skaters, the first thing taken into account for the roster is attendance percentage. Silver Skaters are expected to have a 66% attendance rate in order to be considered for roster.
Rosters are created at the coaches’ discretion, but factors that come in to play are: the skater's attendance percentage, the skater is up-to-date on dues, a skater’s most recent evaluations, and attitude.
Swan City WANTS you to play! We will always try to roster our own league members before picking up skaters from other teams. If you put in the hard work, we want you on the track with us!

Other Ways To Participate (Skating and Non-Skating Officials)

On-Skates Official (Referee)

You may be any gender in order to referee. You must have a proficient skating ability, knowledge of the WFTDA rule set, and know the proper hand signals in order to ref.

The requirements for reffing can be found on the WFTDA website:

https://resources.wftda.org/officiating/standards-and-procedures/

Our training program covers the skating skill sets necessary to become an on-skates official, however additional training will be necessary to learn the rule set and hand signals. Reach out to Swan City Roller Derby's head referee for more information.

Non-Skating Official (NSO)

There are lots of ways to assist in helping a bout happen, and NSOing is a very important part of making sure it comes together! NSOing is a good way to learn the game, stay involved, and help out a league.

Jam Timer - Keeps track of game time during jam and between jams.
Penalty Tracker - Keeps a record of number of penalties committed by skaters in a game.
Penalty Timer - Tracks how long a skater has been in the penalty box.
Score Keeper - Watches/Communicates with the Jam Referee to track score.
Scoreboard Operator - Makes sure everything on scoreboard is visible.
Lineup Tracker - Records which skaters are on the track during a jam.

Read up more on NSO positions here:

http://insidepackref.blogspot.com/2014/02/quick-guide-to-derby-officiating-positions.html

Additional Information

Informational Websites:

WFTDA.com - Here you can find the rules and other information about the Women's Flat Track Association.
WFTDA.tv - Here you can watch bouts that WFTDA has streamed.
The Roller Derby Subreddit - For Reddit users, a place to communicate about personal achievements, seek advice, and learn more about the sport we're all so passionate about.
YouTube and Twitch also has a ton of derby footage and tutorials
- Just double-check what year the content you're watching came out, some information may be outdated.
Facebook Groups for Roller Derby

League Sign-Up Form

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse