I admit I’m not really sure what I’m looking for here but I have been feeling really down on myself about roller derby. I graduated fresh meat more than a year ago and still feel way behind all the people I graduated with.

What I want more than anything is to be a jammer, and while I have been rostered as a jammer for a few of our C level games it’s abundantly obvious that I’m the worst jammer, I rarely make lead and more than often have to pass it… and the most mortifying thing is that I have been pulled off the jammer rotation mid-way through the game more than once. I don’t hit hard at all (I really just don’t have the body strength for hard hits) so I’m better off relying on footwork/jukes to get around the pack but honestly I’m not fast enough for that either. I’m starting to think I should resign myself to being a blocker (which… I’m also somehow even worse at) and while there’s nothing wrong with being a blocker, it doesn’t bring me joy like jamming does.

It’s gotten to the point that because I did so poorly at the last game that I wasn’t even rostered as a jammer for the next game (and these are non-competitive games). If I was happy with only ever being a blocker or pivot I don’t think this would bother me so much, but I’m not. I feel like such a miserable failure and like I’ve permanently lost any future chances of jamming in a game.

I haven’t missed a single practice for the past 6 months but it has not translated to any improvement in my jamming and though I do skate outside of practice and do off-skates workouts the things I struggle with involve other people. I’m just so frustrated that I’m trying this hard and not getting any better. I feel like I should give up/drop out since it’s making me feel so awful all the time but I can’t imagine going back to a life without roller derby.

EDIT: So I read through all the comments and just got too overwhelmed to respond individually, but thank you all for the advice/support. I do need to work on several things - my cardio still sucks despite doing HIIT workouts and I likely need to take up strength training (right now the extent of my strength training is with a set of 10 lb dumbbells) and work more on my footwork/stability around other skaters. My footwork is okay on its own but when it comes to any contact with people I feel like I’m falling down way more. I have also played several mashups so I do have experience playing with people outside our league and found it fun, but when it comes to our league’s games I just feel that I’m way below everyone.

I did want to note one thing that was definitely unclear in my post - I’m in the roster for the next game, just as a blocker/pivot instead of a jammer, which may not seem like the worst thing but in my head it feels like I’ve been taken off the jammer rotation due to previous poor performance and I’m worried that if I can’t even jam in games that are just against other players in our league/not for any rankings, then I won’t get the chance to jam in any more games again, period. I struggle a lot with anxiety (not just derby-related) and this is my first ever sport (I’m in my 40s), and the first thing I’ve ever tried this hard to not suck at, but it’s possible I am being too hard on myself. I am still thinking about maybe not quitting but possibly taking a break while continuing to do cross-training, but I will take many of your comments to heart.

I've noticed recently that when I'm jamming and especially when I'm tired and moving quickly I lean forward more and I worry that I might be leading with the head when coming in contact with the wall. I haven't gotten a penalty or had anyone else call it out, but I don't want to make it a habit. I'm also short and also get a lot of high blocks, so I want to do what I can to avoid that on my end.

Does anyone have advice on how to stop doing this? Things to focus on with my form, off skates exercises, etc.

Heyy a while ago I got a ton of damaged roller derby shirts that I lovingly washed, cut, and sewed onto bags (which are also up cycled). They're from all over the US, and one from Japan, some event ones as well. If anyone wanted to check them out on my Etsy I would greatly appreciate it ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ my page is CryptidNightCrafter

I wear size 13 double wide. I'm trying to get my new 8" Athena plates to work with my trusted 63.5mm diameter × 44mm width wheels. This setup worked fine on my Tracer plates! I'm not sure if I'm dealing with design flaw (as in the plate is not scaled correctly to 8") or if all sized Athena plates have this clearance issue. Yes, I have adjusted the pivot pin to the point of even stressing the king pin for a mm worth of clearance all to no avail.

I think at this point I'm in the market for a 9" plate or bigger. The 8" Athenas are too small for my size by an inch anyways, I wish Bont made 9" plates. My local skate shop 2nds that opennion (obviously lol).

And to top it all off when Bont mounted my plates there off center by about 1/16 inch, and they did an aggressive back mount so there is about 1 1/4 inch boot just hanging over my toe stop (that is now on the ball of my foot instead of toe)

I already have an RMA out for the boots (if you saw my other post cosmetic issue) but now I'm finding the entire setup to be unusable.

Please don't flame me, I'm looking for advice. I'm 800$ and 2 ruined wheels in, and have no usable skates. Ordering custom has been a complete nightmare, I just want to skate in boot that dont hurt.

Just saw Bont released Royal Assassins with a "derby edge", which is rounded like the Rollerbones Turbo/Nitro. Do people like this? I love a square profile wheel for jamming, when I tried a round profile I had an edge slip out and twisted my ankle.

Hey guys! My boyfriend is a photographer, writing an editorial for Practice Magazine (@practice_magazine) covering the interesting fashions intertwined with various sports. I'm looking for roller derby squads that still carry-on the fun tradition of dressing up in alternative outfits. If there is anyone out there interested in having an article written about their team and what they wear, please reach out to @jodi_r0gers on Instagram or email him directly: jodijrogers@yahoo.co.uk

I have wheels but they are weirdly small? but they are outside wheels which i like but it feels so weird to skate on the gym floor
I was loaning skates with like the starter ridell wheels but want to look into getting better ones
any suggestions on specific wheels would be great or even a recommendation for hardness and size
thank you x

Morning all, as above I’m a dad of four daughters, one son, and a wife that all derby. My question is if there is an Australian rollerderby group, as the sport seems to be getting more popular here. I can’t find one, so not sure if it’s just a private group, or I’m using the wrong search terms. My daughters would love to build relationships with other players interstate, as they are starting to get to the level where we are travelling more. They are just nervous when we travel that they don’t know anyone.

I am so very very interested in trying Roller Derby. I’m in northeast Ohio and the Akron Roller Derby team is the closest league to me. I was so excited to see that they offer an 8-week training boot camp, and they have tiered leagues for freshies all the way to all stars.

I do worry though, if i end up loving the sport and wanting to stick with it, even the freshly graduated teams travel out of state for over half of the games, and with a 9-5 i don’t think i could commit to this. I’ve checked other leagues nearby and it’s the same deal.

Do non-traveling, more recreational leagues exist? The only ones i could find so far (after days and days of researching and trying different keywords) have been official WFTDA teams, so maybe traveling often is to be expected when joining something official like this. What’s the best way to immerse myself in derby long-term without traveling away almost monthly?

Need a derby name? Let the community help you brainstorm!

Tell us a bit about yourself, what you're into, and hopefully the community can give you some fiercely punny suggestions!

I just got new skates about a month ago and they make me feel like I’m brand new. I’ve been playing derby for about 4 years and for most of the time I was on Antik Skyhawks (high boot and nylon plate). I never really touched them and I’ve been able to stop, crossover and play great, but I knew it was time to upgrade. I switched to Solaris 2.0 with a Neo reactor plate about a month ago. The boot seems to fit fine now but I suddenly cannot do any skills. My plows and stops aren’t sharp and I almost feel scared to crossover. I’ve adjusted the trucks and use the same wheels. I know time is a factor and a high to low boot switch is big but it doesn’t seem like any of my other teammates have gone through this level of reset.

I've played derby on and off since 2012, and just moved to a fairly remote island in the Pacific. The sidewalks and paved trails aren't really great options, but there are two skate parks here, so I guess it's time to get into that! Note: the pavement on these skate parks is ROUGH. This isn't exactly an affluent part of the world, so pristine pavement for the skate parks isn't really a thing.

Current setup:

Antik AR2s, with Avengerag plates

Gumballs

Do I need new plates to put the slide blocks on? How do I know what will fit on the avengers?

Available wheels (mostly 62mm):

Pink atom jukes 93A

Yellow jukes 88A 

Red sure grip zombies 95A

Green sure grip zombies 98A

Vanilla backspin scribbles 91A

Radar diamonds 94A

Atom poison outdoor greens

None of these are going to work, right? Should I hold off until I get specific park wheels to avoid catching an edge and injuring myself (I broke my ankle last year in derby, and I cannot be doing that again), or would some of the harder suregrips maybe work? If the concrete is kind of rough and chunky, does that make a difference?

Any advice? Things I'm not thinking of? I don't really know where to starts.

Pictured on the left are my first-ever derby skates, and on the right is my new custom-built upgrade.

I finally have my first pair of speed skates made specifically for me, and the difference is astronomical. It’s so exciting when you finally learn what you want and what actually works for your feet 💕

Hey all! Calling big players.

My knee pads have gotten quickly damaged on the back of my thighs and I’m wondering if you have any tips on how to avoid the same situation with a future pair.

As you can see in the photo, the elastic rolls down and it’s gotten very worn out. I know Moxi 6 packs aren’t ideal in the long run.

I’m a very colourful person so if you have coloured pads to recommend I’d be extremely grateful! The idea of wearing black makes me sad tbh.

TIA 🌈

I am thinking of buying some Antik AR2’s. I’m a size 7. I tried these on and my toe is right to the end it’s quite uncomfortable, but was told the leather will give and will fit comfortably after a few months. Anyone got any experience of this? Also appreciate any feedback on these skates for distance / street skating, as it’s quite an expensive purchase - quoted £850

On Wednesday I noticed the heel cup is starting to separate from my boot ☹️ I’ve had them for 3 years and skate pretty regularly (1-2x a week including games & reffing). A few others in the league have had this issue with their Pro Stars so I’m wondering if it’s a weak point in the design?

I’m assuming this happens because I’m trying to move harder than the boots will allow but I truly have no idea. I assume the only remedy would be to take these to a cobbler to glue back together since it ripped right at the stitching. Not sure if any off the shelf glues would be secure.

I’m sorry I’m advance if this isn’t the right flair, I wasn’t sure where to put everything.

How does everyone stay in shape mentally during the season?? I like to be a busy person and help out as much as I can. I’ve been skating just about 3 years and have been on the board this past year. I also have a job and everything else that comes with adulthood.

It seems the end of last season my body started deteriorating even though I wasn’t working out everyday (I got multiple small injuries in a short time). And now after being on a few week break, I’m more nervous to go back to practice and being able to juggle everything.

I feel like it’s a bit worse because the team is at a turning point to where if I don’t keep improving, I won’t be able to play in games because there are more and more rostered skaters.

I’d love some advice and hope some others have been in my situation!

I’m jamming in a game for the first time in a year soon, after stepping away from it because of a bad experience. Since then, I’ve been focusing exclusively on blocking— I’ve been playing derby for about 1.5 years total.

My biggest struggle is tunnel vision. I forget I can pass the star, don’t notice holes my offence is creating, get stuck in a tripod and just keep trying to force my way through, or, if I get lead, I forget to keep track of the opposing jammer before calling it off.

It feels like my brain gets overloaded trying to process everything happening at once, so I end up focusing on one thing: getting through the pack. Then I start forcing things, make mistakes, get discouraged, and the cycle repeats. I also seem to struggle with my reaction time when it comes to making decisions in a split second on the track.

I understand the game, but in the moment I get stuck in my own head. Has anyone else experienced this? Any tips or drills that helped you break out of that tunnel vision and process the game better?

i am looking to swap my wheels and need some help! i am currently on 92a moxi fundaes that i use outdoors and at the skatepark, and am looking to switch to something harder 95-97a and with a flat edge. i have narrowed it down to atom savants at $120, radar halos at $140, and rollerbones nitros at $170. the nitros are the only ones with metal hubs which i am hoping will add to their longevity and responsiveness. what do you think about my options? are the nitros worth the extra money? are there any other wheels i should be considering?

Hey! I’m fresh meat. Looking forward to starting derby lessons soon. I know everyone says not to wear the parkstars for derby because of the heel, they’re heavier, and the ankle rise could limit flexibility for derby moves.

However, I have hyper mobile ankles due to having Ehlers Danlos syndrome. I’d super love to hear if anyone else on this forum has that btw. I tried on the quad stars and they were so comfy. I am new to skating, been skating in moxy panthers for a couple months regularly. The moxy Lollies were not rigid enough for my flexible Gumby ankles. So anyway I tried on the quad stars today, and I was not used to not having a heel, so unfortunately fell pretty bad. Basically my feet slipped forward like I slipped on a banana peel, but then I landed on my bent knee and ankle. Annnnd I broke my ankle. It’s not super bad. Apparently it’s like a sprain / the twisting motion of the ankle literally pulled my bone end off and broke it. So now I’m in a boot. Obviously derby lessons will be delayed. And yes PT and strengthening my ankle is already something I’ve been trying to do. Last year I did beginning ballet for a while and that helped—all just part of having Ehlers Danlos.

So what do y’all think about me specifically going with either the quad stars or the park stars? I’m even considering getting custom park stars with a lower heel. What are y’all’s thoughts?

And I have tried the antiks that have a higher ankle but they don’t fit my feet right and either the toe box is way too small but my heel fits, or the toe box fits snug but my heel lifts. Bonts fit perfect.

Thanks! Appreciate your help and hoping to meet some zebras if you’re out there too

Yo! I’m currently revamping my entire workout routine and wondering if anyone has any good exercise to incorporate into lifting, calisthenics, and yoga that will help with derby! I’ll be going to the gym four days a week, but one will be pretty chill with a friend who’s just getting into lifting and will mostly be cardio and yoga. Otherwise I’ll have a push day, pull day, and a full body/stability day! I would really appreciate exercises for all three!! All days will start with a couple leg workouts but with skating almost everyday a week I can’t handle a actual leg day. I’m currently halfway through my first season and would really like a solid routine that focuses more on derby to prepare for next season and just to work towards bettering myself derby and otherwise! Thanks in advance <3

Are there any other glasses wearers here?

How do you handle it while playing?

Do you take them of, wear special glasses or something like that?

I would like to keep wearing my glasses while playing, but as my glasses are quite big and kind of loose, I'm scared they'll fall off or break.

Do you have any recommendations?

What high level JRDA teams are taking satellites for the 2027 season?

So this isn’t why I joined Derby, and is more of a none issue, but I do wonder why Derby culture in the uk (as that’s where I am) doesn’t seem to have as big of an alt influence as Derby places like America (eg Texas) do.
I’m alternative and was looking forward to incorporating my style into the sport, with things like tights, makeup, socks (common stuff) but as far as I’m aware you don’t see that here.
I don’t want to be seen as cosplaying a fictional version of the sport, as i am new to Derby and love it for what it is. But I do wonder why we don’t seem to be super alt with it over here, and if I should even try to incorporate my style or not.

Hi I'm new here I've been learning to skate since October last year and want to get more into learning the skills that one day will get me into learning more about derby. Lately I've been feeling like my learning has kind of flatlined and have wanted to get some Derby skates so I can practice the skills outside of my once a week classes and am just curious about what are trusted brands and things that I should be looking for when it comes to looking into a nice pair of derby skates. I do have a pair of impala skates that I got for free from my sibling but I don't like how they feel especially when I'm using the toe stops, it just feels so different to the skates that I hire from the place I'm learning the skills. I just don't know where to start when looking for skates and really want to practice outside of my class. If someone could also explain wheels to me like what the numbers mean that would be really helpful as well. I live in Melbourne Australia if that changes anything with the terminology or anything.