Amarillo's Roller Derby Team
a 501(c)3 Organization
Getting Started
Wether you just found out about Roller Derby today, or have been a long time fan, here is everything you need to know about getting started in the sport!
Get your gear on!
Before you can participate in the sport, you need to get some gear! Quad skates are a must, as well as protective gear such as helmets and knee pads. We do offer spare gear for people to borrow during practice in order for them to try it out before investing in their own stuff! Here's a list of the items you need to play roller derby!
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Skating members must be 18 years of age or older to participate fully in practice or bouts. Those who wish to join but are under 18 years of age may join as a non-skating member, these members may skate at practice but will not be allowed to come into contact with any persons over the age of 18. ie. They can work on skills and endurance, but may not enter game-play situations.
Quad Skates
Roller derby is played on quad skates! Unlike inline skates that have all of the wheels in a line under the center of the foot, these have two wheels on the front of the skate and two wheels on the back. There are several options to choose from, and the price tag can range from under $100 up to $700 for a pair! We highly recommend starting out with one of these pairs! Roller Derby is not only a financial commitment, but also a time commitment. Starting off with a decent but affordable pair of skates will give you the option to come and play without the commitment of dropping hundreds of $$$ on a pair of skates. Most skaters use their first pair of skates for a few years before investing in a higher quality pair.
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If you are ready to invest into a higher quality, here are some of our favorites!
Protective Gear
Because roller derby is a full contact sport, we always keep safety in mind while participating! In order to do this, we must wear protective gear to aid in minimizing injury to the skaters! Don't worry about this too much, we also focus on improving skills and skater ability to minimize injury as well, with both of these combined, we can keep derby a safer sport! All safety gear is 100% required to participate in practice and in bouts, unless otherwise noted.
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Helmet - Look for extreme sports, bicycle, hockey, and skateboarding helmets that have a sticker inside indicating that the helmet has been rated for safety standards. Some ratings to look for include ASTM and CPSC, the helmet must be well fitted.
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Mouth Guard - A moldable mouth guard is recommended, well fitted mouth guards help to protect against concussions along with your helmet. Look for them in the sports section of your local department stores.
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Elbow Pads - Elbow pads must be well fitted and cover the elbow. Size and padding will depend on the individual need of the skater.
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Wrist Guards - Wrist guards keep you from spraining your wrist when falling. Falls happen, no matter how good the skater is, and it is common to catch yourself on the ground with your hands. There are a few different types of wrist guards, but as long as it has a hard plastic piece extending from your palm past the wrist, it will work!
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Knee Pads - Help to protect your knees from falls with adequately fitted and padded knee pads. There are several types to choose from, and the prices can vary greatly for them.
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Knee Gaskets (optional) - These are an optional item that can really come in handy to protect the knee, they add an extra layer of padding around the knee cap for those who may have problems with this joint.
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Here is a list of all of our favorite gear!
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As with skates, the cost of gear can vary. We recommend spending what you are able to on your first set of safety gear, as it will serve to protect you for a while. Those with specific joint issues may want to spend more on the pads for the specific joint. You want to be comfortable and protected while you learn to play!
Become a team player!
Becoming a member of The Bomb City Bombshells Roller Derby team is not just about showing up to practice and bouts. As a 501(c)3 Non Profit Organization, we all have to work towards the common goal of raising roller derby up in the area as well as helping other local Non Profit Organizations. Here are a few requirements of maintaining a membership with BCBS.
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All of these requirements are listed and further broken down within our Bylaws and Code of Conduct. All members will receive a copy of this upon joining, and will be required to sign it!
Monthly Dues
All members are required to pay monthly dues to maintain a position within the organization. The cost of dues depends on your position when joining. Skaters pay $25 a month and Non Skating members pay $10 a month.
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These dues help us to pay for our practice space as well as maintain our equipment.
Skater Insurance
All skating members are required to purchase a personal skater liability insurance policy. At this time we currently utilize the policy available through the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) which is $80 per year. It will expire one year from purchase, and will have to be renewed each year. Skating members will not be allowed to participate in contact at practice or in bouts or other game-play scenarios without this liability policy. Skating members are given a 90 day starting probationary period, in which the liability policy must be purchased before the probation is up.
Attendance
All members must meet minimum attendance requirements at practice, fundraisers, PR events, and meetings in order to participate at bouts. The minimum requirement is 50%. We hold practice 1-2x a week, and at least one fundraiser, PR event, and meeting per month.
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Attendance is imperative to ensure all members are working toward helping build the team.
Committee Participation
As an organization with many tasks and needs to be met, we need to have separate committees to ensure the overall health of the organization. From fundraising to coaching, as well as marketing and gaining sponsorships, there is a ton of work that goes into keeping the Bomb City Bombshells afloat. Having separate committees helps us to divide the workload evenly and make sure it is all getting done. All members must participate in at least 2 committees. Committees may keep their own attendance for meetings and work done. All members within a committee must work together in a professional manner and may elect to have their own leader(s) to delegate jobs within the committee.
Paperwork
As a 501(c)3 Non Profit Organization, we operate under a Board of Directors and have set forth a set of bylaws and code of conduct for all members within the organization.
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All members must read, understand, and sign the BCBS Liability Waiver form, Bylaws and CoC Form, and the BCBS Confidentiality Statement.
Bylaws and CoC are updated regularly to best fit the Organization as a whole, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns at all, please reach out!