What must you wear to play?
Roller Derby is a tough sport. If you’re only interested in the fish nets and glitter, then this is not the sport for you. If you’re not interested in training hard and breaking a sweat then this sport was not made for you. However, if you’re willing to become an athlete and whilst wearing fish nets and glitter then this is the sport for you.
Injuries are common within Roller Derby, therefore it is imperative to wear the proper safety equipment to reduce the risk of serious injuries. Section 10.1-Protective gear in the WFTDA rule book states:
Injuries are common within Roller Derby, therefore it is imperative to wear the proper safety equipment to reduce the risk of serious injuries. Section 10.1-Protective gear in the WFTDA rule book states:
10.1.2 - Protective gear shall include, at a minimum: wrist guards, elbow pads, knee pads, mouth guards, and helmets.
10.1.2.1 - Wrist guards, elbow pads, knee pads, and helmets must have a hard protective shell or inserts. 10.1.2.2 - Skaters are strongly encouraged to secure or tape down loose Velcro on pads. 10.1.3 - Optional protective gear such as padded shorts, chin guards, knee or ankle support, turtle shell bras, tailbone protectors, non form-fitting clear full face shields, non form-fitting clear half-face shields, and form-fitting face shields such as nose guards may be worn at the skaters’ discretion as long as they do not impair or interfere with the safety or play of other skaters, support staff, or officials. 10.1.3.1 - Chin guards, turtle shell bras, tailbone protectors, shin guards, non form-fitting clear full face shields, non form-fitting clear half-face shields, and form-fitting face shields such as nose guards may have a hard protective shell. No other optional protective gear may have hard protective shells. 10.1.3.2 - Cage style face shields are not permitted. 10.1.3.3 - Non form-fitting full and half face shields must be designed for use on the brand and type of helmet with which it is paired. For more information of the rules and regulations of Roller Derby click the link below. Rules and Regulations |
Hayley Lambert has been playing for Hot Wheel Roller Derby for just over a year now and this is how much she spent on her attire when she first started playing last April:
She said: "We use hockey skates. Mine cost £180 plus £60 for the wheels. You can spend a lot more. £240 is pretty average budget. I spent £100 on my knee pads, £50 on my helmet which Ruthless Philly [Philippa Donnelly] got me in the states [USA]. A gum shield is £15. The elbow and wrists pads about £30. The skates are from a hockey skate supplier in Surrey. The pads were online, supplied from a retailer in Bradford. On the top of this you have the impulse buys: leggings, sparkly hot pants etc! It's not cheap."
She said: "We use hockey skates. Mine cost £180 plus £60 for the wheels. You can spend a lot more. £240 is pretty average budget. I spent £100 on my knee pads, £50 on my helmet which Ruthless Philly [Philippa Donnelly] got me in the states [USA]. A gum shield is £15. The elbow and wrists pads about £30. The skates are from a hockey skate supplier in Surrey. The pads were online, supplied from a retailer in Bradford. On the top of this you have the impulse buys: leggings, sparkly hot pants etc! It's not cheap."
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If you’re serious about partaking in the sport of Roller Derby then you should be willing to pay hundreds of pounds just for the basic equipment. The equipment will soften the blows just like it did for Hot Wheel during their training session. Thankfully no one was badly injured during the filming of this video.
Listen below to Philly and Peggy talk about injuries in Roller Derby |