Roller Derby 101
Taught by Ali Lemer
This American Strife is a skater with Gotham Girls Roller Derby, NYC’s premier women’s flat-track roller derby league. A former ice hockey player, coach and referee, Strife strapped on wheels three years ago after finally checking out 'this roller derby thing’ her friends kept telling her about. When not on the track, she’s an editor and writer who goes by the name of Ali Lemer.
The modern game of roller derby, a full-contact competition played on quad-wheeled roller skates, is one of the world’s fastest-growing sports, played by women, men and kids in over 1800 leagues across the globe. This class will give you a better understanding of this fast, hard-hitting sport so you can cheer along with the superfans at local games. Not content with just sitting in the bleachers? Find out how to get involved with a local league yourself, whether as a skater, a referee or non-skating official.
Besides a brief history of the sport and the development of its modern version, you’ll learn more about the rules, gameplay and strategy used in flat-track derby and how to follow the action. We’ll also cover the roles of the various officials, and what you need to know if you want to get involved in roller derby yourself. Plus you’ll find out where to access derby videos and resources online, and get some tips on how to come up with your own derby name.
Copies of the just-published book Derby Life: A Crash Course in the Incredible Sport of Roller Derby, by Margot ‘Em Dash’ Atwell, will be available for optional purchase for anyone who wants to take home a more comprehensive resource on the game.
