What do I need to know about Registration Night?

So, you’re interested in joining the Cape Fear Roller Girls but are a little nervous about what to expect at Registration Night?

Not to worry! I’m sure every one of us on the team felt the same way at the beginning. But honestly, we all had to start somewhere and if you are making plans to join us at Registration Night, then you have already taken the first step towards the life-changing experience otherwise known as Roller Derby!

So, here are some answers to some of the Frequently Asked Questions we get from people before coming to register:

Q: What do I need to bring with me?

A: At a minimum, bring a positive attitude, a water bottle, and wear clothes that you feel comfortable in and can move freely in – like what you would wear to the gym. Most of our skaters wear athletic leggings or shorts and a t-shirt or tank top. Socks are optional but you know, highly recommended because, yuck – sweaty feet!

Q: Do I need to have my own skates?

A: You will eventually, but you do not need to own your own skates at Registration Night. In roller derby we wear quad skates – inline skates are not allowed. Scooters has rental skates you can use until you get your own. If you have your own skates, absolutely bring them!

Q: What other gear will I need?

A: Required protective gear for roller derby includes all of the following: Helmet, mouthguard, elbow pads, wrist guards and knee pads. We have a limited supply of loaner protective gear that you can use for the first few weeks (first come first serve) until you get your own. You will not need a mouthguard for the first few weeks and we don’t loan those out, so you will need your own! haha…  You will eventually need a bag to haul your gear around in too.  We don’t generally recommend going out and buying new skates or gear before registration night, only because we want to save you the mistake of buying the wrong kind of gear and then having to go back and buy new stuff! For example – those cute hot pink quad skates on Amazon may look awesome, but after a few weeks in derby you realize you can’t turn like the other girls seem to be able to, the wheels are weird, your feet are slipping around inside and you can’t adjust your trucks properly – Or the tiny knee pads you bought because they don’t seem like they will get in your way, just aren’t cutting it when you fall on them. TRUST US.  Borrow some gear, ask questions of our skaters to see what we use, figure out how it fits and what you are going to need and then go buy it after registration night.

Q: But I REALLY want to go ahead and buy my gear now and get used to it, what should I buy and where do I get it?

A: You’re eager to get going!  We like girls with drive and ambition. Ok newbie, there is something to be said for getting as prepared as you can beforehand. Websites that cater to roller derby will tend to have a better and more thorough selection of the right gear. Sadly, our area skateboard shops don’t carry quad skates for derby but you can order skates online or through local roller rinks. Sites like www.derbywarehouse.com are a great place to start learning.   Derby specific website stores usually have rookie starter packages to keep you from buying inappropriate gear. They are a good place to start if you are chomping at the bit to get started! We may also have a discount code so be sure to ask about it at registration night and save some $ on your gear! In my opinion, the pieces of gear that you really want to research and make the right decision on are: skates and wheels, knee pads and helmet. We will do another post all about gear, so keep an eye out for that.

Q: What can I do to prepare?

A: The best thing you can do to prepare is to skate! Skate as much as possible. Our area roller rinks have discounted nights. If you have your own skates, skate around your living room, get some outdoor wheels and skate in local parks and paths, parking lots, sidewalks, tennis courts, pretty much anywhere that’s flat and free of cars (and not illegal to skate at)! Some of our girls skate at local skateparks to cross-train!  The second most important thing you can do is to start a workout routine if you don’t already have one! Roller derby will use muscles you may not typically use! You can help yourself by working on leg and core exercises, 1-foot balance, as well as cardio. We like to say that derby will help get you into shape, but you will need to get in shape to play derby.

Another thing you can do to give yourself an advantage is to start brushing up on your roller derby knowledge (So. Many. Rules!).  To get an idea of this info, we follow the WFTDA ruleset and minimum skills curriculum and they have a ton of videos and information at https://wftda.com/the-game/training/. But don’t worry- you are not expected to be able to do all of this stuff at Registration Night! Your journey through our New Recruit program will teach you how to do these moves so that you have the minimum skills necessary to safely play the sport of roller derby.

Come find out what roller derby and the Cape Fear Roller Girls are all about at Registration Night! We’ll cover the basics of how our league is structured, the ins and outs of CFRG New Recruit Boot Camp, Costs, dates and times for practices, we’ll answer questions you might have, and you can even meet and skate around with some of our team skaters!

Wednesday, May 1, 2019 from 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Scooters Family Skating Center
341 Shipyard Blvd, Wilmington, North Carolina 28412

Cost: FREE

CFRG welcomes competitive women from all walks of life who can dedicate the time and energy it takes to become a roller derby skater. You must be at least 18 years old to play roller derby.

It certainly helps if you are already athletic or have skating experience, but it is not required. All you need is a positive attitude, an open mind, and the willingness to work your butt off, skate hard, and learn.

If you move forward, you will enter into our CFRG New Recruit Bootcamp where you will learn the skills necessary to become a Cape Fear Roller Girl.  To sign up, visit our Facebook Event Page to RSVP and then come to registration night!

If you want to be part of the Cape Fear Roller Girls but…
A.) do not identify as female ~OR~
B.) aren’t sure if you like the idea of getting knocked around but want to be involved;
come to find out about joining our fantastic Referee or NSO crew!