Think you’ve got what it takes to hang with the ladies of Granite State Roller Derby? Well here’s you chance to find out.
With the 2015 season set to begin this spring, the four-wheeling crashers and bashers are looking for some new blood to take on the toughest ladies this side of the lingerie football league.
So if you can skate while battling your way around an oval track, while others are trying to do the exact same thing, then why not give the local derby team a shot? What do you have to lose, besides your dignity, a few hours out of your day and maybe a few intact bones?
“It’s for fun, fitness, endurance and the fun of the sport,” said Jen Nickulas, a skater and member of GSRD’s promotion and fundraising committees. “But this isn’t for someone putting on skates for the first time.”
Granite State Roller Derby has two home teams, the Fighting Finches and Demolition Dames, and both are looking for some new skaters to complement the ladies that are already part of the squad. Each team is made up of 22 skaters, and up to 14 can be on the roster for each game.
That’s why they’ll be holding three tryouts over the next week at the Concord Family YMCA. The first one is Thursday, from 8 to 10 p.m., but if that’s too late to crash around on the old skates, then Saturday’s session from 10 a.m. to noon might be more your cup of tea. Although we don’t suggest bringing it to the tryout because it will probably spill when you throw your first block. And if you’re busy washing your hair or walking the dog during the first two, the final tryout will be Monday, from 8 to 10 p.m.
“We definitely want as many people who are eligible to try out to try out,” Nickulas said.
All home team tryouts are open to anyone who has passed WFTDA – short for Women’s Fast Track Derby Association – minimum skill assessments, which includes things like safely stopping, skating, taking a block and understanding the rules of derby. The tryouts will include drills and endurance stuff, like skating 27 laps in five minutes.
“It’s like any tryout for any other sport,” Nickulas said.
The home teams mostly competes against other New Hampshire squads, playing its home bouts at Everett Arena, and is a good way to get accustomed to what Granite State Roller Derby is all about. The teams’ first games will be May 16.
“It’s not necessarily a rec league, but it’s a lesser competitive level of derby,” Nickulas said. “A lot of it is interleague play.”
But if you’d like to know more about becoming a Dame or Finch, check out GSRD’s event page on Facebook.
Now if you’re really good at skating, scoring points or blocking, the Granite State All Stars, the organization’s competitive travel team, might just be the one for you.
Like the home teams, you have to pass a minimum skills assessment, just at a higher level, to be considered. There are two tryout dates for the all stars, and those interested in joining are expected to attend both. The first will be Jan. 22 at the Concord YMCA from 8 to 10 p.m., followed by a trip to Great View Roller Skating in Enfield on Jan. 24, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. The final team members will be announced on Jan. 25, with the opening match set for April 11 against the Salisbury Rollergirls in Maryland.
“The all stars will travel all through out New England and as far as North Carolina,” Nickulas said.
Video submissions from recent games may also be considered on a case-by-case basis. For more information or to register – which is required for all attendees – visit group’s Facebook event page or email allstarcaptains@granitestaterollerderby.com.
After earning full membership accreditation last year, GSRD’s all-star travel team ended the 2014 season ranked 138 out of 224 teams in the nation.
But if you’re not quite ready to lace up the skates for derby competition, GSRD has a couple opportunities to learn more about the sport. On Feb. 18, there will be an off-skates meet and greet at Spank Alley Skate and Board Shop in Concord from 6 to 7:30 p.m. for people to stop by, meet the local derby legends and ask questions. The following Wednesday – Feb. 25 – is the official rookie night at the Concord YMCA at 8 p.m. RSVP information will be available on the organizations’ Facebook page, and interested folks can email join@granitestaterollerderby for more info.
For more info on everything we just talked about, visit granitestaterollerderby.com.
