Looking for community? Want to play an amazing sport? Having a midlife crisis? Join us! Here’s 10 reasons why you should join a roller derby team, chicago-style!
1. Improves your self esteem. If you’ve ever seen the movie "Whip It," and thought that Elliot Page was the coolest human ever; you can see yourself that way if you play derby! There’s some secret sauce or a je ne sais quoi (if you’re fancy) about roller derby that is attractive and alluring. Seeing yourself in your gear being awesome is extremely empowering. I’ve personally seen an improvement in my self-esteem since I’ve joined a league. While I can’t guarantee all your self esteem issues will be fixed, it's worth a shot, right?
2. Roller skating is super fun! Playing a sport is fun! Competing is fun! When you mix all those things together you get roller derby, and fun+fun+fun=super fun! Not only is skating fun, but roller derby is a sport with a fun vibe. You’ll regularly catch skaters dancing during a time out, naming themselves something hilarious, or hosting mixers with themes like Unicorn vs. Actual Corn. While roller derby is a legitimate competitive sport we are still a fun community who likes to keep things light-hearted and, well, fun!
3. You get to be unapologetically yourself. I’ve never felt more comfortable with myself than I have hanging out with a roller derby team. We all come in a variety of shapes, sizes, hair colors, personal styles, niche interests, hobbies, tattoos, piercings, etc. Anything that makes you “weird” to most of society is welcomed and celebrated by Chicago-Style. For example, I wore earrings made of real bones to a roller derby get together and had multiple people compliment or ask me where I got them from. When I wear them in public, I usually get odd looks. You can just be yourself and not worry about judgement. It's really nice to have a space where you can hang out with a bunch of lovable weirdos!
4. It’s great exercise. I don't know about you, but I have to trick myself into exercising. I won't go to the gym voluntarily, but if you were to ask me to play freeze tag I would run like my life depended on it. So I trick myself into working out by playing derby! It’s fantastic exercise for your whole body, but especially your legs. Skaters play the game in “derby stance” which is a stance that helps you prepare for getting hit and staying stable. Generally, the lower you are the more stable you are. We are basically doing squats all the time! It’s also wonderful cardio and engages your core. It’s a whole body workout!
5. It teaches you persistence. Roller derby is not easy! There is so much happening all at once, there's a bunch of people on the track, plenty of rules, and you have wheels on your feet; but you can do it. It sounds cheesy, but it's not about falling, it's about getting back up. If a derby skater had a nickel for every time they fell, they could buy a new pair of skates! Their success comes from getting back up and continuing to try. That is what I’ve learned from roller derby and I know others have too. You get knocked down, but every time you get up and keep going it's a win!
6. You get to hit people and it's not a crime! I’m not going to lie, hitting people and getting hit is really fun and quite cathartic. There's a reason contact sports have been around for thousands of years! There's nothing quite like getting a good hit on someone after a tough day. As a bonus, you won't get arrested for it (but you may head to the penalty box!).
7. There’s so many ways to get involved. It takes a village to run a roller derby league! Chicago-Style is incredibly grateful to have such an amazing group of volunteers! If you want to join a league, but don’t want to skate you can become a Non-Skating Official (NSO). If you want to skate but don’t want the contact, you can become a skating official. It also takes medics, announcers, photographers, and so many more fabulous people to keep the league running. There is a place for everyone!!
8. It’s a great way to see new places.
Most leagues travel during the course of the season for games or tournaments and Chicago-Style is no different! In 2024, Chicago-Style travelled to Madison, WI, Muncie, IN, Quad Cities, IA, Rockford, IL, and we will be travelling to some new places in 2025! It’s super fun to travel with your teammates, and go somewhere you’ve never been!
9. The inclusivity.
Roller derby is for everyone no ifs, ands, or buts. Chicago-Style stands firmly alongside transgender, queer and migrant communities. Our team welcomes skaters, volunteers and fans of all gender identities, sexual orientations, races, and abilities. It’s an extremely difficult time politically and it can be hard to feel safe. Especially if you are someone in a marginalized community. Chicago-Style is safe and here for you. Your pack is here.
10. The amazing community.
The roller derby community is simply one of a kind. There is a kinship and camaraderie among derby players that you can't find anywhere else. I have made amazing friends since joining and I am so grateful for all the incredible people involved in this league. We are all here to support one another through thick and thin. Chicago-Style has each other’s backs! Interested? Come to Chicago-Style Roller Derby’s Recruitment Night on Monday March 10th at 7pm in Roselle, IL at Coachlite Skate Center.
Hope to see you then!
Author: Kitty Magic # 515
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