Bootcamp Checklist
By Maven Mayhem
You’ve made the decision. You want to play roller derby! Here are a few things to consider in order to be ready for the Fountain City Roller Derby bootcamp.
1. Attend a Roller Derby Bout
No matter what you have seen in the movies or on TV, the experience of a live roller derby bout will help you understand what your future on skates will look like! You will have the chance to learn about the rules of the game, chat with some roller derby players, ask questions, and get a feel for what you are getting yourself into.
Check out our events page for upcoming games.
2. Attend a Recruitment Night event
Fountain City holds at least two before the start of our Fall bootcamp. At a recruitment event, you can meet our leadership, learn what you need before starting bootcamp, and any preparation you might want to do before bootcamp begins.
3. learn more about roller derby
You can also learn more about the ruleset we play under, USARS. Take a look at worldskate.org for the rules. Watch YouTube videos of FCRD games. There are also lots of general videos on skating and derby techniques.
4. Budget
Make sure to budget for the following:
- Monthly dues. These can be paid quarterly or yearly, whatever works best for you.
- Skates and gear. There will be more posts on gear and where to purchase soon.
- Practice-related costs (gas, babysitting, etc.)
5. get on skates!
The more time you spend on skates, the better prepared you will be for bootcamp. Spending as much time on skates as possible will help you get comfortable on 8 wheels. If you don’t have your own skates yet, don’t worry, rock those rentals! Try to gradually increase your speed. Try crossovers, try skating in derby stance, try using a “T-stop” to slow down. Not sure what any of that means yet? Look up “How to…” on YouTube.
5. get in shape!
Bootcamp will test your fitness, and you want to make sure your body can handle the different challenges thrown at it. Try adding cardio and strength workouts to your week. If you are not currently active, start with 2x per week and gradually increase to 3, then 4, and even 5x per week. It doesn’t have to be long – starting with 20 or 30 minutes will help tremendously. Some cardio is recommended. Not sure what to do? HIIT workouts are great, sprints, etc. Strength training will also be very helpful; strong legs and core strength will help you on the track. Try squats, lunges, calf raises, and wall sits. Also planks, crunches, and pushups.
6. Stay positive!
This is probably the most important thing to remember. Learning a new sport is very challenging. There will be ups and downs, gains and disappointments along the way. Staying positive and persevering through any challenges will help you tremendously.
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