Rolling to Success Inside the World of Junior Derby W ith an emphasis on inclusivity, leadership, and team building, Junior Roller Derby provides young skaters with an opportunity to come together–regardless of skill level–and compete in a game that builds confidence and strengthens empowerment. BY AMANDA MILLER PHOTO BY RICH VOSSLER PHOTOGRAPHY
up within that week, and it stuck. I ended up choosing which college I wanted to go to and where I wanted to play roller derby based on Women’s Flat Track roller derby rankings, and that left me in the Denver area. I started playing for Denver’s world-ranked team, Mile High Club, and as part of that, I wanted to continue to grow the sport. Once I left Junior Roller Derby, I started coaching and I’ve been coaching for the past 10 years. What are your goals when coaching junior skaters? Our biggest thing that the coaches find value in is really creating community for our skaters. While, of course, we’re trying to teach them roller derby and make them feel strong and athletic in the sport, our biggest value is that they walk away feeling like they have friends, they have peo- ple they can trust, and they belong. How do you help create that environment for the skaters? I think the biggest thing for the coaches is to make sure that we connect with the skaters so that they can talk to us and build relationships with their coaches. And then lead by example, of course, encouraging them to follow the values, and being friends with the other coaches and working really hard with the other coaches. A big part of it is not just the coaches, it’s the skaters and the families that really shine through and continue to show those values. How do you see the future of Junior Derby evolving? Soon there’s going to be tryouts for Team USA. That’s been going on for a few years, but I think that’s really cool.
Junior Roller Derby is a full-contact sport that is played on roller skates. While it may seem intense, there are plenty of safety rules to keep everyone safe. Played on an oval track, two teams–consisting of up to five skaters–skate counterclockwise in short games called “jams.” The goal is to score more points than the other team by lap- ping opposing players. Jams are divided into two, 30-minute halves, and the team with the most points at the end of the game wins. To learn more about the game and how it’s changing in our city, we talked with the president of the junior committee and a few of the skaters of Denver Roller Derby to hear their experiences and how it is helping transform them as individuals. Luna Thornes, President of the Junior Committee Derby Name: Luna Shovegood How would you describe Junior Derby in your own words? It’s a full-contact sport for anyone who’s interested in building confidence, feeling strong and finding community, and having fun. How did you become involved in Junior Derby? My family moved from Tucson, Arizona to Fort Collins, Colorado when I was 15. My parents said I had to join an activity to make friends, and for some reason, roller derby just called to me. We found a flier and went to a game and the juniors were the halftime show, so I ended up signing
20 COLORADO PARENT JULY 2024
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