PFM Practice Squad

What is the WFTDA?

jackie — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:38:26 +0000

What is the WFTDA?

The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association is the governing body for women’s flat track roller derby, and a membership organization for the leagues to collaborate and network. The organization created and maintained the first standardized rule set for the flat track game, which is now in its fourth edition. The WFTDA also serves as the sanctioning body for flat track roller derby games, hosts regional and national tournaments, sets safety standards, provides roller derby insurance to athletes and leagues, and serves as a networking venue for flat track roller derby leagues to share resources and get advice. There are currently 78 WFTDA member leagues.

For more information, visit the WFTDA website.

Stretching

Susan — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:45:47 +0000

Stretching before skating reduces your chance of injury; stretching after skating helps to reduce soreness. Below are some basic stretches that target some of the muscles most used in roller derby. Hold each stretch for about 15 seconds, and repeat on both sides (right and left).

Inner-leg stretch & side stretch
Sit down. Bend your right leg at the knee and bring your right heel toward your groin, keeping your leg on the ground (your knee may come up off the ground a little). Stretch your left leg out straight to the side, as wide as it will comfortably go. Make sure that both of your sit bones are on the ground. Lean forward until you feel the stretch in your left inner thigh. Hold for ~15 seconds.

Keeping your legs in the same position, sit up straight and reach your right arm up and over your head, reaching toward your left toe. Lean to the left, keeping your shoulders back (don’t hunch forward). Keeping your arm directly over your head will focus the stretch along your right ribcage and arm; crossing it in front of you will move the stretch down into your lower back.

Switch sides and repeat.
Twist
Sit down with your legs out straight in front of you. Cross your right leg over your left and place your right foot next to the outside of your left knee. Place your left elbow on the outside of your right knee and press against your knee to twist your upper body to the right. Hold for 4 slow breaths. Each time you breathe in, think about straightening your back and keeping your shoulders down; each time you breathe out, twist a bit farther to the right.
The Porn Stretch!
Start on your hands and knees. Spread your knees and turn your toes outward so that your inside wheels are lying flat on the floor. Bring your butt back and down toward the floor. You should feel the stretch in the upper inside of your legs and groin.
Leg over
Lie down on your back. Spread your arms out to your sides so that you form a T on the ground. Bring your right knee up and across your body, as far across as it will go while keeping both shoulders on the floor. Turn your head to the right. You should feel the stretch in your right lower back.
Pigeon pose
Start in a kneeling position. Cross your right leg in front of you and extend your left leg out behind you. Make sure your hips are squared and facing forward. Rest your forearms on the floor in front of you and lean forward. You should feel the stretch in your right thigh, hip and butt.

This stretch is a little intense for some people, and can also be hard if you have knee problems. Here’s a knee-friendly variant:
Lie down on your back. Bring your knees to your chest, then cross your right ankle over your left knee. Pull your left leg toward your body; you should feel the stretch in your right hip. You can stretch your left hamstring at the same time by keeping your left leg straight and grasping it at the ankle; if that’s too intense a stretch, hold your leg at the calf or the lower thigh and focus on stretching just your hips.
Arms & shoulders
Cross your right arm across your chest, keeping your elbow entended. Reach your left hand under your right arm and grab your right shoulder. Pull your right arm across your chest.

What’s a roller derby practice like?

Susan — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:50:36 +0000

Every league or team has their own routine, but here’s what you can expect from a PFM roller derby practice:

We try to show up 5 – 10 minutes before our scheduled practice time so that we can chit-chat, put our gear on, and be ready to skate as soon as our time starts.
To warm up, we skate 40 laps, then stretch in the middle of the rink for ~5 minutes.
For the next couple hours, our coaches run us through a variety of drills. These drills are designed to teach and train skaters in a variety of roller derby skills, including speed, strength, endurance, agility, hitting, falling, blocking, and skating in a pack. We also sometimes play games (like dodgeball or freeze tag) or learn dance skating moves that help with these skills.
~10 minutes before the end of practice, we skate in the opposite direction (clockwise) to cool down, and then stretch out in the center of the rink.

A few additional tips:

Since the skill level of our group constantly varies (new members join throughout the year with a wide range of skill levels), we sometimes break out into two groups so that the newer skaters can learn skills that the more experienced girls already know, while the experienced skaters work on some advanced technique. Or we may run two different difficulty levels of the same drill (e.g. a slow and a fast pace line at the same time).
Don’t worry about not being able to keep up. We’ll encourage you to push yourself; but if the current drill is really too much for you, you can always drop off to the side. If you do, don’t sit down; keep skating around the edge of the rink (or somewhere where you won’t get run over). This will keep your heart rate up and continue to build your endurance.
If you don’t know what you’re doing, just ask! Most of us started out knowing very little about derby drills, stretching, equipment, injuries, etc. and will be happy to share whatever knowledge we’ve picked up.

What is USARS? Do I need it?

Susan — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 06:23:16 +0000

USARS (USA Roller Sports) is the national governing body for competitive roller sports in the United States.

When you hear skaters say “You should get USARS,” they’re probably referring to USARS health insurance. USARS annual membership includes up to $50K in supplementary medical/accident insurance for accidents occurring while on skates (though you’ll want to read the fine print to see exactly which types of accidents are covered). Membership is $55 per year, so if you can afford it we highly recommend signing up. Many roller derby leagues require USARS membership in order to try out for the league, or to attend their open league skate nights. Here’s the application for 2008-2009.

A few things to note:

When filling out the application, you can leave the “Club ID” blank (PFM doesn’t have one). For “Signature of Club Officer,” ask our President (she who collects dues and drop-in fees) to sign.
USARS insurance is supplementary, which means they only pay after you’ve maxed out your standard (primary) health insurance. If you don’t have primary medical insurance, USARS will still help pay your bills but your deductible will be much higher.
If you need USARS insurance on short notice (such as for roller derby tryouts), they can generally hook you up. Just fax in your membership application and then call and ask them to tell you your membership number. They can usually give it to you that same day (or within a few days), so you don’t have to wait for your membership card to come in the mail.
As mentioned earlier, USARS insurance doesn’t cover all skate-related accidents. For example, injuries incurred while skating on your own time (outside of official roller derby practices or events) aren’t covered. Read the fine print for more details.