Rockin' City Junior Roller Derby

Rockin’ City Junior Roller Derby is an inclusive junior derby league for skaters ages 8-17 years old. We are dedicated to nurturing self confidence and body positive attitudes through camaraderie and sportspersonship.

What is Junior Roller Derby?

Skaters are individually assessed for skills and knowledge of the rules of the game, they move up in level when they are deemed safe by coaches to do so. Click here to preview the skills we learn and test for!

Beginners build upon their roller skating skills to learn basic skills needed for roller derby such as stance, stride, stops, and falls. Coaches will work with the skaters on controlling themselves while on skates. Roller derby rules are introduced. Our skaters must master these basic skills before they graduate to the next level (Level 1).

Our Intermediate practice group is a mixture of skaters who passed Level 1 assessments and/or Level 2 assessments and are not ready for full contact. “Leaning” or positional blocking is a main focus for this group. More details about the rules and scoring are discussed. Our Intermediate skaters may be scrimmaging at practices so please have a black and a white T-shirt with you at every practice.

The Advanced practice group is composed of experienced skaters who play full contact roller derby (Level 3). The Advanced group attends an additional practice time each week. Our advanced skaters may be scrimmaging at practices, please have a black and a white T-shirt with you at every practice.

History of Rockin’ City Junior Roller Derby

Heather Whilden, a Canadian-born Texan, has devoted the past ten years of her free time to serving as a junior roller derby coach and referee in Round Rock. According to Whilden, who goes by Hot Mitts while on the track, roller derby is an exceptional sport that requires a great deal of courage that returns self-confidence and camaraderie in exchange. The creation of the Rockin’ City Rebels transpired in 2016 when she recognized the potential for a competitive youth team among her son and other children who began attending lessons at the same rink where Hot Mitts learned derby. She explains, “While I was serving on the board of directors for the adult roller derby league, I proposed a plan for a junior team. At the time, I was unsure of how it would turn out.” Eight years later, Whilden continues coaching young skaters during weekly practices and scrimmages, and starting in 2023, she has accompanied the charter team with her colleagues, Coach Sinner (Aimee Blase) and Coach Joe Ternus, to the national competition in Denver, CO.

“This is the first organized sport I have been part of, and it has been an exciting and supportive journey. We welcome anyone who wants to give roller derby a try, and most of the kids I coach end up skating with us for several years,” Heather shares. Her two children have also been members of the team for many years, turning it into a family affair and an additional means of connecting outside of their busy school and work schedules.

Aside from coaching, Whilden also serves as a skating official and can often be found at practices and games of other local teams. “I love rules and quickly analyzing situations to apply my knowledge and make calls,” she states. “Keeping up with the juniors on the track brings me joy after a long week.”

“Roller derby is unique and brings so many different people together, the great equalizer is being on skates.” Heather spends most weekends coaching kids, between Quad Squad for beginners and the national charter team, she has instilled teamwork, resilience, body-positivity, leadership, as well as self-reliance in this intense and very physical game.

Independent from school, volunteer-run, year-round youth roller derby relies on sponsorships and fundraising to keep their wheels rolling. “We are part of Amplify Austin for the first time and we couldn’t be more grateful for the donations we’ve received so far!” Whilden represents the juniors in Austin Roller Derby, a collaboration across the city’s roller derby leagues to raise awareness and build a permanent home for the sport.

Follow @hotmitts28 and @rockincityrebels on social media to hear about their roller derby adventures.