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.
Photo credit: Cisco Gamez @digicisco
FAQ
- Helmet
- Mouth Guard
- Quad Skates
- Elbow Pads
- Knee Pads
- Wrist Guards
The closest and most popular skate shop to our area is Medusa Skates, located at 6005 Burnet Road, Austin, TX 78757.
When starting out in junior roller derby, it is certainly not necessary to have “top of the line” gear. A decent “beginner” skate to consider is Epic Nitro (can be purchased on Amazon for under $100). A popular “intro” to intermediate skate brand is Riedell, and other popular brands to consider as your skater advances are Antik, Bont, and Solaris.
As you advance out of quad squad, low-top derby skates are highly recommended. High-top skate boots designed for dance skating or skate boots with heels are not conducive for roller derby, and will also likely cause blisters.
Popular brands for safety gear such as wrist guards, knee & elbow pads, and helmets are 187 Killer Pads, Triple Eight, and S-One (S1).
S1 Lifer helmets grow with your skater and offer a variety of different sizing inserts. These helmets can be purchased with or without a visor, and either are acceptable for roller derby.
The most popular and recommended mouth guard for roller derby is the SISU Aero Mouthguard, which is remoldable up to twenty times and is ultra slim for comfort yet offers excellent protection. This mouthguard in medium and large sizes is also said to be able to be fitted by an orthodontist to be compatible with braces and aligners (per the manufacturer).
Our intro skating program, Quad Squad, is a 6 week course and is a one-time registration fee of $100
Level 1 & Level 2 monthly skater dues are $45
Level 3 monthly skater dues are $70
Annual required skater insurance is $40 (for Levels 1-3)
For more details on costs, please contact us.
Practice takes place at Rock Sports Arena, located at 3918 Gattis School Road, #102, Round Rock, Texas 78664.
Quad Squad’s 6 week sessions are periodic throughout the year, and takes place on Saturday mornings from 8:30am-9:30am.
Level 1 and Level 2 (Renegades) skaters practice on Saturday mornings from 8:30am-10:30am.
Level 3 (Rebels & Rockstars) practice on Saturdays from 9:30am – 12:30pm and Tuesday evenings from 7:00pm – 8:30pm.
Our league coaches consist of both retired and active roller derby players who are very dedicated to the sport and the youth they work with. Our coaches are registered Junior Roller Derby Association (JRDA) volunteers. JRDA is the governing body for Rockin’ City Junior Roller Derby, and all JRDA volunteers must undergo and pass background checks with the National Center for Safety Initiatives (NCSI), CDC Heads Up! Concussion Training with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), Safe Sport APS Training also with NFHS, and have First Aid/CPR Certification.
Absolutely! We welcome those interested in roller derby to drop in during a Saturday practice between 8:30am and 12:30pm to see our skaters in action! The 8:30-9:30 crowd will include our lower-level skaters, so this is a good time to see what the beginner skaters who advance from our Quad Squad program are experiencing. During specific time periods throughout the season, this is also when our Quad Squad sessions take place, so you can see what that is like as well. Our most advanced, level 3, full-contact skaters typically practice between 9:30am and 12:30pm, with scrimmages often taking place in the last 30 minutes of practice (this is real “action” rather than just practice drills).
Skate surfaces and venues can vary widely; however there are several types of surfaces that our league commonly skates on, so we wanted to provide some helpful information.
Wheel hardness is an important factor as you advance to full-contact, level 3 derby. Different wheels are ideal for different surfaces.
The lower the number, the “softer” the wheel. Softer means they absorb bumps on rough surfaces more easily, and grip tighter.
The higher the number, the “harder” the wheel. Harder means faster and easier for sliding on smooth surfaces, with less resistance.
Our beginners and younger/smaller skaters typically benefit from 88 hardness wheels such as Poison Savants. However, 90-93 hardness is also ideal for our practice venue surface which is sport court flooring.
For some typical wooden skating rink floors, 90-93 hardness is usually preferred. Some wooden floors such as basketball courts and others may require a different hardness as some can be slicker than others.
Level 3 skaters should start to consider having different sets of wheels for different surfaces.
A-Team skaters are urged to consider different wheels for a wide variety of surfaces, as these are our most advanced skaters who will travel to most tournaments and possibly experience a wider variety of skate surfaces.
If we have an event at Dripping Springs Ranch Event Center, our coaches highly encourage all skaters to use 88 hardness Poison Savants for best performance as well as safety.
Our coaches will always provide skaters with as much information and recommendations as possible depending on the venue which you will be skating at for any given event.
When first starting out, or even in a pinch, when you are ready to participate in a mashup or other scrimmage prior to ordering your jerseys, you can use a plain white and plain black t-shirt. You can always plan on needing to have a white and a black shirt or jersey for games and scrimmages. Many skaters will write their name and number on t-shirts in sharpie, with fabric paint, or tape as a temporary solution.
Another budget-friendly option for scrimmage jerseys is this one from one of our neighboring skate league friends.
When you are ready to order official RCR jerseys, you can do so through our friends and fellow RCJRD members, TAWP Sports. Complete the form here (sizing guide included), and they will reach out to you with an invoice or any further questions.
Our league follows the Junior Roller Derby Association (JRDA) Rules. JRDA gameplay is divided into three skill levels, each with their own set of contact allowances, skill mastery, and required assessments.
Once a skater has passed Quad Squad, they will take the assessment for Level 1 gameplay. Once Level 1 skills have been mastered, a skater can take the assessment for Level 2 gameplay, and the same for Level 3.
Tryouts are held each season to join the A and B Charter teams, which are our competitive teams that may travel and will participate in Championships, Playoffs, and for the B-Team, the B-Team Championships.
Learn more about the levels and process here.
Have a question or need more information? Contact us!
Thank you to our 2026 sponsors!
