You’re never too old, too big, too small, too anything to give it a go! Once the derby bug takes over, you’ll wonder what you ever did without it!! – #4, Betty Believe It
Wakey Wheeled Cats is dedicated to building an enjoyable, empowering and democratic league.
We have grown towards bouting in both intra and interleague bouts and hope to build on these successes, with an aim of becoming one of the top-rated teams in the country. We also hope to gain enough members that we can have a number of teams competing within the league.
We consider Wakey Wheeled Cats to be a diverse, social and happy team. We are open to anyone who wants to join no matter what race, nationality, or sexual orientation and we have no upper age limit (although you must be over 18 to join). Many of our members have never skated before, and the whole team is involved in training basic skills and upwards.
The best thing about being a Cat is the absolutely awesome community we have built – I’ve made some solid gold wizard friends through the team. – #2407, Right Hook Brook
Wakey Wheeled Cats is a women’s* team; we follow The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) Statement about Gender.
Anyone over the age of 18 can also join as a referee (on skates) or a non-skating official (NSO).
Together, we are a group of people with a common goal: to bring the sport of roller derby to the Wakefield area and to promote roller derby within the UK as a whole.
I’ve found a team and a sport where there is a place for everyone regardless of size, shape and lifestyle. Everyone is accepted for who they are, and their unique talents. It’s given me a confidence I never knew I had, and the best friends I’ve ever known. – #1M BC, Whack Elle Welch
Coral (C-Sick) is happy to help with any questions about recruitment or joining the team. Email her directly at WWCrecruitment@hotmail.co.uk.
As a quad-skate league, we adhere to the rules and guidelines given by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) and each skater within the league will be required to become flat-track assessed and certified.
* Our definition of women includes transgender women and non-binary genders.
Recruitment Open Days
We are recruiting now! Our next open dates are coming up in January 2019:
Tuesday 22nd January 2019 – 6-8pm
Saturday 26th January 2019 – 11am-1pm
Tuesday 29th January 2019 – 6-8pm
**Update** a new recruitment day has been added and the start day for the new intake has been changed.
Saturday 2nd February2019 – 11am-1pm
New intake begins from Tuesday 5th February 2019 at 6-8pm.
Contact us through our Facebook open days event or email WWCrecruitment@hotmail.co.uk if you would like to come along!
Roller Derby is a fast-paced, full contact sport so during training you can expect to practice fall techniques and strength training so that you don’t injure yourself or each other, as well as endurance training and drills to improve your skating techniques.
All skate and fitness levels are welcome as full training will be given to get you bout ready. Beginners train in separate sessions to the main team so they can focus on basic skate skills.
We have beginner’s packs for all new starters and are happy to answer any questions you may have, you can send us an email, speak to us on Facebook or grab us in person, we don’t bite!
You can come and see what we get up to by attending one of our training sessions which are held on the following days at Lightwaves Leisure Centre; just contact us first!
Monday evenings: Roller Derby Training (cats)
20.00-22.00 Lightwaves Leisure Centre
Tuesday evenings: Beginner Training (kittens)
18.00-20.00 Lightwaves Leisure Centre
Saturday mornings: Roller Derby (cats) and NSO Training
10.00-12.00 Lightwaves Leisure Centre
Saturday afternoons: Beginner Training (kittens)
12.00-13.00 Lightwaves Leisure Centre
Roller Derby Kit
There are tons of online shops you can purchase your gear from, with more and more derby specific ones popping up all the time. We’re more than happy to point you in the right direction but remember that everyone is different and if you’re able to, it’s a great idea to try on various bits of kit before you buy.
Good advice about protection and skates can be found at www.skates.co.uk and Double Threat Skates. Both are run by skaters, can supply everything you need, and are happy to talk to you about the best options available to you.
Your basic kit which you will need when you start:
We use quad roller skates, and you can start with beginner skates, such as Riedell R3s and SureGrip GT50s. Eventually, you may want to progress to skates that have been made to measure.
- To skate derby you need to have some ankle movement and flexibility, so ankle cut quads or trainer-style skates are ideal
- Tall, plastic skates are not suitable for roller derby
- Suitable starter skates can be obtained at Division 24 or from plenty of retailers online
Wrist guards, knee pads and elbow pads are essential roller derby equipment and you will not be able to join in practice unless you have appropriate safety gear. Here are some tips for your starter pads.
- Look for aggressive skate pads, with thick pads and good decent straps / leg sleeve
- Anarchy and TSG are well-priced starter brands available in most skate shops (such as Division 24). You will need to upgrade eventually to pads that offer more protection and last longer, such as 187’s, Smiths Scabs, or TSG
- Wrist guards need full palm to wrist protection
- Some girls recommend wearing knee gaskets under your skate pads, for extra protection.
You will need a well-fitting skate helmet before you will be able to join. Follow manufacturers guidelines on how best to size your helmet. Riding helmets are not ideal for roller derby.
- Ensure the helmet has a chin strap and good lower protection for the back of the head
- Helmets will cost around £15-£35. S1, TSG, Nutcase and Protec are some of the brands which derby skaters use.
These can be bought at most sports and martial arts shops.
Boil and bite ones are fine to start with. These mould to your own mouth shape. However, some skaters visit a dentist to have one specially fit for better protection. These ones will come at a cost, though!
Sisu is one popular brand that we use and are available from plenty of stockists online.
Tailbone / Hip Protection – Optional
These are shorts with additional padding and are optional, but if you feel like you might want more protection, they’re a great option. Some bicycle shops stock them, or you can try online roller derby stores.
- Various short styles are available. You may want the shorter hotpants to wear under your uniform, or longer bicycle shorts to cover your thighs more
- McDavids, Azzpadz and Crashpads are some brands that roller derby girls use
Chest Protection – Optional
Not required as a starter, but something to consider when you get involved in contact practice and bouting. These are generally bras with added shell protection in the cups. Turtleshell is one brand that girls use.
We recommend that you research sports insurance for roller derby, as we do not provide cover as a league. The league cannot be held responsible for any injuries you may incur.
Email WWCrecruitment@hotmail.co.uk or fill out this form.