Roller derby welcomes all comers

Cardiff’s roller derby team is now open to any girl who wants to try a very alternative sport

The Tiger Bay Brawlers in action. Photo by Simon Ayre

If you’re a girl who’s ever fancied a combination of roller skating at speed and physical contact, then your luck is in: the Tiger Bay Brawlers have just opened their Rec League.

This means that women of any age, skating ability and fitness are now welcome to join sessions, helped by more experienced members of the team. These sessions began in October, and given their popularity they will become weekly in November.

Rec League coach Peril Flynn described how this new system means everyone’s encouraged to progress, but at their own speed; nobody gets held back, and nobody gets left behind.

She also warns, “It only takes one session to fall in love with skating; roller derby can become a big part of your life.”

Abigail Apollonio, 27, was the first skater to progress from the new Rec League to the team’s ‘fresh meat’ training sessions.

What were your impressions when you first attended a practice?

“There were far more [skaters] than I expected, but they were all really friendly. The experienced skaters were really easy to talk to. Sometimes these kinds of situations can be intimidating, but it was nice to be part of such a diverse group of women of all ages and sizes. You can often feel a bit self-conscious at the gym, but this was different.”

What are your feelings now?

“It’s great that you can progress at your own speed, without any pressure, while being constantly encouraged to improve. I’ve just made the transition from Rec League to fresh meat. Training with higher level skaters made me realise how important fitness is. However, the Rec League makes the move less daunting, not only in terms of skating but having met lots of the team already.”

Would you recommend it to other girls?

“Obviously! The one thing I’d tell someone who’s interested is not to be frightened; many people start who haven’t skated since they were eight, or who’ve never skated before. I’m trying desperately to get as many people involved as possible.”

If you want to know more about roller derby, click here to learn about the sport.

For more information on Cardiff’s own Tiger Bay Brawlers, click here.

Photos by Simon Ayre