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Looking for something new to begin 2012? We have the answer!
We are holding a six week Recruitment event ...
For info, updates and how to be a part of the Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls please see our sister site
www.bombernation.co.uk
Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls are Lincolnshire's first and original, all female flat track roller derby team. Originally formed in back in 2008 with just a handful of ladies, we have been steadily growing ever since and currently have over 60 members. We are affiliated with the UK governing body, UKRDA, and have recently become an apprentice league under the USA and world recognised governing body, WFTDA.
Roller Derby is a fast paced, full contact sport played on quad skates and involves elements of formation skating and speed skating.
The Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls is owned and run by its members and we are dedicated to creating a positive change in the lives of our skaters and wider community, by providing opportunities for women and men at all times.
We aim to further our league by encouraging teamwork, dedication and enhancing individual growth and development using the personal talents and strengths of all our members, while constantly working to increase recognition of roller derby within the UK.
The Womens Flat Track Derby Association, or WFTDA, are the largest association for Flat Track Roller Derby in the world, now recognised as being the quintessential source for all things derby. As well as providing the rule set that we follow, WFTDA also host the largest tournament in the derby calendar, the annual WFTDA Championships. The Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls are one of only a handful of European leagues who have become apprentices or full members. As a full member league we will have the ability to vote on decisions of the organisation, help shape the rule set and have a voice in the future of worldwide roller derby Something that The Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls are all very excited about.
Current status: Apprentice League
About Us
UKRDA
WFTDA
As one of the original member leagues of the UKRDA, the Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls are proud to have helped build up the Association to the level it is at today. The UKRDA exists to lobby for and promote the sport of roller derby in the UK. The Bombers assisted the Association during its work towards gaining recognition of roller derby as a sport in its own right, a massive achievement for both UKRDA and UK roller derby. The UKRDA continues to grow and goes from strength to strength and the Bombers will continue to work hard with UKRDA in developing the sport of roller derby and supporting its member leagues in the UK.
Support your local Roller Derby team!
Now is a fantastic time to have your company associated with one of the fastest growing all female sports in the UK... And we are right at the forefront! As one of only 6 leagues in the UK that have been accepted into the Womens Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) we have the opportunity to play teams not only nationally but also internationally in order to become officially ranked in the world.
"Businesses would be smart to get the attention of roller derby fans by sponsoring a league. 79% of all fans know the businesses that support their local team and nearly 95% hold a favourable opinion of these businesses 97% of all fans agree that roller derby bouts provide good entertainment value for their money Dont miss this opportunity to partner with womens flat track roller derby while the sport is young and growing."
A quote from a recent survey completed by skaters from around the world. WFTDA is based in the US but many of the surveys results were reflective of the UKs roller derby scene.
We have a range of sponsorship packages available for you and your business and are also more then happy to tailor make one for whatever suits you!
We can offer you an association with a unique sport, which empowers women by being part of a team that is run entirely by its own members. We have advertising space in our programmes and on our posters and flyers for our events. We also have regular features locally and nationally.
If you are not ready to commit to full sponsorship we are always willing to accept any donations to our raffles and events and we also have our new Friends of the Bomber package. Still not sure? We have bouts confirmed with teams from all across the UK throughout 2012.
Don't miss out now!
Interested in supporting The Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls? Then contact our sponorship committee.
Joining is simple. We recruit all year and welcome anybody who is interested in learning how to skate and the game of roller derby.
We have a dedicated session to those who are braving skates for the first time and taking those first steps towards their minimum skills. These sessions are held every Saturday 11.30am-1.30pm at Yarborough Leisure Centre, Lincoln. All you need to do is come along, no prior notice required. We have some spare kit for you to borrow and all for free for your first session.
Women, men and under 18s are welcome to the Saturday morning sessions.
Interested but want to know more? Then contact us at info_lincolnshire-bombers.com or pop along to watch any of our three main sessions:
Saturday 11.30am - 1.30pm (Newbie Session)
Saturday 1.30 – 4 pm (Intermediate Session)
Sunday 10am – 2pm (Advanced Session).
Alternatively, we aim to hold recruitment days twice yearly where we dedicate a whole training day to fresh meat. Our last one began on the 21st January and is still on going, so come along to a newbie session to find out more. Like the newbie sessions these are run primarily for first time skaters in a relaxed environment; spare kit is still available, the session is free and many of the advanced skaters are on hand to help. The days for these are not fixed so keep your eyes peeled for LBRG leaflets and keep checking our Event/News section.
The Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls Recreational League is a new addition this off-season.
Created for those who have a love for roller derby but don't have the time to commit to every practice. The Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls Recreational League offers the chance to learn the basics of skating and the components that a roller girl needs without the attendance demands. It also offers the chance to be part of a continually growing team as well as part of a league that prides itself on providing a positive environment for women.
The 'rec' league is open to all females 18+. No previous skating experience is necessary and we'll provide the kit required for your first session, for free.
Key Information
Ask for more info by clicking on the mail icon,
or come along any Saturday at 11.30am to meet some of our skaters!
FAQs
What is Roller Derby?
It's a lot of fun on skates. For more info, check out these links, where this question's been answered in a lot more detail.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_derby
http://wftda.com/faq/what-is-flat-track-roller-derby
What are the rules?
We play according to the WFTDA's rules which you can find a full copy of here - http://wftda.com/rules.
Simply put, the game is played between two teams skating around an oval track. 5 players from each team are on the track at any one time, 4 blockers and a jammer. All 8 blockers skate together as a pack and the jammers try to get through. Each jammer scores a point for every member of the opposing team that she passes. Blockers try to stop the opposing jammer getting through the pack whilst also helping their own jammer to pass. As a contact sport which is being played offensively and defensively simultaneously, the rules are long and complex, the best way to learn them is to watch Roller Derby with someone who knows what's going on and pester them to explain it to you!
Do I have to be super-fit?
You do not have to be super-fit to join LBRG, in fact lots of people start Roller Derby because they are aware that they ought to be more active but have yet to find a sport which suits them. We do take our fitness quite seriously though and run off skates fitness sessions every week (twice a week in the summer) as well as improving fitness through our regular skating sessions. If trying to get fit has seemed like a chore for you in the past, you'll be surprised at how quickly you start wanting to exercise!
Do I have to be able to skate?
People join us with all levels of skating ability, many having never skated before at all. We will teach you everything you need to know, at your own pace.
What can I expect when I come to my first session?
You'll be met by a newbie representative who will answer any immediate questions you have. You'll be asked to sign a waiver (basically saying that we haven't bullied you into skating and that if you kill yourself it's not our fault) and sorted out with some pads. Once padded up, you'll be taught some basic falls. You will still have your feet on solid ground at this point but when you put skates on you will fall over (not necessarily immediately but this is a contact sport so falls are inevitable, no matter how good you are) so it's important you know how to do this safely. After that, it's on with the skates and away you go!
What kit will I need?
Every Roller Derby player needs a pair of quad skates, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, a mouth guard and a helmet. We can lend you all this kit (except the mouth guard, gross) for a small donation of 50p per item in your first few sessions. For the cost of buying kit, see the What does it cost? section of the FAQs. All our members are happy to share advice about kit and often you can borrow items from other girls before committing to buying your own.
What should I wear?
Theres no set outfit for training but most girls wear t-shirts or vests on top and leggings or shorts/skorts + tights on their bottom half. Tracksuit bottoms are hot and baggy and look odd with knee pads (theres no other reason not to wear them though) and bare legs are painful to fall over onto. You should also bring/wear trainers as we often do drills off skates.
We have team t-shirts and vests which you'll be entitled to buy once you become a full member and uniforms for bouting teams.
What does it cost?
It costs £20 per month if you attend one session per week and £28 per month if you attend two sessions per week. This should ideally be paid by direct debit.
You will have to buy kit and how much you spend on this is to a certain extent up to you. Most skaters start with Riedell R3 skates, which can be picked up new for around £110 or sometimes found on eBay. Many retailers sell pad packages which include knee, elbow and wrist protection for as little as £20 (though you'll want to upgrade these fairly quickly as you skate faster and fall harder) and helmets can be picked up for around the same price. A bicycle helmet will not do; ensure that your helmet is suitable for skating (a skate helmet can be used for protection whilst cycling though).
Am I too old?
No. If you can stand upright then you can skate.
Am I too young?
You have to be 18 or over to play full Roller Derby but we do have a junior league for under 18s. Contact us for more info.
Am I the wrong shape?
No. Roller Derby players come in all shapes and sizes; we have players well under 5 feet tall all the way to over 6 feet and equally diverse in width! The nature of the game is such that everyone has something they can bring to the team.
Do I need facial piercings and tattoos?
No. One of the things that makes Roller Derby so special is that it is genuinely welcoming to all comers. If you are willing to listen and learn and have a desire to be part of our wonderful team then you have fulfilled all our criteria!
What if I get hurt?
You will get hurt, this is a contact sport. However, we do everything we can to minimise the risk of injury, including teaching you to fall before we teach you to skate, maintaining fitness, warming up and cooling down at every session and having excellent refs on our backs all the time to make us clean skaters.
I loved Whip It, is Roller Derby really like that?
Yes and no. Clearly, the game was painted by Hollywoods magic brush so dont use this film to try to learn the rules, however Bliss' love for the game and the camaraderie a great team inspires are accurate reflections of how we feel.
Can I Join and not Skate?
Absolutely. We are always looking for new referees and NSOs (non-skating officials) to become part of the LBRG family.
Referees can be male or female skaters and need to be committed to learning the intricacies of the rules of Roller Derby. We have a group of dedicated and experienced refs to support and guide you with this, as well as a whole bunch of roller girls who'll be only too happy to discuss your calls with you! We work hard to be clean skaters and having refs at our practices ensuring that we follow the rules even during drills is a vital part of making us a better team.
NSOs are crucial to the smooth running of bouts. Roles include timing jams and skaters in the penalty box, tracking penalties and score keeping and again, these roles can be filled by boys and girls. NSOs need to be able to keep calm under pressure as bouts can get pretty frenetic; once that first whistles gone theres no time to hesitate or ask questions.
If you're interested in joining as a referee or an NSO, or you just want to find out more, please dont hesitate to get in touch.
Don't worry if you're under 18, you won't miss out on the fun!
Here at the Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls we are in the process of setting up roller derby for those who are under 18, but over 11, have an interest in the sport and are female.
Our Juniors (or Bombinos) are able to come to our newbie session on a Saturday morning from 11.30am - 1.30pm and will soon have their very own session for Juniors only!
All you need for your first session is yourself, some water and a parent. Make sure you wear something comfortable too.
To begin with you'll be training with other new skaters and will learn the basics within a group of people who are equally as new as you. Later, within your own session, the Juniors will be split according to age, height and knowledge of the game. There'll be a chance to skate roller derby recreationally but also to play the sport as the 18+ do.
Interested? Then give us a quick message to let us know you are coming or to ask more questions.
Rainy City Rollergirls vs LBRG (A) March 2011 150 - 26
Stuttgart vs LBRG (A) April 2011 142- 34
Blitz Dames vs LBRG (A) May 2011 32 - 84
Royal Windsor vs LBRG (A) May 2011 149 - 78
LBRG (A) vs Sheffield Steel June 2011
63 - 104
LBRG (B) vs NRG Whippin Hinnies August 2011 50-153
LBRG (A) vs Manchester Roller Derby August 2011 145 - 128
CCR Slay Belles vs LBRG (A) September 2011 68-149
LBRG (B) vs GRG Maiden Grrrders (B) September 2011 27 - 305
LBRG (A) vs Irn Bruisers (A) September 2011 74 - 221
LBRG (A) vs Croydon (closed) October 2011
LBRG (A) vs Sioux Fallz (closed) November 2011 28 - 313
LBRG (bouting as the Sideburners) vs Dolly Rockits (informal at Rollerburn) November 2011 130 - 131
LBRG (A) vs LRG Brawl Saints (closed) December 2011 61 - 223
Chao Phraya Muay Thai Lincoln.
Kindly support us with our off skates fitness.
Jason Ruffell - Photograph courtesy of Jason. Kindly attends many of our bouts.
Channel Lincolnshire - Documented us from our beginnings
Are you a business or organisation that wants to support the Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls? Click here or on our Sponsor & Contacts page for more details.
Sideburn Magazine - These guys rock.
Peter Worth - Our resident photographer
