Our WFTDA aligned competing team the York Minxters are getting stronger every year and have just finished another season competing in the WFTDA British Championships (more on this soon). We also recently introduced you to our OTA challenge team the York Monsters who have been training hard alongside us in preparation for more games.
However, as a league we felt there were still more people we wanted to reach. We love roller derby and are passionate about making this sport accessible to as many people as possible, so we knew our next step had to be creating a junior team.
This year we were lucky enough to receive £2000 of funding from the Postcode Community Trust - a grant-giving organisation funded entirely by players of the People's Postcode Lottery. This allowed us to set up the Yorkshire Terrors - our brand-new Junior Roller Derby project. This funding has given us access to the resources we needed to get our junior team off the ground, and the chance to work closely with our local community. We are extremely grateful for the grant and excited to offer this amazing opportunity to young people in and around York.
The Yorkshire Terrors began training in May 2019 with an initial intake of 23 junior skaters, and they haven’t looked back. They train once a week with our dedicated junior’s training team headed up by Head coaches Parker (that’s me!) and Emzle (Lady Pen-Hell-Ope) and have amazed us from the start with their dedication, team spirit, and incredible support of each other. They even had the opportunity to play a Level 1 expo game between the 2 adult games at our Champs event on Sunday 4th August.
Yorkshire Terrors Junior Roller Derby is open to all young people aged 8 – 17 years, no previous skating experience necessary. Junior skaters work through a programme of skills designed to help them progress safely and at their own pace, towards playing games at Levels 1, 2 and 3.
If you want to learn more about our junior team or see the brilliant photos from our first ever game, just search Yorkshire Terrors Junior Roller Derby on Facebook for their page, which will be updated soon with news on our next intake.
Below are some interviews with 2 of our junior skaters and a message from 1 derby mum, giving their own feedback on their training so far, and that awesome Level 1 expo game!
Go Terrors (woof)!
Freakachu.
Interview: Edward – skater for the Yorkshire Terrors
What is the most fun thing about Roller Derby? - Playing it with friends
How did you feel after the match? - I felt great that I did it, I was full of adrenaline and really happy.
What did you enjoy most about the match? - I enjoyed being a jammer and getting through the blockers, and I really enjoyed being the pivot, where you are blocking, but might turn into a jammer.
What would you say to other kids who are thinking about taking it up, but are not sure? - Give it a go, see if you like it. As Emzle said on the radio, most people who try it love it.
What has the hardest part of training been? - 27 laps in 5 minutes! It's hard because you get worn out quite easily.
What do you think about your coaches? - They are very good and helpful. If you're struggling with something, they are always there to help you get it right.
Interview: Logan (Logi Scare) – skater for the Yorkshire Terrors
What is the most fun thing about Roller Derby? - Playing actual games and scrims.
How did you feel after the match? - It was pretty fun for a stage 1 game. Next time it would be awesome to do it for longer, and everybody could get a bit more into the game, more people have a jam and change positions.
What did you enjoy most about the match? - Hearing people cheering when I got past the pack. It was a great feeling!
What would you say to other kids who are thinking about taking it up, but are not sure? - Keep practising, you'll get better, and it gets more and more fun as you go on.
What has the hardest part of training been? - Re-practising things which we've learned in previous training sessions. But I know it's important, it makes us better.
What do you think about your coaches? - They are REALLY good. They are very enthusiastic, not bossy or pushy, they let you take your time.
Feedback: Scornflake Grrrl – York Minxters skater, Head of Officiating, and Derby Mum to 2 Terrors
Pretty much ever since I've joined the Minxters my two daughters had been asking about when they could start playing Roller Derby too, so they've been thrilled when the Yorkshire Terrors were founded a few months ago. Now Wednesdays (when training is on) are their favourite day of the week.
I've been taking them to training every week and it's a privilege and great joy to see them and all the other kids progress. I probably was as excited as they were (if not more!) when it was first mentioned that maybe there could be a short expo at the Minxters' British Champs home game.
They've all been working so hard on their skills, on being safe, and on being a team. The age range in the Terrors is wide - with daughter Dilly at just 8 being the youngest, and it's lovely to see her being as much included in the team as the older teens. She can be a handful, and I wasn't even sure if she'd cope with the stress of playing in front of so many people without going into Dilly-mode, but she did! The coaches set her clear boundaries whilst showing her that they believed in her, and that was enough for her to go out and do her absolute best, and even jam!
After the game she just jumped into my arms and said, "I can't do anything now, I'm just so so happy!", and I don't think she was the only Terror who felt that way. I know her sister, Millicent, did, for sure (even though "with that many people watching, it's stressful, Mummy!"). I'm not a soppy person most of the time, but must admit, that seeing the pride on the kids' (and coaches) faces, and hearing the crowd cheering them on made me well up a bit.
The Yorkshire Terrors are still very new, but if they keep going like they have, with a bunch of absolutely delightful, talented, hardworking kids that are competitive, but supporting each other, and equally delightful coaches, they will go far, and I can't wait to see how they all grow on track.
However, as a league we felt there were still more people we wanted to reach. We love roller derby and are passionate about making this sport accessible to as many people as possible, so we knew our next step had to be creating a junior team.
This year we were lucky enough to receive £2000 of funding from the Postcode Community Trust - a grant-giving organisation funded entirely by players of the People's Postcode Lottery. This allowed us to set up the Yorkshire Terrors - our brand-new Junior Roller Derby project. This funding has given us access to the resources we needed to get our junior team off the ground, and the chance to work closely with our local community. We are extremely grateful for the grant and excited to offer this amazing opportunity to young people in and around York.
The Yorkshire Terrors began training in May 2019 with an initial intake of 23 junior skaters, and they haven’t looked back. They train once a week with our dedicated junior’s training team headed up by Head coaches Parker (that’s me!) and Emzle (Lady Pen-Hell-Ope) and have amazed us from the start with their dedication, team spirit, and incredible support of each other. They even had the opportunity to play a Level 1 expo game between the 2 adult games at our Champs event on Sunday 4th August.
Yorkshire Terrors Junior Roller Derby is open to all young people aged 8 – 17 years, no previous skating experience necessary. Junior skaters work through a programme of skills designed to help them progress safely and at their own pace, towards playing games at Levels 1, 2 and 3.
If you want to learn more about our junior team or see the brilliant photos from our first ever game, just search Yorkshire Terrors Junior Roller Derby on Facebook for their page, which will be updated soon with news on our next intake.
Below are some interviews with 2 of our junior skaters and a message from 1 derby mum, giving their own feedback on their training so far, and that awesome Level 1 expo game!
Go Terrors (woof)!
Freakachu.
Interview: Edward – skater for the Yorkshire Terrors
What is the most fun thing about Roller Derby? - Playing it with friends
How did you feel after the match? - I felt great that I did it, I was full of adrenaline and really happy.
What did you enjoy most about the match? - I enjoyed being a jammer and getting through the blockers, and I really enjoyed being the pivot, where you are blocking, but might turn into a jammer.
What would you say to other kids who are thinking about taking it up, but are not sure? - Give it a go, see if you like it. As Emzle said on the radio, most people who try it love it.
What has the hardest part of training been? - 27 laps in 5 minutes! It's hard because you get worn out quite easily.
What do you think about your coaches? - They are very good and helpful. If you're struggling with something, they are always there to help you get it right.
Interview: Logan (Logi Scare) – skater for the Yorkshire Terrors
What is the most fun thing about Roller Derby? - Playing actual games and scrims.
How did you feel after the match? - It was pretty fun for a stage 1 game. Next time it would be awesome to do it for longer, and everybody could get a bit more into the game, more people have a jam and change positions.
What did you enjoy most about the match? - Hearing people cheering when I got past the pack. It was a great feeling!
What would you say to other kids who are thinking about taking it up, but are not sure? - Keep practising, you'll get better, and it gets more and more fun as you go on.
What has the hardest part of training been? - Re-practising things which we've learned in previous training sessions. But I know it's important, it makes us better.
What do you think about your coaches? - They are REALLY good. They are very enthusiastic, not bossy or pushy, they let you take your time.
Feedback: Scornflake Grrrl – York Minxters skater, Head of Officiating, and Derby Mum to 2 Terrors
Pretty much ever since I've joined the Minxters my two daughters had been asking about when they could start playing Roller Derby too, so they've been thrilled when the Yorkshire Terrors were founded a few months ago. Now Wednesdays (when training is on) are their favourite day of the week.
I've been taking them to training every week and it's a privilege and great joy to see them and all the other kids progress. I probably was as excited as they were (if not more!) when it was first mentioned that maybe there could be a short expo at the Minxters' British Champs home game.
They've all been working so hard on their skills, on being safe, and on being a team. The age range in the Terrors is wide - with daughter Dilly at just 8 being the youngest, and it's lovely to see her being as much included in the team as the older teens. She can be a handful, and I wasn't even sure if she'd cope with the stress of playing in front of so many people without going into Dilly-mode, but she did! The coaches set her clear boundaries whilst showing her that they believed in her, and that was enough for her to go out and do her absolute best, and even jam!
After the game she just jumped into my arms and said, "I can't do anything now, I'm just so so happy!", and I don't think she was the only Terror who felt that way. I know her sister, Millicent, did, for sure (even though "with that many people watching, it's stressful, Mummy!"). I'm not a soppy person most of the time, but must admit, that seeing the pride on the kids' (and coaches) faces, and hearing the crowd cheering them on made me well up a bit.
The Yorkshire Terrors are still very new, but if they keep going like they have, with a bunch of absolutely delightful, talented, hardworking kids that are competitive, but supporting each other, and equally delightful coaches, they will go far, and I can't wait to see how they all grow on track.