Author: Hell Cat

When I cobbled this website together, almost as an afterthought, I added a contact form. I didn't think it'd get used much, guessing most people would opt for Facebook as the quickest way to get in touch, but last week we received a message via the site that straight up gave me chills...

A lady from America had come across our page and spotted Kid Dynamite 13 on our Team Page. She wrote to tell us that her Grandmother played roller derby in the 1930s - 50s, and that her name and number was also Kid Dynamite 13!

"I don't really know much more about her career but every time I visit her I read 'Kid Dynamite' on her gravestone underneath a roller skate. When I saw your page it reminded me so much about her and what she loved to do growing up!"

What an incredible reminder of all the passionate, awesome derby ladies who have gone before us! How much must skating have meant to this woman to have made it to her gravestone? That email gave me goosebumps all day, and really made me think about the fact that, for all we go on about how 'young' and 'new' our sport is, thousands of young women for decades before us have identified with roller derby in one form or another, and it clearly meant just as much to them as modern derby does to us today.

Here's to the passion of those early trailblazers. Kid Dynamite, BRDG salute you!

Author: Mystic Sun

It's hard to write about your roller derby journey so far without it being an epic 'cool story bro' yawnfest, which no one cares about except you (and probably your mum). Whilst I was pondering how to make my story a bit more interesting a song got completely stuck in my head and wouldn't leave. Therefore, I present to you… my roller derby career via the medium of Michael Jackson song lyrics.

"She Said I Am The One… Who Will Dance… On The Floor… In The Round"

I remember the first time I came to watch BRDG train on "Fresh Meat Open Day" after we'd been accepted onto the Fresh Meat course. It was a horrible autumn evening, raining outside and somehow I managed to arrive late and walk a trail of wet leaves across the sports hall floor. (Crap on the floor = massive derby no no). We all sat on benches at the side of the hall and watched as the people with the magic feet danced around the hall doing seemingly impossible things. One day, I hoped that would be me.

Author: Steg O'Soar

Now this is a story all about how, my plow got flipped turned upside down. I’d like to take a minute, or as long as it takes, to tell you how I fixed the problem of impossible plates.

Iiiiiiin West Southern England, I learnt to plow, on a pair of old skates that were plastic all-round. Chillin’ out, maxxin’, skatin’ with mates, til’ one day I thought I’d buy a pair of new plates. So with the help of my guy, and some internet dudes – I stuck a pair of Roll Lines on my rollerboots. I tried one little plow and my feet got scared and said “you’re doing it wrong – now your plow is impaired!”

I tried and I skated on them day after day, but they just wouldn’t bite the floor in the same way. I loosened the trucks, and I switched out the wheels, I dropped my butt down, and I kicked out my heels.