The Roller Derby Athlete

A complete introduction to the exciting world of roller derby including how to play the game, strategy, training, fitness and nutrition. Roller derby is a unique, fast-paced, female-dominated sport that is taking the world by storm. It originated in the USA in the 1930s but it is the revival that began in 2001 that has inspired this new book. Roller derby has become one of the world's fastest-growing new sports and there are now more than 1000 leagues worldwide - in the USA, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Latin America and Asia - with new adherents coming to the sport all the time. As the popularity of roller derby has grown, the demand for information about the sport and how to play it has grown too. As leagues become more experienced, and players more advance, tactics and game play have grown in sophistication. There are many online forums and social networking sites devoted to training, tactics, fitness and nutrition, but up till now, no single source which gathered all the information together. Chapters include: - An introduction to the game, its history and rules - How to play the game - strategy and tactics - Fitness requirements - strength, endurance, and plyometric exercises for balance - Training - practical training programmes both on and off skates - Nutrition - what to eat before and after training, meal suggestions and supplement - The female athlete - specific training advice for women - Profiles of well-known roller derby players who share their top tips in all the above categories The introduction has been written by Suzy Hotrod, one of roller derby's most renowned players and there is plentiful advice from many of the sports leading players.

Since 1935, roller derby has thrilled fans and skaters with its constant action, hard hits, and edgy attitude. However, though its participants’ athleticism is undeniable, roller derby has never been accepted as a “real” sport. Michella M. Marino, herself a former skater, tackles the history of a sport that has long been a cultural mainstay for one reason both utterly simple and infinitely complex: roller derby has always been coed. Richly illustrated and drawing on oral histories, archival materials, media coverage, and personal experiences, Roller Derby is the first comprehensive history of this cultural phenomenon, one enjoyed by millions yet spurned by mainstream gatekeepers. Amid the social constraints of the mid-twentieth century, roller derby’s emphasis on gender equality attracted male and female athletes alike, producing gender relations and gender politics unlike those of traditional sex-segregated sports. In an enlightening feminist critique, Marino considers how the promotion of pregnancy and motherhood by roller derby management has simultaneously challenged and conformed to social norms. Finally, Marino assesses the sport’s present and future after its resurgence in the 2000s.

This title introduces young sports fans to roller derby, introducing the sport's history, rules, equipment, and why more and more athletes love playing it. The title features informative sidebars, exciting photos, a glossary, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

A complete introduction to the exciting world of roller derby including how to play the game, strategy, training, fitness and nutrition. Roller derby is a unique, fast-paced, female-dominated sport that is taking the world by storm. It originated in the USA in the 1930s but it is the revival that began in 2001 that has inspired this new book. Roller derby has become one of the world's fastest-growing new sports and there are now more than 1000 leagues worldwide - in the USA, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Latin America and Asia - with new adherents coming to the sport all the time. As the popularity of roller derby has grown, the demand for information about the sport and how to play it has grown too. As leagues become more experienced, and players more advance, tactics and game play have grown in sophistication. There are many online forums and social networking sites devoted to training, tactics, fitness and nutrition, but up till now, no single source which gathered all the information together. Chapters include: - An introduction to the game, its history and rules - How to play the game - strategy and tactics - Fitness requirements - strength, endurance, and plyometric exercises for balance - Training - practical training programmes both on and off skates - Nutrition - what to eat before and after training, meal suggestions and supplement - The female athlete - specific training advice for women - Profiles of well-known roller derby players who share their top tips in all the above categories The introduction has been written by Suzy Hotrod, one of roller derby's most renowned players and there is plentiful advice from many of the sports leading players.

It was the 1950s, a time of gray uniformity and the company man. Young women were supposed to get married, take care of the cleaning and cooking, and raise children. But Lottie Zimmerman wanted more. The awkward tomboy had dreamed of becoming a force in Roller Derby, an increasingly popular televised sport where hair-pulling, raucous brawls, and chaotic spills often took center stage over lightning-fast runs and breath-taking maneuvers around a sharply banked track. Together with her gal pals, Elsie and Rebecca, enter a rarified world of big-time legends, battles in motion, and competitive grudges, overcoming obstacles that had left many women of the era feeling envious and frustrated. As they worked their way up through the professional ranks, they rode the roller-coaster of impact and mayhem - both on and off the track. Eventually, they learned what it took to reach the highest, and were soon reveling in the cheers of countless fans. And yet, while the action on wheels attracted audiences in the millions, much of this post-war adventure remained hidden from view. Part high-speed action, bruising contact and modern-day showmanship, and part female comradery, innovation, and survival, Roller Babes is the story of an era that now seems fresher than ever.

This book will help you to achieve your full potential in roller derby and in life! Mental toughness training uses psychological principles to improve an athlete's performance. An athlete's performance is at least 60% psychological. Some experts say mental toughness skills factor in even more! The Mental Toughness Guide: Roller Derby contains both theory and hands-on activities so you can begin to apply these skills right away. Some of the mental toughness skills you will learn are energy management, self-awareness, using imagery, sportsmanship, distraction control, negative thought-stopping, goal setting, relaxation training, and character development. This book will help you to maximize motivation, return after an injury, defeat self-doubts, create confidence, decrease anxiety, increase focus, prevent burnout, and lots more!

Since 1935, roller derby has thrilled fans and skaters with its constant action, hard hits, and edgy attitude. However, though its participants’ athleticism is undeniable, roller derby has never been accepted as a “real” sport. Michella M. Marino, herself a former skater, tackles the history of a sport that has long been a cultural mainstay for one reason both utterly simple and infinitely complex: roller derby has always been coed. Richly illustrated and drawing on oral histories, archival materials, media coverage, and personal experiences, Roller Derby is the first comprehensive history of this cultural phenomenon, one enjoyed by millions yet spurned by mainstream gatekeepers. Amid the social constraints of the mid-twentieth century, roller derby’s emphasis on gender equality attracted male and female athletes alike, producing gender relations and gender politics unlike those of traditional sex-segregated sports. In an enlightening feminist critique, Marino considers how the promotion of pregnancy and motherhood by roller derby management has simultaneously challenged and conformed to social norms. Finally, Marino assesses the sport’s present and future after its resurgence in the 2000s.

This book explores seriousness in practice in the unique sports context of contemporary women's flat track roller derby. The author presents a stimulating argument for a sociology of seriousness as a productive contribution to understandings of gender, organization and the mid-ranges of agency between dichotomies of voluntarism and determinism.