Junior Roller Derby Association UK join WSA as Full Member 

Junior Roller Derby Association UK join WSA as Full Member 

The Welsh Sports Association (WSA) is delighted to welcome the Junior Roller Derby Association UK (JRDA UK) to the membership base as a Full Member. 

Originating in the United States, where it is still most popular globally, flat-track Roller Derby is a dynamic contact sport played on quad roller-skates on oval track. Often likened to “rugby on skates, but without a ball,” the game is divided into 2-minute periods known as “jams,” where skaters aim to score points by lapping opponents. It’s a unique blend of strategy and physicality, where offense and defence are executed simultaneously. 

Junior roller derby, tailored for children and adolescents up to 18 years old, incorporates both modified-contact, termed “positional blocking,” and full-contact elements, to facilitate safety across multiple age and skill groups. 

Three Junior Roller Derby World Cups have taken place to date, with the latest happening in France during the summer of 2023. Unfortunately, the 2021 event in Canada was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the anticipation is high for the upcoming one scheduled for Brisbane, Australia, in the late summer of 2025. 

In the UK, JRDA UK provides oversight and governance for the sport, offering Junior Roller Derby leagues from all four home nations the chance to become federated JRDA members. They also provide practical guidance for the formation and operation of new leagues. 

Joining the WSA as a Full Member, the JRDA UK will look to make use of the WSA’s DBS checking service and First Aid for Sport training course, as well as partner offers for insurance and travel.  

JRDA UK Chair, Thomas Pritchard, expressed his enthusiasm, stating:  

“JRDA UK are delighted to become members of the WSA. As part of our mission, we aim to grow the sport across the United Kingdom while also ensuring that our leagues have access to top-class sports-related services and guidance. The expert resources offered by WSA will go a long way to helping us achieve that aim, and we look forward to our future working alongside each other.”