Smiles and Skates: A Guide to Rolling With Confidence

Alex Daviscourt is a roller derby player for the local league called the Bellingham Roller Betties. She has been skating and playing derby since eighth grade. Daviscourt got into skating because she enjoyed the social aspect of going to the roller rink every week as a kid. Her favorite thing about roller derby is traveling to places like Alaska and Utah to play against other teams. Daviscourt’s skating expertise is why she was chosen to be the model for this illustrative guide to roller skating.

By: Xander Johnson

Photos by: Elsa Aitchison

Select the Right Skates: It is important for your skates to fit you properly. They should fit snugly because a pair of loose skates could cause you to wobble. Finding the right pair of skates when you’re just starting out can be difficult, especially with rental skates.

Gear Up: Wear knee pads, wrist guards, elbow pads and a helmet to protect yourself from injuries, especially while you’re still learning. If you decide to play roller derby, a mouthguard should also be worn because it is a full-contact sport.

Find Your Skating Spot: There are plenty of places to skate. You can try skating at a roller rink, outside on smooth pavement, or even at a skatepark if you’re looking for a challenge.

Bend Your Knees: With your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees. You should be leaning slightly forward. You’re bound to fall a few times while you’re still learning, and this stance should help with your balance.

Fall Safely: Nobody wants to fall, but when you do, it should always be in a forward direction. Falling backward could bruise your tailbone, or worse, cause a spinal injury or concussion. It is also important to keep your body compact when falling because being sprawled out on the ground could cause another skater to run over you.

Basic Motions: To get moving, use your legs to put downward pressure on the wheels. Move your feet back and slightly to the side in a stride-like motion. You can increase the power and frequency of your strides to gain more momentum.

Slowing Down and Stopping: Before stopping, make sure your knees are still bent and you’re still leaning forward. Position one foot ahead of the other. Lift the back foot, then push downward with the toe of that foot. This should slow you down. If you push hard enough, it will also stop you completely. There are other methods for stopping, but this one is useful for beginners.

Advanced Techniques: Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can begin trying more advanced maneuvers like crossover turns. To do a crossover turn, cross one foot over the other and use it to push off in the direction you’re turning. Crossovers help you gain speed when turning corners rather than losing it.

Find the Type of Skating Right For You: In Daviscourt’s case, she ended up playing roller derby. Dance/jam skating and roller hockey are other avenues you could go down instead. You can also skate simply for leisure too!

Practice Regularly: Like with any skill, practice makes perfect. Keep at it, and you’ll see improvement.