FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Click on a Question to jump to the Answer:

Q: Is Roller Derby really real? Isn't it all just choreographed?

Q: I would love to play Roller Derby, but I am not very strong/big/tough, etc. Can smaller/weaker/meeker gals be Bomber Girls too?

Q: Aren't there a lot of injuries?

Q: How do I become a Bradentucky Bomber?

Q: How do I become a Referee?

Q: Do I need to know how to skate to join the league?

Q: I'd love to participate in Roller Derby but I don't skate at all. Are there any non-skating league positions?

Q: When and how long does your season run?

Q: Where can I buy tickets?

Q: How can I advertise in one of your cool Bout programs?

Q: How can I become a Bomber Sponsor?

Q: Is Roller Derby really real? Isn't it all just choreographed?

A: This is probably our most frequently asked question and yes, it's real, alright. Very real!

Sure, there's a lot of showmanship that goes on, especially during an intra-league game, where we are playing against our own league mates and maybe showing off a little bit. Sure, some of the shouting and shoving may get a bit dramatic at times, since we are, after all, skating against our Derby sisters, but, no, nothing is choreographed, especially not the Bout itself. And, Derby sisters or not, tempers do flare and, on occasion, fights do happen. Let's face it, sometimes it's a little hard to take when one of your best pals turns you into "roller-rink roadkill."

Now, on the other hand, playing against another league is about as real as Derby gets. Inter-league Bouts are typically much more, shall we say, "aggressive", and since we don't meet with, or practice with, the other leagues ahead of time, there simply is no way to choreograph anything!
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Q: I would love to play Roller Derby, but I am not very strong/big/tough, etc. Can smaller/weaker/meeker gals be Bomber Girls too?

A: You betcha! Two of the coolest things about Derby are 1) the diversity of the skaters, and 2) for a number of hours every week, you get to live out that secret alter-ego we all have inside of us.

Our skaters range in age from 18 to 40+, and many of us have kids. Sure, many of us have tattoos, and some of us might look as if we could beat up most guys, but outside of the rink without our Derby wear on, you would probably never guess that we could play Roller Derby and survive. And, of course, big or small, young or old, tattooed or not, all of us have our strengths and weaknesses on the rink.

Derby is not just about size. It's about skating skill, predicting the other skater's movements, and working together as a team, and there's plenty of room for smaller stature gals in Derby. For example, our smaller gals might not be able to block as hard, but they learn to be quick. Very quick! Many make good jammers and pivots and they can easily get in your way and be a true thorn in your side during a Bout. Plus, they can get lower than the bigger girls, making it a lot more difficult for someone to hit them, too!

As far as being tough enough? Being a Bomber Girl is truly a state of mind. It's all about attitude. Some of us who normally avoid confrontation in our outside lives have no problem transforming into tough-as-nails skaters on the rink floor because Derby rules allow for aggression, and your Derby sisters welcome it because, hey, it's Derby.
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Q: Aren't there a lot of injuries?

A: Like any sport, we have injuries, and because Derby is a "full-contact" sport, we may have a few more than say, softball players or runners. However, to minimize the damage, we train our skaters to hit, take hits, and, most of all, fall safely.

Most of our injuries are minor — a few bruises and maybe some "fishnet burns" (aka "rink rash"), which most Bomber Girls wear with pride. Just ask some of us to show you our scrapes or bruises sometime. And, typically, you only have to fall on your butt and tailbone once to learn never to skate out of proper stance again.

Of course, every once in a great while, we have occasionally had our share of slightly more serious knee, ankle or shoulder injuries that have taken a few weeks, or even a few months, to heal, but for most Bomber Girls, the worst thing about those injuries is not the injury itself, but not being able to skate for a while!!

So, bottom line, don't worry about it — no one's ever died playing Roller Derby... yet!
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Q: How do I become a Bradentucky Bomber?

A: For the full scoop on how to become a Bomber, click right HERE to visit our "Join Us" page.
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Q: How do I become a Referee?

A: We always need guys (and gals) to be "Refs," so, if you have what it takes to make sense of the details of what looks to most people like a bar-room brawl on wheels, send an email to Info@BradentuckyBombers.org for all the juicy details.
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Q: Do I need to know how to skate to join the league?

A: If your skating ability is really rusty, or pretty-much non-existent, then you must first learn to be comfortable moving yourself around the rink floor. Then, once you feel confident just being able to stay up on 8 wheels, you can start to practice with us.

However, until we feel you are skilled enough to not hurt yourself or anyone else, you won't be able to participate in too many drills at practice, but you can still work independently on your skills during this time. Then, once you're ready, you can start practicing with us "for real," and start learning the sport of Derby.
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Q: I'd love to participate in Roller Derby but I don't skate at all. Are there any non-skating league positions?

A: You betcha! For our Home Bouts, we need Scorekeepers, Penalty Box Guards and Statisticians, and these fun positions are right up close to all the action, too! We also always need Bomber Volunteers to pass out programs, help sell merchandise and various other fun tasks during our Home Bouts, too. And, best of all, volunteers get into the Bouts free of charge, of course, so, if you would like to join the ranks of our proud Bomber Volunteers, send an email to: Volunteers@BradentuckyBombers.org for all the juicy details.
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Q: When, and how long, does your season run?

A: Well, for example, our 2006-07 season kicked off with an Exhibition Bout in Nov. 2006 and ran through July 2007. In that time we had six Home Bouts and one Away Bout.

We post all schedule info right here on this website as soon as it's available, so, check out our Events page to find out the latest schedule info.
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Q: Where can I buy tickets?

A: Check out our Tickets page for more info, but generally, tickets can be purchased directly from any of our Bomber Girls (our favorite way — we love to meet our fans), or at the following locations:

Florida Wheels Skating Center - 3611 3rd St. W. - Bradenton - 941-747-8602

V-Town Surf & Skate II - 1900 Main St. - Sarasota - 941-955-9800
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Q: How can I advertise in one of your cool Bout programs?

A: We hand out well over 300+ programs to dedicated Derby fans at each and every Home Bout, and if you'd like to reach that audience, we have advertising space available for you in affordable full-page, half-page, quarter-page and business-card-size ads, too.

So, if you'd like to reach our legions of dedicated Derby fans with your products or services, check out our Advertising page, and then send an email to Info@BradentuckyBombers.org to get the rates and a cool Bradentucky Bombers Advertising Info Package!
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Q: How can I become a Bomber Sponsor?

A: The Bradentucky Bombers represent an excellent opportunity for your business or organization to reach out to a highly diverse market in a unique and meaningful way.

And, it's also an excellent opportunity for you to support a local team of an All-American sport in its infancy, and to help put our beloved Bradenton on the National Roller Derby map, too!

So, if you'd like to be one of our Bomber Sponsor heroes, check out our Sponsor Us page, and then send an email to: Sponsors@BradentuckyBombers.org, and we'll get right back to you with all the juicy details!
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