The Estevan junior Roller Derby team, built on team chemistry and learned the mental aspects of the sport during a retreat at Metochos Lutheran Bible Camp on March 27 and 28.
Twenty-four girls from ages nine to 16 participated in the retreat.
“Before we start our season, we’re trying to get prepared by learning the rules, learning the idea of sportsmanship and fair play, and also, how to build our self-esteem …to have a really positive season,” coach Lorelei Lachambre said.
Throughout the weekend, the team focused on off-skate training. Also, it was an opportunity to go more in depth on the rules of the sport, and to learn some strategies to play with.
Lachambre added, that the retreat allowed the girls to bond as a team, and to get to know each other more.
“A lot of these girls do not know each other because it’s such a wide age range,” she said.
The team started practicing at the Trinity Lutheran Church for the upcoming season in February. They have been learning the basics, since the facility is not big enough to play an actual game.
“We’ve been teaching them how to skate, stop and fall, and just build up some agility and speed on roller skates,” Lachambre said.
When the ice is taken out of the Power Dodge Curling Centre and the Icon Centre the team will start practicing in those two rinks.
This is the second year of the junior roller derby team and the team has doubled from last year.
“We’re super excited (for this year), because we have about half returning skaters and half new skaters, so we got some old blood and new blood mixed together,” Lachambre said.
Once the roller derby season starts, the team will be divided into two groups based on skating ability, instead of age category.
The team’s first game of this season is on May 9 and 10 in Estevan.
The season continues until the end of June. After the summer months they play a few more games in September, before the ice goes back in the rinks.
