Frequently Asked Questions

Naptown Roller Girls is a league of great women and men who have come together to bring flat track roller derby to Indianapolis. The refs, skaters and coach all pay membership dues to be voting members of NRG and to bring an exciting sport to our home town.
The Tornado Sirens is the competing team for the Naptown Roller Girls league. Each month our skaters strive to be the top 14 girls in the league. Those top 14 girls make up the Tornado Sirens. The roster changes monthly based on skill, attendance and attitude
All team skaters must be 19 or over, female, and have USARS insurance coverage. Men and women 19 and over can join as referees, announcers, coaches, announcers, stagehands or rink rat or help promote, fundraise, or sponsor events, bouts and practice. Contact USA Roller Sports for more information.
The Naptown Roller Girls are spending all their energy getting through their first season. We are not recruiting at this time. However, start skating now! Start working on your endurance now! We'll release information at the end of our season about recruitment for next season.
During a bout, two teams of five skaters each face off on the track. In our case, it's a flat track. Each team consists of a pivot, three blockers and a jammer. The pivot sets the pace and leads the group of skaters, and the blockers stay behind them, guarding each other in what we call "the pack." The jammers are the scoring skaters and start about 20 feet behind the pack. When the whistle blows, the pack takes off. On a second whistle, the jammers start fighting their way through the pack. When the first jammer makes it through the pack legally, she's designated the "lead jammer" and the jam officially begins. The jammers must lap the pack once before sprinting through the pack to score points by passing members of the opposing team. A jam lasts a maximum of two minutes, but the lead jammer has the right to call off the jam by putting her hands on her waist. The rest of the team tries to stop the opposing jammer from passing them and scoring. At the same time, they knock around the opposing team's blockers to help their jammer score.
It's not if you get hurt, it's when you get hurt! Pulled muscles, sprains, strains, bruises, and broken bones will happen. This is why protective gear is required. We will also train, stretch and practice falling to help reduce injuries and their severity. To reduce skaters' out of pocket costs, all skaters (Rollergirls and Referees) are required to maintain $35/year USARS Insurance. If you don't have insurance through your employer, this plan will cover catastrophic injuries like broken arms. It picks up where primary insurance stops. If you have no primary insurance, the USARS will act as that, though there is a $2,000 deductible. USARS, however, only protects you at the official practice space and bout space. We've found some affordable individual plans through reputable insurance companies for as little as $30 a month. You will get hurt in Roller Derby, so common sense says it's wise to have health insurance. Research individual health insurance costs: www.bcbsks.com, www.insurance.com and www.healthinsurancefinders.com
Practice, meetings, fundraising, bouts, promoting, and planning for NRG will take a considerable time commitment. The more people we can get involved in NRG the less that will be required from each team member. To be a rollergirl you will need to skate at least twice a week, be active on a committee and assist with public events. It will also be tons of fun!
The biggest expense will be for your equipment and dues. You'll need: protective gear, skates, a uniform, and other incidentals. NRG will hold fundraising events to help pay for rink expenses, advertising, and admin costs. Eventually, we hope to defer the costs of uniforms, equipment, insurance, and the ultimate goal - our own venue!
The first thing you'll need is protective gear; a skate helmet, wrist, elbow, mouth guards and knee pads are required for practice and bouts. Tailbone and hip pads are also highly recommended. It makes good sense to avoid and reduce the severity of as many injuries as possible. Once you've decided that roller derby is really for you, you'll want to invest in a good pair of speed skates, which will run $80 - $150. Once you're hooked, you'll find the cheaper skates will slow you down, and make skating harder. In the very beginning at open skate sessions you'll be able to rent skates at the rink.
No. Roller Derby is a real sport, just like hockey, rugby or soccer. Just like those sports, you can really get hurt. Also, as in wrestling, the fun, competitive, and aggressive nature of the sport lends itself well to rink side theatrics and drama that has nothing to do with the sport. This just adds to the fun and spectacle that is Roller Derby!!
No. The smaller girls are generally speaking the faster girls and are usually placed in the jammer position as team scorers. They are squirrelly, quick, and easy to whip around the rink, and generally fall down less, since they have a lower center of gravity.
No. Big girls are hard to push around and make for great blockers. Skating on a Roller Derby team will most likely get you in the best shape of your life!
Nope. A lot of us had not been on skates for years. We will all start out at different skill levels, but with a lot of practice we created a great Roller Derby team that matches any of the already established teams. Before you decide you want to be a roller girl we ask that you work on getting your skate legs under you at many of the open skating sessions around Indianapolis. Try outs will be here before you know it!
Like we stated before, we are not recruiting at this time. However, we would love to meet you before summer tryouts. Join our website forum at naptownrollergirls.com/boards to get information on meetings, skate sessions, gear, promotional events and practices. If you want to tryout to be an NRG Rollergirl after our season you will need to:

1. Photocopy of valid ID & insurance card
2. Sign legal waivers and complete info sheets
3. Attend 60% of practice sessions, meetings and public events
4. Pay monthly membership dues of $20
5. Bear the expense of all personal equipment, practice fees, uniforms, dues.
6. Understand and accept the inherient risks of playing in the league as per the waivers
7. Understand and accept the time involved to be part of the league

Support staff and volunteers are required to complete info sheets and legal waivers.
Join a committee by contacting the chair of the committee. The committee heads may be reached through our online forum.
Yes. It's important to us that all skaters are totally involved with all aspects of NRG.
When you are ready to commit to our league, you can begin to pay dues. Dues are currently set at $20 per month. Dues must be paid at the first practice of each month or via pay pal prior to the first practice. Contact our finance chair, Sweet C, via the forum if you need more info.
Your $20 per month will pay for the rental of practice space each month, website hosting, practice and bout equipment, NRG club insurance, legal fees, bout rental space - the list of expenses is endless!
Once you decide on your super cool name, check the national roster to make sure no one else has the name or a name close to the name you want. If someone has a name close to yours - contact the rollergirl or ref from their league (find a contacts sheet in the Excel file on the roller_girls yahoo group) to see if they are okay with your similar name (example: Rainbow Fright/Rainbow Fight). If no one has the name you want or you have written permission to use a similar name - email our database queen: Sweet C at callieneed at hotmail.com. Sweet C collects the names and once we have a substantial amount she forwards them on to the national list. Please, DO NOT email your name to the national list on your own. This causes MUCH added stress to the ladies that keep that list updated. Also, your name will only be submitted after you have attended three practices and paid your dues.
Updated August 27th, 2006
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