A local youth sports team is opening the door for LGBTQ+ youth in athletics, and they are doing it on wheels.
When parents start considering which after-school program to enroll their kids in this year, barreling down a roller-rink at 25+ miles an hour might not seem like a natural fit - but the nearly dozen kids ages five to 17, along with their coaches and parents on the SLOCO Junior Roller Derby team, might disagree.
From weekly practices to community skates to regional competitions, or bouts in Roller Derby slang, the SLOCO Junior Roller Derby (SLOCOJRD) has been fostering a love for skating amongst youth and families on the Central Coast since 2013.
With no skill requirements, the team strives to meet all kids where they are at and foster confidence, leadership skills (and some skating skills) in a fun and empowering way.
For Candice Hubbard, Death Valerie’s parent and SLOCOJRD Board President, stepping into Roller Derby was a brand new adventure.
The Atascadero family had no idea what to expect when Death Valerie asked to join the team. But years later, as her daughter leads the team as a Junior Captain, Hubbard said the experience has been invaluable.
“I love having my daughter involved. She has gained so much confidence because she has been given the chance to gain the skills and taught to be a leader,” she said.
Hubbard said it’s the “off-the-rink” magic that’s really made her a fan of Roller Derby.
SLOCOJRD welcomes youth of all genders, sexualities, walks of life and socio-economic status and coaches, skaters and parents believe wholeheartedly that the inclusivity is why the team feels so special.
While inclusivity has long-been associated with the Roller Derby Community, for SLOCOJRD, it starts with coaches like Kilith (a derby name mash-up of the mythological goddess “Lilith” and a personal love of murder mysteries) - who has been a part of the Roller Derby team for seven years.
“Outside of the track, on the track, [our kids] are fully accepted for who they are, what they’re going through, what they’re feeling.” Lilith said. “We try to give them the space to explore themselves in a safe, protective community.”
Part of creating a protective community has intentionally opening doors to LGBTQ+ youth who want to play sports.
According to the Trevor Project, LGBTQ+ youth who feel their gender and sexual orientation were accepted by at least one adult in their lives are significantly less likely to attempt suicide than youth who don’t feel accepted.
Creating accepting spaces for LGBTQ+ youth can be lifesaving.
According to the California Healthy Kids Survey, between 2019 and 2021 more than 60 percent of transgender students in San Luis Obispo County seriously considered attempting suicide, compared to just 17% of their cisgender peers.
In that same survey, nearly 26% of local transgender youth said they don’t think there are any adults in their life who care about them.
As a parent, Hubbard said the person-first care that youth experience at SLOCOJRD is the root of why so many skaters love their program.
“I know we have had skaters say this is their safe zone. This is where they’re thriving in their current space, and they need this space. They need coaches who are watching out for them.”
As for how being an open and accepting team impacts the skaters: Death Valerie, who is 12 and a junior captain this year, said inclusivity makes it more fun.
“I think it’s really cool being on an inclusive team because there’s different genders, there’s different pronouns, there’s different everything,” she said. “It’s just like you get to learn a bunch of stuff about people, you get to meet new people and it’s really fun.”
Kilith said a lot of skaters stay with SLOCOJRD for years, and one of the best parts about being a coach is watching how they grow.
When asked why they love roller derby, every skater at the SLOCOJRD practice at Santa Rosa Park talked about their confidence and the friends and community they’ve been able to make while on the team.
“My favorite things about my teammates are they’re kind and funny and the community is the same,” said Raging River-O-Death.
“[Roller Derby] boosted my confidence and being able to talk to people,” said YOU. “The most fun isn’t actually skating but getting to connect with the other skaters and learning about them and having fun with them.”
“I love Roller Derby because of the family aspect of it, because it’s like everybody on the team is your family and it’s like this one ginormous family,” said Death Valerie.
While there is a lot of cross-over with the LGBTQ+ community, Hubbard said SLOCOJRD exists to make skating accessible to all youth, which can also mean financial help getting started.
Keeping their doors open often means covering registration costs, uniforms and equipment to families who need it, which in combination with space rentals, can get expensive. That’s why Hubbard is looking to the community for support.
“We will never close our doors to youth who want to be involved,” she said. “Let families know that they won’t be turned away because they can’t afford the registration or skates or uniform. We will make sure they get what they need.”
Community members can help to support SLOCOJRD’s mission through their sponsorship program or at SLOCOJuniorRollerDerby.org or by attending their community Skate-A-Thon and open skate April 21st at Santa Rosa Park.
Hubbard and the coaches said they want to see everyone come out to the community skate, to see what Roller Derby is about and see the skaters do what they love. Attendance is open to anyone interested and the team is taking donations ahead of the event at @slocord.
While skaters, coaches and parents all agreed that the community and life-skills that come with the Roller Derby community are irreplaceable, some skaters are still there for the fun.
“I like roller skating, going fast and getting in people’s ways,” said Flaming Mocci.
