About Tampere Roller Derby
TRD was founded in 2009 and continues to grow fast. We are a skater-owned and operated non-profit organization. Our league consists of travel teams Tampere Roller Derby All-Stars and Tampere Howlin’ Rolls, recreational team Combat Wombats and officials from referees to non-skating officials.
TRD competes at the highest national level in the Finnish Roller Derby Championships. TRD’s travel teams and experienced officials also tour internationally on a regular basis.
Tampere Roller Derby is a member of the Finnish Speed Skating Association, HLU, and Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).
We are DIY league, and this is why every member helps out in running the league. Our league comprises of a board and teams and individuals with designated tasks and duties.
We currently communicate mainly using WhatsApp groups. You’ll be automatically added to them after paying our membership fees.
What is roller derby?
Roller Derby is a full contact team sport that originated in the U.S. In Finland, modern roller derby is played on a flat track with quad roller skates. Other compulsory safety gear include knee, elbow, wrist and mouth guards, and a helmet.
Modern roller derby is a fast-paced and strategic sport with a fast-growing fan and member base. There are currently around 20 roller derby leagues in Finland and the sport has its own national team and a national series.
TRD wants to offer a safe and meaningful space to train, evolve and thrive – for everyone. We do not tolerate any bullying, racism, or homo- or transphobia in TRD. We respect our members’ diversity and treat it as an asset.
SKATER?
To skate with us, you must be at least 18 years old. This is a full-contact sport with a risk of injury, so we also require our skaters to have an insurance that covers roller derby. When you join TRD, you can buy your license and insurance from the national skating association (Luisteluliitto). A license is compulsory for all skaters who take part in competitions.
You can take part in our on skating training sessions after completing the beginners’ course. You’ll learn the basics of skating and derby during the course, no prior skating experience or a background in sports is required. You don’t have to master the sport after the course, you’ll keep on training at our rec level practices.
When you’re ready with your basic derby skills (skating skills, agility, endurance) and knowledge (rules of the sport), you can apply to our travels teams and take part in full-contact games.
Our travel teams play official games (bouts) and scrimmages with other Finnish and international leagues. We pay for our uniforms and travel costs ourselves. You can also take part in our rec level training sessions.
REFEREE?
TRD’s referees are free to take part in our league’s scrimmages and don’t have to pay the monthly training fee. Referees are also required to wear skates and safety gear. In an official game, there are seven referees with individual tasks. They keep score of points and ensure that skaters are playing by the book. TRD follows the WFTDA rule set. Most referees in Finland travel regularly to games in and outside of Finland and have a tight community.
NSO?
Non-Skating Officials are called NSOs. They officiate games and attend practices without skates and safety gear. There are several different NSO positions, like the penalty box staff, jam timer (game clock, jam starts), penalty tracker, score keeper, and so on. NSOs and referees are a vital part of TRD and we wouldn’t be able to play without them.
Derby games are action-packed and full of unexpected events. Officiating games is a world of its own and you can only learn it by doing. NSOs are also free to take part in our training sessions and games, and they pay a reduced practice fee.
PRACTICES?
We train on and off skates. Our on skates training sessions are held at Kauppi Sports Center three times a week. Our skaters mainly train with their own skill level group. Our recreational skaters, B team and A team have their own training times and sometimes we all train together. Our training sessions usually last from one hour to a couple of hours.
Our coaches are mostly travel team skaters. We keep track of everyone’s attendance and use attendance as one of the tools for making travel team charters and game rosters. You’ll get access to our calendar after joining our league.
FEES?
Our membership fee is paid once a year (50 € for 2025). Our additional practice fees are paid every month. Currently, the practice fee for skaters is 22 € per month, and 0 € for officials. Our practice fee is based on our venue costs and might go up or down depending on where and how often we have practices.