Bellmead hosts junior derby showcase with 150 skaters at Battle of the B-Side

More than 150 youth skaters filled Skate Waco Bellmead for Battle of the B-Side, turning the Bellmead rink into a crowded junior derby weekend with teams traveling in from Denver, Philadelphia, Columbia, South Carolina, and Round Rock. Rockin’ City Junior Roller Derby framed the two-day event on June 27-28, 2026, as its second annual Invitational “B-team Champs” tournament, and the scale gave it the feel of a major development stop rather than a one-off bout.

The field included Philly Roller Derby Juniors, Columbia Killer B’s, Denver Junior Roller Derby and the home team Rockin’ City Rebels, creating matchups that pushed skaters beyond familiar opponents. That mattered in a format built around growth as much as results. Different programs brought different pacing, blocking habits and jammer reads, giving young skaters a chance to face styles they would not see inside a single local league schedule.

Battle of the B-Side also leaned into the broader structure of junior derby. Rockin’ City Junior Roller Derby describes itself as an inclusive league for skaters ages 8 to 17, and the tournament weekend reflected that age span with extra skating opportunities built into the program. The event included mashups for Level 2 skaters on Saturday afternoon and an evening mashup that matched some Texas adult skaters against local and visiting Legacy JRDA skaters, widening the weekend’s competitive footprint beyond the headline B-team field.

The tournament also highlighted how the Junior Roller Derby Association keeps that pipeline organized. JRDA works with junior leagues in the United States to develop the sport for youth and collaborates internationally, and its charter rules allow up to 20 players on a team while requiring at least eight active chartered skaters for a sanctioned game. That framework helps explain why a weekend with 150-plus skaters can function as a serious competitive showcase, with enough roster depth to sustain multiple games, mashups and developmental reps.

For Bellmead, the host role brought more than a bracket. Skate Waco said it has been part of the Waco sports and entertainment community since 1996 and operates Skate World Waco and Skate Country Bellmead, with the Bellmead rink located at 500 N. Loop 340. Hosting a junior derby field of this size put that long-running venue in the center of a sport that is still building through family travel, league support and the next wave of skaters coming up behind the adult ranks.