Shasta Roller Derby hosts recruitment night for new skaters

Shasta Roller Derby will open its next entry point for first-time skaters Friday, August 7 at 6:00 p.m. at Fratelli’s Pizza Parlor in Redding. The league is pitching the night directly to people who are curious but unsure they are ready, asking on its bootcamp page, “Thinking about joining roller derby, but not sure if you’re ready?”

The invitation is built to lower the usual barriers that keep newcomers away from derby. Shasta says it is actively recruiting new skaters in 2026 and asks interested participants to join a waitlist and follow the league on social media for more details. At Fratelli’s, prospective skaters should expect a low-pressure introduction to how the league works, what the season looks like, and what gear and bootcamp preparation may be needed before any full commitment.

Shasta’s recruitment push is not limited to skaters. Its skating-officials page says the league is always in need of skating officials and makes the offer plain: “No skating experience? No worries! We’ll train you on the rules, skating skills, and everything you…” The volunteer page also frames help off the track as part of the draw, calling volunteering a “fun, fast-paced way to support local sports, connect with your community, and be part of something powerful.” That mix of skater, official and volunteer recruiting gives the league a broader path to fill out game nights and keep its operations moving.

The league describes itself as a skater-run, full-contact, flat track roller derby league based in Shasta County. It says it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, WFTDA-affiliated, and has been operating since 2010, with a mission that promotes women’s flat track roller derby, community empowerment, athleticism and service. Those details matter because a night like this is not just about adding bodies to a roster. It is about keeping a volunteer-driven sports organization staffed enough to train newcomers, field officials and support the events that make a season possible.

That need becomes clearer in Shasta’s 2026 calendar. The league has already listed its season opener, “Love Hurts,” against North Bay Derby for Saturday, February 21 at the Shasta District Fairgrounds in Anderson. Doors are set for 4:30 p.m., the game starts at 5:30 p.m., pre-sale tickets are $10, door tickets are $12, and veterans plus kids 12 and under get in free. The league’s longstanding challenge is familiar to skater Amanda Harter, who goes by Swift D. Mize: derby still sparks “the inevitable flood of follow-up questions” because “everyone kind of has preconceived notions about roller derby.” Recruitment night gives Shasta a direct way to answer those questions before the next whistle blows.