Western Mass Roller Derby invites new skaters to July 19 recruitment event
Western Mass Roller Derby held a July 19 recruitment session in Moriches, pairing a new-skater push with a 15-year anniversary celebration. It also sought officials and volunteers.
Western Mass Roller Derby held a recruitment session July 19 at Rapid Fire Arena, 225 Montauk Hwy, in Moriches, NY, and sold it with a blunt message: “2026 is the year you learn to play.” The session ran from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and the league paired the open invitation with a milestone note: “Celebrating 15 years!”
The timing mattered because derby lives on new skaters, returning athletes, officials and volunteers. Western Mass Roller Derby, which identifies itself as the “Western Massachusetts Flat Track Roller Derby League,” used the event to lower the barrier for anyone curious about the track. A “Scan to Register” prompt signaled a straightforward sign-up path for people ready to skate, while the anniversary language tied first-time interest to a league history that now stretches across 15 years.
That broader recruitment pitch reached beyond skaters. The league’s website says, “We are always looking for officials and volunteers!” and adds, “If you would officiate (we will teach you) or volunteer, please email us or reach out on social media.” In a sport built around jammers, blockers and the people who keep the rules enforced on the floor, that matters as much as rookie development. Western Mass was not just looking for bodies on skates; it was filling the support roles that make bout nights and scrimmages possible.
The push also fit the way roller derby is organized nationally. The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association says starting a league is like starting a small business, and that joining an established league is usually easier than building one from scratch. WFTDA also offers beginner skater training through its “This is Roller Derby” curriculum and officiating certification resources, giving leagues like Western Mass a ready-made path for onboarding. After 15 years, the recruitment message was less about nostalgia than continuity: keep adding skaters, keep training officials, and keep the local flat-track circuit moving.
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