Junior roller derby teams from across US gather in Waco

More than 150 junior roller derby athletes turned Skate Waco Bellmead into a crowded proving ground June 27-28, as the Battle of the B-Sides Tournament brought teams from Denver, Philadelphia, Columbia, South Carolina, and Round Rock into Central Texas. The scale made the weekend look less like a local bout and more like a full junior circuit stop, with skaters getting interstate competition and the kind of game reps that shape the next wave of derby talent.

Rockin’ City Junior Roller Derby billed the event as its second annual Invitational B-team Champs tournament, and the field reflected that reach. Philly Roller Derby Juniors, Columbia Killer B’s, Denver Junior Roller Derby, and Rockin’ City’s own Rebels were among the teams on the floor, while the schedule also included a Level 2 mashup and an adult skaters mashup featuring local and visiting Legacy JRDA skaters. That mix gave younger competitors extra track time in front of varied opponents, while also letting officials and organizers manage a larger, more demanding tournament format.

The competition fit squarely into Rockin’ City’s model. The league describes itself as volunteer-run, inclusive, and open to skaters ages 8-17, a structure that puts development at the center of the program. The Junior Roller Derby Association says it works with junior leagues across the United States to develop the youth version of the sport and also collaborates internationally, which gives tournaments like this one more weight than a standalone weekend schedule. They are part of a broader system that teaches game play, safety, teamwork, and the responsibilities that come with organized junior sport.

Skate Waco provided the setting. Skate Waco, Inc. includes Skate World in Waco and Skate Country in Bellmead, and the company says it has been serving Central Texas since 1996. Skate World was first leased by Charlie and Linda Lucas in 1993 and later purchased in 2014, part of a family skating operation that describes itself as the Waco area’s only locally owned family entertainment business. Skate Country sits at 500 N. Loop 340 in Bellmead, while Skate World is at 401 Towne Oaks Dr. in Waco, a two-rink footprint that makes the area a natural host for junior derby travel.

The tournament also sat inside a busy Rockin’ City 2026 calendar that includes a Boots & Bruises tournament in Dripping Springs and a Summer Smash tournament in Austin. For the junior game, the Bellmead stop was another step in a season built on travel, repetition, and bigger fields, where every bout helps build the next generation of skaters, officials, and fans.