Meet the Roller Birds representing Liverpool in the fast-paced world of roller derby

It comes with thrills and a few inevitable spills, but there’s no question that roller derby is one of the most fast-paced exhilarating sports there is.

And, like most sports, it’s something Liverpool excels at!

Roller Birds is the city’s first and only roller derby league, competing in tournaments across the UK, Ireland and in Europe.

Started back in 2009, Liverpool Roller Birds has grown to around 80 members and three teams competing at different levels.

Skaters train twice a week at Greenbank Sports Academy near Greenbank Park in south Liverpool and the league prides itself on its inclusivity.

Member Liz Ellis said:

“Every age and size has a place in roller derby. A bigger skater can do something different than a smaller slighter skater, so there are a lot of different roles and a place for anyone.

“It doesn’t necessarily require a huge amount of physical strength – you can be tactically intelligent and have an advantage over someone who might be much bigger than you.

“And we have opportunities on and off the track because we offer non-skating roles as well. If you don’t want to be a contact skater, you can still get involved as a referee or an official which we provide training for.”

Roller Birds skaters range from late teens to 50s, and Liz says although some do have experience when they arrive, no prior skills are needed for anyone wanting to join.

“Some people haven’t skated since they were children, so we have to teach them from the ground up which is amazing because one minute you’re seeing them falling over and struggling to stand up and the next thing they’re coming to play with you in the B team.

“It’s great to see that progression and our coaches are really good at teaching people to skate but also building that confidence and strength in people to trust themselves and give things a go. 

“Because we’re the Birds, we have our Hatchies programme for new skaters where we’ll teach people from scratch. We’ll lend them all the equipment that’s needed including protective gear like knee, elbow and wrist pads and helmets, then they can decide if they want to carry on and get their own.

“Our Hatchies sessions are on Saturday morning and people either want to just learn to skate or they progress to roller derby. Usually once people get the bug and they realise a contact sport isn’t as bad as it sounds they get really passionate and involved in it.”

Liz accepts that the idea of ‘full contact’ can be off-putting, but in practice it’s far less daunting than it seems and there are upsides to the physicality.

“You can expect a few bumps and bruises but because you build up to it, you build in a resilience to it as well – we start off learning how to land safely and you quickly realise you have all this safety equipment to protect you so it’s not as scary as it might first look. 

“I find that when I’m on track with roller derby I’m not only having a laugh and enjoying myself, it’s also an outlet, physically and emotionally. If I arrive in a bad mood, I leave feeling invigorated because I’ve had a chance to talk to friends and I’ve let it all go on the track so there’s a physical release.”

Liverpool Roller Birds play all year, except for one month off around Christmas and one in summer. Their next game will be in February and they’ve just had this year’s first Skate Intake session.

New recruits are always welcome, and Liz – who joined four years ago after getting skates in lockdown – says she can thoroughly recommend it.

“You can feel safe and at ease with yourself, you don’t have to worry about what you look like or what people think of you because whatever you bring will translate in some form or other within Roller Birds.

“You’re guaranteed to make friends, you’ll feel an incredible sense of community, you’ll learn a lot about yourself as a person, you’ll build strength, confidence, resilience and it’s just great fun. It’s really like going out to play with your mates!” 

Find out more about the Liverpool Roller Birds here.

Find more Liverpool news here.

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