The Avalanche City Roller Girls are excited to announce the newest addition to their club, the Avalanche City bombsQUAD. The team will be Fernie’s first ever junior roller derby squad.
The bombsQUAD is a new program aimed to teach boys and girls, aged 7 to eighteen, how to skate. Kids will play a game similar to modern adult roller derby, while learning skating skills and the rules of derby. Taking inspiration from women’s roller derby, the junior program is designed to instill positive ideals in youth through a safe, fun, and positive environment. The goal is to encourage the kids to be athletic, increase their self-confidence, and foster new friendships.
17-year-old Ryley Johnston, Avalanche City’s first junior recruit, is excited and looking forward to skating with the new bombsQUAD. "Roller derby is an incredible sport,” she remarked. “It’s high energy and a great community of people. It's so much fun, I love it!”
Starting February 5, the program will run for 21 weeks, with the option to sign up for just the first 12 weeks. To develop the young players in a safe environment, bombsQUAD participants aged 12 and under will play a no contact version of the sport. Skaters aged 13 to 18 will play a modified contact game.
Since the Avalanche City Roller Girls formed just 18 months ago, the interest in roller derby in the community of Fernie has continued to grow. The team of 11 members is set to expand, with 15 new committed members ready to graduate from the ‘fresh meat’ program next week.
The roller girls will host an information night on Tuesday, December 4th at 6.00 p.m. in the Max Turyk gymnasium. Children and parents interested in the junior roller derby program are invited to come out to meet the coaches, learn about the sport, and be sized for skates and gear. For more information on the bombsQUAD visit www.fernierollerderby.com, or contact Jacqueline Fieldhouse at 250-423-1194.