A Look at Roller Derby Luxembourg

In the latest in a series of articles about sports clubs in Luxembourg, Chronicle.lu had the opportunity to speak with Susi McKnight, President of Roller Derby Luxembourg, about the local roller derby club.

The focus of this series is on sports which are less often covered in the news, yet have strong links with the international community in the Grand Duchy. Some are already well-established; others are relatively new.

Chronicle.lu: Why and when was your sports club established?

Susi McKnight: Our club was founded in December 2011.

Chronicle.lu: What are some of the links your club has with the international community in Luxembourg?

Susi McKnight: We speak many languages and accept everyone into our team.

Chronicle.lu: What activities, coaching and training programmes, etc. does your club offer and who is your main target audience or age group? Do you offer different levels for beginners and experienced athletes?

Susi McKnight: Roller derby is played on quad skates. Not inline skates or similar. Roller derby is a close-contact competitive sport, so we offer roller skating lessons to those who want to join our team. We don't give private lessons. Being eighteen years old or older is the only requirement. Our club is open to everyone who wants to learn about roller derby and wants to invest their time in our club (male, female, LGBTQIA+). Our practice is for beginners (never been on skates), rookies (some experience) to full-on vets [veterans]. As of right now, we all practise together [...] and we help each other out. We travel to other countries to practise with other teams and get some more experience. We don't have a coach anymore, so we train ourselves.

Chronicle.lu: What are your club's main goals and objectives, both in terms of sports and community involvement?

Susi McKnight: For us, it is very important that the skaters feel comfortable. We are a family and we welcome everyone to join. You are who you are and you don't have to pretend. Be yourself. We would like to get more skaters, so we can expand our team and finally play games against other teams. As of right now, our numbers are very low and it's very difficult to get people interested. Many people don't know about roller derby. We want to start a "fresh meat" (that's what we call our rookie intake) boot camp in January, where we hope to get some new skaters.

Chronicle.lu: How has this sport grown in Luxembourg over the years?

Susi McKnight: It hasn't. It is an American sport and it has not grown a lot in Luxembourg. Many people don't know about roller derby. Some think it's a dancing competition, some think that it's just a fight on roller skates. We do have rules and receive penalties for not following those rules. We lost many members during COVID-19 and we have yet to recover.

Chronicle.lu: What are some of the benefits of playing this particular sport?

Susi McKnight: Roller derby is a really good workout. It strengthens pretty much all the muscles in your body, mainly your legs and upper body. It does come with bruises, but it is a real stress reliever. It is an aggressive sport and there have been injuries on the record, but all in one it's a great sport and I would recommend it 110% to everyone who needs some action.

Chronicle.lu: What events, tournaments or competitions is your club participating in or hosting in the new year?

Susi McKnight: As of right now, we have not planned any tournaments or competitions due to the low numbers of our team. We would need at least twelve skaters to compete. We don't have a location either- we practise in a parking lot. We used to practise at a gym, but since we don't have any members from that commune [municipality] anymore, they do not want to host us anymore. We are planning on helping out other teams that are low on numbers, so they can play.

Chronicle.lu: How can someone interested in joining your club become a member? Are there any membership fees or other requirements?

Susi McKnight: We have a membership fee, which can be paid monthly or yearly. You require skates, elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards, helmet and mouth guard. If you would like to join us, we have loaner gear that can be borrowed until you have your own gear. You can find us on Instagram at rollerderby_luxembourg, on Facebook at Roller Derby Luxembourg, or just write us an email to rdl.interleagues@hotmail.com. We practise on Tuesdays at 20:00 in Bertrange, starting again on 9 January 2024.