Player introduction: No Mercier

No Mercier, # 79 (she/her)

“I’ve been playing roller derby for less than a year, but I’ve got many more ahead of me I’m sure. A friend of mine told me about the league when I expressed missing moshpits (bumping into people is a lot of fun and helps releasing energy). I always struggled getting excited about sports – let alone group sports – until I discovered this. The atmosphere is most welcoming and supportive. I not only found a genuinely enjoyable activity, but also a beautiful community of people.

Fun fact: my cats own land in Scotland and therefore are lords”

Player introduction: Warjo

Warjo, #101 (She/her)

I am a blocker, I guess. 😅 I started roller derby this April on a beginners’ course, so I havent played that long at all. I got into it because I saw a picture on Instagram, started googling roller derby, watched a bunch of games on Youtube and very soon I e-mailed our league to ask when can I join. 😄 It’s the most fun I’ve had doing any kind of sports. I don’t think there have been any practices when I haven’t laughed! Roller derby is very challenging and fast paced, but it’s the best feeling when you succeed in something. People are SO nice! And I feel 😎cool😎 when I tell people about roller derby (not so much on the track hehe).

Fun fact: Last spring my pupils awarded me with the title ‘Most Fashionable’. 🤠

Player introduction: Anna Phylactic Shock

Anna Phylactic Shock, #2 (any pronoun)

” I’ve mostly played as a blocker and occasionally as a pivot. I started the beginner’s course in 2018, but of course, there was covid, so active playing years are a bit questionable. I began playing because some of my friends were considering starting roller derby, and it being a very queer sport, in combination with the opportunity to slam into people on skates made me think it sounded cool. I went to an open skate in my hometown and one of the skaters there was very encouraging so I decided to stick with it.

Fun fact: I can ride a unicycle”

Sign up for autumn 2022 beginners’ practices

Would you like to try a new hobby in a safe and supporting environment? DRRD’s beginner practices are here and you can sign up now!

What: Beginners practices start on Thursday 22nd of September from 6.30pm to 8pm
Schedule: Thursdays from 6.30pm to 8pm and Sundays from 2pm to 3pm
Where: Ilpoisten palloiluhalli, Lauklähteenkatu 15, Turku
What do you need: Your own gear (we have also a limited amount of gear to lend out)
Cost: 70 € which includes a membership fee for the rest of the year

Sign up for beginners’ practices here

You don’t need any previous experience in roller skating or roller derby. We’ll start from the very basics and help you develop your skills at your own pace.

The age limit for our beginners’ phase is 16 years. All participants must agree to and behave according to our values.

More info: beginners@dirtyriverrollerderby.com.

You’re warmly welcome to DRRD and our beginners’ practices!

OPEN SKATE 28.8. AND 5.9.

Come & try roller derby! Dirty River Roller Derby is looking for new skaters, referees and non-skating officials. This event is free of charge and open for everyone. You must be at least 16 to attend but otherwise there is no age limit! You’ll get to try the skates and other gear, and you don’t need to know how to skate or have any background in sports to attend. Everyone is welcome! Wear comfy sports clothes and bring a water bottle with you.


What: Roller derby open skate!
When: Sunday 28th of August at 2 pm and Monday 5th of September at 6.30 pm
Where: Ilpoisten palloiluhalli, Lauklähteenkatu 15, Turku
Price: 0 €! It’s free!
Sign-up form: https://forms.gle/TetWHT5NujH3PoKz6


Our next beginners’ practices starts later this autumn! Questions? Ask here or send us an email: beginners@dirtyriverrollerderby.com – we speak English!

Sign up for spring 2022 beginners practices!

Would you like to try a new hobby in a supporting environment? DRRD’s beginner practices are here and you can sign up now!

What: Beginners practices start on Apr 13th at 7.30 pm
Schedule: Wednesdays 7.30-9 pm
Where: Ilpoisten palloiluhalli, Lauklähteenkatu 15, Turku
What do you need: Your own gear (more info below)
Cost: 70 € which includes a membership fee for the whole year

Sign up for beginners practices.

You don’t need any previous experience in roller skating. We’ll start from the very basics and help you develop your skills at your own pace. After signing up we’ll send you a more detailed info letter about the gear you need if you already haven’t received it.

The age limit for our beginners’ course is 16 years. More info: beginners@dirtyriverrollerderby.com.

All participants must agree to and behave according to our values.

Open skate 16.3. and 20.3.

Come & try roller derby! Dirty River Roller Derby is looking for new skaters, referees and non-skating officials. This event is free of charge and open for everyone. You must be at least 16 to attend but otherwise there is no age limit! You’ll get to try the skates and other gear, and you don’t need to know how to skate or have any background in sports to attend. Everyone is welcome! Wear comfy sports clothes and bring a water bottle with you.


What: Roller derby open skate!
When: Wed 16 March at 8 pm and Sunday 20 March at 2 pm
Where: Ilpoisten palloiluhalli, Lauklähteenkatu 15, Turku
Price: 0 €! It’s free!
Sign-up form: https://forms.gle/6YkzF8XUngvoaDUL6


Our next beginners’ course starts later this spring! Questions? Ask here or send us an email: beginners@dirtyriverrollerderby.com – we speak English!

Dirty River Roller Derby is looking for new and enthusiastic coaches!

You don’t need to know everything or anything about roller derby: the most important thing is that you’re willing to coach. We are looking for different persons with different strengths and interests. Let’s find a suitable role for you together! As a coach you can be there for us on game days and help us succeed. You can also plan and run practices if that’s your thing! Or are you a PT or physiotherapist and want to use your expertise to help us get our off skate practicing to a new level?

DRRD has currently one competitive team which aims to play scrimmages and games of different levels in 2022. If the SM series or Division 1 are restarted at some point, we will consider taking part in those as well.

Fill in this form and tell us a little about yourself! The deadline is 28 February 2022. If you want to come and watch our practices and get to know us and our sport a little bit before filling in the form, send an email to martta.malila@dirtyriverrollerderby.com.

Everyone participating in DRRD activities should read and commit to our values: https://dirtyriverrollerderby.com/en/drrd/our-values/

Link to the form: https://forms.gle/xShnDQyYfEqQQcKQ6

Roller derby open skate on 3rd of October 2021

What: Roller derby open skate!
When: Sunday 3 October at 2-4 pm
Where: Ilpoisten palloiluhalli, Lauklähteenkatu 15, Turku
Price: 0 €! It’s free!

Come & try roller derby! Dirty River Roller Derby is looking for new skaters, referees and non-skating officials. This event is free of charge, but you must be at least 16 to attend.

You’ll get to try the skates and other gear, and you don’t need to know how to skate or have any background in sports to attend. Everyone is welcome! Wear comfy sports clothes and bring a water bottle with you.

To ensure covid19 safety, please DO NOT attend if you are having even mild symptoms. Keep your distance and maintain good hand and coughing hygiene.

Signup form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScSmDYGmRMaJimuTpg69PA6vpPNqe_kef6ooAuZeCDC2FdNuw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Questions? Send us an email: beginners@dirtyriverrollerderby.com – we speak English!

Trans women belong to sports

During the Summer Olympics a while ago, a lot of discussion went on about the inclusion of trans people in sports. A lot of these discussions have been focused on trans women and trans feminine people in women’s sports. Dirty River Roller Derby states in its guidelines explicitly that we support trans players, and do not allow transphobia or trans misogyny. Excluding trans women and trans feminine people from sports is not only harmful to trans people, but to all women, especially black and brown women (cis and trans) who are often the target of transmisogyny.

Roller Derby from its origin is intended to be an inclusive sport, and even though the sport has not always been successful on this front, it has always been at its root. Dirty River Roller Derby intends to be a place where we include all kinds of different bodies into sports, this includes trans bodies. We want to be a league where people who haven’t felt welcome or able to play sports can engage with roller derby and its community. There is no one type of body that can play roller derby, all kinds of different bodies can engage in this sport, and by being inclusive to different bodies we hope to make it possible for people to imagine themselves on the track. DRRD is always trying to create an atmosphere of acceptance and love of difference.

Within DRRD we will endeavour to continue looking at our own praxis and prejudice, specifically regarding trans people, especially trans women and trans feminine people. We are driven by our values which everyone of our members agree to comply with. Trans women and trans feminine people are underrepresented in our league, and we will try to examine the reasons for this and continue these conversations internally. We encourage other sports leagues to have these conversations or keep having these conversations as well.