KCRW: Warriors in Training Program(WiT)
Warriors in Training: 2026 | Bootcamp Edition
Overview:
Bootcamp is geared towards skaters with a year or less experience in derby, people interested in joining roller derby, former skaters looking to test the waters again, people interested in a challenging new workout, and for people who are interested in meeting other really rad people!
For $40, each participant will be able to attend a 3 hour, on-skates lesson, a 1.5-hour strategy session, and hours of at-home content to crosstrain your body and mind for the sport of roller derby.
These boot camps are designed to provide an introduction to the sport of roller derby and to the Kansas City Roller Warriors for potential new recruits. These boot camps also help to prepare interested participants for our 12-week long Warriors in Training program that will run in future 2026.
Sessions will be led by some of our very own talented and experienced KCRW skaters and officials!
Dates:
Sundays ranging from 9AM to 12PM. Participants have the ability to mix and match dates to allow for a learning experience that best suits your schedule.
February
SUNDAY 2/8: 9:00AM – 12:00PM (on skates)
SUNDAY 2/22: 10:30AM – 12:00PM (off skates – NSO & game play clinic)
March
SUNDAY 3/8: 9:00AM – 12:00PM (on skates)
SUNDAY 3/22: 10:30AM – 12:00PM (off skates – NSO & game play clinic)
April
SUNDAY 4/12: 9:00AM – 12:00PM (on skates)
SUNDAY 4/26: 10:30AM – 12:00PM (off skates – NSO & game play clinic)
May
SUNDAY 5/3: 9:00AM – 12:00PM (on skates)
SUNDAY 5/17: 10:30AM – 12:00PM (off skates – NSO & game play clinic)
Price:
$40 per month (1 on skates & 1 off skates) or $100 for all 4 months. Payable via PayPal to [email protected]
Learning Outcomes:
Participants will learn fundamentals skills for safe skating and game play such as:
Gear Required:
All participants are required to have a helmet, quad skates, wrist guards, elbow pads, and knee pads. Gear can be purchased from local stores such as Legacy Skates, via online retailers, or borrowed from the KCRW Gear Lending Library.
KCRW cannot guarantee all safety gear will be available to borrow via our Gear Lending Library so please reach out ahead of time to [email protected] to ensure the pieces and sizes you need are available.
Other Requirements:
Participants must submit a photo ID and proof of current insurance before participating in any lessons on skates. All participants must submit proof of payment before participating in any boot camp session.
Quick WiT Question Links:
Bootcamp is geared towards skaters with a year or less experience in derby, people interested in joining roller derby, former skaters looking to test the waters again, people interested in a challenging new workout, and for people who are interested in meeting other really rad people!
For $40, each participant will be able to attend a 3 hour, on-skates lesson, a 1.5-hour strategy session, and hours of at-home content to crosstrain your body and mind for the sport of roller derby.
These boot camps are designed to provide an introduction to the sport of roller derby and to the Kansas City Roller Warriors for potential new recruits. These boot camps also help to prepare interested participants for our 12-week long Warriors in Training program that will run in future 2026.
Sessions will be led by some of our very own talented and experienced KCRW skaters and officials!
Dates:
Sundays ranging from 9AM to 12PM. Participants have the ability to mix and match dates to allow for a learning experience that best suits your schedule.
February
SUNDAY 2/8: 9:00AM – 12:00PM (on skates)
SUNDAY 2/22: 10:30AM – 12:00PM (off skates – NSO & game play clinic)
March
SUNDAY 3/8: 9:00AM – 12:00PM (on skates)
SUNDAY 3/22: 10:30AM – 12:00PM (off skates – NSO & game play clinic)
April
SUNDAY 4/12: 9:00AM – 12:00PM (on skates)
SUNDAY 4/26: 10:30AM – 12:00PM (off skates – NSO & game play clinic)
May
SUNDAY 5/3: 9:00AM – 12:00PM (on skates)
SUNDAY 5/17: 10:30AM – 12:00PM (off skates – NSO & game play clinic)
Price:
$40 per month (1 on skates & 1 off skates) or $100 for all 4 months. Payable via PayPal to [email protected]
Learning Outcomes:
Participants will learn fundamentals skills for safe skating and game play such as:
- Forms of controlled stopping
- Safe falling and getting up
- Controlling edges of skates
- Proper derby stance for stability
- Maintaining proper speed and endurance
- Learning about our essential non-skating official roles
- Helping to facilitate scrimmage in roles such as scorekeeper or penalty box timer
- Watching derby in real time to see effective strategies
- Learning about the rules of the game in real time
Gear Required:
All participants are required to have a helmet, quad skates, wrist guards, elbow pads, and knee pads. Gear can be purchased from local stores such as Legacy Skates, via online retailers, or borrowed from the KCRW Gear Lending Library.
KCRW cannot guarantee all safety gear will be available to borrow via our Gear Lending Library so please reach out ahead of time to [email protected] to ensure the pieces and sizes you need are available.
Other Requirements:
Participants must submit a photo ID and proof of current insurance before participating in any lessons on skates. All participants must submit proof of payment before participating in any boot camp session.
Quick WiT Question Links:
- Have a junior skater interested in derby? Visit our KCJRW Junior page for youth opportunities.
- Questions about the program overall? Email [email protected]
- Questions about cost/payment? Email [email protected]
- Follow us on Social Media for regular info posts
- Sign up for our Newsletter for updates straight to your inbox
WiT: ALL ABOUT GEAR
Gear Required:
All participants are required to have a helmet, quad skates, wrist guards, elbow pads, and knee pads. Gear can be purchased from local stores such as Legacy Skates, via online retailers, or borrowed from the KCRW Gear Lending Library. We cannot guarantee all safety gear will be available so please reach out ahead of time via email to [email protected] to ensure the pieces and sizes you need are available!
Other Requirements:
Participants must submit a photo ID and proof of current insurance before participating in any lessons on skates. All participants must submit proof of payment before participating in any WiT session.
1. Bring an open mind and a learning spirit. Pack a thick skin and plenty of patience. Accept that you will fall down… a lot!
2. Quad roller skates (4 wheels with toe stops in front - not roller blades).
3. Safety Gear: Helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards and mouth guard.
If you do not have proper skates, safety gear, or good wheels, please visit Legacy Skates and let them know we sent you! They are located at 2601 Madison Ave, KCMO 64108 or visit Legacy Skates KC. While all your gear is important, we know it can be expensive to buy. Listed below are some highlights on what we think is the most important gear to start out with:
All participants are required to have a helmet, quad skates, wrist guards, elbow pads, and knee pads. Gear can be purchased from local stores such as Legacy Skates, via online retailers, or borrowed from the KCRW Gear Lending Library. We cannot guarantee all safety gear will be available so please reach out ahead of time via email to [email protected] to ensure the pieces and sizes you need are available!
Other Requirements:
Participants must submit a photo ID and proof of current insurance before participating in any lessons on skates. All participants must submit proof of payment before participating in any WiT session.
1. Bring an open mind and a learning spirit. Pack a thick skin and plenty of patience. Accept that you will fall down… a lot!
2. Quad roller skates (4 wheels with toe stops in front - not roller blades).
3. Safety Gear: Helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards and mouth guard.
If you do not have proper skates, safety gear, or good wheels, please visit Legacy Skates and let them know we sent you! They are located at 2601 Madison Ave, KCMO 64108 or visit Legacy Skates KC. While all your gear is important, we know it can be expensive to buy. Listed below are some highlights on what we think is the most important gear to start out with:
SKATESDerby skates are preferred - flat skates (not heeled) that are specifically made for derby. These will provide the most protection for your ankles/feet. Heeled skates (i.e. Moxi Lollys) are not preferred because derby skaters sit back on their heels for most of their power, and heeled skates make this harder. Derby skates will usually have a stronger metal plate and are made of sturdier leather for protection and durability. Chaya, Antik, Jackson, Riedell, and Sure-Grip are all good brands to research.
KNEE PADSWhen learning to skate, we will teach the proper way to fall. Sneak preview: It involves your knees! We recommend investing in a solid pair of knee pads (as well as elbow pads and wrist guards). Pad brands to look for: 187 Killer Pads, TSG, S1,
MOUTH GUARDSProtect those chompers! Most KCRW skaters use brands SISU or Shock Doctor.
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WHEELSWheel hardness (also called "durometer") can vary greatly based on the skating surface. Skate City Wyandotte is a polished wood and is great to skate on. League skaters use anything between 88A-100A durometer. Wheel height, width, hub material, and even the weight of the skater impacts what hardness of wheel you will want. With this many factors finding the right wheel can be confusing. This helpful article might help you learn a little bit more about what wheels you should get.
HELMETThe brain is the most important body part to protect and we recommend investing in a quality helmet designed for roller derby or hockey (bicycle helmets or rock climbing helmets are NOT recommended, as they do not have correct cushioning/protection placement). Most KCRW skaters wear S1 brand helmets.
TOE STOPSPlease purchase toe stops that are NOT black. Any other color will work. Black toe stops leave unwanted marks on the rink floor.
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NEED MORE INFO?
Please reach out to our leadership team via email at [email protected] if you need have any additional questions! If you have current derby experience and would like to join KCRW, you can also reach us at [email protected]
