Am I eligible to be a Gotham skater?

Gotham welcomes cisgender, transgender and intersex women and gender non-conforming participants over the age of 18. Those aged 6-17 are eligible to join our Juniors program. 

If you have ever skated with an actively competing league for a minimum of one calendar year, you may be eligible to transfer into Gotham outside of the yearly open tryout. Please contact transfers@ggrd.nyc for further eligibility requirements.

When are tryouts?

2024 open tryouts took place on Oct 23, 2023, from 7-9 PM at LeFrak Center at Lakeside Prospect Park. In general, open tryouts take place in October or November for the following year. Sign up for our newsletter to hear about future open tryouts.

What is the tryouts process like?

There are three steps.

In the initial tryout, you will be evaluated on skates with a small group of skaters. After this step, there will be a cut.

Skaters who make the first cut will participate in a call back session that is both on skates and includes a very brief interview. After this, there will be another cut.

Skaters who make the second cut will enter a four week training period. At the end of this training period, a third cut will happen.

Selected skaters will then go on to the official one-month probationary phase to become full members of Gotham.

How can I get ready for tryouts?

Throughout the year, we offer different levels of training in Gotham's Basic Training.

Endurance is integral to roller derby gameplay. Working on cardio and strengthening your quads, glutes and core muscles will help you to be ready for tryouts.

Additionally, there are a few rinks in the New York City area with open hours for the public where you can work on your skating, such as the Riverbank State Park in upper Manhattan and Lakeside Rink in Prospect Park.

Finally - get to know us! Come see our games. Get to know the rules. Signup for our newsletter to keep up with our activities. Volunteer to find out how we pull it all together. Join our jeerleaders or become an official.

What do I need to be able to do at tryouts?

You will need to have strong skating skills. Some of the things we will be evaluating in tryouts are:

Skating skills:

• Forward skating using crossovers

• Power stride (getting the most out of each push)

• Gliding on one foot at a time

• Balance

• Squats

Derby Skills:

• Skating low

• Plow Stop

• T-stop

• Blocking strength

• Ability to fall in a safe and controlled manner

Endurance:

• Number of laps in two minutes

Other:

• Positive attitude

• Basic knowledge of the sport

• Ability to listen and apply new knowledge

• Ability to pick up new skills quickly

• Time commitment and availability

What equipment will I need for tryouts?

Every skater is required to wear a helmet, wrist guards, elbow pads, knee pads, a mouth guard and quad roller skates. We do not loan out gear for tryouts.

All skaters must provide proof of vaccination and agree to comply with COVID and other safety protocols.

Will I be put on a team if I'm selected at tryouts?

Skaters who are selected to join Gotham will begin a one-month training period that will culminate with a skills test and a written rules test. Once training is completed (and you've passed both tests) you'll be drafted to a team.

How much of a commitment is required to be a Gotham skater?

You will be expected to attend league and team practices. The minimum requirement in order to remain an active skater is 10 practice hours per month.

In addition to making practice attendance, everyone is required to work at bouts and other official events. We are a skater run organization, so we also require you to work on a committee for roughly 6 hours per month and attend meetings to remain an active member. Additionally, skaters are required to pay monthly dues that help to pay for Gotham's operational costs.

Despite the time commitment, any skater will tell you that it is completely worth it. And you instantly have dozens of siblings in New York City and many more in the thousands of leagues around the world!

If I have more questions, who do I ask?

Please feel free to email us at tryouts@ggrd.nyc. We hope to see you on the track!