Although Pinellas and Pasco County’s Revolution Roller Derby team can’t travel to Las Vegas for the national RollerCon convention, it won’t stop the group from hosting its own community-focused event right here in Tampa Bay.
On Saturday, July 9, Non-Er Con will take place at the Sunderman outdoor hockey rink at 1631 9th St. in Palm Harbor.
There will be three separate competitions featured at this event—a “rookie’s rumble,” alongside all-women and mixed gender scrimmages. Barefoot Billy, equipped with his acoustic guitar, will provide some live music in between the roller derby matches.
Tickets for this special home bout are $10 and can be purchased at revolutionrollerderby.com, but children under the age of 12 get in free with their parents.
According to Non-Er Con’s Facebook event page, there will also be “non-derby direction gameplay” in between the different bouts and scrimmages. Its organizers also suggest that guests bring their own chairs, since seating at the sports complex is limited.
"Non-Er Con was created by the members of Revolution Roller Derby to bring skaters together from near and far, who missed out on the legendary event RollerCon. Getting skaters from all over together is such an amazing experience no matter where it is," its event page reads.
Donations for Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership will also be collected at next month’s bout, as members of the organization will be present to speak about its mission.
Read up on the somewhat complicated rules of flat track roller derby in preparation for next month’s exciting event. And if you're interested in trying your hand in derby, you can even sign up for the "Rookie Rumble" here.
