Ok – so i have been looking into local leisure centres in regards to finding somewhere to start practicing (Benson if you still have a place for us to practice can you get in touch – although i notice you use the Nottingham Trent Students Union and i doubt we will be able to get access to that regularly in term time). I went to speak to them at the local Tennis Centre and their eyes nearly span round in their head when i mentioned using a hall for roller skating 
They gave me a leaflet for Harvey Hadden Leisure Centre – which seems massive (but maybe a bit out of the way). Am going to go and visit them this evening and see how the land lies.
So once i sort out a venue, i need some ideas for what to do in practices – according to the WFT regulations, there are certain things that a rookie skater must be able to do in order to be match fit – as follows….. (crikey its a long list) I am thinking the first practice or two will be focusing on skating with the right posture and falling down without breaking things 
1 Basic Skating Skills
The skater must demonstrate proficiency in the following areas:
1.1 Skating Posture
1.1.1 Bends at knees and hips with shoulders back
1.1.2 Swings arms fluidly
1.2 Stride
1.2.1 Has steady, confident, fluid strides
1.2.2 Uses both feet to push forward on straight-aways
1.3 Crossovers
1.3.1 Performs smooth crossovers while skating at a brisk pace going into and coming out of turns
1.3.2 Uses both feet to push during crossovers
1.4 Speed and Endurance
1.4.1 Skates 25 Laps around regulation track within five minutes (based on WFTDA regulation track)
1.5 Stops Skater must come to a complete stop from a brisk pace, using proper form and without losing her balance. Must be able to complete both stops effectively.
1.5.1 T-Stop
1.5.2 Plow Stop
1.6 Other skills
1.6.1 Performs one-foot glides with each foot for the length of the straightaway with good balance.
1.6.1.1 Skater must be in derby stance with one foot completely off the floor
1.6.1.2 Skater maintains sufficient speed and does not flail limbs
1.6.2 Has the ability to propel self while keeping all eight wheels on the floor
1.6.3 Can move easily and fluidly from one side of the skating lane to the other
1.6.3.1 Can perform smooth quick cuts, crossing the track at least three times on each straight-away and twice on each turn
2 Falls – Skater must perform the following falls safely, correctly, and naturally.
2.1 Single Knee Falls
2.1.1 Left
2.1.2 Right
2.1.3 Recovers from each fall without using hands to get up
2.1.4 Skater is able to return to active skating within two seconds
2.2 Double Knee Falls
2.2.1 Skater is able to return to active skating within two seconds
2.3 Figure 4/Baseball Slide
2.3.1 Both legs stay on or near the ground during the fall
2.3.2 Skater is able to return to active skating within three seconds
2.4 180 Degree Turn Single Knee Fall
2.4.1 Exhibits control to complete the fall in exact opposite direction
2.4.2 Skater is able to return to active skating within two seconds
2.5 Four point fall
2.5.1 Hands are kept in front of the body, fingers closed into fists
2.5.2 Skater is able to return to active skating within two seconds
3 Balance/Agility – Skater must demonstrate the ability to perform the following tasks without losing her balance or falling.
3.1 Stepping from a standstill
3.1.1 Forward and Backward
3.1.2 Side to side in both directions
3.2 Squatting – Skater achieves a 90 to 120 degree angle at the knee during each squat. Feet and knees are hip width or wider. Eyes look forward, chest is out and back is flat.
3.2.1 Squats and coasts through the entire straightaway and turn
3.2.2 Squats and propels self on straightaways and around turns
3.3 Hopping
3.3.1 Hops over an object at least 3 inches in height without touching the object or losing balance while skating at a moderate pace
3.3.1.1 Skater’s feet must leave the ground simultaneously, then land simultaneously
3.3.2 Skater hops from one foot to the other while moving forward
3.4 Focus
3.4.1 Can look left, right, and behind quickly and unexpectedly while maintaining regular skating stride at a moderate pace
3.5 Weaving
3.5.1 Maneuvers through 10 cones placed six feet apart, covering both straight-aways and turns
4 Skating With Others – Skater must demonstrate the ability to perform the following skills legally and safely while skating at a moderate pace.
4.1 Whips
4.1.1 Giving whips
4.1.1.1 Giving inside whip
4.1.1.2 Giving outside whip
4.1.2 Receiving whips
4.1.2.1 Receiving inside whip
4.1.2.2 Receiving outside whip
4.1.3 Hip whips
4.1.3.1 Giving hip whips
4.1.3.2 Receiving hip whips
4.2 Pushes
4.2.1 Giving pushes
4.2.2 Receiving pushes
4.3 Pacing
4.3.1 Skater adjusts to the variable speeds (decrease/increase) of a paceline, while maintaining an arms length distance between herself and the skaters in front of and behind her without falling, tripping, overtaking or running into another skater.
4.4 Weaving Around Moving Obstacles
4.4.1 Demonstrates weaving through a single-file line of moving skaters who are each an arm’s length apart.
4.5 Unexpected Obstacles
4.5.1 Skating within a pack of at least four other skaters who fall in front of the skater at various unexpected times. Skater must deal with the fallen skaters by avoiding or safely falling without hurting self or the fallen skater, and without causing an unnecessary hazard for any of the pack skaters.
4.6 Leaning
4.6.1 Skates while leaning shoulder to shoulder with another skater while maintaining an upright position and propulsion without tripping, falling, or becoming unsteady.
4.7 Bumping
4.7.1 Maintains or recovers balance, without falling, while being bumped into and having wheels bumped by other skaters.
5 Blocking – Skater must demonstrate the ability to perform the following skills legally and safely while skating at a moderate pace.
5.1 Taking Hits
5.1.1 Responds safely (without flailing or grabbing other skaters, if falling, she falls safely, accurately, and small, without sprawling unnecessarily, and with 2 to 4 second recoveries) to repeated heavy hip checks and shoulder checks.
5.1.2 Demonstrates the above in a pack situation, without causing an unnecessary hazard for pack skaters.
5.2 Positional Blocking/Frontal Blocking/Stall Blocking
5.2.1 Performs with good posture and without loss of balance or focus
5.3 Checks – Performs checks with legal body parts delivered within legal blocking zones with moderate to heavy force while skating at a brisk pace.
5.3.1 Hip checks
5.3.1.1 Left hip
5.3.1.2 Right hip
5.3.2 Shoulder checks
5.3.2.1 Left shoulder
5.3.2.2 Right shoulder
Might see if i can get in contact with any other more established teams and see if they are willing to give me a few tips and pointers…..
But everyday i get on those wheels i learn something new. I realise that it is going to take me a long time to get up to derby standard, but the long road starts with the first step (or some such nonsense). Well must keep going. Think i have about 7 ladies (plus me) interested in joining the team (and that is without any advertising) am meeting some of them this week and hopefully i will be able to get a few things kicked off, get some practices scheduled in and get this show on the road. I think i am going to have to toughen up and prepare for the pain and bruising that proper practices are going to bring – yikes !!! 
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