Two Herefordshire rollerskating clubs urgently seek new venue (From Hereford Times)
Get involved! Send your photos, video, news & views by texting HT NEWS to 80360 or e-mail us
Two Herefordshire rollerskating clubs urgently seek new venue
7:00am Monday 5th December 2011 in Features By Paul Rogers
Buy this photo »
Sam Bushkes (left) and Zoe Butler are looking for a site to get their skates on or face having to disband their team.
TWO rollerskating clubs believe the brakes could be put on their future due to a lack of suitable venues.
Herefordshire Rollerskating Club (HRSC) has seen skaters as young as two join its sessions, but claims possible new homes are either fully booked or unwilling to help out.
Club coach Sam Bushkes said: “Unfortunately, many organisations are unable to host us, are too small or unsuitable, or just unwilling to allow us in.
“There is a myth that skates mark floors, however they are no more likely to do that than any other sports.”
Hereford Roller Girls (HRG), the county’s first roller derby squad, is also experiencing similar problems.
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track.
It consists of a series of short match-ups, called “jams” in which both teams designate a scoring player, the “jammer”, who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team.
“We’re a very young team who are still learning the skills and techniques needed to compete,”
said coach Zoe Butler.
“We should be training at least twice a week, ideally in a large enough space for a full size track.
“So far, we’ve been unable to.
“If we can’t find somewhere soon, we may be forced to disband.”
Member Dee Montague added that the hall at Aylestone School, where they have been skating, is too small, as is Holmer skatepark, while the city’s Leisure Centre is fully booked.
Anyone who can help with a potential venue is asked to call Zoe Butler on 07732 821871 or email herefordshirersc@gmail.
com.
