Want the chance to live out your Whip It roller derby dreams and gain an inclusive, friendly, kick-ass community while you’re at it? Jozi’s Golden City Rollers are recruiting! You can start from square one.
Johannesburg, South Africa (19 January 2026) – Yes, roller derby is a thing in South Africa, and yes, it’s epic! Often described as ‘rugby on wheels’, it’s one of the world’s fastest-growing high-octane sports.
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The Golden City Rollers are Johannesburg’s internationally ranked roller derby league, and they’re on the lookout for new and potential athletes to join them. The team is recruiting skaters, referees, and non-skating officials.
They’ll be hosting an open day at União Portuguesa Hall in Turffontein this coming Sunday.
“Roller derby is a team sport played on quad roller skates, and combines speed, strength, endurance, tactical awareness, and teamwork…The sport requires both physical prowess and sharp strategic thinking, making it as mentally challenging as it is physically intense. While previous skating experience isn’t required, a willingness to embrace sweat, bruising, and physicality is highly recommended.”
The Golden City Rollers, Africa’s Number 1 Roller Derby League! They are also members of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association and have travelled internationally to compete in Mexico, the US, Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark. Several league members represented Team South Africa at the 2025 Roller Derby World Cup in Innsbruck.
The league is open-gender and welcomes athletes of all identities who are interested in competitive play. Anyone over 18 can join.
“We’re looking for people who want more than a casual workout,” says league president Dianne Silva, known on track as DiFibrillator. “Roller derby is demanding, competitive, and incredibly rewarding. It pushes you physically and mentally — and once you’re in, it’s hard to imagine doing anything else.”
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Never skated before? No problem. The team trains twice-weekly in Johannesburg, where you’ll learn everything there is to know about derby.
The open day will be an opportunity to experience roller derby up close, meet the athletes behind the helmets, and learn how you’d potentially fit into the team. It’ll feature a fast-paced exhibition game, an information session about the sport and the league’s operations, and the chance to strap on some skates, if you’re up for it!
Golden City Rollers’ Open Day will take place on 25 January 2026 at União Portuguesa Hall from 11:00 to 15:00.
Sources: Supplied
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