Short Summary
NJRD's mission is to nurture self-confidence in young women by developing teamwork and athletic ability while encouraging individuality within a culture of discipline, sisterhood, and stewardship through the competitive sport of roller derby.
2012 was a year of 'firsts' for our league. It was our first competitive season. One of our junior refs was the first junior ref allowed to ref a sanctioned adult bout. We were the first junior roller derby bout to be broadcast via the internet. What did it get us?
We ranked 13th internationally among the junior roller derby teams and got invited to bout at the Wild West Tournament next March!
Why is that important?
Our league will get the opportunity to play in a tournament that features 6 of the top ten junior teams in the world. This is a huge deal for us, as it will set the pace and benchmark for our training program in 2013.
What We Need
We need to send 15 skaters, 3 coaches, an announcer and a junior ref to Bremerton, WA from Nashville. We estimate needing $15,000 to help off-set the costs for our skaters and their families. This money will cover group airfare, hotel, transportation, and food for the league while in Bremerton.
The Impact
So great. These kids get to go skate in a tournament. What makes your program so special?
Our program is not just about competition and athleticism. Junior derby is a sport that accepts all sizes, shapes, ethnicities, religions, etc. It becomes a 'family' for those kids that may not have a stable family life otherwise. It also becomes a caring structured activity for those kids that have not found the right sport for them. We have seen such a difference in attitude, personality, body image, and pride from the participants in our league. Your contribution helps ensure our program continues to provide a safe and healthy place for these young ladies to flourish!
Other Ways You Can Help
If you can’t contribute, there are still ways you can help:
- Get the word out and make some noise about our campaign.
- Ask your company if they have a non-profit donation-matching program. You can contact us at nashvillejrd@gmail.com to get copies of our non-profit letter.
- Volunteer to help us at a bout or a fundraiser!
