COVID – REMINDER: When our league moves to indoor practices all participants 12 and over will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. An individual is not considered fully vaccinated until 14 days after the second vaccine. In order to ensure those who have not been vaccinated meet the vaccination deadline, please see the vaccination attachment. If you have any questions or concerns please contact Kelli at safety(a)seattlederbybrats.com.
Mouthguard Fit –
Mouthguards are an important piece of roller derby equipment. In order for them to function properly, they must fit properly. When a skater’s mouthguard doesn’t fit correctly, it can result in a penalty or, worse yet, injury. Additionally, if a skater doesn’t have a properly fitted mouthguard, they will not be able to skate.
A mouthguard should fit like a retainer. It should stay in place when a skater talks and require some effort, usually using their hand, to remove. What we typically see are skaters’ mouthguards not staying in place when they talk, or sometimes even just opening their mouths. An ill-fitting mouthguard is also easy for a skater to play with, using their tongue to move it around in their mouth so it’s not always protecting their teeth when they skate. In both cases, this is a penalty – equipment violation – but more importantly, it’s dangerous.
The most popular mouthguards used by SDB skaters are made by SISU –https://www.sisuguard.com. They are lightweight mouthguards that are easy to mold to your skater’s teeth, even if they have braces. It’s easy for skaters to talk, and be understood, when wearing a SISU. They are available in a youth size and an adult size. SISU mouthguards can be found at the Roller Derby Skate Shop or online. If your skater has braces, it is always a good idea to have their orthodontist take a look at the fit of their mouthguard.
Here is some guidance on the proper fit of a roller derby helmet, as this is the most common problem that officials see when they do gear checks before scrimmages and games.
Roller derby helmets, sometimes referred to as “multi-sport” helmets, with the most common brands being Triple Eight and S1. These helmets are specifically designed to take roller derby impact and it’s worth spending the extra money on one of these more well-known brands.
Helmets should fit snugly on your skater’s head. A skater should be able to put the helmet on unstrapped and shake their head back and forth without dislodging the helmet. While shaking their head, the helmet shouldn’t move at all. If it does, it’s too big. Either add thicker pads to the inside of the helmet or buy a smaller one.
As for adjusting the straps, the little brackets on each side that join the two straps together, known as a “tri-glide” should be adjusted so they are right under the skater’s ears. The straps should be tight enough that when a skater opens their mouth, the straps pull down on the helmet.
