As roller derby grows as a sport, it becomes increasingly obvious that what constitutes a particular league's community is not limited to the players. Leagues attract not only players but referees, officials, and fans. Part of how we can measure a league's health is the strength of its community. Do officials feel welcome? Do less than top-level players feel appreciated? Do referees get respect? It's easy to be socially myopic - because I feel comfortable, everyone must - but as ambassadors of the sport and members of a community, we need to fight to make sure our communities are welcoming and healthy at every level.
It's tempting to wave away community conflict as 'derby drama' or only the problem of those who aren't happy, but that isn't the case. Derby's reliance on strong, committed groups of players, referees, officials and fans means that intra-community outreach is part of the job of keeping a league functional.
So, how do we check and maintain league community health? At one level, encouraging social interaction off the track is essential, but that social interaction has to be varied enough to be accessible. Some folks can't hang around after bouts, others can't make the post-practice beers. It's important to vary the opportunities community-members have to build connections with each other. Try something new with your league: group volunteer opportunities are great for building your league reputation in the larger community, for example. Sign-making parties before bouts are always glittery and excellent. Casual hangouts on an off-skate night might bring out different groups within the community. But also make sure to encourage different folks to come out: referee and NSO appreciation night at the bar will likely go over well.
In terms of intra-league communications, hosting 'town hall' meetings can be excellent ways of checking in with the mood and needs of the community. Don't just wait for concerns to be voiced spontaneously: create opportunities where opinions and requests are welcomed. It's also important to ensure you have a Skater Representative to be a resource for skaters with ideas or concerns, but the derby community isn't solely made up by skaters. Every member of the community should count if they're going to be depended upon to run bouts, to sell tickets, to keep players on skates and the league in good health.
Other ways of encouraging and checking in with community well-being and needs include maintaining a league messageboard for community-members to use for discussions and encouraging the operation of committees such as social or fundraising committees. Not only will this kind of intra-league cooperation benefit the league directly, but it will also strengthen community-members' investments in each other and the league as a whole.
The bottom line is that it is the responsibility of the league to check in with the folks who keep it running, from referees to officials to players to fans. Don't wait for wheels to get squeaky - practice as much care for your league as you would for your skates and you're less likely to trip up.
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