Travel

New to Travel? 

Travel Parent

RJR has at least one parent responsible for organizing trips.  Timely communication with the travel parent is essential.   The travel parents helps set the schedule, arrange hotels, set up rides for skaters, and help plan for meals.

Current Travel Parent:  Nicole Lochansky, merch@raleighjuniorrollers.org

Two Step Process

Before accepting a bout, we poll our skaters to make sure we have enough skaters to play:  15 skaters make a full roster.  We only have a few days to respond, before the spot is offered to another team.  Please check your schedule and respond as soon as possible if your skater plans to attend.

Then, we start planning the details.  You will receive a form from the travel parent that has additional details - as much as we have available.  This includes hotels, game times, venue location, etc.  

Carpooling

A parents is encouraged to attend away games with their skater.  If a parent cannot accompany their skater, RJR can help arrange for travel with another parent.  That parent, the chaperone, looks after them for the duration of the trip, but may stay in a skater shared hotel room.  These arrangements are always made in advance with everyone agreeing on the plan!

Games

Games can be against a range of opponents, typically scheduled on Saturdays and Sunday, between 8am and 7pm.  Sometimes we play single tournaments, other times we play 3 games in a weekend.  All games follow rules and guidelines of the Junior Roller Derby Association (JRDA).  

Each skater (and parent) should review or Bout Readiness guide!

Hotel

RJR tries to find mid-range (3 star) hotels, with breakfast, for our stays.

• If the game is more than 3  hours away RJR will typically select a hotel or arrange a block of rooms near the bout if enough lead time is available. 

• If the game is 3 hours or less away, we usually travel round trip the same day. 

  • However, if we play early in the morning, RJR may arrange a hotel in the host city

• Skaters and parents are not obligated to stay in the hotel chosen by RJR. The only caveat to this is skaters traveling without parents will need to stay in the same hotel as RJR skaters. Therefore, if you are providing transportation to a skater traveling without a parent- you’ll need to stay at the same RJR hotel - or make it a day trip.

• Parents traveling with their skater are responsible for booking their own room.

• Skaters traveling without their parents:  RJR will put skaters in the room together in the block on the same floor as the rest of the team. The Finance Director will invoice parents after the game based on the number of skaters in the room. So, if  4 skaters are in the room- the cost will be divided by 4.  

Transportation

• Generally, parents are responsible for transporting their skaters to the game and any other areas the team travels while in the host city.

• However, it is understandable that some parents are unable to travel, therefore, other parents will indicate on the registration form if they can provide a ride to a fellow skater. The Travel parent will notify the parents of skaters needing a ride to reach out to the traveling parents. These arrangements will be between the traveling parent and the parent of the skater requiring transportation. 

• For further destinations (or by popular demand), RJR may reserve a van.  This is a great opportunity for team bonding.  We will decide in advance how the van is paid (sometimes RJR pays, other times it is shared between the riders).  If a van is reserved it will be on the registration form. Skaters are not required to ride in the van.  We will ask parents to drive the van.

Food / Incidentals

• Food cost is paid for by the skater / parent. It is the responsibility for the parent to give money to the skater for food and incidentals (merch from other teams, etc).  It will be indicated on the registration form what meals will need to be covered. 

• On the registration form there is a section that gives parents an opportunity to inform the Travel Team Coordinator should there be any issues: allergies or rooming preferences. 

Communication

• RJR typically sets up some way to communicate during travel.  Facebook chat has worked in the past, but whatever the group decides can be used.  

• It's very important you keep an eye out for communications.  There can be last minute changes or we when we start organizing for food, leaving the hotel, etc. 

Ways for Parents to help while Traveling

• Be a RJR Game Day Chaperone during the game: should a skater need to be expelled from a game due to poor sportsmanship or too many penalties, we will need a RJR parent to chaperone that parent. Indicate on the registration form if this is something you are willing to do.

• Be the Meal Coordinator for the Team: main point of contact to arrange places to eat while in the host city. Organize and Communicate this with the team. There is a spreadsheet that can be shared with this parent on past places the Raven’s have eaten.  

• Be Snack Parent: pick up snacks for the team and transport the snacks to the venue. Ensure clean up and follow host city protocol where the team is able to consume snack. 

• Learn how to Coach: Coaching during a game doesn't require a lot of derby knowledge, but is a very direct way to help the team! 

RJR typically pays for travel, hotel, and food for the attending Coaches.