Pepper Howard, aka Guns N Rollers, will represent Australia at the Junior Roller Derby World Cup in Brisbane. Photo: Supplied.
Teen derby star Guns N Rollers is set to put on the green and gold after skating her way into Australia’s junior team at this year’s world cup.
Pepper Howard, better known in the derby community as Guns N Rollers, started roller derby when she was 10.
“I started because my dad’s friends started and then convinced my dad to start,” the 17-year-old said. “Then her daughters, and me and my sister started playing as well.”
The fun family affair quickly turned into a competitive flame, with Pepper climbing the ranks and increasing training and travelling to get as much time on the skates as possible.
“I train with both juniors and adults. Juniors train once a week on Tuesdays, and adults is twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays,” Pepper said.
“I also play all up the coast and I’ve also played in Queensland, Victoria, Adelaide … basically anywhere I can get a game, I like to go.”
That training ramped up once she set her sights on the Junior World Cup.
“I tried out for the ones in 2023 that were held in France but unfortunately I didn’t make the team,” she said.
“However, I worked really hard; last year I travelled all around Australia and I went to so many games and tournaments and that really bumped up my skills and helped me go through the tryouts for the junior team.”
Her hard work paid off when it was announced she would be joining the team for the 2025 event in Brisbane.
“There was a lot of ugly crying, but good ugly crying,” she said.
The Australian team has been training all year for the big event, holding sessions across the country to bring the team together.
Now it’s almost crunch time – but it’s the community connection that Pepper is most looking forward to.
“We’ve been training for about six months now, so I’ve met all my teammates, and we have pen pals too from all the other countries,” she said.
“I’m so excited to meet all the different countries and all the different skaters.”
Pepper has been training with the junior aussie side for the past six months. Photo: Supplied.
And she’s keen to use the experience to improve her game.
“Whether it’s strength or technique from watching any of the other countries it would be amazing. Or even some of my own teammates; I know I’ve learned a lot from them already so just to continue on that.
“I’m hoping that I have at least one very very good game where I’m happy with my performance and I’m not completely freaking out.”
Wollongong Illawarra Roller Derby (WIRD) was established in 2009 and is one of 18 leagues in the state. They have a female and non binary team, a co-ed team and a junior team.
Pepper is the second member to represent the country, with Ben Hall making the Australian men’s team for the World Skate Games in Italy last year.
The league is no stranger to success, with the The Steel City Derby Dolls the reigning champions of the state’s 5×5 tournament.
They’re trying to recruit some new players, with an adult Learn to Skate program starting next month.
“So many people are so supportive and it’s really a great community,” Pepper said.
“There’s so many different backgrounds and abilities – there’s a lot of older skaters who have a lot more experience and they’re really good with freshies and that.
“They help train with us, and teach people all the stuff that they know but they’re also really good to play against when you’re getting up there.”
Pepper assured that the rough and tumble wasn’t quite as frightening as some perceived it to be and said roller derby was a chance to pick up a new skill and exercise with skates among an encouraging group of people.
“Most of the time I get, ‘Oh, what’s that?’ or ‘Do you punch people in the face?’
“The old one is a lot more violent and a lot of the rules have changed.
“I wish people would know the newer version of derby rather than just the old one.”
The Junior World Cup starts on Saturday 26 July, with games to be livestreamed through the JRDA website.
To find out more about Wollongong Illawarra Roller Derby League and the Learn to Skate Program visit the WIRD website.
