Tampa Bay Jr. Roller Derby to The World Cup 2023

Tampa Bay has a Junior Roller Derby team that offers lessons and competitive sports in a loving, inclusive environment at an affordable cost for anyone ages 7 to 17.

As a result of this unparalleled program, five of our Tampa Bay Junior Roller Derby members (along with their coach, Lisa Ponssa) have been selected to represent the United States in the Junior Roller Derby World Cup, held in July 2023 in France.

The team must fund their own way to practices around the United States and ultimately to the World Cup.

Meet our Tampa selects and help them get there.

Elycia Rayne “Rayne da Payne” Platel fell in love with roller derby at a young age and has been playing ever since. Rayne made the JRDA USA Female Team for the 2020 World Cup, but was unable to play because of the covid-19 pandemic. If you’ve ever played with or against Rayne, you know that she is a triple threat, and can do damage as a blocker, jammer, and pivot. Rayne is a senior at Armwood Highschool and in her free time, she enjoys creating art, both visual and auditory.

Abigail “Abbynormal” Maes is 17 years old and a senior at Leto Highschool. Abby has been playing roller derby since she was 7, starting her career on Tampa Bay Junior Derby’s “Team Chaos.” Abby comes from a roller derby family with her mother and three siblings all also playing the sport. Both older siblings made the 2020 JRDA USA Team and her younger sister, “Mean Bean,” will be joining her at the World Cup in 2023. Though she is mainly a blocker, Abby also has a love and talent for jamming. When Abby’s not skating, she works at New World Brewery and spends time with her dogs, Delilah and Coco.

Morissey “Flo Mo” Montgomery, 16, is a junior at Hillsborough High School in Tampa, where she’s editor-in-chief of the yearbook and president of the live storytelling club. She started skating when she was 11. When she’s not at derby, you’ll find her playing guitar or working in the kitchen at Shuffle Tampa.

Though she’s only 15, Eliza “Mean Bean” Weinbaum has been playing roller derby for over ten years. Beanie is a sophomore at Leto Highschool where she plays the mellophone in marching band and french horn in concert band. She’s also a part of her school’s winter guard, where she does dance and flag. Beanie loves going out with friends and runs her teams TikTok account. Though Beanie followed in her older siblings footsteps and was a jammer for most of her derby career, she is now strictly a blocker and might tell you that she was “born to block.”

Miranda “Miranda Slambert” Moes is 17 and a junior at Palm Harbor University Highschool in the medical program. Though she couldn’t join her hometown’s roller derby team until she was eight, Miranda began training to join at age seven and eventually was able to play for the Brew City Microbruisers. After moving to Florida, Miranda joined the Attack Pack, though didn’t have much of a chance to play with them due to a torn ACL. Now that she is on the Tampa Bay Junior Derby All-Stars, Miranda can be seen both blocking and jamming. Outside of practice, Miranda likes hanging out with her friends and driving her beloved car, Donald.

Thank you in advance for any financial support you can offer. Look for donation boxes and discounts at local establishments like The Independent, Ella's, Jug & Bottle, Shuffle and more.

DM @tampabayjuniorderby on IG to inquire about joining Tampa Bay Junior Roller Derby. Go to juniorrollerderby.org for more information about roller derby and The World Cup.