Did you know that Utah has over ten Roller Derby leagues including a men's team and two juniors leagues? Roller Derby leagues can be found in every state in the country including Hawaii and Alaska. It is the fastest growing women's sport in the world and is having a fiery comeback from the underground since the early 2000s. It has gotten so large that in December 2011 Toronto Canada hosted the first annual international Roller Derby World Cup tournament.
Roller derby rooted from roller derbies, which were popular team-style skate races from the 1880s to the 1920s.
Throughout the 50s and 60s it evolved into a full-contact, entertainment-based sport show with staged fights and theatrical outfits. Roller derby became very popular in the 70s, and even had nationally broadcasted competitions. In the 2000s, the sport started popping back up across the country with amateur-based, self-started womens leagues. In 2004, a number of all-female leagues formed what is now known as the Womens Flat Track Derby Association, or WFTDA (an overriding organization sort of like the NBA of basketball in America).
In the past seven years, roller derby has exploded. It is now a much more serious, athlete-focused sport. There are now thousands of leagues across America, registered leagues in more than 30 other countries, and a growing number of coed, male and junior leagues.
According to derbyroster.com there are 1155 Roller Derby Leagues worldwide including Women's Flat Track, Men's Flat Track, Junior's Flat Track, Recreational, and Banked Track.
Associations include:
WFTDA = Women's Flat Track Derby Association
WFTDA-AL = WFTDA Apprentice League
OSDA = Old School Derby Association
MADE = Modern Athletic Derby Endeavor
CWRDA = Canadian Women's Roller Derby Association
UKRDA = United Kingdom Roller Derby Association
MRDA = Men's Roller Derby Association
JRDA = Junior Roller Derby Association
Countries include:
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Czech Republic
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Guam
Hungary
Ireland
Isle of Man
Israel
Italy
Japan
Malaysia
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Peru
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Singapore
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom
United States
Most leagues consist of 2-5 home teams and an all-star or travel team. Each team holds an average roster of 14 people, and most leagues range from 15-85 skaters. Players can either be blockers, pivots or jammers. Blockers block, pivots are the leaders of their pack, and jammers score the points.
The games are called bouts, which consist of two halves. The halves are divided by two-minute jams. The team with the most points at the end wins. ***A following post will feature a video and description of how the game is played and basic rules.***
Roller Derby is a full-contact, hard-hitting, fast-paced, ever-evolving sport.
The other important thing to understand about roller derby, other than the game, is the culture. Roller Derby is known as a DIY (Do It Yourself) sport. Almost every league is skater ran, for the skater, by the skater. Members form a league, find a practice location, learn and teach the game, buy their own equipment, pay for travel, serve on committees, gather sponsors, sell tickets, publicize, and basically run the whole show.
Exclusive to the sport of Roller Derby is the derby name. Each skater chooses a name and number they are known by and wear on their jerseys. Usually the name represents the skater's derby persona or alter ego. For example, in derby I am Penny Slain, No. 128 a play off the Beatles song Penny Lane, (I'm am an avid Beatles fan) and Slain because most names incorporate something tough, or a clever double meaning, or funny innuendo or parody. Some of my favorites include Hannah Bull (like Hannibal Lecter), Skatey GaGa, Clam Jammer, Amanda Jamitinya, Sam Awry, Collin DeShotz and Uel Lose. According to twoevils.org, (the website in which skaters register a unique derby name and number) there is a total 33,587 registered Rollergirls as of December 20th 2011.
Now that you know the basics, let me try to explain the people. Most women's leagues require players to be at least 18 years old, but many women in their later 20s, 30s and 40s play. The oldest active skater I know is a 52-year-old woman; the oldest I have heard of is a 72-year-old male. While it is true that many of the girls can be typecast into the stereotypical derby girl roles, each league consists of a wide variety of women. I have skated with two leagues since starting almost two years ago. I have played with women from dozens of teams across the country.
I will admit, every team does have tattooed, pierced, hair-dyed punk rockers and colorful hippies. Some of the girls swear like sailors and proudly support their favorite PBR, Underground - you name it - drink of choice.
Many are competitive, athletic, and strong leaders. Most are the coolest, friendliest, smartest, extremely talented men and women you could meet.
Photo by Chris Bojanower
However, roller derby is just one part of their lives. Everyone has a day job and many have kids. I know nurses, geologists, military officers, miners, beauticians, mechanics, professional athletes, chefs, kindergarten teachers, doctors, stay-at-home parents, and even a few grad school professors. The truth is anyone can be a roller derby girl or guy. Its just a matter of finding that inner derby persona.
If roller derby sounds like something that might interest you, I suggest checking out a bout!
This blog will serve as Wasatch Roller Derby's main blogsite. Please stay tuned for future posts on our season schedule, ticket sales, game recaps, rankings, team rosters, general info, news and upcoming events.
Well now you know.
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Photos thanks to Jason O'Durgy!
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