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69-640: The Rose City Rollers is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Portland, Oregon , operating as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and is a founding member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). Established in 2004, the Rose City Rollers consists of a recreational program, four adult local home teams, and two all-star travel teams that represent the league in competition with others as well as junior skaters on six home teams with

138-517: A 241–42 victory over Angel City Derby Girls . In 2010, Rose City came up just short of qualifying for Championships, losing the third place game at Western Regionals 133–102 to Bay Area. 2011 was Rose City's most successful year to that point, finishing the season with their highest ranking position to date (third in the West Region ), and qualifying for Championships for the first time since 2006, by defeating Rat City Rollergirls 186–134 to finish

207-810: A final championship tournament. As of 2019, the WFTDA postseason includes two playoffs that feed into the Championship tournament, plus three standalone, regionally-based Continental Cups. The WFTDA also recognizes eligible tournaments hosted by member leagues. Internationally, the first Roller Derby World Cup took place in Toronto, Canada, in December 2011. The second World Cup took place in Dallas, Texas, in December 2014. Since 2012, USARS has held an annual Roller Derby National Championship. In 2017, FIRS and

276-455: A form of sports entertainment , where theatrical elements overshadowed athleticism. Gratuitous showmanship largely ended with the sport's grassroots revival in the first decade of the 21st century. Although roller derby retains some sports entertainment qualities such as player pseudonyms and colorful uniforms, it has abandoned scripted bouts with predetermined winners. Modern roller derby is an international sport, mostly played by amateurs. It

345-417: A foul, can have a major effect on scoring. While the sport has its origins in the banked-track roller-skating marathons of the 1930s, Leo Seltzer and Damon Runyon are credited with evolving the sport to its competitive form. Professional roller derby quickly became popular; in 1940, more than 5 million spectators watched in about 50 American cities. In the ensuing decades, however, it predominantly became

414-490: A given jam, and time and record skaters in the penalty box. The growing popularity of roller skating in the United States led to the formation of organized multi-day endurance races for cash prizes as early as the mid-1880s. Speed and endurance races continued to be held on both flat and banked tracks in the century's first three decades and spectators enjoyed the spills and falls of the skaters. The term derby

483-448: A hard-case sports bra and protective cups. Offense and defense are played simultaneously, a volatile aspect that complicates strategy and tactics. For example, one team's blockers may take offensive action to create a gap in the opposing wall for their jammer to pass through, but this same maneuver could potentially weaken their own defenses and allow the opposing team's jammer to score. Strategies (high-level plans toward achieving

552-711: A non-sanctioned developmental team formed to give more skaters the opportunity to gain interleague experience. The league has a junior roller derby team, Major Turbulence, which is a member of JRDA . There is also a men's team, Ground Control, who are members of the Men's Roller Derby Association . The Mile High Club began the 2009 season as victors at the Four Corner Feud, a western United States invitational tournament held February 21–22 in Colorado Springs, Colorado . The team's skaters "prov[ed] themselves as

621-411: A point for passing that blocker and a point for each opponent blocker not on the track (for instance, serving a penalty, or when the opposition did not field five players for the jam). If the jammer passes the entire pack, it is a four-point scoring trip, commonly called a "grand slam". Each team's blockers use body contact, changing positions, and other tactics to help their jammer score while hindering

690-623: A reciprocity agreement for insurance purposes. Outside the United States, many roller derby leagues enjoy support from their national skate federations, such as Skate Australia , the British Roller Sports Federation , and Roller Sports Canada . In Europe, roller derby was recognized as a sport in Paris in 2010 by the Federation Internationale de Roller Sports (FIRS), which reports directly to

759-417: A scenario when one team's jammer is sent to the penalty box. In this case, that jammer's team cannot score. If the lead jammer is penalized, no one can prematurely end the jam. It would be pointless to play if neither team could score; thus, both jammers cannot serve a penalty at the same time. If one jammer is sent to the penalty box while the opposing jammer is already serving a penalty, the opposing jammer

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828-688: A skater might complete cardio/endurance, strength, agility, or derby skills drills. In October 2009, the league co-hosted the WFTDA Western Regional Tournament "Derby on the Rocks" with the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls , also of Denver, Colorado. The Denver Roller Dolls Mile High Club placed third in the tournament, earning the first trip to the WFTDA Championships in league history. At

897-431: A star on their helmet, and four blockers . During each jam, players skate counterclockwise on a circuit track. The jammer scores a point for each opposing blocker they lap. The blockers simultaneously defend by hindering the opposing jammer, while also playing offense by maneuvering to aid their own jammer. Because roller derby uses a penalty box , power jams , in which one team has a temporary numerical advantage after

966-500: A strong "do-it-yourself" ethic that combines athleticism with the styles of punk and camp . As of 2020 , the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) had 451 full member leagues and 46 apprentice leagues and the Roller Derby Coalition of Leagues (RDCL) supporting women's banked track roller derby had eight full member leagues. Contemporary roller derby has a basic set of rules, with variations reflecting

1035-459: A travel team for Rose Petals (7–12) and a travel team for Rosebuds (12–17). Rose City's all-star travel team "Wheels of Justice" won the WFTDA Championships in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019. Founded in 2004 by Kim "Rocket Mean" Stegeman, along with Evette Reyes (among others), Rose City Rollers became a founding member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) in 2005. In November 2008, Rose City and Rat City Rollergirls (Seattle) co-hosted

1104-452: A warehouse space in Denver dubbed "The Glitterdome." They currently practice at "The Rollerdome" in Denver. The rigorous training schedule includes strict attendance requirements and additional practices for teams and all-star skaters. Each new skater completes an intensive orientation and training program and may spend as many as 12 months training before joining a team. At any given practice,

1173-762: A winning season in 2010, losing only to the Philly Rollergirls by a narrow margin in regular-season play. However, they were defeated by the B.ay A.rea D.erby Girls in the WFTDA West Regional Tournament, by a 132-128 score, and did not advance to the association championship. The Mile High Club began 2011 by earning a 3-0 record at the Wild West Showdown event in March, defeating the Rat City Rollergirls ,

1242-666: A year for games. Rose City has two travel teams, the Wheels of Justice A team and the Axles of Annihilation B team, plus four home teams: the Break Neck Betties, Guns N Rollers, Heartless Heathers and High Rollers. Rose City took part in the first WFTDA Championships in February 2006, the "Dust Devil" invitational tournament, in which they placed 16th out of 20 teams. At the first WFTDA Western Regional Tournament (also named

1311-400: Is a roller skating contact sport played on an oval track by two teams of five skaters. It is played by approximately 1,250 amateur leagues worldwide, though it is most popular in the United States. A 60-minute roller derby game, or bout , is a series of two-minute timed jams . Each team, typically with a roster of 15, fields five skaters during each jam: one jammer , designated with

1380-651: Is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), joining in December 2007 as Denver Roller Dolls. In January 2015, the league changed its name to Denver Roller Derby. The Denver Roller Derby league is composed of three home teams: the Bad Apples, the Green Barrettes, and the Orange Crushers. The Mile High Club is the All-Star squad, and represents DRD as a WFTDA A Charter team and

1449-711: Is released from the penalty box early. The second jammer's penalty is then only as long as the amount of time the first jammer spent in the box. Players skate on four-wheeled ("quad") roller skates, and are required to wear protective equipment, including a helmet, wrist guards, elbow pads, knee pads, and mouth guards. All current sets of roller derby rules explicitly forbid inline skates for players. (USARS requires quad skates for all skaters. WFTDA and MRDA permit inline skates for referees, but virtually all referees wear quad skates.) Individual teams may mandate additional gear, such as padded knee length pants, similar to what aggressive skateboarders wear, and sex-specific gear such as

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1518-549: Is within 10 feet of the next. Blockers must maintain the pack, but can skate freely within 20 feet behind and ahead of it, an area known as the "engagement zone". The first jammer to break through the pack earns the status of "lead jammer". A designated referee blows the whistle twice and continually points at the jammer to confer lead jammer status, which lets that jammer stop the jam at any time by repeatedly placing hands on hips. Lead jammer status cannot be transferred to other skaters, but certain actions (such as being sent to

1587-683: The Claremont Colleges roller derby team defeated Arizona State University . The website FlatTrackStats compiles ratings of WFTDA teams, adjusting them after every bout based on how the actual score compares to the predicted score. The WFTDA's own Stats Repository has comparable information and often is updated at halftime of a bout. Roller derby bouts are now streamed online, and there are archived videos of past bouts and tournaments. The WFTDA offers live streaming video of its tournaments at wftda.tv. Derby News Network offered live streaming video and archived video including events outside

1656-570: The Roller Derby "commissioner", hoped to use television to expand the live spectator base. He adapted the sport for television by developing scripted story lines and rules designed to improve television appeal, but derby's popularity had declined. 1989 saw the debut of RollerGames , an even more theatrical variant of roller derby for national audiences. It used a figure-8 track and rules adapted for this track. Bill Griffiths, Sr. served as commissioner while his son, Bill Griffiths, Jr., managed

1725-740: The Rose City Rollers , and the Sacred City Derby Girls , and maintained a winning streak into early May by defeating the Philly Rollergirls and the Rose City Rollers in home bouts. In 2018, Denver received a bye directly to WFTDA Championships, by placing within the top four teams overall, as the fourth seed, in the June 30 rankings. At Championships in New Orleans , Denver finished in fourth place, losing

1794-874: The "Declaration of Derby" National Tournament, held in November in Philadelphia, the Mile High Club took wins over the Kansas City Roller Warriors , the Windy City Rollers and the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls, losing only to ultimate tournament champions the Oly Rollers to secure 3rd place in the tournament. Their first trip to Nationals was not without controversy. The predominant strategy used by

1863-469: The 15 roster players, and different selections for jammer and pivot. During each jam, players skate counterclockwise on a circuit track. Points are scored only by a team's jammer. After breaking through the pack and skating one lap to begin another "trip" through the pack, the jammer scores one point for passing any opposing blocker. The rules describe an "earned" pass; notably, the jammer must be in-bounds and upright. The jammer's first earned pass scores

1932-719: The 2020 Olympic Games. In 2009, the feature film Whip It featured roller derby and introduced a wider audience to the sport. The WFTDA encouraged leagues to coordinate with promotions during the film's release to increase awareness of the leagues. Furthermore, corporate advertising has used roller derby themes in television commercials for insurance , a breakfast cereal , and an over-the-counter analgesic . Most players in roller leagues skate under pseudonyms, also called " derby names " or "skater names". These typically use word play with satirical, mock-violent or sexual puns , alliteration , and allusions to pop culture . Referees often use derby names as well, often shown on

2001-559: The Bad Apples. On January 21, 2010, the Denver Roller Dolls announced a partnership with Kroenke Sports Enterprises and AEG Live Rocky Mountains . The partnership included establishing the 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado , as the league's dedicated home venue for 2010. As of 2015, the league includes a junior team and a men's team . Major Turbulence, are trained by league veterans and are full members of

2070-805: The Dust Devil) Rose City lost in the opening round 95–92 to Sin City Rollergirls of Las Vegas and were eliminated. Rose City and Rat City Rollergirls co-hosted the Northwest Knockdown 2008 national championships at the Portland Expo Center. Rose City did not compete at Championships however, after losing to B.ay A.rea D.erby Girls at the Western Regional tournament. At the 2009 Western Regional Tournament, Rose City finished in seventh place with

2139-621: The International Olympic Committee. As of 2017, FIRS has been accepted as the international rule set by the International Olympic Committee. Teams competed under the FIRS rules at the 2017 Nanjing Games. The former Canadian Women's Roller Derby Association worked with the American federation. Since 2006, the WFTDA has sponsored an annual championship . In 2008, it adopted the "Big 5" format: four regional playoffs and

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2208-569: The Junior Roller Derby Association. In fact, many of our Travel Team and Home Team skaters are “aged-up” former Juniors from Major Turbulence. Ground Control is the only men's flat track derby league in the Denver metro area and they train and recruit some of the strongest athletes on the track. Consequently, in January 2015, the league changed its name to Denver Roller Derby (still abbreviated DRD), in order to reflect

2277-738: The L.A. T-Birds, who (according to the storyline) were seeking revenge on the Violators (led by Skull) for cheating in the Commissioner's Cup. The other teams included the Maniacs (led by Guru Drew), Bad Attitude (led by Ms. Georgia Hase), the Rockers (led by DJ Terringo and consisting of skaters who were also professional rock and roll musicians), and Hot Flash (led by Juan Valdez Lopez). It ran one season, because some of its syndicators went bankrupt. In 1999, TNN debuted RollerJam , which used

2346-768: The Mile High Club was to slow the speed of the pack dramatically to enable their jammers to rack up points quickly. This was met with confusion and frustration by much of the audience at the tournament. The Mile High Club went 11–3 for the 2009 season, losing only to the Oly Rollers in April, the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls at the Regional Tournament in October, and the Oly Rollers again at the National Tournament in November. The Mile High Club had

2415-709: The Northwest Knockdown national championships at the Portland Expo Center . Rose City hosted the 2011 WFTDA Western Regional Tournament , the "Bridgetown Brawl", at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland, in which they placed third overall. Rose City Rollers is one of the largest modern roller derby leagues in the United States, if not the world. Rose City comprises a multitude of teams at various levels of competition, and hosts games at The Hangar at Oaks Amusement Park , where they draw up to 22,000 fans

2484-476: The Roller Derby rules to increase skater contact. By 1939, after experimenting with different team and scoring arrangements, Seltzer's created a touring company of four pairs of teams (always billed as the local "home" team versus either New York or Chicago), with two five-person teams on the track at once, scoring points when its members lapped opponents. On November 29, 1948, before television viewership

2553-723: The Rolling Dead ( Night of the Living Dead ), Knocktoberfest ( Oktoberfest ), Spanksgiving ( Thanksgiving ), Seasons Beatings ( Seasons Greetings ), Grandma Got Run Over By a Rollergirl (" Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer "), Cinco de May-hem ( Cinco de Mayo ), and War of the Wheels ( War of the Worlds ). Roller derby is a contact sport, and injuries can occur. Superficial injuries include bruising. However, torn ligaments, broken bones, and concussions also occur. Some leagues prominently display their injuries, to embellish

2622-574: The USOC recognized USARS to participate in the 2017 Nanjing games. The largest roller derby tournament in the southern hemisphere, The Great Southern Slam , has been held biannually in Adelaide, South Australia since 2010. Denver Roller Derby Denver Roller Derby (DRD) is a flat-track roller derby league based in Denver, Colorado . The league was founded in December 2005. Denver Roller Derby

2691-531: The United Kingdom, France, Brazil, Germany, Belgium, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Israel, Singapore , UAE , Egypt , Thailand, and China. In many international leagues, gear and equipment must be imported. Roller derby's contemporary resurgence has been regarded as an aspect of globalization which demonstrates "the speed with which pop culture is now transported by highly mobile expatriates and social media , while also highlighting

2760-415: The WFTDA. FiveOnFive magazine covers roller derby and diverse aspects such as business, training, junior roller derby, and nutrition. The largest governing body for the sport is the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), with 397 full member leagues and 48 apprentice leagues. WFTDA membership is a major goal of aspiring leagues. Other associations support either mixed-gender or men-only derby;

2829-462: The WFTDA. Roller derby is played in two periods of 30 minutes. Two teams of up to 15 players each field up to five members for episodes called "jams". Jams last two minutes unless called off prematurely. Each team designates a scoring player (the "jammer"); the other four members are "blockers". One blocker can be designated as a "pivot"—a blocker who is allowed to become a jammer in the course of play. The next jam may involve different players of

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2898-524: The Western Regional Tournament in third place. At Championships, Rose City was knocked out in the opening round by the Kansas City Roller Warriors 143–135. Rose City finished fourth at the 2012 West Region tournament, losing 135–123 to Bay Area in the third-place game. At the first Division 1 Playoff in 2013 at Fort Wayne, Rose City was upset in the opening round by London Rollergirls 193–190, but won their remaining games to finish

2967-624: The backs of their striped uniforms. Some players claim their names represent alter egos that they adopt while skating. Whether a team should skate under real names or derby names is sometimes debated. Some derby names are obscene, a subject of some internal controversy. Copying of derby names has attracted legal and sociological analysis as an example of indigenous development of property rights. New players are encouraged to check derby names against an international roster to ensure they are not already in use. The names of roller derby events are also as sardonic and convoluted—for example, Night of

3036-518: The changing role of women in many societies". Many roller derby leagues are amateur, self-organized and all-female and were formed in a do-it-yourself spirit by relatively new enthusiasts. In many leagues (especially in the U.S.), a punk aesthetic and/or third-wave feminist ethic is prominent. Members of fledgling leagues often practice and strategize together, regardless of team affiliation, between bouts. Most compete on flat tracks, though several leagues skate on banked tracks, with more in

3105-604: The classic rules and banked oval track, but allowed inline skates (although some skaters wore traditional quad skates). Jerry Seltzer was commissioner for this version. Roller derby began its modern revival in Austin, Texas in the early 2000s as an all-female, woman-organized amateur sport. By August 2006, there were over 135 similar leagues. Leagues outside the U.S. also began forming in 2006, and international competition soon followed. There are over 2,000 amateur leagues worldwide in countries including Canada, Australia, New Zealand,

3174-520: The early 2000s revival of roller derby was initially all-female, some leagues later introduced all-male teams and all-gender games; as of May 2013 there were over 140 junior roller derby programs in the United States, and many more around the world. College roller derby is also expanding in the United States. The University of Arizona 's Derby Cats describe themselves as the first-ever official college flat-track roller derby team. The first intercollegiate derby bout took place on March 3, 2018, when

3243-433: The engagement zone. Groups of blockers on the same team typically create formations, known as walls, to prevent the opposing blocker from passing. Blocking with hands, elbows, head, and feet is prohibited, as is contact above the shoulders, below mid-thigh, or to the back. Referees penalize rules violations. A player receiving a penalty is removed from play and must sit in the penalty box for 30 seconds of jam time. If

3312-547: The fastest-rising force in Western derby." Other leagues competing in the tournament were Tucson Roller Derby , the Pikes Peak Derby Dames , Arizona Roller Derby , Duke City Roller Derby , and the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls . The season opener for the home teams was March 28, 2009 and the season culminated in the league championships, which saw the newly reformed Shotgun Betties beat the reigning champions

3381-530: The final for the fourth straight year but came up short, losing to Victorian Roller Derby League 180–101. In 2018, Rose City received a bye directly to WFTDA Championships, by placing within the top four teams overall, as the second seed, in the June 30 rankings. At Championships in New Orleans in November, Rose City claimed their third title in four years in a rematch from 2017's final against Victoria, 144–121. Rose City skater Rochelle "Gal of Fray" Jubert

3450-471: The final. Ahead of the 2017 season, Rose City was on both ends of significant skater transfers, as sisters Scald Eagle and Brawn Swanson moved to Denver and joined Denver Roller Derby, while Bonnie Thunders moved from New York to Portland and joined Rose City. Rose City claimed first place at the 2017 Division 1 Playoff in Seattle with a 227–120 victory over Angel City. At Championships, Rose City played in

3519-698: The final. At the Championships in Saint Paul in November, Rose City upset top-seeded Gotham 206–195 to take the 2015 WFTDA Championships and win the Hydra Trophy , dethroning Gotham after their four-year championship run. Rose City won their third straight Division 1 tournament in September 2016, taking the final game 250–137 over Denver Roller Derby . In November, Rose City retained its Championships title, coming from behind to again defeat Gotham in

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3588-684: The first Roller Derby World Championships organized by World Skate in 2017, as part of the 2017 World Roller Games USA Roller Sports (USARS) is recognized by the International Roller Sports Federation (FIRS) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as the National Governing Body of competitive roller sports in the United States, including speed, figure, hockey, roller derby and slalom. WFTDA and USARS maintain

3657-407: The game's goal, which is to outscore the opposition) include the following: Tactics (deliberate conceptual tasks in support of the strategy) may include the following: WFTDA bouts are officiated by three to seven skating referees and many non-skating officials (NSOs). Volunteer leagues adapt when fewer than the optimal number of officials are present. Up to four referees skate on the inside of

3726-446: The image of violence or machismo . However, some skaters say the sport is reasonably safe if skaters take precautions. The rules require appropriate medical professionals on-site at every bout, even if not required by laws or arena regulations. The WFTDA offers insurance for leagues in the United States with legal liability and accident coverage, but it recommends that skaters also carry their own primary medical insurance. Although

3795-571: The interests of a governing body 's member leagues. The summary below is based on the rules of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). In March 2010, Derby News Network said that more than 98% of roller derby competitions were conducted under WFTDA rules. For example, members of the United Kingdom Roller Derby Association are required to play by WFTDA rules, while members of the former Canadian Women's Roller Derby Association were encouraged to join

3864-402: The jam ends during this interval, the player remains in the penalty box during the subsequent jam until the interval ends. While the penalty is being served, the penalized player's team plays short-handed, as in ice hockey . A player "fouls out" of the game on the seventh penalty, and is required to return to the locker room. A "power jam", derived from ice hockey's " power play ", refers to

3933-417: The largest organization supporting male roller derby is the Men's Roller Derby Association (MRDA). Within the United States, the Junior Roller Derby Association governs play by those under 18. It modifies the WFTDA rules for minors at three skill levels, with the lowest level allowing no intentional contact between skaters, and the highest allowing full contact; additional rules are also changed according to

4002-493: The league’s most competitive representative in WFTDA-sanctioned games and tournaments around the world. Bruising Altitude, the league's WFTDA B Charter Team, was formed in 2009 and has made a name for themselves as one of the top teams in the region. These teams compete against other WFTDA and non-WFTDA leagues across the United States. The Standbys, added in 2014, is the competitive WFTDA C Charter team, and also include

4071-618: The needs of youth skaters. Some U.S. leagues decline affiliation with a national organization because they prefer local governance. Although WFTDA has been the largest worldwide roller-derby organization, the IOC has recognized World Skate (formerly Fédération Internationale de Roller Sports ) as the only governing body able to sanction international roller derby competitions within the Olympic Movement. Disputes between World Skate and WFTDA has meant that only 4 teams were present in

4140-444: The opposing team's jammer. Play begins by blockers lining up on the track anywhere between the "jammer line" and the "pivot line" 30 feet in front. The jammers start behind the jammer line. Jams begin on a single short whistle blast, upon which both jammers and blockers may begin engaging immediately. The pack is the largest single group of blockers containing members of both teams skating in proximity, arranged such that each player

4209-590: The penalty box) cancel lead jammer status, meaning that the jam has no lead jammer and must continue for the full two-minute period. If the jam is not called off by the lead jammer, it ends after two minutes. If time remains in the period, teams then have 30 seconds to get on the track and line up for the next jam. If the 30-minute period ends while a jam is underway, the jam plays out to its natural conclusion. A skater may block an opponent to impede their movement or to force them out of bounds. The blocker must be upright, skating counterclockwise, in bounds, and within

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4278-542: The planning stages. Each league typically features local teams in public bouts that are popular with a diverse fan base. Some venues host audiences ranging up to 7,000. Successful local leagues have formed traveling teams comprising the league's best players to compete with comparable teams from other cities and regions. In February 2012, the International Olympic Committee considered roller derby, amongst eight other sports, for inclusion in

4347-437: The track. In flat-track derby, up to three additional referees skate on the outside of the track. They call penalties, award points, and ensure safe game play. Referees must wear skates and typically wear white and black stripes. NSOs take up a range of positions inside and outside the track, start and time the jams, record and display scores and penalties communicated by referees, record the number of each skater on track for

4416-669: The weekend in 5th place. Since 2014, Rose City has made the final game at the WFTDA Championships every year. After taking first place at the 2014 Division 1 tournament in Charleston, West Virginia, Rose City advanced all the way to the final game of the Championships in Nashville, narrowly falling to Gotham Girls Roller Derby , 147–144. In 2015 , the Wheels of Justice again won their Division 1 Playoff, this time in Dallas, where they beat Texas Rollergirls 257–223 in

4485-482: The whole member community—skaters, volunteers, officials, and fans regardless of age or gender. Removing "Dolls" from the league name is also intended to help solidify the legitimacy of the sport in the eyes of the public. Burning River Roller Derby of Cleveland and Philly Roller Derby made similar changes in 2015 for similar reasons. Up until mid-2010, league practices were held at The Wagon Wheel Skate Center in Brighton, Colorado . The league then practiced in

4554-409: Was named tournament MVP. RCR took first place at the 2019 International Championships in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, making it their fourth world championship. They have since started playing games again since the pandemic. The Wheels of Justice are Rose City's WFTDA charter team and compete against other WFTDA teams in sanctioned play, and qualify for rankings . Roller derby Roller derby

4623-460: Was under consideration as a roller sport for the 2020 Summer Olympics . Fédération Internationale de Roller Sports (FIRS), recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the official international governing body of roller sports, released its first set of Roller Derby Rules for the World Roller Games, organised by World Skate , that took place September 2017 in Nanjing, China . Most modern leagues (and their back-office volunteers) share

4692-432: Was used to refer to such races by 1922. The endurance races began to transform into the contemporary form of the sport in the mid-1930s, when promoter Leo Seltzer created the Transcontinental Roller Derby, a month-long simulation of a road race between two-person teams of professional skaters. The spectacle became a popular touring exhibition. In the late 1930s, sportswriter Damon Runyon persuaded Seltzer to change

4761-434: Was widespread, Roller Derby debuted on New York television . The broadcasts increased spectator turnout for live matches. For the 1949–1950 season, Seltzer formed the National Roller Derby League (NRDL), comprising six teams. NRDL season playoffs sold out Madison Square Garden for a week. During the late 1950s and 1960s, the sport was broadcast on several networks, but attendance declined. Jerry Seltzer (Leo's son),

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