Eisspeedway

Calgary Roller Derby

Calgary Roller Derby
League logo
Metro areaCalgary, Alberta
CountryCanada
Founded2006
TeamsAll-Stars (travel team)
B-52 Bellas
Cut-Throat Car Hops
Thrashin' Lassies
Track type(s)Flat
VenueMax Bell Arena
Triwood Arena
AffiliationsWFTDA
Websitewww.calgaryrollerderby.com

Calgary Roller Derby is a not-for-profit women's flat-track roller derby league based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Calgary Roller Derby is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).[1]

History and structure

Some of the Roller Derby Girls at the 2007 Calgary Tattoo & Arts Festival
Former CRDA logo

Calgary Roller Derby was originally formed as the Sandstone City Roller Girls in 2006, and restructured as the Calgary Roller Derby Association the following year. The league is skater-owned and skater-operated and is a non-profit organization.[2] In April 2018 the league announced a rebrand and dropped the "Association" from its name, and introduced an updated logo.[3]

Currently, there are three home teams within the league: The Cut-Throat Car Hops, the Thrashin' Lassies, the B-52 Bellas. There are two travel teams: the Jane Deere (B team) and the All Stars (WFTDA charter travel team). The Hellion Rebellion were renamed the All Stars in 2012. The Jane Deere was defunct as of summer 2009 and reformed in 2016. Each of these teams has a roster of 14-20 skaters. There is also a Fresh Meat team of new skaters.

The league skates from April until September, at Triwood Arena, with charity and invitational scrimmages during the off-season. Skaters also frequently travel throughout the province to participate in invitational bouts.

The league was accepted into the WFTDA Apprentice Program in January 2013.[4][5] CRD achieved full member status in the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) in December 2013,[6] becoming the first full WFTDA member league in Alberta.[7]

Calgary Junior Roller Derby is the league's JRDA-aligned junior roller derby league.[8]

WFTDA competition

Calgary first qualified for WFTDA Playoffs in 2016, entering the Division 2 tournament in Lansing, Michigan as the fifth seed.[9] At Lansing, Calgary upset higher-seeded Cincinnati Rollergirls,[10] Charm City Roller Girls (Baltimore)[11] and ultimately defeated the seventh-seeded Charlottesville Derby Dames 189–165 to take first place in the tournament.[12] The victory qualified Calgary for the Division 2 side of WFTDA Championships.[13] At Championships in Portland, Calgary lost their opening game against the Blue Ridge Rollergirls 225–183,[14] but then won a rematch against Charlottesville 252–197 to take third place in Division 2.[15] In 2017, Calgary made their first appearance at Division 1 Playoffs at Malmö, but lost to both Rainy City Roller Derby[16] and Helsinki Roller Derby to finish out of the medal round.[17]

Rankings

Season Final ranking[18] Playoffs Championship
2014 58 WFTDA[19] DNQ DNQ
2015 62 WFTDA[20] DNQ DNQ
2016 42 WFTDA[21] 1 D2[12] 3 D2[15]
2017 56 WFTDA[22] CR D1[17] DNQ
  • CR = consolation round

References

  1. ^ "Calgary Roller Derby Association – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. 9 September 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  2. ^ Jamieson, Nikki (18 April 2015). "'Empowered' women kick off eighth roller derby season in Calgary". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Welcome to the new Calgary Roller Derby". Calgary Roller Derby. 11 April 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  4. ^ "WFTDA Accepts 16 Apprentice Members", WFTDA, 31 January 2013
  5. ^ Frey, Rachael (6 March 2013). "Calgary Roller Derby Association seeks tougher competition and higher skill". Calgary Journal. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  6. ^ "WFTDA Welcomes 22 New Full Member Leagues". WFTDA. 22 December 2013. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  7. ^ "STAHR ready for big leagues". St. Albert Leader. Archived from the original on 2015-07-13. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  8. ^ "Juniors". Calgary Roller Derby. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
  9. ^ Deadwards, Lisa (15 July 2016). "2016 WFTDA June Rankings and Tournament Seeding". Derby Central. Archived from the original on 2017-01-03. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  10. ^ Deadwards, Lisa (27 August 2016). "D2L: #5 Calgary puts #4 Cincinnati out to pasture, 232-97". Derby Central. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  11. ^ Deadwards, Lisa (28 August 2016). "D2L: #5 Calgary edges past #1 Charm City, 216-191". Derby Central. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  12. ^ a b Deadwards, Lisa (28 August 2016). "D2L 1st Place: #5 Calgary takes gold against #7 Charlottesville, 189-165". Derby Central. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  13. ^ Logan, Shawn (30 August 2016). "Calgary squad skating off to world roller derby championship". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  14. ^ Deadwards, Lisa (4 November 2016). "WFTDA D2 Champs: #43 Blue Ridge vs #48 Calgary, 225-183". Derby Central. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  15. ^ a b "WFTDA Champs: Calgary takes 3rd vs Charlottesville, 252-197". Derby Central. 6 November 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  16. ^ Khaos, Merry (8 September 2017). "D1M: #6 Rainy City soaks #11 Calgary, 324-81 | Derby Central". Derby Central. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  17. ^ a b Berrick, Genevieve D (9 September 2017). "D1M: #5 Helsinki finishes #11 Calgary, 365-107". Derby Central. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  18. ^ "Current Rankings Archived 2009-02-02 at the Wayback Machine", WFTDA
  19. ^ "Rankings: December 31, 2014 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. January 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  20. ^ "Rankings: December 31, 2015 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. January 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  21. ^ "Rankings: December 31, 2016 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. 6 January 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  22. ^ "Rankings: December 31, 2017 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. 5 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.