Denver Roller Dolls
Encyclopedia
The Denver Roller Dolls is a flat-track roller derby
league based in Denver, Colorado
. The league was founded in December 2005. The DRD is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association
(WFTDA).
On January 21, 2010, the Denver Roller Dolls announced a partnership with Kroenke Sports Enterprises and AEG Live Rocky Mountains
. The partnership includes establishing the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado
, as the league's dedicated home venue for 2010.
The Mile High Club is the league's primary all-star team for inter-league competition and is composed of skaters from the four home teams. Bruising Altitude, a second travel team for up-and-coming stars, was formed in 2009. These teams compete against other WFTDA and non-WFTDA leagues across the United States.
. The team's skaters "prov[ed] themselves as 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 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 the Bad Apples.
In October, 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 National Championships in league history.
At 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 the Mile High Club is 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.
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 league now practices in a warehouse space in Denver dubbed "The Glitterdome." 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, a skater might complete cardio/endurance, strength, agility, or derby skills drills.
, but individual members may be involved in a variety of different community activities throughout the year.
Roller derby
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team...
league based in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
. The league was founded in December 2005. The DRD is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association
Women's Flat Track Derby Association
The Women's Flat Track Derby Association is an association of women's flat track roller derby leagues in the United States. The organization was founded in April 2004 as the United Leagues Coalition but was renamed in November 2005. It is registered in Raleigh, North Carolina as a 501 business...
(WFTDA).
On January 21, 2010, the Denver Roller Dolls announced a partnership with Kroenke Sports Enterprises and AEG Live Rocky Mountains
Anschutz Entertainment Group
The Anschutz Entertainment Group is a sporting and music entertainment presenter and a subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation. It is the world's largest owner of sports teams and sports events, the owner of the world’s most profitable sports and entertainment venues, and under AEG Live the world's...
. The partnership includes establishing the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colorado
Broomfield, Colorado
The City and County of Broomfield is a prominent suburb and tier of the Denver metropolitan area in the State of Colorado of the United States. Broomfield has a consolidated city and county government which operates under Article XX, Sections 10-13 of the Constitution of the State of Colorado. The...
, as the league's dedicated home venue for 2010.
Teams
The Denver Roller Dolls league is composed of four home teams: the Bad Apples, the Green Barrettes, the Shotgun Betties, and the Electrocuties (added in 2011).The Mile High Club is the league's primary all-star team for inter-league competition and is composed of skaters from the four home teams. Bruising Altitude, a second travel team for up-and-coming stars, was formed in 2009. These teams compete against other WFTDA and non-WFTDA leagues across the United States.
2009
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, ColoradoColorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
. The team's skaters "prov[ed] themselves as the fastest-rising force in Western derby." Other leagues competing in the tournament were Tucson Roller Derby
Tucson Roller Derby
Tucson Roller Derby is a women's roller derby league located in Tucson, Arizona. TRD is a 501 nonprofit public charity organization. A member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association , Tucson Roller Derby is a skater-run non-profit organization formed in late 2003...
, the Pikes Peak Derby Dames
Pikes Peak Derby Dames
The Pikes Peak Derby Dames are Colorado Springs' first and only women's flat track roller derby league. PPDD is a proud member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association , the international governing body of women's flat track roller derby.-Organization:...
, Arizona Roller Derby, Duke City Derby, and the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls
Rocky Mountain Rollergirls
The Rocky Mountain Rollergirls, or RMRG, are a women's flat-track roller derby league based in Denver, Colorado. The league was founded in 2004. The Rocky Mountain Rollergirls are a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association .-Teams:...
.
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 the Bad Apples.
In October, the league co-hosted the WFTDA Western Regional Tournament
WFTDA Western Regional Tournament
The WFTDA Western Regional Tournament or WFTDA West Region Playoffs is one of four roller derby qualifying tournaments for the WFTDA Championships....
"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 National Championships in league history.
At the "Declaration of Derby" National Tournament, held in November in Philadelphia, the Mile High Club took wins over the Kansas City Roller Warriors
Kansas City Roller Warriors
The Kansas City Roller Warriors are a roller derby league in Kansas City, Missouri. The league, founded in 2004, is composed of four member teams for play within the league and two travel teams that represent the league in competition with other leagues...
, the Windy City Rollers
Windy City Rollers
The Windy City Rollers are an all-female flat-track Roller Derby league located in Chicago, the city where roller derby first emerged as a sport in 1937...
and the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls, losing only to ultimate tournament champions the Oly Rollers
Oly Rollers
The Oly Rollers are a women's flat-track roller derby league based in Olympia, Washington. The league was founded in February of 2006. The Oly Rollers are a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association .-Teams:...
to secure 3rd place in the tournament. Their first trip to Nationals was not without controversy. The predominant strategy used by the Mile High Club is 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.
2010
The Mile High Club had a winning season overall, losing only to the Philly RollergirlsPhilly Rollergirls
The Philly Rollergirls, or PRG, are a women's flat-track roller derby league based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 2005, the league played their fourth season in 2009...
by a narrow margin in regular-season play. However, they were defeated by the B.ay A.rea D.erby Girls
B.ay A.rea D.erby Girls
The B.ay A.rea D.erby Girls, or B.A.D. Girls, is an all female flat-track roller derby league based in the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California. B.A.D. Girls was founded in 2004 and is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association . B.A.D. Girls is a skater owned and operated 501 ...
in the WFTDA West Regional Tournament, by a 132-128 score, and did not advance to the association championship.
2011
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, 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.Training
Up until mid 2010, league practices were held at The Wagon Wheel Skate Center in Brighton, ColoradoBrighton, Colorado
Brighton is a Home Rule Municipality in Adams and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado, and the county seat of Adams County. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 31,380 in 2008.-Geography:...
. The league now practices in a warehouse space in Denver dubbed "The Glitterdome." 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, a skater might complete cardio/endurance, strength, agility, or derby skills drills.
Service
In addition to athletic pursuits, each member of the Denver Roller Dolls must engage in community and volunteer activities to remain in good standing with the league. In 2009, volunteer efforts have been focused on Project Angel HeartProject Angel Heart
Project Angel Heart is a charitable organization which "promotes the health, dignity and self-sufficiencyof people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening illnessesby providing nutritious, home-delivered meals with care and compassion."...
, but individual members may be involved in a variety of different community activities throughout the year.