Tucson Roller Derby

Tucson Roller Derby
League logo
Metro area Tucson, Arizona
Country United States
Founded 2003
Teams Furious Truckstop Waitresses
VICE Squad
Copper Queens
Bandoleras
TRD Saddletramps
Track type(s) Flat
Venue Tucson Indoor Sports Center 1065 W Grant Rd, Tucson, AZ 85705
Affiliations WFTDA
Org. type 501(c)(3) NPO
Website tucsonrollerderby.com
Tucson Roller Derby 2015 photographed by Alethea Photography

Tucson Roller Derby (TRD) is a women's roller derby league located in Tucson, Arizona. TRD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity organization.[1] A member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), Tucson Roller Derby is a skater-run non-profit organization formed in late 2003. Starting their thirteenth season in 2016, TRD hosts monthly flat-track roller derby competitions which showcase bouts among the various teams in the league, among other leagues in Arizona, and occasionally teams from national derby leagues.

As of 2015, five teams comprise Tucson Roller Derby. The Vice Squad and The Copper Queens are state-level home teams; The Furious Truckstop Waitresses (FTW) and The Bandoleras are city-level home teams; the Tucson Saddletramps are the travel team. The Saddletramps are made up of members from the home teams; they are all-star skaters who are nationally ranked; they travel for inter-league and interstate challenges.

History

Initially formed as the Tucson extension of the Phoenix-based Arizona Roller Derby, TRD was founded in 2003 by Kim Kysar (aka Kim Sin) when the Tucson skaters, citing geographical and logistical concerns, broke away from the parent league. At the time of the split, Tucson Roller Derby consisted of one team, The Furious Truckstop Waitresses (FTW). Since that time, Tucson Roller Derby has more than doubled in size, adding multiple home teams over the years. The Iron Curtain was added in 2004, the Vice Squad in 2005, and the Copper Queens in 2007. The Iron Curtain home team was disbanded after the 2009 season. The Tucson Saddletramps travel team formed in 2004. TRD formed a second travel team in 2012, the Bandoleras. In 2015 the Bandoleras were changed from a travel team into a city-level, fresh meat (new skater), home team. TRD continues to have a "sisterly" relationship with AZRD, often facing off against each other with both their local-season and WFTDA inter-league teams.

As one of the longest-established flat-track leagues, TRD has kept a high-profile in the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) since the consortium's inception. Tucson had the honor of hosting the first-ever WFTDA Championships over the weekend of February 24–26, 2006. Dubbed the "Dust Devil", the event hosted 20 WFTDA leagues from around the United States in a tournament to determine the nation's first-ever WFTDA national champion team.

Due to the success of the first Dust Devil, TRD was chosen to host the 2007 WFTDA Western Regional Tournament. This second Dust Devil, featuring teams west of the Mississippi River, determined the 4 leagues to head to the Texas Shootout National Tournament in Austin, TX, where they faced off against the top 4 teams from the East. TRD still hosts this historical annual tournament, which now takes place every spring.

Tucson Roller Derby received their Public Charity status on August 7, 2006, and is the first team in the WFTDA to receive a tax deductible status on donations.[2]

TRD hosted a WFTDA Division 1 playoff tournament in September 2015. This tournament spanned 3 days. It was held at the Tucson Convention Center and consisted of all-star teams from the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Tucson Roller Derby League Champions

2004 The Furious Truckstop Waitresses
2005 The VICE Squad
2006 The Furious Truckstop Waitresses
2007 The Furious Truckstop Waitresses
2008 The VICE Squad
2009 The VICE Squad (the last year TRD held league-only championships)

Arizona State Roller Derby Conference

Starting in the 2010-2011 season, Tucson Roller Derby created the first ever statewide conference. All of the home (non-travel) teams in the state that play by WFTDA rules are allowed to enter and participate. Each team plays each other during the regular season, culminating in a two-day State Conference Tournament. Teams can be expected to play up to 4 games during the tournament. The leagues involved in the 2011 and 2012 years were Tucson Roller Derby, Arizona Roller Derby, Dirty Verde Roller Derby, and Northern Arizona Roller Derby. The 2013 season leagues involved were Tucson Roller Derby, Arizona Roller Derby, Northern Arizona Roller Derby. The 2014 season added the High Altitude Roller Derby league into the conference. The Arizona State Roller Derby Conference of 2015 consisted of teams from Tucson Roller Derby, Arizona Roller Derby, Northern Arizona Roller Derby, and High Altitude Roller Derby.

Teams that have competed throughout the years are: The Copper Queens (TRD), The Furious Truckstop Waitresses (TRD), The VICE Squad (TRD), The Bad News Beaters (AZRD), The Surly Gurlies (AZRD), The Brawlarinas (AZRD), The Whiskey ROW-llers (NAZRD), Dirty Verde Roller Derby (DVRD), and Dark City Starlets (HARD).

Arizona State Champions

2011 The Bad News Beaters (Arizona Roller Derby)
2012 The Bad News Beaters (Arizona Roller Derby)
2013 The Surly Gurlies (Arizona Roller Derby)
2014 The Surly Gurlies (Arizona Roller Derby)
2015 The Copper Queens (Tucson Roller Derby)

Rankings

Season Final ranking[3] Playoffs Championship
2006 2 W[4] — 2[5]
2007 6 W[6] 2 W[7] R1[8]
2008 N/A W 10 W[9] DNQ
2009 9 W 9 W[10] DNQ
2010 9 W 8 W[11] DNQ
2011 10 W 10 W[12] DNQ

References

  1. ↑ GuideStar - JustGive Search - TUCSON ROLLER DERBY ORG
  2. ↑ Tucson Roller Derby legally recognized as a non-profit | Lead Jammer - Roller Derby News
  3. ↑ "Current Rankings", WFTDA
  4. ↑ "12/8/2006 WFTDA National Rankings", WFTDA [version of 23 February 2007]
  5. ↑ "February 2006 Dust Devil Invitational Rankings", WFTDA [version of 23 February 2007]
  6. ↑ "Current WFTDA Rankings", Derby News Network, October 2007
  7. ↑ "Dust Devil 2007", Flat Track Stats
  8. ↑ "Texas Shootout 2007", Flat Track Stats
  9. ↑ "Battle Royale", Flat Track Stats
  10. ↑ "Derby on the rocks 2009 Western Regionals", WFTDA
  11. ↑ "Rollin’ on the River 2010 West Region Playoffs", WFTDA
  12. ↑ "Bridgetown Brawl WFTDA 2011 West Region Playoffs", WFTDA
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