As one of just nine banked track leagues in the United States, Deadly Rival is a member of the Roller Derby Coalition of Leagues, which governs the rule set used by all of the banked track leagues when in competition with one another. The RDCL also organizes tournaments between the leagues.
The Woman’s Flat Track Derby Association is the governing body for flat track derby. Nationally, there are more than 400 member leagues, including the 12-year-old Tampa Roller Derby, which began life as the Tampa Derby Darlins and eventually had second thoughts about the name.
Advocates of both women’s and men’s roller derby, via the Federation for International Roller Sports, have been trying for several years to get the sport admitted to the Olympic Games. Skateboarding has been approved and added for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo; roller derby’s next shot comes in 2024.
The opportunity will most likely knock for the next generation of skaters. The Junior Roller Derby Association oversees and coordinates the many leagues open to under-18 skaters in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.
St. Pete has a junior league team, the Attack Pack; they practice and do battle at Astro Skate (10001 66th St. N., Pinellas Park). Tampa is home to the Tampa Bay Junior Derby — catch them in action at Tampa's The Wrecking Hall, 5313 E. Busch Blvd. (that’s where the seniors from Tampa Roller Derby play, too).
As with the “mature” derby clubs, the junior leagues encourage community involvement and raise money for local charities. Organizers insist, too, that participation is a great confidence-builder — it’s like getting an “instant family” — and, naturally, leads to the development of improved muscle and reflex skills.
Plus, you look cool in the gear and get to act like a bad-ass.
This article appears in Jul 27 – Aug 3, 2017.