Welcome to Roller Derby!

More Info:

http://vrdl.wordpress.com/
http://www.myspace.com/geelongrollerderby
http://brdl.wordpress.com/

Roller derby is a full contact sport played on four wheel ‘quad’ roller skates.

The Victorian Roller Derby League (VRDL) is a women’s Flat Track Roller Derby league, however men are encouraged to train and skate in supporting roles.

The VRDL was founded at the start of 2007. To date the VRDL has attracted a lot of interest, not just from girls wanting to sign up, but also from the media reminiscent of the sport’s American beginnings. Roller Derby is currently experiencing a huge revival worldwide, spurred on by skaters who are fully responsible for the formation and running of their own leagues. The sport is still in its infancy here in Australia, but overseas it already has a huge following. There are now over 220 leagues worldwide that are registered with the International Derby Roster. There are teams in the USA, Canada, England, New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland, Sweden and Germany. Australia currently has leagues in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane. VRDL competition bouts are scheduled to begin in February 2008.

Since every league is the product of its skaters' own efforts, no two are exactly the same, however a few traits are common across the board. Skaters wear uniforms that give their team a distinct identity. They also adopt a persona for their competitions, complete with a ‘derby name’, often humorous or containing a double entendre.
For example, some VRDL skater names are: Betty Bamalam, Felicity Scragwell, Lex Fight, Kittie Von Krusher etc. Some would say that choosing your own ‘Derby Name’ is one of the best parts of Roller Derby participation, and probably the most difficult! Modern Roller Derby is considered aligned with Alternative / Punk / Rock aesthetics and ideals, and skaters are encouraged to be expressive.

A brief Roller Derby History

Roller Derby first began in Chicago, USA in 1935. Created and founded by Leo Seltzer, Roller Derby was intended as competition for dance offs, which were popular at the time. The first ever Roller Derby bout was actually an endurance race and was not intended as a contact sport but a sportswriter named Damon Runyon noticed that when the skaters collided the audience loved it and he suggested to Seltzer that changing the way the game was played could increase audience attendance. This is just what Seltzer did and Derby evolved into the sport it is now recognized as.

Roller Derby's popularity grew during the 1940s right through to the 1970s and gained a reputation for being rough and aggressive. Players and teams also developed famously intense rivalries. By the 80s, theatrical elements were devised similar to professional wrestling, and eventually the public interest waned. However, classic Roller Derby never completely disappeared. A few teams remained active after the sport's decline, and some leagues formed to keep the traditional co-ed format alive. Today, the sudden explosion in roller derby's popularity has centered on new, women-only leagues.

The first of these leagues formed in Austin, Texas in 2001. Since then it seems a new league is forming every couple of weeks somewhere else in the world! Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby is indeed one of the fastest growing sports on the planet!

The aim and basic rules of the game

The Victorian Roller Derby League follow the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) rules, and they can be found here: http://www.wftda.com. Roller Derby competitions are referred to as bouts. In a bout the two opposing teams of up to 14 skaters can have 5 skaters on the track per team at any one time. The Pack consists of each team's Pivot, and three Blockers, followed by the Jammers, racing to score points. The team with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

Each bout is broken up into 20 to 30-minute blocks, which in turn consist of two minute “jams”. During a jam the Jammers on each team race to score points by lapping the other team on a track. The Jammer is the only player to score points. The three Blockers try to stop the opposing team's Jammer from getting past the Pack, while also propelling their own Jammer forward. Tactically, Roller Derby is a fascinatingly complicated game. A player is at no time either playing a defensive OR offensive role – all players are both, at the same time. The team's Pivot controls the speed of the pack, but she also keeps an eye on the Jammers, calls her team's plays and acts as a Blocker.

At the start of a jam, the Pivots and Blockers gather in formation at the starting line. The referee blows a whistle, and they skate as a Pack while the Jammers hang back, waiting at the Jammer line. When the pack is 6 metres from the starting line, the referee blows the whistle again, and the Jammers start to sprint. The Jammers have to catch up to the pack, and work their way through to come out in front. No points are scored during the initial pass, but the first Jammer to break the pack without committing a foul becomes the Lead Jammer. A referee points out the Lead Jammer and follows her progress around the track. The Lead Jammer can "call the jam" and end it before the full two-minute period has elapsed by putting her hand on her hips. When the Lead Jammer calls the jam or the two-minute period ends, play stops and the officials calculate the score. Teams get one point for each opposing player the Jammer passes during each lap. Teams have 30 seconds to reform for the next jam.
 
Blockers use a series of ‘hits’ and ‘blocks’ as well as ‘whips’ and ‘pushes’ to propel their own Jammer forward, and impede the progress of the opposing Jammer and the other Blockers and Pivots. The game is full contact and skaters must undergo a lot of training to both give and receive the big hits that send skaters flying across the track.

Safety is paramount!

Don’t be fooled by the cute outfits the girls wear - it can get pretty rough on the track and many of the girls have suffered with injuries such as bruising, scratches, sprains and even broken bones. All players are required to wear full protective padding to minimise the risk of injury. The VRDL insists that if you are going to get on a track yourself you pad up first with a helmet, wrist guards, knee and elbow pads and a mouth guard. The VRDL also provides intensive training for its members to ensure that not only are they safe on the track but that they are not a risk to other players.

Join us!

Roller Derby is a big commitment. Not only will you fall in love with the sport (which will involve you thinking about derby at most times when not actively training for derby), but you need to give it a lot of your time, and money. A minimum of two training sessions per week is required. There are 4 training sessions per week to choose from. As the league is skater owned and operated, all skaters contribute on committees such as Merchandise, Graphics, Public Relations and Sponsorship. League Dues are paid either monthly, bi-annually, or annually and you will need your own skates and padding/ safety gear.… and with the average training time around 6-10 months between commencement and bouting you’ll need a whole lot of commitment.

To get in touch, please visit our myspace page or email