Santa Cruz Roller Derby

Last updated
Santa Cruz Roller Derby
Santa Cruz Roller Derby logo.png
Metro area Santa Cruz, California
CountryUnited States
Founded2009
TeamsBoardwalk Bombshells (A Team)
Harbor Hellcats (B Team)
Seabright Sirens (C Team)
Steamer Janes (Mixed-level Home Team)
Track type(s)Flat
Venue Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium
Affiliations WFTDA
Org. typeNon Profit, 501(c)3
Website www.santacruzrollerderby.org

Santa Cruz Roller Derby (SCRD) is a women's flat track roller derby league in Santa Cruz, California. The first female, amateur flat-track roller derby league in Santa Cruz, [1] SCRD is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). [2]

Contents

The league consists of three A-B-C adult travel teams, and one mixed-level home team.

History

Flat-track roller derby came to Santa Cruz for the first time with the founding of the Santa Cruz Rollergirls in early 2007 by Robin Hoff, aka "Robin YoLife", formerly of Seattle's Rat City Rollergirls). [3] [4]

In early 2009, the LLC known as Santa Cruz Rollergirls was dissolved, and a majority of the skaters moved on to establish the Santa Cruz Derby Girls as a non-profit roller derby league. [5] In September 2010, Santa Cruz Derby Girls was accepted as a full member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association., [6] and in 2011, the league earned 501(c)(3) classification. [7] The league moved into the newly inaugurated Kaiser Permanente Arena in 2013, with a then-record (for the league) crowd of 2,178 who saw Santa Cruz defeat Las Vegas' Sin City Rollergirls 153–124. [8] In 2015, SCDG returned to the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, where they had previously played in 2010. [9]

In 2019, the Santa Cruz Derby Girls were rebranded as Santa Cruz Roller Derby. [10]

League Structure

Santa Cruz's all-star travel team is the Boardwalk Bombshells, and they have represented the league internationally in WFTDA-sanctioned play, continuously since 2010. [8] The B team, the Harbor Hellcats, and the C team, the Seabright Sirens, compete in regional games and tournaments.

From 2015 to 2018 the Santa Cruz Derby Girls adopted a home team structure, comprising the Organic Panic, Redwood Rebels and the Steamer Janes. [9] The three home teams competed for an annual championship. The Steamer Janes won the inaugural home championship in 2015. [11] The Redwood Rebels took home the championship in 2016, [12] and the Steamer Janes took it back in 2017. [13]

In 2018, the league returned to their original A-B-C structure, with the addition of a mixed-level adult recreational team, the Steamer Janes.

Junior Derby Program

The Santa Cruz Derby Groms were the league's junior roller derby affiliate, and were established in the summer of 2009. [14] Most members range from the ages of 10 to seventeen and are split up into two teams, the Sugar Skulls and the Bumper Scars. [11] From 2009 to 2012, the Groms played positional derby only (no hitting). In 2012, the junior league established its first full-contact Junior Roller Derby Association (JRDA) travel team, the Gromshells, made up of advanced skaters playing at the highest level of junior competition. Within 5 years, the Gromshells reached their goal of becoming the number-one ranked JRDA team in the all-female division.

A second full-contact team, the Saltwater Sassies, was established in 2017, for intermediate players age 10+, to practice skills and strategy while competing regionally. In 2018, the league founded the Grommets Training Program, for beginner-level skaters ages 7 and up. The Grommets learn basic skating skills and positional derby with light contact, and have the opportunity to join the Saltwater Sassies when they are ready for full-contact. [15]

As of 2019, the Santa Cruz Derby Groms became their own league independent of SCRD.

WFTDA competition

Santa Cruz was initially placed in the WFTDA's West Region, and did not qualify for West Regional Playoffs during this time. In 2013, Santa Cruz qualified for WFTDA Playoffs for the first time. [16] Ahead of the season, the WFTDA announced the creation of a divisional ranking system for rankings. Santa Cruz was initially ranked at the lower end of Division 2, but throughout the season improved their rankings and eventually entered Division 2 Playoffs in Kalamazoo as the top seed. [17] Santa Cruz defeated the Sac City Rollers of Sacramento 230–185 to win the tournament and earn a trip to the Division 2 championship. [18] At the 2014 WFTDA Championships in Milwaukee, Santa Cruz eventually fell to the Jet City Rollergirls by one point, with a final score of 195–194. [19]

In 2014, Santa Cruz qualified for Division 1 Playoffs for the first time, and entered the Sacramento tournament as the sixth seed. [20] After being upset by lower-ranked Tampa, Santa Cruz finished the tournament in seventh place with a 171–122 win over the Kansas City Roller Warriors. [21] Santa Cruz returned to Division 2 Playoffs in 2015, and as in 2013 was a top seed, with an overall ranking of 42 in June. [22] In Cleveland, an upset loss to Demolition City Roller Derby knocked Santa Cruz into the third place game and out of contention for WFTDA Championships; they defeated Houston Roller Derby 154–141 to claim third. [23] For 2016 Santa Cruz bounced back to the Division 1 level, and as before was the sixth seed at their tournament, this time in Columbia, South Carolina. [24] And, as in 2014, Santa Cruz again finished their D1 tournament in seventh place, this time by defeating the host league Columbia Quadsquad, 174–141. [25] In 2017, Santa Cruz finished out of the medals at the Division 1 tournament in Dallas, losing 156–106 to Philly Roller Derby [26] and in a final jam loss to Dallas Derby Devils, 170–162. [27] In 2018, Santa Cruz qualified for WFTDA Playoffs in A Coruña, Spain where they finished in the consolation round, ending their weekend with a 186–139 victory in a rematch against Philly. [28]

After the COVID-19 pandemic, WFTDA reorganized their international play and Santa Cruz Roller Derby moved into the North American West (NAW) region. [29]

Rankings

Season Final ranking [30] Playoffs Championship
2010NR [31] DNQDNQ
201115 W [32] DNQDNQ
201216 W [33] DNQDNQ
201332 WFTDA [34] 1 D2 [18] 2 D2 [19]
201424 WFTDA [35] 7 D1 [21] DNQ
201544 WFTDA [36] 3 D2 [23] DNQ
201623 WFTDA [37] 7 D1 [25] DNQ
201723 WFTDA [38] CR D1 [27] DNQ
201814 WFTDA [39] CR D1 [28] DNQ
201919 WFTDA [40] CR D1 [41] DNQ
20245 NA WEST [42] CR D1 [43] DNQ

In the community

As dedicated members of the Santa Cruz community, Santa Cruz Roller Derby volunteer hundreds of hours each season at numerous events and fundraisers in the Bay Area. In addition, each Santa Cruz Roller Derby home bout features a local non profit or charity which receives a portion of proceeds from that bout. [1] [44] [45]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arch Rival Roller Derby</span> Roller derby league

Arch Rival Roller Derby, or ARCH, is a women's flat-track roller derby league in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 2005, Arch Rival is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calgary Roller Derby</span> Canadian roller derby league

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).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kansas City Roller Warriors</span> Roller derby league

The Kansas City Roller Warriors (KCRW) is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Kansas City, Kansas that was founded in 2004. The members of the league are split into four home teams that play within the league and two travel teams that represent KCRW in competition with other leagues. KCRW is a founding member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), and the Kansas City Roller Warriors All Star travel team was the winner of the 2007 WFTDA Championships, the "Texas Shootout", which took place in Austin, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas Rollergirls</span> Roller derby league

Texas Rollergirls is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Austin, Texas. Founded in early 2003 and widely credited as the league that started the modern roller derby movement, the Texas Rollergirls were the first flat-track league in the nation to play a version of roller derby using new standardized rules and a track design based on the dimensions of the old banked tracks. As flat-track derby caught on in other American cities, the Texas Rollergirls' rulebook and track design eventually evolved into the specifications that were adopted and ratified upon formation of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) in 2005, of which Texas is a founding member.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dallas Derby Devils</span> Roller derby league

The Dallas Derby Devils (DDD) is a flat track roller derby league in Dallas, Texas and surrounding area of Ft. Worth, Texas. Founded in November 2004, the Dallas Derby Devils is the original North Texas roller derby league with a current roster of over one hundred active skaters, making DDD one of the largest flat track derby leagues in the southern United States. The Dallas Derby Devils are an original member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

Jacksonville Roller Derby Womens flat track roller derby league

Jacksonville Roller Derby is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Jacksonville, Florida, (USA). Originally formed as the First Coast Fatales, the league became Jacksonville RollerGirls in 2007, and changed to its current name in 2018. The league has been a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) since December 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">London Roller Derby</span> Roller derby league

London Roller Derby is a flat track roller derby league and a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). The league were founding members of the United Kingdom Roller Derby Association (UKRDA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Auld Reekie Roller Derby</span> Roller derby league

Auld Reekie Roller Derby (ARRD) is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded in 2008, ARRD was the first Scottish Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) member. The league aims to create teams with the ability to compete locally and internationally at the highest levels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houston Roller Derby</span> Roller derby league

Houston Roller Derby (HRD) is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Houston, Texas. HRD was founded in early 2004, and is a founding member league of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

Steel City Roller Derby Roller derby league

Steel City Roller Derby or SCRD, is a women's flat-track roller derby league based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 2006, the league celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2016. Steel City is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

Fabulous Sin City Roller Derby or Sin City Roller Derby (SCRD), is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Founded in 2005, Sin City is a founding member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Ridge Rollergirls</span> Roller derby league

Blue Ridge Roller Derby (BRRD) is a flat track roller derby league based in Asheville, North Carolina. Founded in 2006, Blue Ridge held its first competitive season in 2007, joined the WFTDA Apprentice Program in 2010, and became a full member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) in March 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jet City Roller Derby</span> Roller derby league

Jet City Roller Derby (JCRD) is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Everett, Washington. Founded in 2006, Jet City is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omaha Roller Derby</span> Roller derby league

Omaha Roller Derby is a flat-track roller derby sports-league based in Omaha, Nebraska. Founded in 2006 as Omaha Rollergirls, the league is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angel City Derby</span> Roller derby league

Angel City Derby is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 2006 by a collective of skaters, the league is composed of nearly 200 members divided into four teams who skate on a flat track and compete against teams from the state of California and internationally. The league is skater-owned and operated, "by the skater, for the skater," a volunteer-fueled effort by the women and men in the organization. Angel City is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). In recent years Angel City's all-star team, the Hollywood Scarlets, has been considered one of the top teams in the WFTDA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Columbia Roller Derby</span> Roller derby league

Columbia Roller Derby is a roller derby league based in Columbia, South Carolina. Founded in 2007, the league has two travel teams: Columbia Quad Squad (A) and Soda City Jerks (B) as well as a junior roller derby team, Columbia Junior Roller Derby. Columbia is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacramento Roller Derby</span> Roller derby league

Sacramento Roller Derby is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Sacramento, California. Originally two separate leagues founded in 2006, Sac City Rollers and Sacred City Derby Girls, who mutually announced a pending merger in late 2017, and then on January 1, 2018, announced a rebrand of the merged organization as Sacramento Roller Derby. Sacramento is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

The Women's Flat Track Derby Association Division 1 is the highest level of play in women's flat track roller derby.

The Women's Flat Track Derby Association Division 2 was the second-highest level of play in women's flat track roller derby from 2013 through 2017. Comprising different structures over that time, in early 2018 the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) announced it was replacing the Division 2 Playoffs with geographically-based Continental Cups, the structure and quantity of which is expected to adjust and possibly expand over time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradise City Roller Derby</span> Roller derby league

Paradise City Roller Derby was a women's flat track roller derby league based in Burleigh, Queensland, Australia. Founded in 2013, the league consisted of two teams, which competed against teams from other leagues, and was a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). 2017 was the league's last active year.

References

  1. 1 2 Vincent, Joshua (24 July 2013). "Santa Cruz Derby Girls: Sexy, Sporty, Full Contact Entertainment". santacruzlife.com. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  2. ↑ "Santa Cruz Derby Girls – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
  3. ↑ Mosher, Will (27 February 2008). "Down & Derby". metrosantacruz.com. Metro Santa Cruz. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  4. ↑ Jag, Julie (1 July 2007). "Santa Cruz roller derby team creates sisterhood – East Bay Times". East Bay Times. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  5. ↑ Lussenhop, Jessica (8 April 2009). "News & Culture in Santa Cruz, CA | 04.08.09". www.metrosantacruz.com. Metro Santa Cruz. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  6. ↑ "9 Leagues Join WFTDA for Full Membership", WFTDA, 1 September 2010
  7. ↑ "Santa Cruz Derby Girls". Guidestar. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  8. 1 2 Jag, Julie (16 March 2013). "Santa Cruz Roller Derby's Boardwalk Bombshells win inaugural bout at Kaiser Permanente Arena". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  9. 1 2 Grettit, Yuri. "Introducing Home Teams 2015 - Santa Cruz Derby Girls". www.santacruzderbygirls.org. Santa Cruz Derby Girls. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  10. ↑ "On a new roll, roller derby revs up for the season". Lookout Local Santa Cruz. 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2022-07-12.
  11. 1 2 Hill, Eileen (21 February 2016). "Santa Cruz Derby Girls: Defending champ Steamer Janes still rolling, take down Organic Panic". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  12. ↑ Hill, Eileen (31 October 2016). "Santa Cruz Derby Girls: Redwood Rebels edge Steamer Janes in home team championship". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  13. ↑ Hill, Eileen (20 August 2017). "Santa Cruz Derby Girls: Steamer Janes blow out Redwood Rebels for home team championship". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  14. ↑ "Santa Cruz Derby Groms: Junior Roller Derby". Santa Cruz Derby Groms. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  15. ↑ "Santa Cruz Derby Groms" . Retrieved 22 March 2018.
  16. ↑ Jag, Julie (21 June 2013). "Santa Cruz Derby Girls' playoff fate to be decided Saturday". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  17. ↑ "August 23-25, 2013: Kalamazoo, Michigan - Women's Flat Track Derby Association". wftda.org. WFTDA. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  18. 1 2 Talionis, Lex (25 August 2013). "D2K 1st: Santa Cruz Gilds Sac City, 230-185 | Derby News Network". Derby News Network. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  19. 1 2 Deadwards, Lisa (11 November 2011). "D2C 1st: Jet City Crashes Santa Cruz, 195-194 | Derby News Network". Derby News Network. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  20. ↑ "WFTDA Releases June 30, 2014 Rankings, Tournament Seeding - LatestNews - Women's Flat Track Derby Association". wftda.org. WFTDA. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  21. 1 2 Jennings, Hannah (7 September 2014). "D1S seventh: Santa Cruz Blows Away Kansas City, 171-122 | Derby News Network". Derby News Network. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  22. ↑ Jag, Julie (3 August 2015). "Santa Cruz Derby Girls fired up by No. 1 ranking in D-II playoffs". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  23. 1 2 Deadwards, Lisa (25 August 2015). "D2C third Place: #1 Santa Cruz outsteps #3 Houston, 154-141". Derby Central. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  24. ↑ "WFTDA Releases June 30 2016 Rankings and Tournament Seeding - LatestNews - Women's Flat Track Derby Association". wftda.org. WFTDA. 15 July 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  25. 1 2 Hill, Eileen (11 September 2016). "Roller Derby: Boardwalk Bombshells place seventh at WFTDA playoffs". Santa Cruz Sentinel. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  26. ↑ "D1D: #8 Philly rings in a win over #7 Santa Cruz, 156-106". Derby Central. 24 September 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  27. 1 2 Deadwards, Lisa (22 September 2017). "D1D: #10 Dallas cruises past #7 Santa Cruz, 170-162". Derby Central. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  28. 1 2 "2018 Playoffs A Coruña Game 13: Philly vs. Santa Cruz – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. 2 September 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  29. ↑ "WFTDA Competition and Rankings Documents". wftda.com. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  30. ↑ "Current Rankings", WFTDA
  31. ↑ "Current Rankings". WFTDA. Archived from the original on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  32. ↑ "Current Rankings". WFTDA. Archived from the original on 25 January 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  33. ↑ "Rankings – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Archived from the original on 3 March 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  34. ↑ "Rankings: December 31, 2013". WFTDA. January 2014. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  35. ↑ "Rankings: December 31, 2014 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. January 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  36. ↑ "Rankings: December 31, 2015 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. January 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  37. ↑ "Rankings: December 31, 2016 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. 6 January 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  38. ↑ "Rankings: December 31, 2017 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. 5 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  39. ↑ "Rankings: December 31, 2018 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. 7 January 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  40. ↑ "Rankings: May 31, 2019". wftda.com. WFTDA. 5 June 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  41. ↑
  42. ↑ "NA West - End of Season 23/24". wftda.com. WFTDA. 30 September 2024. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  43. ↑
  44. ↑ "Skating Their Way to Success | City on a Hill Press". City on a Hill Press. 3 March 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  45. ↑ "Santa Cruz Derby Girls - Women's Flat Track Derby Association". wftda.org. WFTDA. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.