If you haven’t heard, this past September the Queen City Roller Girls were accepted into the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, WFTDA. WFTDA is our answer to the National Hockey League or National Football League as the governing body for women’s flat track roller derby. WFTDA functions to define standards for gameplay and organize regional tournaments culminating in one overall championship. They also further the sport by publishing information and fostering networking which is very useful to skater-run leagues such as ours. There are currently 78 WFTDA member leagues including QCRG. We regard being among the first 100 member leagues as an incredible honor.
What did it take? A lot of work on and off the track. The process to become a WFTDA league is rigorous. First we had to gain the confidence of neighboring member leagues in regards to our athleticism and general professionalism. Had nearby WFTDA leagues found us unsportsman-like, inhospitable or generally unskilled we would not have passed this point. Once veteran skater and inter-league coordinator Herassher submitted the letters and a small mountain of paperwork regarding our insurance compliance were named an “apprentice league.”
Once an apprentice league, QCRG began completing a very thorough examination. Our skaters and officials were presented with higher standards. Representatives participated in weekly online discussions and completed an application which tested our knowledge. Our business procedures had to be documented and presented for review, just to mention a few of the many tasks.
What this means for QCRG fans is that now the bar is forever raised. We are bouting to represent our hometown regionally. Look out for our all-stars, the Lake Effect Furies as they bring the chill to the WFTDA’s eastern region.
– by Westend Ripper