Wasatch Roller Derby Explained

Wasatch Roller Derby
Founded:2008
Metro Area:Salt Lake City, UT
Country:United States
Pixels:190px
Teams:Midnight Terror (A team)
Black Diamond Divas
Hot Wheelers
Tracks:Flat
Venue:Derby Depot
Affiliations:WFTDA

Wasatch Roller Derby (WRD) is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Founded in 2008, Wasatch is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).[1]

History and organization

Originally emerging from the Salt City Derby Girls,[2] the league's formation was led by Lacey "Honey" Peterson and Brandi "Medusa" Olsen.[3] The first public Wasatch bout was held April 25, 2009 at Hollywood Connection in West Valley City.[4]

Wasatch joined the WFTDA Apprentice Program in October 2009,[5] and were accepted as full WFTDA members in June 2010.[6] By January 2012, they were described as the biggest league in Salt Lake City.[7] In 2013 the WFTDA transitioned from a region based ranking system to an overall ranking system. WRD entered the new ranking at 20th in March 2013.[8]

The league founded the Wasatch Junior Rollers, a junior roller derby team, and have close links with the co-ed MRDA league, Wasatch Men's Roller Derby.[9] As of 2019, Wasatch Roller Derby features two home teams and one travel team.

Wasatch Roller Derby regularly raises funds for charitable organizations including the March of Dimes and the American Diabetes Association.[10]

WFTDA competition

Wasatch first qualified for WFTDA Playoffs in 2012, as the ninth seed at the WFTDA Western Regional Tournament, where they finished in ninth place by defeating Arizona Roller Derby 245-134.[11]

In 2013, the WFTDA restructured its playoff system, and Wasatch qualified for Division 1 Playoffs in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the seventh seed, and finished in seventh place by beating Cincinnati Rollergirls 275-95.[12]

In 2014, Wasatch hosted a Division 1 Playoff at the Salt Palace.[13] WRD competed at the tournament as the eighth seed and finished in eighth place after losing to No Coast Derby Girls 169-166.[14] No Coast had been the intended host league but their venue plans fell through.[15]

In 2015, Wasatch dropped down to Division 2 Playoffs as the fifth seed at Detroit, and finished in fifth place by defeating Bear City 203-152.[16]

In 2016, Wasatch was the third seed for the Lansing Division 2 Playoff, and just missed the bronze medal with a 197-194 loss to Charm City Rollergirls.[17]

Wasatch returned to Division 1 Playoffs in 2017 as the twelfth seed in Dallas, but lost both of their games, 415-68 to Atlanta Rollergirls[18] and 270-77 to Queen City Roller Girls.[19]

Rankings

SeasonFinal ranking[20] Playoffs
201117 W[21] DNQ
20129 W[22] 9 W
201323 WFTDA[23] 7 D1
201433 WFTDA[24] 8 D1
201552 WFTDA[25] 5 D2
201651 WFTDA[26] 3 D2
201757 WFTDA[27] CR D1
201881 WFTDA[28] DNQ
201981 WFTDA[29]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Wasatch Roller Derby – WFTDA. wftda.com. WFTDA. 1 April 2017.
  2. Alex Noshirvan, "Roller derby: Girls roll into Taylorsville", Salt Lake City Tribune, 8 June 2010
  3. Web site: Bezdijan. Sara. SLC Roller Derby Transforms: WRD Shakeups. SLUG Magazine. 1 April 2017. 11 May 2015.
  4. Web site: Frost. Bill. Roller Derby: Wasatch vs. Diabetes. Salt Lake City Weekly. 1 April 2017. en. 27 April 2009.
  5. "Apprentice Leagues", WFTDA [version of 16 November 2009]
  6. Web site: WFTDA welcomes 11 new members, adds new regions - Press Releases - Women's Flat Track Derby Association. wftda.org. WFTDA. 1 April 2017.
  7. "Roller Derby: Wasatch Roller Derby vs. Uinta Madness", Salt Lake City Weekly, 21 January 2012
  8. "Current Rankings", WFTDA, 15 March 2013
  9. Web site: Wasatch Roller Derby – Wasatch Roller Derby. www.wasatchrollerderby.co. Wasatch Roller Derby. 1 April 2017. en.
  10. Web site: 14 April 2011 . Utah roller derby heats up - QSaltLake Magazine . https://web.archive.org/web/20150125004410/https://gaysaltlake.com/news/2011/04/14/roller-derby-heats-up-in-utah/ . 25 January 2015 . 1 April 2017 . QSaltLake Magazine.
  11. Web site: Marshall. Justice Feelgood. West 9th Place: 8W Wasatch Finishes 7W Arizona, 245-134 Derby News Network. Derby News Network. 1 April 2017. 23 September 2012.
  12. Web site: Marshall. Justice Feelgood. D1FW 7th: (7) Wasatch Shuts Down (8) Cincinnati, 275-95 Derby News Network. Derby News Network. 1 April 2017. 8 September 2013.
  13. Web site: Sheehan. Gavin. Wasatch Roller Derby: 2014 Championship Preview. Salt Lake City Weekly. 1 April 2017. en. 21 August 2014.
  14. Web site: Jennings. Hannah. D1SLC: No Coast Gives No Quarter to Wasatch Roller Derby. Derby Central. 1 April 2017. 28 September 2014.
  15. Web site: Talionis . Lex . 10 March 2014 . WFTDA Re-locates Lincoln Playoff to Salt Lake City Derby News Network . 1 April 2017 . Derby News Network.
  16. Web site: Abby. Hammer. D2D 5th Place: #5 Wasatch Mauls #10 Bear City, 203-152. Derby Central. 1 April 2017. 30 August 2015.
  17. Web site: Fristoe. Chelsea. D2L 3rd Place: #1 Charm City Sneaks By #3 Wasatch, 197-194. Derby Central. 1 April 2017. 28 August 2016.
  18. Web site: Khaos. Merry. D1D: #5 Atlanta takes out #12 Wasatch, 415-68. Derby Central. 4 January 2018. 22 September 2017.
  19. Web site: Deadwards. Lisa. D1D: #6 Queen City dominates #12 Wasatch, 270-77. Derby Central. 4 January 2018. 25 September 2017.
  20. "Current Rankings", WFTDA
  21. Web site: Current Rankings. WFTDA. 1 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20120125085842/http://wftda.com/rankings. 25 January 2012.
  22. Web site: Current Rankings. WFTDA. 1 April 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20130320122723/http://www.wftda.com/rankings. 20 March 2013.
  23. Web site: Rankings: December 31, 2013 – WFTDA. wftda.com. January 2014 . WFTDA. 1 April 2017.
  24. Web site: Rankings: December 31, 2014 – WFTDA. wftda.com. January 2015 . WFTDA. 1 April 2017.
  25. Web site: Rankings: December 31, 2015 – WFTDA. wftda.com. January 2016 . WFTDA. 1 April 2017.
  26. Web site: Rankings: December 31, 2016 – WFTDA. wftda.com. 6 January 2017 . WFTDA. 1 April 2017.
  27. Web site: Rankings: December 31, 2017 – WFTDA. wftda.com. 5 January 2018 . WFTDA. 5 January 2018.
  28. Web site: Rankings: December 31, 2017 – WFTDA. wftda.com. 7 January 2019 . WFTDA. 15 July 2019.
  29. Web site: Rankings: December 31, 2017 – WFTDA. wftda.com. 5 June 2019 . WFTDA. 15 July 2019.