Arizona Roller Derby

Arizona Roller Derby is Arizona's first all female roller derby league. It was founded in 2003 making it one of the oldest resurgence roller derby leagues in America. Arizona Roller Derby, abbreviated as AZRD, is one of the founding members of Women's Flat Track Derby Association and remains a member of WFTDA in the Western Region.^[1]

AZRD is based out of Phoenix, Arizona and holds their bouts at the Castle Sports Club.

Evolution of the league

Tucson splits to form TRD

In the early days of AZRD, there was a separate "chapter" in Tucson called Tucson-Arizona Roller Derby. They had one team called the Furious Truckstop Waitresses. The logistics of being a two-city league became no longer cost effective. The chapter would split from AZRD and create Tucson Roller Derby.^[2] Upon its split from AZRD, Tucson Roller Derby became the first 501(c) roller derby league in the nation.^[3]

Rules and league splits

The first AZRD games were "no rules/no holds barred".^[4] As the overall sport was starting to evolve and establish rules, some skaters would split away from AZRD to form other leagues.

The AZRD team French Kiss Army would break away from AZRD to form Renegade Rollergirls, a league that continues to play the no-rules no-holds-barred style of roller derby.^{[citation needed]}

In 2005, four skaters from AZRD including one who skated for the original TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls split off from AZRD to form Arizona Derby Dames (AZDD) with the ambition of becoming a banked track roller derby league. After skating 4 seasons on flat track, the AZDD would become banked track in 2010.

Arizona Bruisers, LLC

In 2007, a group of skaters who were a part of the Bruisers team felt that they should be able to raise funds specific to the team and have more opportunities to skate. A group led by Bruisers skaters formed a limited liability company (LLC) called Arizona Bruisers, LLC.^[5]

Citing violations of the league's "non-compete" policies, AZRD threatened the skaters with expulsion from the league. In addition, issues were reported as a result of the registration of the name "Bruisers" with the Arizona Corporation Commission relating to an agreement that AZRD has with the Brewcity Bruisers, a WFTDA member league from Milwaukee.

In January, 2008, despite efforts to settle differences, the Arizona Bruisers announced that they are now independent of Arizona Roller Derby in an effort to position themselves as a high-level travel team.^[6] AZRD would also continue to use the "Bruisers" name for one of their home team.

After two scrimmages between a squad from Duke City Derby and the Copper Queens from Tucson Roller Derby, the Arizona Bruisers would eventually be called the Phoenix City Rollers and then by March, 2008 would ultimately dissolve.^[7]

Restructure as a 501(c) corporation

In 2010, AZRD held a league meeting where league management decided to restructure the league from a limited liability company to a non-profit corporation under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. This will allow the league to solicit funding from sponsors and it being tax deductible.^[8]

Teams

AZRD currently has 5 "home" teams and one travel team.

Tent City Terrors

The Tent City Terrors, named after the Tent City jail created by Sheriff Joe Arpaio as a cost effective way to address jail overcrowding ^[9] is AZRD's travel team that will play in bouts sanctioned by WFTDA. The Tent City Terrors play in the WFTDA Western Region.^[10]

Bruisers

The Bruisers were one time one of the four AZRD bouting teams. For the 2009-2010, amid a declining membership experienced in 2008 and 2009, AZRD reduced the number of home teams from 4 to 3. As a result, AZRD would use the name "Bruisers" to identify their secondary travel team (or B-Team). This reflects an ongoing trend in WFTDA to form B-teams to help develop skaters to eventually play on the sanctioned travel (A) team as well as to help train apprentice leagues. Recently they have been "reinstated" as a beginner home team squad.

Home Teams

For the 2010-2011 season, AZRD has five home teams.

• The Bad News Beaters have a baseball theme. They have blue uniforms. (Team captain: Hazed and Confused) ^[11]
• The Brawlarinas are themed as brutal ballerinas. They wear purple. (Team captain: Hacker 2PCS) ^[12]
• The Surly Gurlies have a pirate theme. They wear black and red. (Team captain: Rum Bunctious) ^[13]
• The Brusiers are nurses with their red and white outfits. ^[14]
• The Smash Squad, AZRD's beginner squad, is prim in pink and black. ^[15][16]

Standings

2008-2009 Season

The April 2009 bout between the Beaters and the Bruisers was cancelled as a result of flooding at the Castle Sports Club.^[17] AZRD decided to do the Championship bout in the format of a round-robin tournament involing all 4 teams. In the tournament, the Surly Gurlies, a team who had an 0-3 regular season record would win all three of their games and be the 2008-2009 AZRD Champions.^[18]

2007-2008 Season

During this season a group of skaters who were mainly on the Bruisers left AZRD to form their own independent team. The one win in the record was from the pre-split Bruiser team. A new Bruiser team was formed mid-season with Ivanna S. Pankin as team captain. At the end of the season, it was decided that the Surly Gurlies and the Brawlarinas would be moved up in the rankings and those three teams would go to the post season.

Playoff Game: (#2)Surly Gurlies 74 vs. (#3)Brawlarinas 60 - Surly Gurlies advance to the Championship Game.

Championship Game: (#1)Bad News Beaters 113 vs. Surly Gurlies 50 - Bad News Beaters win championship.

Rankings

External links

• Official web site
• AZRD blog
• AZRD Facebook Page

References

v t e Sports teams based in Arizona Baseball MLB: Arizona Diamondbacks, PCL: Tucson Padres, AzL: Arizona League Angels • Arizona League Athletics • Arizona League Brewers • Arizona League Cubs • Arizona League Dodgers • Arizona League Giants • Arizona League Indians • Arizona League Mariners • Arizona League Padres • Arizona League Rangers • Arizona League Reds • Arizona League Royals, AFL: Phoenix Desert Dogs • Peoria Javelinas • Scottsdale Scorpions • Mesa Solar Sox • Surprise Saguaros • Salt River Rafters, GBL: Yuma Scorpions Basketball NBA: Phoenix Suns, WNBA: Phoenix Mercury, ABA: Arizona Scorpions Football NFL: Arizona Cardinals, AFL: Arizona Rattlers, AIF: Arizona Outlaws, WFA: Arizona Assassins, IWFL: Tucson Monsoon Hockey NHL: Phoenix Coyotes, CHL: Arizona Sundogs Soccer PDL: FC Tucson, NPSL: Phoenix Monsoon, WPSL: Phoenix Del Sol Indoor Soccer PASL: Arizona Storm, PASL-Premier: Arizona Heat, Avondale United, Maracana Tucson Roller derby WFDTA: Arizona Roller Derby • Tucson Roller Derby, RDCL: Arizona Derby Dames Rugby ARU: Camelback Rugby Club • Northern Arizona Rugby Football Club • Old Pueblo Lions Rugby Football Club • Tucson Magpies Rugby Football Club • Yuma Rugby Football Club College athletics (NCAA Division I) Arizona Wildcats • Arizona State Sun Devils • Northern Arizona Lumberjacks