Santa Cruz Roller Derby

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]

Santa Cruz Roller Derby
League logo
Metro areaSanta 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
VenueSanta Cruz Civic Auditorium
AffiliationsWFTDA
Org. typeNon Profit, 501(c)3
Websitewww.santacruzrollerderby.org

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 have graduated to become 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]

Rankings
Season Final ranking[29] Playoffs Championship
2010 NR[30] DNQ DNQ
2011 15 W[31] DNQ DNQ
2012 16 W[32] DNQ DNQ
2013 32 WFTDA[33] 1 D2[18] 2 D2[19]
2014 24 WFTDA[34] 7 D1[21] DNQ
2015 44 WFTDA[35] 3 D2[23] DNQ
2016 23 WFTDA[36] 7 D1[25] DNQ
2017 23 WFTDA[37] CR D1[27] DNQ
2018 14 WFTDA[38] CR[28] DNQ
  • CR = consolation round

In the community

As dedicated members of the Santa Cruz community, the Santa Cruz Derby Girls volunteer hundreds of hours each season at numerous events and fundraisers in the Bay Area. In addition, each Santa Cruz Derby Girl home bout features a local non profit or charity which receives a portion of proceeds from that bout.[1][39][40]

References
  1. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Deadwards, Lisa (22 September 2017). "D1D: #10 Dallas cruises past #7 Santa Cruz, 170-162". Derby Central. Retrieved 4 January 2018.
  28. "2018 Playoffs A Coruña Game 13: Philly vs. Santa Cruz – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. 2 September 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  29. "Current Rankings", WFTDA
  30. "Current Rankings". WFTDA. Archived from the original on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  31. "Current Rankings". WFTDA. Archived from the original on 25 January 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  32. "Rankings – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Archived from the original on 3 March 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  33. "Rankings: December 31, 2013". WFTDA. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  34. "Rankings: December 31, 2014 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  35. "Rankings: December 31, 2015 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  36. "Rankings: December 31, 2016 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  37. "Rankings: December 31, 2017 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  38. "Rankings: December 31, 2018 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
  39. "Skating Their Way to Success | City on a Hill Press". City on a Hill Press. 3 March 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  40. "Santa Cruz Derby Girls - Women's Flat Track Derby Association". wftda.org. WFTDA. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
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