frequently asked questions
how do we do it?

When were you formed?
Colorado Women’s Roller Derby, Inc. and the Denver Roller Dolls (DRD) were formed by 20 skaters in early December 2005.  We incorporated as a Colorado non-profit organization and are completely skater-owned and -operated.  (Translation:  we spend as much time running our business as we do training and bouting!)

Where do you play?
The Denver Coliseum and the Fillmore Auditorium.

Who do you play?
Regular season games take place between our two home teams, the Bad Apples and Green Barrettes.  We also have a travel team, the all-star Mile High Club, which competes against other roller derby leagues at home and across the nation.  

Is there a “typical” Roller Doll?
No way!  Our team prides itself on its diversity.  While all Denver Roller Dolls are over 21 years of age, that’s where the similarities end.  We’re students, mothers, grandmothers, professionals, service workers, scientists, therapists, artists, chefs...and just about everything in between.  While some Dolls sport athletic backgrounds, others have found team sports for the first time through roller derby.  Denver Roller Dolls come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, but what we do have in common is determination, heart, and a passion for bucking stereotypes about women. 

Are you a member of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA)?
Yes, Denver Roller Dolls are proud members of WFTDA!

Isn’t roller derby mostly fake fighting, like I used to see on TV?
This isn’t your grandma’s roller derby.  Unlike the fake, sensationalistic game you may remember, roller derby is a sport to be reckoned with.  The hard hits and fast skating are as real as the hard concrete Coliseum floor, and torn knee ligaments, concussions, whiplash, shoulder injuries, and bruises abound.  We take athleticism seriously, participating in a grueling training regimen overseen by experienced skaters.  Still, we enjoy playing up our derby personas, donning fantastical uniforms and funny derby names.  While this adds to the campy, quirky nature of this classic American sport, it doesn’t take away from its impact.

How and where do you train?
The Wagon Wheel Skate Center in Brighton is our home sweet home.  Our rigorous training schedule includes strict attendance requirements and additional practices for teams and all-star skaters.  Each new skater completes an intensive orientation and training program and may spend as many as 12 months training before joining a team.  At any given practice, a skater might complete cardio/endurance, strength, agility, or derby skills drills.  Trust us – it’s a fabulous way to get fit!  The league has blossomed to over 70 skaters, some of whom are on teams and others who are working towards team placement. 

Tell me about your service work.
From the very beginning, we wanted to leverage the strength and resources of the league to help local community service organizations. Each Doll is required to complete volunteer hours in order to be in good standing with the league.  From delivering meals to Project Angel Heart to collecting coats for the 9News/Goodwill annual drive, you’ll find Denver Roller Dolls eager to make the Denver metro area a better place. 

What’s up with the revival of roller derby?
Invented in the 1930s by sports promoter Leo Seltzer, roller derby has experienced many ups and downs over its long life.  Currently, we’re in the midst of a nationwide grassroots revival that has resulted in over 200 amateur all-female, flat-track leagues around the country.  This resurgence, which began in Texas in the early 2000s, is mainly flat-track due to cost and space restrictions (translation:  we find a flat surface, tape down an oval track, and skate!).  It’s a thrill to see the sport we love springing up internationally, and we find that many of our fans loved a prior incarnation of this never-say-die sport.  For more roller derby history, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_derby

Why do you do it?
Because it’s fun. And legal.