E-Ville Roller Derby

E-Ville Roller Derby
League logo
Metro areaEdmonton, Alberta, Canada
CountryCanada
Founded2006
TeamsE-Ville Dead (A team)
Living Dead (B team)
Berzerkhers
Slice Girls
Black Gold Diggers (2006-2012, 2016)
Las Pistolitas (2006-2018)
Track type(s)Flat
VenueKingsway Hangar (2006–2015)
Mayfield Trade Center (2006–2014)
Edmonton Sportsdome (2014–2020)
Millennium Place (2022/2023-present)
AffiliationsWFTDA
Websitewww.evillerollerderby.com

E-Ville Roller Derby is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 2006, E-Ville is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).[1]

History and organization

E-Ville Roller Derby was founded in 2006 by Laura "Chasey Maim" Holochuk along with six other women.[2] By January 2010, the league had more than fifty skaters, and claimed to be the largest roller derby league in northern Alberta. E-Ville launched the first junior roller derby league in Canada.[3][4]

In 2013, E-Ville hosted what was billed as "Canada's first roller derby championships" at the West Edmonton Mall, in which they finished in third place.[5] During 2014, E-Ville Roller Derby moved to Edmonton Sportsdome due to the demolition of Mayfield Trade Center. The league celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2016.[6]

League skater Hell'on Keller was selected to play for Team Canada at the 2011 Roller Derby World Cup.[7][8]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, E-Ville Roller Derby was evicted from Edmonton Sportsdome, along with Oil City Roller Derby. In early 2021, the Edmonton Sportsdome was abandoned and deflated, leaving both leagues without a home. When the pandemic was mostly over in Edmonton, E-Ville practiced and scrimmaged at many different arenas around the Edmonton area, including Millennium Place in Sherwood Park. The two leagues haven't been able to live up to their pre-COVID fame and success and have hosted little to no events, without including away games.[9] The departure of many veteran players and refs is also a factor to the league's downfall.

Teams

E-Ville currently[when?] features a three-team house league, comprising the Berzerkhers and Slice Girls, and two travel teams which compete against teams from other leagues, the E-Ville Dead WFTDA-charter team, and the Living Dead B team. The former house teams included the Black Gold Diggers and Las Pistolitas, both of which folded in 2012 and 2018. However, the Black Gold Diggers returned and played for a one-off game in 2016. The house league teams compete for an annual championship called the Gage Cup, named for the late son of a former league member.[10] The Berzerkhers won the title in 2013, Las Pistolitas in 2016, the Slice Girls in 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2015, and former home team the Black Gold Diggers won the title in 2009 and 2012.

WFTDA competition

E-Ville joined the WFTDA Apprentice Program in January 2015,[11] and became a full member in March 2016.[12] E-Ville made their WFTDA Playoffs debut in 2017 at the Division 2 Playoffs and Championships as the 15th seed,[13] and finished in eighth place after a 295–238 loss to Oklahoma Victory Dolls.[14]

WFTDA rankings

Season Final ranking[15] Playoffs Championship
2016 92 WFTDA[16] DNQ DNQ
2017 51 WFTDA[17] N/A 8 D2[14]

References

  1. ^ "E-Ville Roller Derby – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  2. ^ Maimann, Kevin (17 March 2013). "First ever national roller derby tournament hits Edmonton". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  3. ^ "E-Ville Roller Derby Announces the First Jr. Roller Derby League in Canada", Marketwire, 4 January 2010
  4. ^ Andrea Sands, "Petite skater girl readies for the roller-derby oval", Calgary Herald, 1 January 2010
  5. ^ "Edmonton's E-Ville Dead places 3rd in national championships". CBC News. 18 March 2013. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  6. ^ Ostad, Ramin (26 October 2016). "Celebrating the league of E-Ville". Edmonton Examiner. Archived from the original on 26 August 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  7. ^ Less, Mercy (5 August 2011). "Team Canada Roster Announced | Derby News Network". Derby News Network. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  8. ^ Stephanie Dubois, "Local skater rolling towards world roller derby event Archived 2011-09-28 at the Wayback Machine", Leduc Representative
  9. ^ "E-Ville Roller Derby looking for an arena". E-Ville Roller Derby. 19 February 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  10. ^ "The Gage Cup: Remembering Gage". E-Ville Roller Derby. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  11. ^ "WFTDA Accepts 25 Additional Apprentice Members – LatestNews – Women's Flat Track Derby Association". wftda.org. WFTDA. 19 January 2015. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  12. ^ "WFTDA Welcomes 14 New Member Leagues – LatestNews – Women's Flat Track Derby Association". wftda.org. WFTDA. 28 March 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  13. ^ Deadwards, Lisa (16 August 2017). "New to WFTDA 2017 Playoffs: E-Ville Roller Derby". Derby Central. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  14. ^ a b Khaos, Merry (20 August 2017). "7th Place: #5 Oklahoma repeats Victory over #15 E-Ville, 295–238". Derby Central. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  15. ^ "Current Rankings", WFTDA
  16. ^ "Rankings: December 31, 2016 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. 6 January 2017. Retrieved 25 August 2017.
  17. ^ "Rankings: December 31, 2017 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. 5 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.