Omaha Roller Derby

Omaha Roller Derby

Metro area	Omaha, Nebraska
Country	United States
Founded	2006
Teams	All Stars (A team), AAA (B team), OJRD Cadets (Juniors)
Track type(s)	Flat
Venue	Ralston Arena
Affiliations	WFTDA, JRDA
Website	omaharollerderby.com

Omaha Roller Derby is a flat-track roller derby sports-league based in Omaha, Nebraska. Founded in 2006 as Omaha Rollergirls, the league is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).[1]

History and structure

Omaha Rollergirls was founded in January 2006 by Erica Tremblay with fourteen initial members, which had reached 30 by the following year.[2][3] Initially holding home events at SkateDaze in Omaha,[3] the league gained WFTDA membership in 2008.[4] In 2011, The Omaha Rollergirls began leasing their own dedicated practice space called "The Bunker".

The league currently consists of two teams, the Omaha All-Stars and the B team, "AAA" ("Attendance, Attitude, and Ability").[5] The league at one time featured two home teams, which played each other locally, called Victoria's Secret Service and the Low Down Lucys.[3] They have also run a junior roller derby league, Omaha Junior Roller Derby, since 2011.[6] OJRD consists of two teams: Cadets and Commanders. The Cadets are JRDA level 1 and 2 skaters.

In 2019, to better represent the diversity of their members, the league changed from Omaha Rollergirls to Omaha Roller Derby.[7]

WFTDA competition

In 2010, Omaha qualified for the WFTDA North Central Regional Tournament for the first time, placing ninth in the tournament with a 169–122 victory over Arch Rival Roller Girls.[8] In 2011, they were moved to the South Central Region,[9] and qualified for the WFTDA South Central Regional Tournament at their first attempt, although they lost all their bouts to finish in tenth place.[10] In 2012, Omaha was the eighth seed at the regional playoff, and finished in seventh place with a 132–118 victory over the Tallahassee RollerGirls.[11]

In 2013, the WFTDA restructured its playoffs and Omaha qualified for the Division 2 Playoff in Des Moines, Iowa as the seventh seed, finishing in eighth place following a 212–189 loss to Duke City Roller Derby.[12] Omaha returned to Division 2 Playoffs in 2014 in Duluth, Minnesota as the seventh seed, but finished in ninth place, winning their final game 184–138 over Tucson Roller Derby.[13] Omaha missed Playoffs in 2015, but served as the host league for a Division 1 Playoff at the Ralston Arena in October of the year.[14][15] Omaha Rollergirls did not qualify for the post-season in 2018, but served as the host league for the inaugural North America West Continental Cup in late August.[16]

Season	Final ranking[17]	Playoffs	Championship
2009	15 NC[18]	DNQ	DNQ
2010	10 NC[19]	9 NC[8]	DNQ
2011	10 SC[20]	10 SC[10]	DNQ
2012	8 SC[21]	7 SC[11]	DNQ
2013	65 WFTDA[22]	8 D2[12]	DNQ
2014	66 WFTDA[23]	9 D2[13]	DNQ
2015	84 WFTDA[24]	DNQ	DNQ
2016	74 WFTDA[25]	DNQ	DNQ
2017	96 WFTDA[26]	DNQ	DNQ
2018	146 WFTDA[27]	DNQ	DNQ

In the community

The Omaha Rollergirls appear at community events and raise funds for charity,[3] including appearances at the "Polar Plunge" to raise money for the Special Olympics, Color-Run, putting on Poker Run's for area charities, Beer Olympics, playing at Septemberfest, Heartland Pride Festival, Community Day Sale, Relay for Life and other events and causes.

Omaha Rollergirls was the "Featured League" on the WFTDA website in March 2013,[5] and was voted one of Omaha Magazine's "Best Sports Team" in 2015 and 2016.[28]

References

1. "Omaha Rollergirls – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
2. Capitano, Laura (17 April 2014). "Get cruisin' forabruisin'". Omaha.com. Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
3. Denker, Jack (13 November 2007). "Roller Derby Revival". Washington County Enterprise and Pilot Tribune. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
4. Wengert, Sarah (17 February 2011). "Ready to Roll". The Reader. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
5. "March 2013 Featured League:Omaha Rollergirls - Featured Leagueof the Month - Women's Flat Track Derby Association". wftda.org. WFTDA. 5 March 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
6. "Omaha Junior Roller Derby – OMAHA ROLLER DERBY". Retrieved 2022-07-12.
7. "About Omaha Roller Derby – OMAHA ROLLER DERBY". Retrieved 2022-07-12.
8. Marshall, Justice Feelgood (10 September 2010). "2010 North Central Region Playoffs Recaps | Derby News Network". Derby News Network. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
9. Marshall, Justice Feelgood (12 November 2010). "WFTDA Announces 2011 Tourneys, Region Switches | Derby News Network". Derby News Network. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
10. "South Central 9th Place: 6SC Tampa Bay Bests 10SC Omaha, 176-73 | Derby News Network". Derby News Network. 2 October 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
11. Wise, Beck (7 October 2012). "SC 7th Place: 8SC Omaha Escapes 9SC Tallahassee, 132-118 | Derby News Network". Derby News Network. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
12. Deadwards, Lisa (18 August 2013). "D2DM 7th place: Duke City Handles Omaha, 212-189 | Derby News Network". Derby News Network. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
13. Deadwards, Lisa (17 August 2014). "D2D 9th: Omaha Tramples Tucson, 184-138 | Derby News Network". Derby News Network. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
14. "October 2-4, 2015 - Women's Flat Track Derby Association". wftda.org. WFTDA. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
15. "2015 International WFTDA D1 Playoffs | Ralston Arena". www.ralstonarena.com. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
16. "Canberra Roller Derby League Wins 2018 WFTDA Continental Cup – North America West – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. 28 August 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
17. "Current Rankings", WFTDA
18. "Current Rankings". WFTDA. Archived from the original on 30 April 2010. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
19. "Current Rankings". WFTDA. Archived from the original on 2 March 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
20. "Current Rankings". WFTDA. Archived from the original on 25 January 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
21. "Current Rankings". WFTDA. Archived from the original on 20 March 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
22. "Rankings: December 31, 2013 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. January 2014. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
23. "Rankings: December 31, 2014 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. January 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
24. "Rankings: December 31, 2015 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. January 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
25. "Rankings: December 31, 2016 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. 6 January 2017. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
26. "Rankings: December 31, 2017 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. 5 January 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
27. "Rankings: December 31, 2018 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. 7 January 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
28. "Best of Omaha 2016 Winners". Omaha Magazine. Retrieved 8 July 2017.