Showing posts with label skating. Show all posts
Showing posts with label skating. Show all posts

Rat City prepares for an unprecedented Second Round of home-team matchups

Saturday, March 7, 2015



Saturday the Rat City home teams rematched at the third sold-out bout in a row as the league marks the halfway point of a historic season. For the first time, each home team will have the opportunity to play each other again before calling it quits for the year—Derby Liberation Front (3-0) will battle the Throttle Rockets (2-1) during the first bout and Sockit Wenches (0-3) will take on Grave Danger (1-2) in the second bout.

“These matchups were both incredibly close when we played at the KeyArena in January,” said Loco Chanel, aka Emily Trinks of Grave Danger. “As a Grave Danger skater, I'm really looking forward to playing the Wenches again, especially since they've beefed up their roster with four new draft picks.”

In addition to a new season structure, spectators can see the rivalries unfold trackside at The Rat’s Nest, which has proven to be a new and intense experience for many fans. Rat City is also debuting a photo booth designed to encourage skater and fan interaction. This will be positioned near the vendors in the lobby.

“It's been a blast playing at The Rat's Nest this season. We're having bouts twice a month, and it's great to invite fans into our home. Because it's a smaller venue than the KeyArena, the line between skaters and fans blur a little,” said Loco Chanel.

Since this bout has each team battling their biggest rival, skaters are physically and mentally preparing for victories that will not come easily. The Throttle Rockets are currently in second place and doing all they can to beat Derby Liberation Front, the Season 10 Champions.

“Rat City’s eleventh season is proving to be a tough fight,” said Deva, captain of the Throttle Rockets. “Teams that were counted out last season are coming back with a vengeance and want that championship trophy. At this point, who will be fighting for champs is still up in the air. Welcome back to the competitive home-team season.”

Fans can still purchase tickets to the March 28 and April 11 bouts at The Rat’s Nest in Shoreline for $20 through Brown Paper Tickets (March 28) and (April 11). In addition, tickets to the championship game on April 25 at the KeyArena are on sale for $17 via TicketMaster.

The Rat City Rollergirls (RCRG) is Seattle’s premiere all-female, flat-track roller derby league. RCRG is composed of about 80 active skaters and many more retired skaters who are still involved. The skaters are divided among four home teams, as well as the All Stars team and Rat Lab. It is Rat City’s mission to maintain a competitive athletic program, promote the sport of roller derby, provide quality sports entertainment for fans, and make a positive impact in the community.




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Rat City Home Team season underway, rivalry heats up

Saturday, February 21, 2015

From a 2014 bout
Photo copyright Marc Weinberg

Saturday, the four Rat City home teams competed for crucial wins as they inch closer to home team championships on April 25. Throttle Rockets (1-1) will take on Sockit Wenches (0-2), and Derby Liberation Front (2-0) will battle Grave Danger (1-1).

The home teams have a mix of new and familiar faces on their rosters this season, resulting in some of the closest battles in recent Rat City history. In Season 11 bout 1, Grave Danger narrowly beat Sockit Wenches 149-140 during the final jam. Derby Liberation Front (DLF) won Season 10 home team championships, but the team this year is almost completely made up of newly rostered Rat City skaters.

“As a relatively inexperienced team, we have been developing at an exponential rate. The team has become so cohesive and strong, and we approach this bout with confidence,” said Cassie Beck, AKA Raven Evergore of Derby Liberation Front. “We are prepared for Grave Danger's strong defense and their able jammers, and we cannot wait to apply all of our hard work to the challenge of playing such a strong team.”

The Throttle Rockets will welcome back Rattle Skate, who skated for the Rat City All-Stars travel team at the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) championships during Season 10. The Sockit Wenches have been training hard under the direction of LeBrawn Maimes and Sami Automatic, Rat City All-Stars respectively. Both the Throttle Rockets and Sockit Wenches are known for having agile jammers and strong blockers.

“The Throttle Rockets are coming in with a fire in our belly to keep a winning streak,” said Lenaya Kerlin, AKA Shock Therapy of the Throttle Rockets. “With our strong newcomers and seasoned veteran skaters, we will have to be on top of our games for Saturday's bout against the Wenches.”

Although tickets to the Feb. 21 bout sold out, fans still have a chance to purchase tickets to the March 7, March 28 and April 11 bouts at The Rat’s Nest for $20 through Brown Paper Tickets (BPT). Rat City has added additional seating to bouts at The Rat’s Nest to meet unprecedented demand, but Nest bouts are still expected to sell out. Fans may also purchase tickets for the Season 11 championship game at KeyArena for $17 via Ticket Master.


The Rat City Rollergirls (RCRG) is Seattle’s premiere all-female, flat-track roller derby league. RCRG is composed of about 80 active skaters and many more retired skaters who are still involved. The skaters are divided among four home teams, as well as the All Stars team and Rat Lab. It is Rat City’s mission to maintain a competitive athletic program, promote the sport of roller derby, provide quality sports entertainment for fans, and make a positive impact in the community.


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Rat City Rollergirls play first home team season bout at The Nest, sell out venue

Saturday, February 7, 2015


The Rat City Rollergirls (RCRG) will play their first home team season bout at The Rat’s Nest Sunday in the aftermath of game restructuring designed to improve the fan experience and the league’s longevity. Rat City is pleased to announce that the event sold out. Fans can still purchase tickets for upcoming bouts in Season 11.

"We are glad that people are excited about mixing it up,” said founding league member Clobberin’ Mame, aka Carmin Thomas of the Sockit Wenches. "I think the fans that are used to seeing us at the KeyArena will be pleasantly surprised with the games at The Rat’s Nest. It is a very intimate setting where you get to experience the action up close, much like the early days of the league."

RCRG opened the home team season at the KeyArena on Jan. 10 with two matchups—Sockit Wenches vs. Grave Danger and Throttle Rockets vs. Derby Liberation Front. Both bouts were close games with Grave Danger and Derby Liberation Front winning their respective matches, proving that the teams are more equally matched this year and you can’t afford to miss any more bouts. In today’s match, Derby Liberation Front, the winner of Season 10 championships, will take on Sockit Wenches, with Grave Danger playing against the Throttle Rockets.

“Grave Danger is pretty much a whole new team this season. The captains and coaches have brought on several new talented skaters that have tons of potential and a solid work ethic, “ said Dee Cap Attack, AKA Janelle Anderson of Grave Danger. 
“Because we are a new team we are putting our blood, sweat, and tears into our training this season. Everyone has really stepped up and is giving 110%. I think this is going to be one of our most exciting seasons yet. All of the home teams are very close in skill and experience, which makes for very close bouts. I can't wait to see what the season will bring for Danger and the rest of the league!”

Even though the bout today is sold out, RCRG fans still have plenty of opportunities to see the action this season. The Rat City Rollergirls will bout on Feb. 21, March 7, March 28 and April 11 at The Rat’s Nest, which is located at 19022 Aurora Avenue North, Shoreline, WA 98133. And for those fans who love seeing Rat City skaters take the track at the KeyArena— home team championships will be held there on April 25.

The Rat City Rollergirls (RCRG) is Seattle’s premiere all-female, flat-track roller derby league. RCRG is composed of about 80 active skaters and many more retired skaters who are still involved. The skaters are divided among four home teams, as well as the All Stars team and Rat Lab. It is Rat City’s mission to maintain a competitive athletic program, promote the sport of roller derby, provide quality sports entertainment for fans, and make a positive impact in the community.


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Rat City Season 11 starts now, invite extended to 12th Man

Sunday, January 11, 2015


The Rat City Rollergirls (RCRG) invite the 12th Man to KeyArena to support Seattle’s other full-contact sport as the Rat City home-team season kicks off a day later so fans could root on the Seahawks during playoffs. 
“Guess what, Seahawks fans? Roller derby is kind of like football, except you get to watch ladies smash into each other on skates. I’m willing to bet the Rat City Rollergirls will amaze you,” said Missile America, AKA Kayla Gaska of the Throttle Rockets.

The RCRG Season 11 opening bout will feature two matches-- Sockit Wenches vs. Grave Danger and Derby Liberation Front vs. Throttle Rockets. Rat City is pleased to present several new skaters on each team that will bring new energy to the track, as well as fan favorites such as Nehi Nightmare, Sun Shiner, Missile America and Kamikaze Kim.

“Not only will the game on Sunday be exciting, but all of Season 11 as well. This season there are many new skaters that have joined the league since last season,” said Kim Saito, AKA Kamikaze Kim of Derby Liberation Front, winner of Season 10 championships. “Each team has a good mix of new and experienced skaters which I feel makes for more even teams and close bouts. On any given day one team could beat the other.”

The Rat City Rollergirls (RCRG) is Seattle’s premiere all-female, flat-track roller derby league. RCRG is composed of about 80 active skaters and many more retired skaters who are still involved. The skaters are divided among four home teams, the All Stars and Rat Lab. It is Rat City’s mission to maintain a competitive athletic program, promote the sport of roller derby, provide quality sports entertainment for our fans, and make a positive impact in our community.

New to the sport of roller derby? Would you believe there is an app for that? Check out what's happening with the fastest growing full contact female sport in the world - right here



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Rat City Rollergirls change season opening date, congratulate Seahawks

Saturday, January 3, 2015

The Rat City girls are double-time Seahawk fans
Photo by Danny Ngan courtesy RCRG

The Rat City Rollergirls’ season 11 opening game, which was scheduled for 6:00pm on January 10 at the KeyArena, has been moved to 3:00pm on January 11 at the KeyArena so Rat City skaters and fans alike can cheer on the Seahawks while they compete in the playoffs at CenturyLink field.

“I’m so glad the league has decided to change the date of our game. I want to see the Hawks take it all the way again this year. There are a lot of similarities between football and roller derby,” said Crystal Little, AKA Nehi Nightmare of Grave Danger.

The Rat City season 11 opening game will be comprised of two home-team bouts—Sockit Wenches vs. Grave Danger and Derby Liberation Front vs. Throttle Rockets. Rat City is also pleased to announce that several new skaters will battle side-by-side with fan favorites as part of league restructuring designed to bolster home-team rivalry and the spectator experience.

Roller derby fans will also have the opportunity to see the Rat City home teams bout at the KeyArena on April 25 during the championship game. The rest of the games are scheduled to occur at The Rat’s Nest, which is located at 19022 Aurora Avenue North, Shoreline, WA 98133.

“Season 11 is going to be the best one yet because not only are we training to be as fierce as ever, but we are also bringing back the fun, and I am wearing all the fun short-shorts,” said Soley Gunnarsson, AKA Sun Shiner of the Sockit wenches.


The Rat City Rollergirls (RCRG) is Seattle’s premiere all-female, flat-track roller derby league. RCRG is composed of about 80 active skaters and many more retired skaters who are still involved. The skaters are divided among four home teams, as well as the All Stars team and Rat Lab. It is Rat City’s mission to maintain a competitive athletic program, promote the sport of roller derby, provide quality sports entertainment for fans, and make a positive impact in the community.


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Rat City Rollergirls Season 11 changes and schedule boasts more activity in Shoreline

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

The jammers try to break through the defenders
Photo copyright Marc Weinberg
March 2014

The Rat City Rollergirls have changed their approach to roller derby, and with it, their league structure, to create a better fan experience.

Just in time for Season 11, the Rat City home teams — Grave Danger, Sockit Wenches, Derby Liberation Front and Throttle Rockets—will rekindle old rivalries and bring fresh faces to the track for home team season while All-Star players prepare for their own separate season this summer. The home team season will run from Jan. to April, and fans can start purchasing season tickets on Black Friday and individual tickets on Dec. 15.

Rat City also revamped bout production, ultimately deciding to host mid-season bouts at The Rat’s Nest, which is located at 19022 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline, WA 98133. At The Rat’s Nest, fans can get closer to the action while enjoying local bands, food trucks, a fan zone, and new opportunities to interact with some of their favorite skaters in the stands.

For fans who love their derby at KeyArena, a “Three at the Key” package will be available starting Dec. 1, which includes tickets to the home team opener, home team championships, as well as the July 11 All-Star bout where the Rat City All-Stars will play the second best team in the world, the Rose City Wheels of Justice.

The home team season will begin Jan. 10 at the KeyArena with a double header—Sockit Wenches vs. Grave Danger and Derby Liberation Front vs. Throttle Rockets.

The mid-season bouts at The Rat’s Nest will be held on Feb. 7, Feb. 21, March 7, March 28 and April 11, with the final championship bout on April 25 at the KeyArena.

Derby Liberation Front, the winner of Season 10 home team championships, will battle all season long to maintain their title.

The Rat City Rollergirls (RCRG) is Seattle’s premiere all-female, flat-track roller derby league. RCRG is composed of about 80 active skaters and many more retired skaters who are still involved. The skaters are divided among four home teams, the All-Stars and Rat Lab. It is Rat City’s mission to maintain a competitive athletic program, promote the sport of roller derby, provide quality sports entertainment for our fans, and make a positive impact in our community.


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Rat City Rollergirls Present: ARTsplosion

Wednesday, November 12, 2014


An Art Gala to Benefit Seattle’s Premiere All-Female Roller Derby League

The Rat City Rollergirls will kick off ARTsplosion, a three-day showcase of unique, hand-selected art from well-established and up-and-coming local artists, with an opening gala that will feature live music and appearances from Rat City fan favorites. Attendees will have the opportunity to take their favorite pieces home by participating in a silent auction.

The opening gala will take place from 6 to 10 pm on Thursday, Nov. 13 at The Rat’s Nest located at 19022 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline, WA 98133. Admission is free, and fans of all ages are welcome to come mingle and meet inspiring artists, as well as the Rat City family, in casual attire. The art will be displayed at The Rat’s Nest for the community to enjoy from Nov. 13 until Nov. 15.

Due to the harsh economic climate and waning ticket sales, the Rat City Rollergirls have recently reached out to the community to raise funds to ensure The Rat’s Nest continues to be a practice space for several roller derby leagues in the area, including the Seattle Derby Brats, Puget Sound Outcast Derby and the Jet City Rollergirls. 

Rat City has implemented several long-term strategies for financial success, but additional, short-term efforts have been necessary to keep the league afloat and save The Rat’s Nest. The ARTsplosion event will celebrate local artists while benefiting the Rat City Rollergirls.

 "My concerns are that the lights will be turned off at our practice house," said Kayla Gaska, AKA "Missile America.” “I don’t know what I would do without it.”

About Rat City Rollergirls

The Rat City Rollergirls (RCRG) is Seattle’s premiere all-female, flat-track roller derby league. RCRG is composed of about 80 active skaters and many more retired skaters who are still involved. The skaters are divided among four home teams, the All Stars and Rat Lab. 

Mission Statement: As Seattle’s premier, member-owned roller derby league, it is our mission to maintain a competitive athletic program, promote the sport of roller derby, provide quality sports entertainment for our fans, and make a positive impact in our community. To learn more visit http://ratcityrollergirls.com/ or http://www.gofundme.com/SaveRatCity.

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Rat City Roller Girls are throwing a party - and you're invited

Monday, August 25, 2014


The Rat City Rollergirls moved their practice space into the old Aurora Rents building at 192nd and Aurora over a year ago, and they thought it was about time to host an open house to meet the neighbors!

We'd like to invite you to join us Saturday, August 30 from 6-9 pm

This will be a family-friendly party for all ages with a DJ, food, games, and skater meet-and-greets. Our guests can also see our skaters in action as the ladies take shifts on the track for our skate-a-thon. Donations are completely optional, but any funds collected will go toward rent/ utilities/ improvements to our practice space with a portion of proceeds benefitting Old Dog Haven.


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Fliers large and small at the annual Sk8 competition Friday

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Warming up on skateboards and skooters

Photos by Wayne Pridemore

The annual skate event Friday August 15, 2014 from noon to 5pm at the Connie King Skate Park at the Paramount School Park 15298 8th Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155 brought out skaters large and small from around the area.

Little Sauce
Caden Smith "Little Sauce" attends Little Cedars Elementary School in Snohomish.

Vincent Thomas
Vincent Thomas, age 6, will be in kindergarten at Woodin Elementary in Northshore School District.

McKay West

Shorecrest student, McKay West, shows some advanced techniques on the board.

David Williams

David Williams, a freshman at Shorecrest, shows his skills on the skooter.

The high fliers


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Rat City Rollergirls roll over Houston 260 to 77

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Rat City defender forces the Houston jammer
out of bounds
Photo copyright Marc Weinberg

Text and photos,  Marc Weinberg

Rat City Rollergirls All Star Team scored a decisive victory over Houston last Saturday night at Key Arena 260 to 77. What the score alone doesn't indicate is the physical nature of the battle and the gymnastics of the skaters who made that happen. Houston had some powerful members on offense and defense, but Rat City out-skated Houston on both accounts.

Rat City Roller Derby can be a fun night out for the family
Photo copyright Mark Weinberg

On a warm and sunny evening the attendance was moderate, but the enjoyment was the same.   Dancing in the isles during half time and loud cheering for favorite skaters was the theme of the night. There were many families in attendance and even the youngest seemed to get a thrill out of the non-stop action. If you have not attended an event, you should .... at least once, if only to say that you supported our Shoreline home town team!

For more about Rat City Rollergirls and future events go to their webpage.


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Rat City Rollergirls - ruff and tumble at Key Arena June 7

Monday, June 9, 2014

Silicon Valley jammer finds resistance as she attempts to break free
Photo copyright Marc Weinberg

Photos and text by Marc Weinberg

Of all the bouts that I've seen, this night was the most ruff and tumble I have witnessed.

It also was full of penalties, but nonetheless one of the most aggressive and hard fought pair of contests.

There will be bruises tonight!
Photo copyright Marc Weinberg

Rat City defeated Silicon Valley Rollergirls by a significant margin and the Rat City All Stars did the same with the Jet City (Everett) team.  The crowd was not so large but gave up continuous cheers and groans during a great evening of fast action sport. 

HIT ME! said the sign, and so I did
Photo copyright Marc Weinberg

If you haven't seen our home town team with their headquarters now in Shoreline, check out their website and treat yourself to a family evening of fun while supporting our team.

You don't have to go to Key Arena to see the action as many events happen right here in town.


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12th Man asked to support Seattle's other full contact sport

Friday, June 6, 2014


Rat City Rain of Terror B-Team (Seattle, WA) 
 vs Silicon Valley Roller Derby (San Jose, CA) 
Rat City All Stars (Seattle, WA) 
vs Jet City Rollergirls (Everett, WA) 
June 7, 5:30pm at KeyArena in Seattle


The Rat City Rollergirls invite the 12th Man to KeyArena to support Seattle's other full contact sport as Seattle's Rat City (GREEN) takes on Everett's Jet City (BLUE). Fans will be dusting off their Seahawks gear, filling the stands with green and blue! 

Seattle's Division I WFTDA league (Rat City) is ranked 18th in the world, and with two major wins under their belt against Montreal and Sacramento, they are proving that they are contenders in the race for the coveted Hydra trophy. 

The All-Star team has acquired seasoned skater athletes who transferred from notable leagues as far away as Jacksonville, Denver, and L.A. and the team will bringing it to KeyArena to win against the WFTDA Division II Champions, Jet City. Under coach Dan Barnett, who recently coached Derby Liberation Front to an undefeated championship last spring, the team is more disciplined, focused, and determined to succeed at WFTDA Championships 10/31-11/2 in Nashville, TN. In addition, Jammer Lacey Evans aka Carmen Getsome (#12), has been selected to Team USA to represent us at the 2014 World Cup. 

New to the sport of roller derby? Would you believe there is an app for that? Check out what's happening with the fastest growing full contact female sport in the world:


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Rat City matches at Key Arena last Saturday

Thursday, May 15, 2014

The players signed autographers
Photo by Morrie Carter

Rat City Roller Girls held matches at Key Arena on Saturday, May 10.

The first match was The Rat City Rain of Terror vs Antagonist Rollers, which is also a local team.   It was a hard fought battle with the Rat City Rain of Terror winning the match.

The Rat City team mascot took a break between bouts
Photo by Morrie Carter

The Rain of Terror vs the Antagonist Rollers score was Rain of Terror 171 and the Antagonists 152. This was a very good and entertaining match.

The Rat City Rain of Terror are in White and Green
and the Antagonist Rollers are in red uniforms.
Photo by Morrie Carter

Squaring off
Photo by Morrie Carter

The second match was with the Rat City All Stars vs Sacred City Derby Girls “Sacrificers”  from Sacramento, CA .

The score for the Rat City All Stars vs the Sacrificers was very one sided with Rat City All Stars winning  444 – 58.

Photo by Morrie Carter


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Rat City goes Harry Potter with the Hitditch Cup this Saturday in Shoreline

Monday, April 21, 2014

Saturday, Apr 26, 2014 at 5:30pm - Doors Open at 12:00pm - Buy Tickets here

The Rat City Rollergirls are creating something MAGICAL you won’t want to miss!!

The Hitditch Cup will include skaters from Rat City being sorted into four different teams! The skaters have no idea what team they will be sorted to!!

Teams:
  • Gryffindor – coached by GRYFFINDORABLE
  • Ravenclaw – coached by Lexi Lovegood
  • Hufflepuff – coached by Sunny Badger
  • Slytherin – coached by Sheeza Death Eater

But this final bout will not be any ordinary bout – the audience can cast spells on the skaters and officials! Some will help the team, some will hinder them, but all will be entertaining!!

5:30 p.m. – Sorting Hat Ceremony
6:00 p.m. – First Whistle!
  • Game 1: Hufflepuff vs. Gryffindor
  • Game 2: Slytherin vs. Ravenclaw
  • Game 3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner vs. Game 2

Teams compete for the Hitdich Cup and the House Cup! Who will win the House Cup? That’s up to you!

Location: The Rat's Nest, 19022 Aurora Ave N‎ Shoreline, WA 98133


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Derby Liberation Front overcomes key injuries, wins championship

Monday, April 14, 2014

Major carnage on the court
Photo by Marc Weisberg

Final Score: Derby Liberation Front 204 - Throttle Rockets 131
By Jim Almy

There's no other way to say it. They just beat you down. They just take the best you can throw at them, shake it off and continue to beat you down. 

Derby Liberation Front (DLF), the team that won the Rat City Rollergirls roller derby league Championships Saturday night at KeyArena, sorta remind you of a football team from these parts that won a championship a couple months back. Attitude, toughness, extraordinary athleticism and, well, just plain guts. 

The final score, 204-131 over the Throttle Rockets, doesn't give the Rockets enough credit for the gritty game they brought to the track and the closeness of the bout until the final quarter. The Rockets, after all, are not without their own brand of in-your-face play. It showed early. 

Rat City's Luna Negra
Photo by John Stamets

Luna Negra (#911), the muscular silhouette of a scoring machine that you don't see until she's passed you or, worse, see just in time to be shoved rudely aside as she forces herself by, started the first jam for the Rockets. Next to her was rookie phenomenon Bam!!B, DLF's equally potent jammer. Luna treated the defense ahead of her as a nuisance, busting through the line of all-star DLF blockers Rumble Fist (#9), Full Nelson (#123), The KZA (#6) and Domino (#62) before the first quarter lap and picking up 14 points in the jam. Bam!!B spent part of that jam and the next in the penalty box, but picked up five points making it 14-5 after two jams. 

Jammer breaking free
Photo by Morrie Carter

And so it went for the first eight jams. DLF put their best on the track. The Rockets knocked them around. Blocker Raven Seaward (#53), put a shoulder into DLF jammer Bill F. Murray (#906) that launched her off the track. Murray led her team with 35 points in the first half, but scored none in the final 30 minutes. Luna Negra and Sintripital Force (#1618) added scores here and there, calling off jams quickly and preventing DLF from making any impact. 

Penalties bothered the Throttle Rockets more than their opponents for most of the bout. DLF took the lead in jam nine with three Rockets, Ethel Vermin (#77), Shock Therapy (#1400) and Missile America (#321) all sitting in the penalty box. Bam!!B had her biggest single run in the first half adding 14 to the DLF total and putting her team ahead for the first time 39-31. The Rockets ended the half with 26 penalties. DLF had 15. 

Pressing to get ahead
Photo by Marc Weinberg

DLF Coach Ho Chi Dahn said that his team had, "The best total game we've played all year. We knew we had to play at our best to beat the Throttle Rockets and we did." He also found unexpected support when injuries forced him to move key blocker Rumble Fist to a jammer's role. In the 11th jam of the first half DLF jammer Muscle Sprouts (#5280), a leading scorer all season for her team, ran into a Rockets wall that left her on the track for five minutes, ultimately to be carried off. "I heard a pop in my knee," she said while standing on crutches after the bout. 

Rumble Fist's approach to scoring, she finished the first half with 10 and the night with 34, was no-nonsense, no subtlety and no problem. She just looked for the strongest points in the Rockets defense and forced her way through. 

"No other team could have adapted to the injuries we had tonight (blocker Avihater, #47, also left the bout in the first half with a knee injury)," said Coach Danh. "These girls do everything I ask of them. I didn't want to pull Rumble off the line, but we needed scoring." 

The Rockets probably wish Rumble hadn't started wearing the star either. 

DLF's Yoko Onoudi'nt and Rat City's Sintripetal Force
Photo by John Stamets

Sintripetal Force played a role in tying the bout twice as the first half closed. Her eight points in jam 15 brought the match to 62-62 with 11 minutes left to play. She added nine more in jam 18 to force another tie, 75-75. In both jams she also felt the full force of DLF blockers Ophelia Melons (#88) and Yoko Onoudi'nt (#20), who made her earn every pass. 

Five jams passed in the second half before DLF scored any points. During that time the Rockets went ahead 101-99, serving notice that they weren't going away easily. Bam!!B then took advantage of a power jam and great offensive blocking by Ophelia Melons, Yoko Onoudi'nt and Full Nelson to collect the biggest jam of the night and add 25 points to her bout leading total of 66. At 124-101 it was beginning to slip away for the Rockets. 

Jammer Luna Negra was a particular target for the DLF blocking crew. For all her skill and strength she just couldn't get out of the pack or found herself treated so badly that jams were called off out of futility. She had 40 points in the first half, 20 in the second, leading her team with 60 for the bout. 

Tense moments for Rat City
Photo by Morrie Carter

In the meantime DLF pounded away at the Rockets quickly tiring defense with brute force. Steady scorer The KZA and Rumble Fist continued muscling points in a bout that became one-sided with about 15 minutes remaining. The KZA had 65 points for the match, 30 and 35 each half. 

With five minutes to go the penalties began to even out. The Throttle Rockets had 36, DLF had 28. But by then it was too many power jams too early in the bout for the Rockets to recover. 

DLF are new champs
Photo by David Jaewon Oh
A crowd of 3,800 cheered the new champions as they hoisted their trophy, but it was cheering for both teams for a gutsy, hard fought and entertaining bout. 

In the first bout of the night, the grudge match, Grave Danger bested the Sockit Wenches 250-143.

Tempura Tantrum opened the nights festivities, delivering a rousing version of the National Anthem before joining her Grave Danger teammates on the track. Everyone also enjoyed the Northside Drill Team, a community organization for 5 to 18 year-olds, who put on a rhythmic and close order performance at the half.


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Hitditch Cup at the Rat's Nest in Shoreline April 26

Sunday, April 6, 2014

The Rat City Rollergirls are excited to be hosting a double header Harry Potter themed event:

Hitditch Cup - Double Header Bout
April 26, 5:30pm start time
The Rat's Nest
19022 Aurora Ave N
Seattle, WA 98133
Tickets available on Brown Paper Tickets closer to the event date


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HistoryLink: Rat City Rollergirls stage their first official bout on March 26, 2005.

Tuesday, March 25, 2014


Rat City Rollergirls stage their first official bout on March 26, 2005.

On March 26, 2005, the Rat City Rollergirls, Seattle's pioneering female roller derby league, stages its first official bout. The scene is Southgate Roller Rink in White City. The crowd is unexpectedly big and predictably loud, fired up by free beer and the rowdy antics of skaters racing and belting each other around the flat track. The night is a rousing start for a league that will soon outgrow two venues and become a national leader in its sport.

Getting Organized

From roller derby's highest profile days in the 1970s, when it featured both men and women on a banked track and was televised on more than 100 stations, the sport had faded from sight. But in the early 2000s, a group of Texas women created a flat-track version with loud music, fierce aliases, a little face paint, and lots of female-on-female shoving. A Seattle woman, Lilly Warner (b. 1976), learned about it in 2003 when she met one of the Texas Rollergirls in Austin, and decided to bring the sport to the Northwest. Warner and two friends, Rahel Cook (b. 1971) and Katie Merrell (b. 1972), became the founders of the Rat City Rollergirls.

They began recruiting members in late March 2004, and soon had enough to form committees to handle tasks such as marketing and scheduling. They added a logo featuring a tough- and sexy-looking woman with a black eye. They filed for a state business license and started selling merchandise. Their members paid monthly dues. Some had to learn to skate. Most needed to learn the rules of roller derby. And all needed to practice, which they did at Southgate Roller Rink in White Center.

Before they had appeared in public, a story in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer described the Rat City Rollergirls as "a little bit punky, a little bit naughty and a good bit athletic," and quoted Warner as saying they planned to have bands play at their bouts and expected to generate crossover appeal for musicians and artists (Dizon). On February 20, 2005, they staged an exhibition bout. They were divided among four teams -- Derby Liberation Front, Grave Danger, Sockit Wenches, and Throttle Rockets -- and were, as a boxing announcer might say, ready to rumble.

Front-page Coverage

They didn't know what to expect in terms of a crowd for their first real bout. To help boost the gate, they advertised free beer. Tickets sold out within 24 hours, and the line waiting to get inside wrapped around the rink. Attendance was reported as 600. The crowd witnessed an unconventional delivery of the national anthem, fist-pumping team introductions, six striped-shirted referees in helmets and knee and elbow pads just like the skaters, a statistics crew, and an announcer offering exuberant play-by-play commentary. Fans were loud and close to the action.

The Seattle P-I covered the event with a story and two photos on its front page, the story continuing on an inside page with five more photos. The headline was "Female Hellions on Wheels: Rollergirls’ First Wild Rumble Wins Hearts of Fans." Reporter Athima Chansanchai described the scene:

    "Under whirling red and blue lights, a legion of helmeted hellions on wheels rolled out Saturday night to a sold-out audience that eagerly anticipated the Rat City Rollergirls’ opening-season rumble at Southgate Roller Rink.

    "They weren't disappointed.

    "Clad in outrageous outfits, accompanied by marching mascots and a pulsating soundtrack, the queens of rollerama shoved, blocked and skated their way into the hearts of fans" (Chansanchai)

The first poster

Points in roller derby are scored by a skater designated as the jammer passing the opposing team's skaters during a series of two-minute jams. On that opening night, Derby Liberation Front beat the Sockit Wenches 86-37 and the Throttle Rockets beat Grave Danger 74-26. But points were almost beside the point. The crowd loved the campy theatrics and rough play.

Benjimen "Silvia O'Stay for More" Blair, a brawny figure with pompons and what looked like a fuzzy wig, sang the national anthem. Derby Liberation Front mascot "Rocketman Houllahan," wearing sunglasses and an Elvis-style jump suit, ran around waving a flag that said "Intergalactic Domination." About the Throttle Rockets-Grave Danger matchup, announcer Ricky Pajamas intoned, "They may come from the cold depths of outer space and the cold grave, but they've got a fire inside." Skaters caught breaking the rules were sent to an area inside the track where they had to hoist a sign saying "I’ve been a bad girl" (Chansanchai).

The skaters wore short skirts, some adding torn fishnet pantyhose or garish makeup. All participants, including the officials, had nicknames. Coach Pam Stockman was Farrah Toss-It. The Derby Liberation Front’s Sue Schmitz was Darth Skater. "There are so many awesome personalities," Schmitz said. "We’re all a bunch of sisters having fun kicking butt. ... I feel like I was meant to rollerderby" (Chansanchai).

Going Places

The Rat City Rollergirls staged two more bouts at Southgate Roller Rink, both of them sellouts. For the rest of that 2005 inaugural season and through 2007, their bouts were at Hangar 27 at Magnuson Park, where they drew crowds of up to 3,000. After a forced relocation to smaller Hangar 30, in 2009 they landed at Seattle Center’s KeyArena. They averaged more than 4,000 fans for their first five seasons there and in 2010 set a national attendance record of 6,800.

The Seattle league was one of five founding members of the national Women’s Flat Track Derby Association, and for its first nine years one of the highest-ranked by the nation’s skaters. There were hundreds of women’s roller derby leagues in late 2013, when the Rat City Rollergirls were preparing for their 10th season. Most of their original skaters had retired, but the league’s boisterous appeal continued with a growing roll of names such as Morning Gory, Drew Blood, Punchin’ Judy, and Lady Die.

Sources:
Amy Jenniges, "Skate City: Rat City Roller Girls Are Going to Rock Seattle," The Stranger, June 3-9, 2004; Kristin Dizon, "This Rat Pack is Ready to Roll; Female Skaters Want to Revive Seattle Derbies," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 15, 2004, p. E-1; Athima Chansanchai, "Female Hellions on Wheels; Rollergirls’ First Wild Rumble Wins Hearts of Fans," Ibid., March 28, 2005, p. A-1; Lanny Bagwell and Lacey Leavitt, Blood on the Flat Track: The Rise of the Rat City Rollergirls, (Seattle: Leaky-Sleazewell Productions, 2007); Jack Broom, "She-Devils on Wheels," The Seattle Times, October 10, 2005, p. C-1; Glenn Drosendahl interview with Rat City Rollergirls Chief Marketing Officer Jessica Ivey, Seattle, November 5, 2013. By Glenn Drosendahl, November 26, 2013


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Rat City Rollergirls March Expo Bout in Shoreline Mar 29: Sibling Rivalry

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Sockit Wench blocker, Short Fuse tries to stop Scald Eagle
of Guns N Rollers from scoring in Portland last December.
Photo by Jenny Evans

We’re bringing Sibling Rivalry to Shoreline when we host the Rose City Rollers from Portland, OR at the Rat’s Nest on March 29. 

The Sockit Wenches face off against the Guns N Rollers in a rematch from last December’s 4×4 in Portland. Come out and cheer on the Wenches’ Sister Slaughter, and rookie skater Short Fuse as they tear up the track for the Wenches! It should be a fun and exciting match up! 

This double header bout kicks off with a battle of the generations, as skaters from the Seattle Derby BratsSDB Galaxy Girls, fresh from some intense bouts at Wild West Showdown, will mix it up with skaters from the Throttle Rockets – Rat City Rollergirls. The Galaxy Girls are coached by Betty Ford Galaxy (former TR) and Devilynne Syde (current SW), with help from Luna Negra and Missile America (current TRs), so it’ll be really exciting to see what the girls have learned already this season. 

First Whistle: 6:30pm\\ TICKETS
Rat’s Nest 19022 Aurora Ave N, Shoreline


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Rat City Rollergirls celebrate 10th anniversary

Monday, March 17, 2014

The jammers try to break through the defenders
to score points
Photo copyright Marc Weinberg
Text and Photos by Marc Weinberg

Key Arena .... March 15 was not just another Rat City Rollergirls match as usual - which was thrilling as expected - but it was the half time that created a lasting image for me. That was a match between two junior teams from the Seattle Derby Brats in the 8-12 year age bracket in the division called the "Tootsy Rollers."

In the Tootsie Roller category, Orange Crush meet the
Turquoise Terrors. Photo copyright Marc Weinberg

These young girls had all the enthusiasm, determination, and the appearance of their 'big sisters'.   I can't wait to watch them grow. Their participation was part of a celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Rat City Rollergirls league with prizes and acknowledgments for major players and supporters over these years.  

Fan enthusiasm is half the fun
Photo copyright Marc Weinberg

The next Key Arena match is April 12 and will be a big one because it will determine the composition of the Rat City All Stars who will then compete against the other leagues. The fun and excitement is not just on the floor. It's in the stands too. Support Shoreline's only professional team. Go to the website for tickets and time.


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Roller Girls in a tough battle for the second championship spot this Saturday

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Panda Beer #330 collides with K. Beezy #187 in an attempt
 to slow her down and keep from scoring points.
Photo by Danny Ngan

Rat City Roller Girls, March 15, at KeyArena 5:30pm

It says March 15 on the schedule, but the four roller derby teams taking the track this Saturday at KeyArena for the Rat City Rollergirls will mostly be looking forward to the championship event on April 12th.

One team is in the prize ring for sure, one is not and the two others will bring to mind an old Bob Dylan album, Blood on the Tracks. In this case it’s ‘track’, singular, but when Grave Danger and Throttle Rockets open the night’s action skating for a spot in next month’s championship bout the rest of the title will be accurate.

Derby Liberation Front (DLF) will take their undefeated record and guaranteed championship appearance into the second bout of the night against a rebuilding Sockit Wenches team that has yet to score a win. It will be 2-0 against 0-2.

But don’t let their records fool you. DLF has won two very tight bouts. The Sockit Wenches have been in both their matches well into the second half. “We’re not taking the Sockit Wenches lightly at all,” said DLF Coach Ho Chi Danh. “They’ve shown a lot of intensity and we’re aware that they will be coming out swinging.” He added that his team’s strategy will be to work on what they’ve been working on the entire season which includes penalty reduction and concentration on their defensive packs.

Grave Danger, last year’s champions and holders of that trophy for the past three years, and the Throttle Rockets have both lost to DLF. Danger lost by 33 points in an opening night bout that saw changes in the lead switch back and forth and stay within a few points as the match neared its end. Penalties caught up with Grave Danger and DLF pulled away as the final seconds ticked off.

Rumble Fist #9 rallies with her team, Derby Liberation Front
before a bout against the Sockit Wenches. Photo by Jules Doyle

An even closer bout followed in February between DLF and the Throttle Rockets. The two teams were tied at 173 going into the final jam when DLF jammer Muscle Sprouts added ten points while her opposite, Rockets jammer Luna Negra, sat in the penalty box, for DLF’s second victory of the season.

This Saturday has all the elements of another dramatic and exciting two hours of action. The Sockit Wenches improved significantly from bout one to bout two. Both Grave Danger and the Throttle Rockets view their losses against DLF as turning on one or two small points, a penalty here, a missed block there, that could have resulted in a win for either. Both are resolved that those imperfections won’t occur when they meet DLF again.

But first, of course, there is the business at hand, earning a win when they play each other this Saturday to get into that championship game.

Doors: 4:30, Opening Ceremonies 5:30

There will be a special Past, Present, Future 10 Year Celebration at halftime with 10 years of Rat City Alumni and the Seattle Derby Brats Tootsie Rollers in an expo bout of 6-10 year old budding roller derby athletes.

For tickets to Saturday’s click HERE


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