Charlotte Roller Girls
Encyclopedia
The Charlotte Roller Girls are an all-female flat track roller derby
league in Charlotte, North Carolina
, United States
.
The group found a practice venue and began honing their skills. Some had skating experience, but most were novices. Classes and seminars were held to accelerate their progress. Within a few months, enough women had joined to allow them to compete.
On September 2, 2007, the Charlotte Roller Girls faced the Palmetto State Rollergirls in its first bout. Despite suffering a loss, the league’s spirit and determination was not dampened. A total of five bouts were held in 2007 and the Charlotte Roller Girls closed out its first season with a 2-3 record.
After competing on the road in 2007, the league was ready to host its first home bout. On January 27, 2008, the Charlotte Roller Girls took on the Columbia Quad Squad. The bout was held at Bojangles' Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina and the reception was outstanding. A crowd of 1,000 was anticipated yet 2,170 enthusiastic fans attended. The attendance that night was one of the largest in the sport’s modern history. Roller derby had arrived in Charlotte.
In 2008, the Charlotte Roller Girls experienced incredible growth. League membership tripled and home bouts enjoyed an average attendance of 1,400 fans, well above the national average. The league has one of the largest fan followings in the nation.
With so many skaters, the Charlotte Roller Girls achieved a benchmark of any start-up roller derby league - the formation of more than one team. In August, the Block'em Sock'em Rollers and the Cockpit Candies were born. The two new teams were formed to allow for intra-league competition. The group skated under the Charlotte Roller Girls name for interleague competition. The Charlotte Roller Girls ended the season with an interleague record of 6-3.
The 2009 season brings continued growth to the league. For interleague competition, CLTRG has two teams - Charlotte Roller Girls All-Stars and Charlotte Roller Girls B Dazzlers. Its intra-league teams are the Block'em Sock'em Rollers, Cockpit Candies and Fraid Knots.
In April, 2010, the Charlotte Roller Girls were accepted into the Women's Flat Track Derby Association Apprentice Program. Charlotte's membership in WFTDA was announced in June 2011, and they will complete in WFTDA's East Region
.
In August, 2010, the league moved from their practice space in Gastonia, North Carolina
to a new practice space in the NoDa
neighborhood in Charlotte.
Roller derby
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team...
league in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
History
Roller derby was introduced to the Queen City in 2006 shortly after a few local women were made aware of the sport. After researching online and learning of its resurgence, they posted fliers in their neighborhood to gauge interest. The response was immediate and the Charlotte Roller Girls all-female flat track roller derby league was formed.The group found a practice venue and began honing their skills. Some had skating experience, but most were novices. Classes and seminars were held to accelerate their progress. Within a few months, enough women had joined to allow them to compete.
On September 2, 2007, the Charlotte Roller Girls faced the Palmetto State Rollergirls in its first bout. Despite suffering a loss, the league’s spirit and determination was not dampened. A total of five bouts were held in 2007 and the Charlotte Roller Girls closed out its first season with a 2-3 record.
After competing on the road in 2007, the league was ready to host its first home bout. On January 27, 2008, the Charlotte Roller Girls took on the Columbia Quad Squad. The bout was held at Bojangles' Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina and the reception was outstanding. A crowd of 1,000 was anticipated yet 2,170 enthusiastic fans attended. The attendance that night was one of the largest in the sport’s modern history. Roller derby had arrived in Charlotte.
In 2008, the Charlotte Roller Girls experienced incredible growth. League membership tripled and home bouts enjoyed an average attendance of 1,400 fans, well above the national average. The league has one of the largest fan followings in the nation.
With so many skaters, the Charlotte Roller Girls achieved a benchmark of any start-up roller derby league - the formation of more than one team. In August, the Block'em Sock'em Rollers and the Cockpit Candies were born. The two new teams were formed to allow for intra-league competition. The group skated under the Charlotte Roller Girls name for interleague competition. The Charlotte Roller Girls ended the season with an interleague record of 6-3.
The 2009 season brings continued growth to the league. For interleague competition, CLTRG has two teams - Charlotte Roller Girls All-Stars and Charlotte Roller Girls B Dazzlers. Its intra-league teams are the Block'em Sock'em Rollers, Cockpit Candies and Fraid Knots.
In April, 2010, the Charlotte Roller Girls were accepted into the Women's Flat Track Derby Association Apprentice Program. Charlotte's membership in WFTDA was announced in June 2011, and they will complete in WFTDA's East Region
East Region (WFTDA)
The WFTDA's East Region was formed in 2006. In 2009, teams from the western part of the region were moved into the North Central and South Central Regions....
.
In August, 2010, the league moved from their practice space in Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is also the third largest suburb of the Charlotte Area, behind Concord and Rock Hill. The population was 71,226 as of Gastonia is the largest city and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina,...
to a new practice space in the NoDa
Nöda
Nöda is a municipality in the Sömmerda district of Thuringia, Germany....
neighborhood in Charlotte.
External links
- Charlotte Roller Girls (official website)