The L. A. Derby Dolls is Los Angeles

Los Ángeles

Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

' original women's quad-skate banked track roller derby

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. It was founded in October 2003 by Rebecca Ninburg (a.k.a. Demolicious) and Wendy Templeton (a.k.a. Thora Zeen). The league is composed of more than 120 women divided into five teams who skate on a banked track.

LADD plays real, unscripted roller derby with rules and referees. Like most modern roller derby, the league is do-it-yourself and 100% skater run. It is all volunteer; there are no paid athletes. The L.A. Derby Dolls are one of only five banked track leagues in the United States. Demolicious and Thora Zeen’s vision for the league is to legitimize the sport of roller derby and to promote businesses and organizations run by women.

LADD Teams

The L.A. Derby Dolls are currently made up of 5 teams, 4 home teams (Fight Crew, Sirens, Tough Cookies, & Varsity Brawlers), and one team from their sister league the San Diego Derby Dolls

San Diego Derby Dolls

The San Diego Derby Dolls is a roller derby league based in San Diego, California. Founded in 2005, the league currently consists of three teams, two of which are travel teams which compete against teams other leagues...

 (Swarm), that compete for the regular season championship, and 1 All-Star travel team, The Ri-ettes.

Community service

Next to skating, community service is the most important thing LADD does. The league was recently honored as a Treasure of Los Angeles by the Central City Organization, putting it in a category with Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson

Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...

 and the LA Dodgers.

LADD has also worked with the Human Rights Campaign

Human Rights Campaign

The Human Rights Campaign is the United States' largest LGBT advocacy group and lobbying organization; according to the HRC, it has more than one million members and supporters...

, [St. Vincent’s Medical Center for a women’s health and wellness clinic, and with After School All Stars and Children of the Night to teach young girls the sport of roller derby

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...

.

Training

LADD also has a junior league for girls ages 8–17 to learn the sport of roller derby and to learn empowerment, community, leadership, and athleticism.

The Dolls offer a roller derby fitness program called Derby Por Vida (DPV) for the public to learn how to play roller derby. Open to both men and women.

DPV is a considered a stepping stone into the LA Derby Dolls Fresh Meat program -- where women train to become team skaters for the league.

Co-ed scrimmages are offered during wRECk League. All types of scrimmage-safe skaters from freshmeat to retired as well as referees can enjoy either flat or banked track game play.

Every March, LADD brings in top roller derby trainers (both flat and banked track) to teach at their camp called March RADness. Space is limited and sells out each year.

Many skaters from around the world visit Los Angeles and the Dolls love to have them try out the banked track.

Media

The Derby Dolls have been featured on NBC's "Kath and Kim

Kath & Kim (U.S. TV series)

Kath & Kim is an American version of the Australian television comedy series of the same name starring Selma Blair and Molly Shannon. The series premiered on NBC on October 9, 2008...

," VH1's "Rock of Love," "Chelsea Lately

Chelsea Lately

Chelsea Lately is an American late night comedy talk show hosted by comedian Chelsea Handler on E!. The show debuted on July 16, 2007, and is produced by Handler's production company, Borderline Amazing Productions...

," CNN, FOX News and several LADD skaters appear in "Whip It!" which was written by former L.A. Derby Dolls (and original Sirens) skater Shauna “Maggie Mayhem” Cross

Shauna Cross

Shauna Cross is an American screenwriter, novelist and former roller derby athlete. She skated for the Los Angeles Derby Dolls under the pseudonym "Maggie Mayhem", and subsequently wrote the 2007 novel Derby Girl, a fictionalized version of her experiences in the TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls league...

.

Skaters

Other than Maggie Mayhem, notable Derby Dolls skaters have included roller derby coach Bonnie D.Stroir

Bonnie D.Stroir

Bonnie Beck , known as Bonnie D.Stroir, is a roller derby coach and former skater.D.Stroir began skating in October 2003, after reading an article on the sport in Jane magazine. She had been working as a barber in Oceanside, California, considered moving to Austin, Texas, to learn the sport from...

, and journalist and author Smother Theresa

Alex Cohen

Alex Cohen is an American radio journalist currently working for KPCC in Pasadena, California as a host and reporter. Prior to KPCC, she was a host and reporter for NPR's daily news program, Day to Day. Cohen has also reported for American Public Media's financial news program Marketplace and...

, while comedian Blaine Capatch

Blaine Capatch

Blaine Capatch is an American stand-up comedian and writer who is best known for hosting Season 2 of the Comedy Central game show Beat the Geeks....

has been an announcer for the league.