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What is RCRG?
Founded in April 2004, Rat City Rollergirls, LLC, (RCRG) is Seattle’s (and the Northwest’s) first flat track, all-female roller derby league.
RCRG is composed of about 100 member-owners, who are divided among four teams: Derby Liberation Front, Grave Danger, Sockit Wenches, and Throttle Rockets.
RCRG’s fifth team, the Rat City Rollergirls All-Stars, is composed of the best players from the four home teams, who represent RCRG in regional and national play.
Mission Statement: Our mission is to provide athletic entertainment that improves our member’s individual athletic ability, self-discipline, and character while promoting the roller derby sport. Our program provides intense training, instruction, and competition, which prepares our members to represent Seattle at regional, national, and international competition. We are dedicated to providing community outreach through events, activities, and charity partnerships. We are also advocates for similar roller derby leagues, and we work to encourage the art and sport of roller derby nationally and internationally.
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Where exactly is Rat City?
“Rat City” is the nickname for White Center, the area just south of Seattle’s city limits. There are a couple theories about the name; some people assume there was once a prolific rat problem in the 1940's, others remember when there was a military Relocation and Training (RAT) Center in White Center during WWII, while others claim it’s an acronym for Restricted Alcohol Territory. No matter the origin, it’s a pretty badass name. We love it.
Southgate Skating Rink in White Center was RCRG’s first home. We feel a true affinity for the area – we live, work, play, and have even adopted a stretch of roadway there.
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What is Roller Derby and How is it Played?
This is the real deal. None of the action you’ll see is scripted or pre-planned; this is a real sport, and we play for keeps.
The best way to learn about roller derby is to watch roller derby. Come to a bout or two, and you’ll get it. There are fans galore that are willing to explain the rules, talk strategy, and otherwise bask in the glow that is our sport. You can also find Roller Derby 101, a booklet that gives a quick overview of the major points of the sport, at our merch table.
If you can’t make it to a bout, or would like to catch up on past action, you can watch our some of our past bouts at Rollersport.TV
The game a nutshell:
Each game of derby, called a “bout,” is played between two teams, each with five players in a lineup at one time on the track. Each lineup is made up of one pivot, three blockers, and a jammer. The pivot is recognized by her striped helmet cover, the jammer wears a helmet cover emblazoned with a star on each side, and the blockers have no helmet covers at all (but their helmets often have a plethora of stickers). Each game is 60 minutes, made of two 30-minute periods that are further broken down into two-minute jams
The pack
The pack is made of pivots and blockers. At the start of the jam, the pack lines up along the straightaway of the track - pivots and blockers in the front, with jammers positioned 20 feet behind. A referee or timekeeper will signal the start of the jam with a single whistle and the pack will start skating, a few seconds later, a double whistle will blow and the jammers will start sprinting through the pack. This is the jam.
The jam
Each jam is a two-minute race to see which jammer can score the most points. The jammer earns a point for every member of the opposing team she passes. That may sound easy, but the opposing team is doing all they can to get their own jammer through the pack while stopping the other team’s jammer cold. Derby is a full-contact sport and skaters will use all legal means at their disposal to get the job done, including hitting the opposing team with their shoulders and hips, pushing and pulling on members of their own team, and doing a cool slingshot-like maneuver called a whip to speed their jammer through the pack.
Scoring
Each jammer must make one complete pass through the pack before she can begin accumulating points. The first jammer to move through the pack legally becomes the lead jammer and as such has the power to call off the jam early - a strategic advantage that allows her to score points and then call off the jam before her opponent has the chance to score. If neither jammer passes through the pack legally, neither becomes lead jammer and the jam continues on for the entire two-minute period.
Blockers
Through it all, the blockers are doing their thing – blocking. Blockers can hit members of the opposing team with their shoulders, hips, and torso. It’s illegal to use the forearms, hands, and head, and the use of elbows is strictly regulated. Skaters who block illegally, start fights, or otherwise break the rules face penalties which can include everything from time in the penalty box to a complete expulsion from the bout.
Oh so much more
There are a whole slew of rules that govern gameplay and regulate which moves are allowable; RCRG plays by the official Women’s Flat Track Derby Association rules, which you can download and read here.
Keep watching and reading – the better you understand roller derby, the more you’ll love it.
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I want to be a Rollergirl! How do I join?
Do you have what it takes to be a Rat City Rollergirl? Here is our list of basic requirements:
- Ya gotta be female (sorry fellas)
- Ya gotta be at least 21 years old
- Ya gotta have current health insurance
- Ya gotta have a current passport or birth certificate
- Ya gotta be willing to skate up to four times per week (evenings and weekends)
- Ya gotta have your own gear (skates, knee and elbow pads, wrist and mouth guards and a helmet)
- Ya gotta have a great attitude
Periodically, the Rat City Rollergirls will have open recruitments and hold tryouts, please see our Tryouts Page, watch for updates and sign up for Derby Little Secrets, the official newsletter of the Rat City Rollergirls!
If you’d like to hone you skills before tryouts, there is a practice group, The Potential Fresh Meat Practice Squad that is a non-affiliated skating group open to women of all ages and skill levels.
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Can I be a Volunteer?
Okay, so you don’t want to be an actual roller girl, but you still want to help.
Well, we'd love to have you as a volunteer! We are looking for folks to help out with
coaching, announcing, refereeing, set up, clean up, you name it! We'll also have positions
available for fundraising, sponsorships, and promoting. Find out how you can help by visiting
our Volunteer Page.
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Do Rollergirls Get Paid?
Skaters don't get paid. In fact, Rollergirls actually pay monthly dues to rent our practice spaces, furnish uniforms, and keep us in fishnets. All equipment, medical, and travel costs are also furnished by the skaters, completely out-of-pocket. That’s how dang dedicated we are!
Our support staff are also all unpaid volunteers. Our profits currently cycle back into our productions and travel costs.
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Who?
