Tri-City Roller Derby
{{Short description|Roller derby league}}
{{Infobox roller derby league
| name = Tri-City Roller Derby
| founded = 2008
| dissolved =
| metro area = Kitchener, Ontario
| country = Canada
| logo = Tri-City Roller Derby logo.png
| teams =
Tri-City Thunder (A team)
Plan B (B team)
Venus Fly Tramps
Vicious Dishes
Total Knock-Outs
| tracks = Flat
| venue = Various
| affiliations = Women's Flat Track Derby Association
| orgtype = Skater Owned
| url = http://www.tricityrd.com/
}}
Tri-City Roller Derby is a women's flat-track roller derby league in Kitchener, Ontario. On December 1, 2010, Tri-City became the third Canadian roller derby league to be granted membership in the Women's Flat Track Derby Association,{{cite web|title=Congratulations to Tri City Thunder – full WFTDA status|url=http://midnightmatineephotography.wordpress.com/2010/12/01/congratulations-to-tri-city-thunder-full-wftda-status/|publisher=Midnight Matinee|access-date=13 June 2011|date=1 Dec 2010}}{{cite web|title=WFTDA Welcomes Seven New Full Member Leagues|url=http://wftda.org/news/wftda-welcomes-seven-member-leagues|publisher=WFTDA|access-date=13 June 2011|date=1 Dec 2010}} Having only completed two full home seasons, Tri-City gained membership status with WFTDA ahead of their Toronto-based sisters at Toronto Roller Derby.{{cite web|title=WFTDA APRRENTICE MATCHUP: Thunder looks to switch off the Power|url=http://derbynerd.wordpress.com/2010/10/13/wftda-aprrentice-matchup-thunder-looks-to-switch-off-the-power/|publisher=Derby Nerd|access-date=13 June 2011|date=13 Oct 2010}}
History and league structure
Tri-City has three house teams, the Vicious Dishes, the Venus Fly Tramps, and the Total Knock Outs, which play each other at home, as well as against other leagues' house teams. Then-league member Motorhead Molly played for Team Canada at the 2011 Roller Derby World Cup.{{cite news|last=Less|first=Mercy|title=Team Canada Roster Announced|url=http://derbynews.net/2011/08/team_canada_roster_announced|access-date=9 December 2011|newspaper=Derby News Network|date=5 August 2011}}
In December 2013 it was announced that Tri-City would be hosting a Division 2 tournament in 2014,{{cite news|last=Talionis|first=Lex|title=Nashville Hosting WFTDA Champs 2014|url=http://www.derbynews.net/2013/12/nashville_hosting_wftda_champs_2014|access-date=18 December 2013|newspaper=Derby News Network|date=17 December 2013}} August 22–24 at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex.{{cite web|title=August 22–24: Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada|url=http://wftda.com/tournaments/2014/kitchener-waterloo|publisher=WFTDA|access-date=28 June 2014}}{{cite news|last1=Brown|first1=Josh|title=Top roller derby ladies tussle in Waterloo|url=http://www.therecord.com/sports-story/4755974-top-roller-derby-ladies-tussle-in-waterloo/|access-date=13 August 2014|date=13 August 2014}} This was the first time a WFTDA playoff tournament was held outside the United States, and the tournament was won by Ottawa's Rideau Valley Roller Girls.{{cite web|title=Roller derby tournament in Waterloo won by Ottawa women|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/roller-derby-tournament-in-waterloo-won-by-ottawa-women-1.2746153|publisher=CBC|access-date=26 August 2014|date=25 August 2014}}
Originally known as Tri-City Roller Girls, in March 2014 the organization rebranded as Tri-City Roller Derby.{{cite web|last1=Creces|first1=Aaron|title=Roller girls? It's anyone's roller derby now|url=http://spokeonline.com/2014/04/roller-girls-its-anyones-roller-derby-now/|publisher=Spoke Online|access-date=28 June 2014|date=7 April 2014}} Beginning in 2015, Tri-City hosts an annual invitational tournament called "Beaver Fever" at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex.{{cite web|last1=Latif|first1=Anam|title=Roller derby girls not what they used to be|url=http://www.therecord.com/news-story/5611045-roller-derby-girls-not-what-they-used-to-be/|website=www.therecord.com|publisher=Metroland News|access-date=7 January 2017|date=10 May 2015}}{{cite web|title=Beaver Fever Tournament - Women's Flat Track Derby Returns to Waterloo! - Explore Waterloo Region|url=http://www.explorewaterlooregion.com/2016/02/beaver-fever-womens-flat-track-derby-returns-to-waterloo/|website=Explore Waterloo Region|access-date=7 January 2017|date=1 February 2016}}
Tri-City home games are regularly broadcast on Rogers TV in the Kitchener-Waterloo region.{{cite web|title=Tri-City Roller Derby|url=http://rogerstv.com/show?rid=22&lid=12&sid=6799|website=Rogers TV / TV Rogers|access-date=7 January 2017}}
The league run a junior roller derby program, Tri-City Junior Roller Derby, for children aged 9-17 years old to learn skating skills, and play games according to the Junior Roller Derby Association (JRDA) ruleset.{{Cite web |title=Tri-City Junior Roller Derby – Tri-City Roller Derby |url=https://tricityrd.com/tri-city-junior-roller-derby/ |access-date=2022-07-12 |language=en-CA}}
WFTDA competition
{{update section|date=October 2023}}
The All-Star team, or Travel Team, The Tri-City Thunder, plays other leagues' All-Star/Travel Teams, and qualifies for WFTDA ranking. Plan B plays other leagues' B All-Star/Travel Teams but does not qualify for WFTDA rankings.
Tri-City originally skated in the North Central region, making them one of three Canadian leagues in that region; the others being Toronto and the Hammer City Roller Girls.{{cite web|title=Member Leagues|url=http://wftda.com/leagues|publisher=WFTDA|access-date=13 June 2011}} Partway through 2013 WFTDA changed ranking systems removing the regions,{{cite news|last=Talionis|first=Lex|title=F***ing Rankings and Divisions. How Do They Work?|url=http://www.derbynews.net/2013/01/fing_rankings_and_divisions_how_do_they_work|access-date=18 December 2013|newspaper=Derby News Network|date=5 January 2013}} and Tri-City made its first WFTDA Playoff appearance as a member of WFTDA Division 2 in August 2013, placing fifth in the tournament held in Kalamazoo, Michigan.{{cite web|title=August 23-25, 2013: Kalamazoo, Michigan|url=http://wftda.org/tournaments/2013/kalamazoo|publisher=WFTDA|access-date=18 December 2013}} Tri-City finished the 2013 season ranked 44th, placing them in the upper rankings of Division 2 for the 2014 season.{{cite web|title=Rankings: December 31, 2013 – WFTDA|url=https://wftda.com/rankings-december-31-2013/|website=wftda.com|date=January 2014 |publisher=WFTDA|access-date=7 January 2017}}
In 2014, Tri-City, while hosting a Division 2 Playoff, qualified for Division 1 Playoffs in Salt Lake City, as the tenth seed. After losing their first two games to Arch Rival Roller Girls{{cite web|last1=Jennings|first1=Hannah|title=D1SLC: Arch Rival Roller Girls Curve Tri-City Roller Girls|url=http://www.derbycentral.net/2014/09/arch-rival-roller-girls-curve-tri-city-roller-derby/|publisher=Derby Central|access-date=7 January 2017|date=26 September 2014}} and Montreal Roller Derby,{{cite web|last1=Jennings|first1=Hannah|title=D1SLC: Montreal Roller Derby Blasts Tri-City, 366-145|url=http://www.derbycentral.net/2014/09/d1slc-montreal-roller-derby-19-vs-tri-city-roller-derby-40/|publisher=Derby Central|access-date=7 January 2017|date=27 September 2014}} Tri-City defeated the Oklahoma Victory Dolls 190-185 in overtime to claim ninth place.{{cite web|last1=Deadwards|first1=Lisa|title=D1SLC 9th: Tri-City (#40) Finds Victory in Overtime over Oklahoma (#32), 190-185|url=http://www.derbycentral.net/2014/09/d1slc-9th-tri-city-40-finds-victory-overtime-oklahoma-32-190-185/|publisher=Derby Central|access-date=7 January 2017|date=28 September 2014}}
Tri-City returned to D1 Playoffs in 2015 at Tucson as the tenth seed, losing to Terminal City Rollergirls,{{cite web|title=D1T: #7 Terminal City Terminates #10 Tri-City, 328-90|url=http://www.derbycentral.net/2015/09/d1t-7-terminal-city-27-terminates-10-tri-city-40-328-90/|publisher=Derby Central|access-date=7 January 2017|date=4 September 2015}} Charm City Roller Girls,{{cite web|title=D1T: #5 Charm City sneaks past #10 Tri-City, 218-180|url=http://www.derbycentral.net/2015/09/d1t-5-charm-city-15-sneaks-past-10-tri-city-38-218-180/|publisher=Derby Central|access-date=7 January 2017|date=5 September 2015}} and finally 239-170 to Arizona Roller Derby to finish in tenth place.{{cite web|last1=Defiance|first1=Brooklyn|title=D1T 9th Place: #8 Arizona Terrorizes #10 Tri-City, 239-170|url=http://www.derbycentral.net/2015/09/d1t-9th-place-arizona-terrorizes-tri-city-239-170/|publisher=Derby Central|access-date=7 January 2017|date=6 September 2015}}
In 2016, Tri-City dropped into Division 2 Playoffs as the ninth seed in Lansing, Michigan, losing their opening game to Bear City Roller Derby 235-140.{{cite web|title=D2L: #8 Bear City rocks #9 Tri-City Thunder, 235-140|url=http://www.derbycentral.net/2016/08/d2l-bear-city-rocks-tri-city-thunder-235-140/|publisher=Derby Central|access-date=7 January 2017|date=26 August 2016}} Tri-City then bounced back with victories over higher-seeded Nidaros Roller Derby{{cite web|title=D2L: #9 Tri-City Thunder brings the boom to #6 Nidaros, 167-164|url=http://www.derbycentral.net/2016/08/d2l-9-tri-city-thunder-brings-the-boom-to-6-nidaros-167-164/|publisher=Derby Central|access-date=7 January 2017|date=27 August 2016}} and Sac City Rollers,{{cite web|title=D2L: #9 Tri-City lethally 'ejects' #2 Sac City, 223-164|url=http://www.derbycentral.net/2016/08/d2l-9-tri-city-lethally-ejects-2-sac-city-223-164/|publisher=Derby Central|access-date=7 January 2017|date=27 August 2016}} before losing a rematch against Bear City in the fifth place game 177-153 to finish in sixth place.{{cite web|title=D2L 5th Place: #8 Bear City wins rematch against #9 Tri-City, 177-153|url=http://www.derbycentral.net/2016/08/d2l-5th-place-8-bear-city-wins-rematch-against-9-tri-city-177-153/|publisher=Derby Central|access-date=7 January 2017|date=28 August 2016}}
=Rankings=
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.tricityrd.com/}}
{{Ontario Sports}}
Category:Sport in Kitchener, Ontario
Category:Roller derby leagues in Canada