SSRG

Roller Derby first began in Chicago, USA in 1935. Created and founded by Leo Seltzer, Roller Derby was intended as competition for dance-offs, which were popular at the time. The first ever Roller Derby bout was actually an endurance race and was not intended as a contact sport but a sportswriter named Damon Runyon noticed that when the skaters collided the audience loved it and he suggested to Seltzer that changing the way the game was played could increase audience attendance. This is just what Seltzer did and Derby evolved into the sport it is now recognized as. Roller Derby’s popularity grew during the 1940s right through to the 1970s and gained a reputation for being rough and aggressive. Players and teams also developed famously intense rivalries. By the 80s, theatrical elements were devised similar to professional wrestling, and eventually the public interest waned. However, classic Roller Derby never completely disappeared. A few teams remained active after the sport’s decline, and some leagues formed to keep the traditional co-ed format alive. Today, the sudden explosion in roller derby’s popularity has centered on new, women-only leagues. The first of these leagues formed in Austin, Texas in 2001. Since then it seems a new league is forming every couple of weeks somewhere else in the world! Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby is indeed one of the fastest growing sports on the planet! The aim and basic rules of the game ..