Dolly Rockit Rollers become Full WFTDA members

WE DID IT!! FULL WFTDA MEMBERS BABY!

Dolly Rockit Rollers are now one of 259 member leagues across the Globe, this gives the Leicestershire team a fantastic advantage over other leagues.

The Leicester team have been working hard for 2 years on the WFTDA apprentice program to see them gain full membership. To do this they have had to prove that the leagues competitors are Women and skate only on Quad skates, that the league is 51% owned by league skaters, governed by democratic principles and practices, and lastly that the league is managed by at least 67% league skaters.

Here Dolly Co-Founder and Director Anouska ‘Nitro Noush’ Parr explains what the team had to do to get this amazing accreditation:-

‘How long have DRR been working towards this?

We were accepted into the WFTDA apprentice programme in late 2012 it feels like a really long time coming which is why everyone is so incredibly excited!!

What hoops have DRR had to jump through?

To start with you have a sponsor league, we had the wonderful London Rollergirls, this gained us a place as an WFTDA apprentice league. Whilst you are an apprentice you have to complete online learning so that you are familiar with how the organisation works and how you fit into it. We had access to the WFTDA forum so we could see what was going on and look up any information that we might need. We hosted 2 mock sanctioned games with full member leagues (thank you CCR, thank you LBRG), then we submitted all the paperwork so that we were familiar with how it all works. We should also mention that we had an AMAZING mentor who helped to guide us through, answered our queries, and gave us advice and help when we needed it – thank you Venom!

What will this mean for DRR in the future?

Initially it means we have access to the amazing support system that the WFTDA and it’s members provide. We get to wear that iconic pink patch on our jerseys and we get to represent and be a part of the organisation that is shaping the sport as we see it today. In the future it gives us opportunities to play against other WFTDA leagues teams, to be ranked by WFTDA to have voting rights and a say in the sport and how it evolves.

Anouska had this to say about the news released Wednesday 2nd July

‘It really is so incredibly exciting as it gives us so many opportunities to grow and develop as a league, and as a sport. I think I am right in saying that it’s quite unique (in sport) for us to be able to vote and have a say in things – in the rules for example – we get to shape the future of roller derby together – isn’t that amazing? We are also very lucky that we have become full members at a time when there are so many other member leagues in Europe. This gives us a great scope for our travel team to play other full WFTDA travel teams. These games then get us into the WFTDA rankings system, and from our very humble beginnings we can work our way up the divisions, up the rankings, play against some of the most impressive, skilled teams in the world head towards that beautiful Hydra.’