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You've got to be kidding that this is even up for discussion. Those girls play their hearts out and are incredible athletes. It takes such stamina for these girls to go out and skate jam after jam. How about the person who is asking this gets their behind out there on some skates and you wouldn't even have the nerve to ask such an idiotic question. Also, these girls give so much back to the community, they are amazing individuals. I am a proud mother of one of the most amazing hart hitting, charity driven FW Derby Girls Rosemary's Baby! Go Derby Girls, you're all my hero's!!!
Hell Yeah Roller Derby is a sport it is just as hard core as any other contact sport. I am part of the Burn City Rollers, the new and upcoming derby team of Auburn, Alabama and I never knew derby was as challenging as it is. We work our ass off training and preparing for bouts. You have to be skilled at balance, manuvering, swift on your feet, and hard hitting. Whatch and see it will sneak up on you like no other sport has before.
Do a little research and anyone will say that roller derby is a true sport. It takes a lot of skill to do what these women out here can do.
Even ESPN Sports Center mentioned the National Tournament, reairing the peice they ran this summer.
This Roller Derby is Big Business--Support your local Roller Derby Ladies
So maybe you don't need to cover every single practice or match but CHAMPIONSHIP BOUTS, REGIONALS & NATIONALS...H*LL YES!
Last week during derby practice I broke my right knee and sprained my left ankle, because of this I'm off my skates for 6-8 weeks.
How bout anyone from the oregonian come down barrow my skates and have a whirl. I think after one practice of hard hitting, heart pounding, indurance building skating you'll be one of our biggest and out spoken fans..
Open invitation.. from a Sick Town Derby Dame.. Corvallis
It's time for local news coverage of get into the sporting aspect of roller derby. In the past, news stories about derby in Eugene have been more like a novelty report. Although it is true that derby is unlike many other sports and ECRG is unlike many other derby leagues, local sports media is missing an opportunity to engender an engaged, faithful readership. I suggest: educate readers about the game, cover games and events, detail stats, follow teams, changing strategies and players, publish pictures of high level derby action.
YYEEESSS!!!! Roller Derby is definately a SPORT!!!!!
As a retiree of the "sport" of Roller Derby, I can tell you first hand its a real sport. There is a very specific reason why I'm retired. If I take another spill on my knee, I won't be able to walk on my own ever again. That is very real. We hit each other hard. We fall hard. Nothing is planned, nothing is discussed before a bout. We play girls we've never seen and no one knows what to expect or what will happen. We don't know whos gonna win a bout before. Nothing about this is made up. This is sport is very physical, very extreme, and very real. If anyone disagrees, please come see me and I'll hip check you!!!!!!!!!!!
"Sport - is an activity that is governed by a set of rules or customs and often engaged in competitively. Sports commonly refer to activities where the physical capabilities of the competitor are the sole or primary determiner of the outcome (winning or losing. Sport is commonly defined as an organized, competitive and skillful physical activity requiring commitment and fair play. Accurate records are kept and updated, while failures and accomplishments are widely announced."
I pulled the this definition of the word sport off of Wikipedia, If you would Do just a little research you would find out the Flat Track Roller Derby IS VERY MUCH A SPORT!!
Roller Derby is most definitly a sport and a tough one at that and its done by REAL WOMEN.
The problem here is people thinking The Oregonian might actually be on top of a trend, hot news story, rising sport, etc. Small town, small paper. Or course rollerderby is a sport. It may not be a corporate billion dollar industry sport, but in the past couple years it's gotten huge with new teams popping up everywhere and massive amounts of national and international attention. If The Oregonian considers skateboarding, BMXing, motorbikes or any other types of X-Games types of sports worth covering, then it should be covering rollerderby as well. But my guess is their too old and too small town to care about sports that aren't on the 4 big TV channels.
Let's see we practice 4-10 hours a week, do endurance training take a beating from head to toe...break bones....sprain knees, fingers, wrist, ribs....have some of the most horrific floor, asphalt, cement burns......you don't see that in golf and they call that a sport. Womens roller derby is soooo much more than it ever was. We work hard we fight for positions on our team and we skate our asses off....I think if you spent a day doing what we do you might think twice about saying we aren't a sport....as a matter of fact I bet you wouldn't even last a practice....watch a bout and change your mind....
I am a retired derby girl and YES Derby is a sport, what are these people game, you pass both a written and a physical test. Practices range from 2-3 hours, 3 or more times a week. Sometimes in 85-90 degree weather. It is physical, and it's hard work. I solute you fine ladies. You ladies are awesome, and to all those jock in socks and coats, go visit a practice and put on some skates and skate full speed just 5 minutes and let's see if you make a fair judgement. No contest this is a growing sport nationally.
I've been watching 2 different Rollerderby Leagues here in Phx AZ. Is it a Sport???? Well,....maybe the Sports Reporters should skate a few laps and take a few hits see how their knees feel and if they can even keep up w/these girls and tell us. In July,..The Arizona Derby Dames had to turn people away b/c the Fire Marshall wouldn't allow anymore people,..Capacity,..(900). Two Weeks later,..we had a Skater who got slammed so hard into a wall she was knocked unconcious for 20 min's,...She is a Blocker so she it NOT Small. So,.....you tell me,....does that sound like a Sport or Fun and Games????
The modern incarnation of roller derby is a far cry from the pro-wrestling style, theatrical events of the past. The modern sport places an emphasis on athleticism and sportswomanship, and is played according to a codified set of rules. Players often train multiple times per week, participating in drills and trainings that develop cardiovascular fitness, muscular endurance, dynamic power, and teamwork. The rules and procedures of the sport are established by a national governing body, the Women's Flat Track Derby Association, which, incidentally, organized and officiated the tournament in Portland. Adherence to the rules of the sport, which include tightly defined scoring and penalty regulations, as well as a strict prohibition on fighting, is prerequisite for membership with WFTDA (those with questions about the sport should refer to the group's website). As a skating referee with a local, as yet non-WFTDA-affiliated league, I can attest to the physically and mentally demanding nature of roller derby, and the seriousness with which the players, officials, and fans take this growing sport.
I coach Junior Roller Derby in Seattle (The Seattle Derby Brats).
We have one home schooled girl who is allowed to count roller derby as her PE credit and antoher in "running start" at a local community college and her counslers approved her partician in roller derby to count as her sports involvment toward her graduation.
If it's not a sport, what is it?
It has physical activity, rules, no pre-determined outcome, uniforms, refs, score keepers, penalty box, penalty trackers, roller skates, required pads/saftey gear, strattegy, team work, ...
You get my point.
I think it is sad this poll is up AFTER nationals.
Krista
Look forward to the Oregonian spending some time w/ the Rose City Rollers. Hopefuly they will see that this is a whole new sport and say where in the hell have we been. It is a shame that it hasn't gotten looked at and that it does belong in the sports section. The WFTDA is to roller derby what the NBA is to basketball. We have a governing, sanctioned body that oversees the sport and makes sure the leagues in the WFTDA are consistent and that the rules are the same for everyone involved. Depending on the size of the league practices are different but EVERYONE practices just as hard as some of the other sports out there. WE DO NOT GET PAID, everyone involved does this because we LOVE this sport. The time and energy spent giving back to the community is often overlooked also. We don't have sponsors like Nike, Addidas or that level that buy the ladies uniforms or things on that level. Teams rely on AWESOME local sponsors that give what they can. These 260 plus leagues all across the US are do it yourself leagues. This means getting everything set up for bouts and torn down afterwards and are lucky enough to have the BEST FANS to also come and help with setup and teardown. It is the fastest growing sport in the world. Look to England, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and now sprouting up all over Europe. I could go on and on about all that is involved with this sport but I'm sure it will be printed in the newspaper SOON!!!! Please support your local rollerderby league and give em the love they deserve.
Oh my! Rose City Rollers are such a strong and influential league to women's roller derby across the nation. It is ridiculous to hear that their city is not as proud of them as the should be.
I came from Texas to see athletes from around the country grace the city of Portland. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is definitely an intense sport with a growing fan base. You did Portland a dis-service by not covering something in your own backyard. By the way, you have a beautiful city.
DBC
Houston Roller Derby
I went to the Roller derby for the first time last 2 months ago and was suprised at the quality of the experence. PDX doesn't have much sports so lets get behind any professional sport that makes the effort.
A simple shout out from the Oregonian would have sufficed. Nationals drew in thousands of skaters, fans, volunteers, and others involved in the derby field. We paid for your hotels, rental cars, food, drink, goods, etc. with no acknowledgment.
Oregonian, I have to agree with Lauren and the other posters on this one. You obviously haven't done your homework, and it's killing your credibility and your reputation.
This was a *national* sporting event, my friends, and you look pretty dumb to have had no idea what was going on. How can your readers trust that you are going to keep them up-to-date on other, local, important issues if you can't even be bothered to mention this rather significant event.
"Out of touch", as someone above said, best describes any newspaper who is still not aware that WFTDA roller derby is a real sport. The past haunts this sport, I think we all know that. But this is not the roller derby of the 70s. This is a tightly officiated sport as real as basketball, baseball or football. The media needs to take a fresh look at this new incarnation. They need to look past the non-conventional uniforms and names and instead at the governing body, the ruleset and the sport itself. It would be nice if they could do more then a "moms by day" community piece and actually post scores and highlights.
When a national sporting event the size of the NWK is held right here in our state and The Oregonian not only doesn't cover it but is clueless enough to ask "is it a real sport"... I am embarrassed for them.
if you don't include them they'll kick your ass. roller derby girls are tougher than most, so that's saying something. you try skating around on concrete and such in skirts and see if that doesn't toughen you up a bit.
Seriously? The Oregonian is proving how out of touch it really is by even asking this question. Roller Derby is the fastest growing sport in the country, drawing thousands of spectators to each bout. Get your heads out of your buttholes. You are idiots for not capitalizing on covering this sport this years ago.
Us Derby Girls work HARD!! Some are Mothers with one or TWO jobs AND have time to be ATHLETES!! ORG practices two hours a night three times a week and has one to two games a month. This is not including the impromptu trail skates and benefits that include intense cardio work out... Please reconsider your view of Derby!!
YES!! Roller Derby is growing fast with over 150 leagues in the country! It's not your mom's roller derby from the 70's but a legit sport with legit injuries, training and endurance. Come check it out for yourself!!
Well unless your paper has a section that highlights hard hittin' women with hearts of gold and the athletic ability of olympians.. then I guess we'll settle for the section that considers such things as nascar and horse racing as sports.
Someday our sport will be recognized and all the hard working women, and men too, will be given the credit that they deserve. How can anyone doubt that this is a sport? It is Physically challenging, there is strategy, skill, sacrifice, rules, and for those who might doubt, yes there is repect. People have a tendency to judge too quickly that which they do not understand. With a little research you will find a world of impressive people with every kind of back round and a common deep passionate love for this SPORT! WFTDA.com, Look it up. If you still doubt that it is a sport, put on a pair of skates and try it.
Please take another look at this, you can be part of the movement and a few more years from now you will be able to say that you were on board when it was all still new. The vision is: Someday-The Olympics. you will see.
Anyone, and especially any Sports Editor for a major Statewide newspaper, should know that Roller Derby is a sport. If anyone on your staff had taken the time to go to a bout or talk to the players you would now that it is most definitely a sport. Not only is it a sport, it is a complex, tough and physical sport. Roller Derby is spreading like wildfire across the country and the world. I can't believe that the Oregonian would CHOOSE not to cover the National Championships! All three days were packed! I would bet that upwards of 5,000 people saw bouts this weekend. The Rose City Rollers are the second biggest sports draw in Portland next to the Trail Blazers! Y'all are so dumb! Your sports editor should be fired or at least heavily reprimanded. If you want to call yourselves the "Oregonian" you should cover things going on in Oregon. This was Nationals, in Portland none the less. The top eight teams from across the country were here competing and it was awesome! You guys missed out big time. Why don't y'all get outside of your conventional sport box come see what is actually going on in Portland. If you really want to be "The Oregonian" you should keep your finger on the pulse of the people. Come to one bout and you'll feel the heartbeat of Portland.
Sincerely,
Sean "Volun-Tear-It-Up" Farrell
My daughter is with the Gotham Girls, and these women are DEFINITELY athletes, participating in an exciting, growing sport. I can't believe that The Oregonian didn't send anyone to cover this event. If they had, they would have discovered just how hard the skaters work, the strategies used in the game, and how fanatical their fans are. We love roller derby!
Yes!!!!!!!! Roller Derby has been around for many years and now the new generation is embrasing the VERY MUCH SOOOO SPORT OF ROLLER DERBY and taking it to another level! We are hard working women of all ages and backgrounds who kick ass and just want to be reconized in this wonderful game called Roller Derby!!
RoxyRobin
Sac City Rollers
If only you all could spend one practice in the skates of a Roller Girl this would not even be up for discussion!!
Yes! It is the hottest/fastest growing sport in America right now. I am new to The DockYard Derby Dames and see, first hand just how hard we work. To get the coverage we deserve will only add to the popularity of our sport.