Sheffield Steel Roller Derby

Sheffield Steel Roller Derby (SSRD) is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Founded in August 2008, the league has over 70 members comprising two competitive teams, the All Stars (A team) and the Crucibelles (B team). A number of skaters also train as non-competitive, recreational group called the Molten Mavens. SSRD are a member of both the United Kingdom Roller Derby Association (UKRDA)[1] and the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).[2]

Sheffield Steel Roller Derby
Metro areaSheffield
CountryUnited Kingdom
FoundedAugust 2008
TeamsAll Stars (A team)
Crucibelles (B team)
Track type(s)Flat
VenuePonds Forge International Sports Centre
AffiliationsUKRDA, WFTDA
Org. typeNot for profit, Limited by guarantee.
Websitewww.sheffieldsteelrollerderby.co.uk

History and organization

Pauline "Jane Doe-a-Go-Go" Chalmers[3] established the league as "Sheffield Steel Rollergirls" in August 2008 in a desire to make new friends, after having recently moved to the city and discovering roller derby on MySpace. Finding that there was no roller derby team in Sheffield, she created a MySpace profile dedicated to the creation of a local team.[4] While many presume that members of the team are students, they in fact also include teachers, engineers and other professionals, ranging in age from late teens to mid-forties and beyond.[5]

In March 2010, the team received a £700 grant from the Sheffield Telegraph as part of the South Yorkshire Community Foundation's Grassroots Grants programme designed to fund "worthwhile projects" in Sheffield.[6] This allowed the league to organise their first home bout at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in July 2010.

On September 3, 2011 the league B team, the Crucibelles, debuted against the Whippin' Hinnies, the Newcastle Roller Girls B team, in a double header that also saw the All Stars play Newcastle's A Team, the Canny Belters.

Sheffield Steel Rollergirls entered the Women's Flat Track Derby Association Apprentice Programme in July 2012,[7] and became full members of the WFTDA in June 2013.[8]

In January 2019, the league changed its name to Sheffield Steel Roller Derby as a move to reflect the inclusive nature of the league and the sport as a whole.

Sheffield Steel Roller Derby practice three times a week [5] with extra sessions outdoors during the summer.[3] The league is a skater-run organisation, is managed by a committee of elected officers who head up sub-committees in areas such as training, media, merchandise, sponsorship and events. Officers are re-elected annually, as are the league Captain and Vice Captain.

WFTDA rankings
Season Final ranking[9] Playoffs Championship
2016 299 WFTDA[10] DNQ DNQ
2017 326 WFTDA[11] DNQ DNQ
2018 NR[12] DNQ DNQ
  • NR = no ranking assigned in this release

Early games
Sheffield Steel Rollergirls vs Nothing Toulouse, March 2014
Date Event Home/Away Team Opponent Results¹ Won by Venue
22 August 2009 "Summer Horror Day" Away All Stars Leeds Roller Dolls "Rotten Rollers" 58 - 274 LRD Leeds Royal Armouries in Saville's Hall, Leeds[13]
20 February 2010 "2010: A Skate Odyssey" Away All Stars Royal Windsor Rollergirls 97 - 92 SSRG Wycombe Sports Centre, Bucks
24 July 2010 "Smashdance" Home All Stars Newcastle Roller Girls 150 - 73[14] SSRG Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield[15]
4 September 2010 "Scar Wash" Away All Stars Central City Rollergirls 40 - 161 CCR Cocks Moors Woods Leisure Centre, King's Heath, Birmingham [16]
24 October 2010 "The Great Yorkshire Showdown" Away All Stars Liverpool Roller Birds 121 - 28 SSRG Huddersfield Sport Centre, Huddersfield[17]
24 October 2010 "The Great Yorkshire Showdown" Away All Stars Leeds Roller Dolls "Yorkshire Whip-its" 43 - 69 LRD Huddersfield Sport Centre, Huddersfield[17]
29 January 2011 "Tarzan and Pain" Home All Stars Middlesbrough Milk Rollers 185 - 34 SSRG Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield[15]
23 April 2011 "The Royal Shredding" Home All Stars Leeds Roller Dolls "Rotten Rollers" 86 - 109 LRD Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield
4 June 2011 "Rock, Block & Two Smoking Jammers" Away All Stars Lincolnshire Bombers Roller Girls 103 - 64 SSRG George Stephenson Pavilion, Newark Showground, Newark
1 July 2011 "Blocky Balboa" Home All Stars Royal Windsor Roller Girls 83 - 95 RWRG Ponds Forge International Sports centre, Sheffield
3 September 2011 "Thwack To the future" Away All Stars Newcastle Rollergirls "Canny Belters" 148 - 96 SSRG Lightfoot Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne
3 September 2011 "Thwack To the future" Away Crucibelles Newcastle Rollergirls "Whippin' Hinnies" 62 - 165 NRG Lightfoot Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne
17 September 2011 "Dodegbrawl" Away Crucibelles Nottingham Rollergirls 135 - 63 SSRG Skate Central, Sheffield
9 October 2011 "Cirque du Slay" Home All Stars Central City Rollergirls 119 - 151 CCR Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield
9 October 2011 "Cirque du Slay" Home Crucibelles Liverpool Roller Birds 65 - 75 LRB Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield
26 November 2011 No bout name Away Crucibelles Rainy City Rollergirls "Tender Hooligans" 69 - 264 RCRG The Thunderdome, Oldham
28 January 2012 "Murder on the Flat Track Express" Home All Stars Big Bucks High Rollers 113 - 144 BBHR Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield
25 February 2012 "Hit Her With Glitter" Away Crucibelles Dolly Rockit Rollers - Raggy Dollz 101 - 165 DRR Parklands, Oadby
25 February 2012 "Hit Her With Glitter" Away All Stars Dolly Rockit Rollers - All Stars 196 - 131 SSRG Parklands, Oadby
14 April 2012 "Block Around The Clock" Home Crucibelles Lincolnshire Bombers - Damebusters 190 - 53 SSRG Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield
14 April 2012 "Block Around The Clock" Home All Stars Lincolnshire Bombers - A Team 197 - 46 SSRG Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield

¹ Results from Sheffield Steel Rollergirls' view

In the media

Sheffield Steel Rollergirls have been featured in the Sheffield Telegraph,[6] and the Sheffield Star.[18] The SmashDance event was also mentioned in Exposed Magazine.

Sheffield Steel Rollergirls appeared on ITV1's ITV Calendar on 22 April 2010.[19] They have also had a number of appearances on BBC Radio Sheffield.[20]

On 10 November 2010, the team featured on BBC Online.[21] On 4 December 2010, the team featured on BBC2 Sportsround (repeated on CBBC on 5 December 2010) as part of an "Alternative Sports Special".[22]

In the community

On 9 April 2010, Sheffield Steel Rollergirls took part in the Showroom Cinema's premiere of Whip It.[23] Ten members of the league completed the Goodwood Roller Marathon in August 2010, raising over £1,200 for the Sheffield Children's Hospital.[24] A group of skaters from the team completed the 2011 Goodwood Marathon for the NSPCC and the Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice in Sheffield. More recent charity events have concentrated on raising awareness and donations for The Homeless Period.

Sheffield Steel Rollergirls were previously sponsored by local Sheffield company alpharooms.com [25]

SSRD and national teams

A number of SSRD skaters and coaches have been involved in competition for a range of national teams:

  • Holly Hotrod (17) was part of the Team England training squad for the 2014 Roller Derby World Cup
  • Glenys the Menace (44) was part of the Wales Roller Derby squad for the 2014 Roller Derby World Cup
  • She RARR (242) was part of the West Indies Roller Derby squad for the 2014 Roller Derby World Cup, and part of the management team for the 2018 Roller Derby World Cup
  • Madge Juicer (5) was part of the West Indies Roller Derby squad for the 2018 Roller Derby World Cup
  • Athas' Sin (11) was part of the Romania Roller Derby squad for the 2018 Roller Derby World Cup
  • Tom Pritchard was bench coach for the West Indies Roller Derby squad at the 2014 and 2018 Roller Derby World Cups

References
  1. "Member Leagues – United Kingdom Roller Derby Association". ukrda.org.uk. UKRDA. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  2. "Sheffield Steel Rollergirls – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  3. Mia Malice. "Roller Derby with Mia Malice". RouliRoula. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  4. Dowle, Jayne (1 April 2010). "Steel on wheels – meet the roller girls". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  5. Barnard, Stephanie (10 November 2009). "Sheffield Steel Roller girls are on their wheels". BBC Sheffield & South Yorkshire. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  6. "Roller Girls' success in our community cash giveaway". Sheffield Telegraph. 25 March 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  7. "WFTDA Accepts 35 Apprentice Leagues", WFTDA, 16 July 2012
  8. "WFTDA Welcomes First Full Member Leagues in Asia and South America", 6 June 2013
  9. "Current Rankings", WFTDA
  10. "Rankings: December 31, 2016 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  11. "Rankings: December 31, 2017 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  12. "Rankings: December 31, 2018 – WFTDA". wftda.com. WFTDA. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  13. "Summer Horror Day - 22/08/09". Pirate Derby News. 22 August 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  14. "Smashdance". 27 July 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  15. "Smashdance, Sheffield Events". Sheffield TownTalk. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  16. "At the Scar Wash!". Central City Rollergirls. 10 August 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  17. "Yorkshire Girls Get Their Skates On For Roller Derby Showdown In Huddersfield". Examiner. 25 October 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  18. "Rollergirls in the Sheffield Star". Sheffield Star. 25 March 2010. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
  19. "Sheffield-rollergirls-on-tv". Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  20. "Miss D and Go-Go on the radio". Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  21. Barnard, Stephanie (25 March 2010). "Sheffield Steel Roller girls are on their wheels". BBC News. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  22. "CBBC Newsround - Watch Sportsround". 4 December 2010. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
  23. "Whip It with the Sheffield Steel Rollergirls". Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  24. "Sheffield Steel Roller Girls is fundraising for Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity". JustGiving.com. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
  25. "Alpharooms Announcement". Retrieved 28 October 2010.
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