Geelong Roller Derby League

Geelong Roller Derby League (GRDL) is a roller derby league based in the Victorian city of Geelong. Founded in 2008, the GRDL has two teams that compete in the league and a combined team that competes in interleague bouts. They support both men and women in the league, but their current competitive teams are women only.

Geelong Roller Derby League
Metro areaGeelong, Victoria
CountryAustralia
Founded2008
TeamsAtom Bombs
The Bloody Marys (combined team)
The Psychotics
Track type(s)Flat
VenueBell Post Hill Leisuretime Centre
Websitegeelongrollerderby.com

History

The Geelong Roller Derby League was founded in March 2008, and by 31 October of that year they were able to present their first bout. This first event was for family and friends only, and featured the Frankenskaters and the Bloody Marys – the latter of which was the origin of the name of their current interleague team. Their first public match was held just over a month later, on 6 December 2008, in which the Death Leopards competed against the Black Sadists.[1]

The GRDL's first interleague bout was held the following year, in March 2009. They competed against the Victorian Roller Derby League's B team, "New Breed", followed by a rematch in May.[1] The GRDL grew quickly, and by October that year they had over 40 members and were able to field two official teams: the Atom Bombs and the Psychotics.[2] Their first full season was also held in 2009, taking place at Bell Post Hill Leisuretime Centre where they had relocated from their original venue, with the Psychotics dominating the series over the Atom Bombs.[1][2][3]

2010 saw their second full season, in which the Atom Bombs reversed the results of the previous year, winning undefeated.[3] 2010 also saw the Great Southern Slam hosted by Adelaide Roller Derby, the largest roller derby competition held outside of the United States. The "Maulrats", a combined team consisting of members of the Ballarat Roller Derby League and the GRDL, made it into the second day of the competition.[4][5]

Recently, the Geelong Roller Derby League travel team, the Bloody Marys, took second place in the inaugural Vic/Tas Tournament, a two-state tournament featuring some 16 teams from each state, losing to the Victorian Roller Derby League's Queen Bees.

The Geelong Roller Derby League was featured in the 2012 documentary film This is Roller Derby (2012 film).[6]

In October 2018, GRDL started its first junior team – The Junior Mary's.

See also

References
  1. "About Geelong Roller Derby League". Geelong Roller Derby League. Archived from the original on 7 September 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  2. Paton, Yasmin (17 October 2009). "Ripper roller rebels". Geelong Advertiser. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  3. "Team Profile: Atom Bombs". Geelong Roller Derby League. Archived from the original on 27 August 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  4. "Team Profile: Maulrats". Geelong Roller Derby League. Archived from the original on 27 August 2011. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  5. "Adelaide hosts massive roller derby". The Advertiser. Adelaide, South Australia. 12 June 2010. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
  6. http://thisisrollerderby.com/

Further reading
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