Team New Zealand Roller Derby is the New Zealand national women's flat track roller derby team. It was founded in 2011 to compete in the inaugural Roller Derby World Cup.Roller Derby World Cup Teams Roster, "TEAMS | Blood & Thunder Roller Derby World Cup Hosted by Toronto Roller Derby", Retrieved on 9 December 2011.Roller Derby Team New Zealand Information Page, "Information – Roller Derby Team NZ", Retrieved on 9 December 2011. There was a brief name change to Aotearoa Roller Derby for the 2018 Roller Derby World Cup but the league changed back to its original name in October 2020.
2011 World Cup campaign Roller Derby Team New Zealand competed in the inaugural Roller Derby World Cup, held 1–4 December 2011 in Toronto, Canada.Derby News Network, "Scores | Derby News Network", Retrieved 9 December 2011.
Selection and build-up
Roller derby skaters throughout New Zealand were invited to try out for places in the training squad.
The squad met monthly to train in Hamilton.The Dominion Post, "Tuff Bikkies up against world's best", Retrieved 11 December 2011. Final selections for the team to travel to Toronto for the 2011 Roller Derby World Cup were released after a final training and selection bout between the "Probables" and the "Possibles" in New Plymouth in conjunction with the AoteaRUMBLE roller derby training retreat.AoteaRUMBLE 2011 Event Page, "AoteaRUMBLE 2011 – Mountain City Rollers" , Retrieved 9 December 2011.
Competition
Team New Zealand was drawn in Group C, with Team USA and Team Scotland.Derby News Network, "Roller Derby World Cup Groups Set" , Retrieved 10 December 2011
In their first bout, Team New Zealand was beaten 377:8 by Team USA.Derby News Network, "World Cup: USA Hammers New Zealand, 377–8" , Retrieved 10 December 2011 In their second bout, Team New Zealand beat Team Scotland 124:111.Derby News Network, "World Cup: New Zealand Holds Off Scotland, 124–111" Retrieved 10 December 2011
Team New Zealand was ranked 9th after the group stage.Derby News Network, "World Cup Elimination Round Set" , Retrieved 10 December 2011.
In the first round of the Elimination stage, Team New Zealand beat Team Germany 142:127.Derby News Network, "World Cup: (9) New Zealand Upsets (8) Germany, 143–127" , Retrieved 10 December 2011. In the quarter-final round, Team New Zealand was beaten by Team USA 470:8.Derby News Network, "World Cup: (1) USA Flattens (9) New Zealand, 470–8" , Retrieved 10 December 2011
Team New Zealand entered the Consolation Stage at Round 2.
In Round 2, Team New Zealand was beaten 94:66 by Team Sweden.Derby News Network, "World Cup Consolation: (5) Sweden Dodges (9) New Zealand, 94–66" , Retrieved 10 December 2011. In the Placement Round, Team New Zealand was beaten 180:129 by Team France.Derby News Network, "World Cup 7th Place: (6) France Rejects (9) New Zealand, 180–129" , Retrieved 10 December 2011.
Team New Zealand finished the World Cup in 8th place.
Skate the Muss was awarded the title of MVP for the team.Roller Derby AU "DAY FOUR: Roller Derby World Cup", Retrieved 9 December 2011.
2011 team roster
The travel team for the 2011 World Cup was announced on Tuesday 25 October 2011.Roller Derby Team New Zealand home page, "Roller Derby Team NZ – Page 1" , Retrieved 9 December 2011. (Skaters' league affiliations as of the time of the announcement)
NumberNameLeague Axl-Slash-RNorthland Nightmares Bad Jelly the BitchPirate City Rollers Big MackPirate City Rollers Black PantherDead End Derby Evil K'NeevilDead End Derby Fia Fasi Oe?Pirate City Rollers Hurricane Hori (Captain)Pirate City Rollers Lawless MessDead End Derby Miss Chevus MynxDead End Derby Miss Metal MilitiaHellmilton Roller Ghouls PentakillPirate City Rollers Perky Nah NahPirate City Rollers Pieces of HatePirate City Rollers Poison PetalHellmilton Roller Ghouls Poison PixieMount Militia Derby Crew Skate the MussPirate City Rollers Solid SargeNorthland Nightmares Terror SatanaPirate City Rollers Tuff BikkiesRichter City Roller Derby Pieces of Hate (head coach)Pirate City Rollers Fia Fasi Oe? (assistant coach)Pirate City Rollers Elle Qaeda (manager)Pirate City Rollers
2014 World Cup campaign
Roller Derby Team New Zealand competed in the 2014 Roller Derby World Cup, held in Dallas, Texas on 4–6 December 2014.World Cup 2014, "Scores | Roller Derby World Cup", Retrieved 5 December 2014
Selection and build-up
The selection process for the 2014 team was fraught with controversy. The first issue was the decision by the New Zealand Roller Derby Association (NZRDA) to require that the coach of the team not be a skating member of the team. As roller derby is a young and rapidly evolving sport, this considerably restricted the pool of candidates for the position as most of the people with the best understanding of the rules, tactics and other requirements of the current state of the game were active skaters with a reasonable expectation of being selected to play. Stacey "Pieces of Hate" Roper was appointed to coach the team. Zephyr and Fia Fase Oi? were appointed selectors alongside the coach and Danger Spouse was appointed team manager. Zephyr was also appointed assistant coach.
Try-outs to select a 30-player development squad were held in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch in December 2013. The squad was announced on 23 January 2013 and trained in various locations throughout the country. The final squad of 20 were announced on 9 October 2014.
Bullying and discrimination controversy
In early October the team manager was removed from her role by the NZRDA board. In a statement to the New Zealand roller derby community she cited "abuse and defamation" from the head coach as contributing to her failure in the role, saying "the entire situation was very unhealthy for me and after a complete failure to effect real improvement I went into emotional hiding".
On 24 October 2014, New Zealand's television 3 News published an interview with Marcia "Meat Train" Taylor about a discrimination complaint she had filed with the Human Rights Commission directed toward the team's head coach. The complaint alleged that Roper had published comments about Taylor on her Pieces of Hate Facebook fan page which showed that Taylor had been unlawfully discriminated against in the selection process because she was hard of hearing.3news.co.nz, "Roller derby coach under fire for jab at deaf player" , Retrieved 27 October 2014. The comment was subsequently removed.
An official statement released on 25 October 2014 by the New Zealand Roller Derby Association (NZRDA)'s Facebook page drew substantial criticism and condemnation from the New Zealand roller derby community. When the situation received attention from international blogs, the NZRDA removed their statements and associated comments from all social media channels; a move that many felt made matters worse.Dennison, Kevin (24 October 2014). "Sorry, Not Sorry: NZRDA Issues Defensive Statement in Wake of Discrimination Complaint". Derby Frontier. Retrieved 27 October 2014. The statement was then displayed on the NZRDA's website, where visitors were unable to leave any public comments or feedback, leading to accusations of censorship.A Good Old Ramble, "The New Zealand Roller Derby Community in Crisis", Retrieved 27 October 2014.
On 27 October, a Change.org petition was started that called for the immediate dismissal of Stacey Roper as the head coach of Team NZ Roller Derby.Change.org, "Petitioning New Zealand Roller Derby Association for the immediate dismissal of Stacey Roper as Head Coach of Team NZ Roller Derby", Retrieved 27 October 2014. The petition was not effective. Roper remained coach and accompanied the team to the 2014 Roller Derby World Cup.
Taylor was invited to join one of two International Vagine Regime (LGBT) teams playing an exhibition game at the World Cup. Taylor's Pangina team won the clash, beating Queerope 260:182.DerbyCentral.Net, "Queerope takes on Pangina", Retrieved 24 October 2015.
A feedback survey was circulated within the New Zealand roller derby community in December 2014, but while respondents were thanked for their feedback, no further public statements were made. Several leagues resigned from the NZRDA in the wake of the affair, leaving the association effectively defunct. The NZRDA website registration lapsed in July 2015.
Competition Team New Zealand was drawn in Group A, with Team Wales, Team Norway and Team South Africa.Roller Derby World Cup 2014, "Roller Derby World Cup Schedule" , Retrieved 5 December 2014
Team New Zealand won all three of their games to emerge top of their group.
In the Round of 16 the team faced the Netherlands, winning 356:91 and advancing to the quarter-finals in fifth position.
In the quarter-finals they lost 284:56 to Australia, who ultimately placed third, finishing the tournament in fifth place.2014 Roller Derby World Cup
2014 team roster The travel team for the 2014 Roller Derby World Cup was announced on 9 October 2014.Roller Derby Team New Zealand home page, "Roller Derby Team NZ" , Retrieved 5 December 2014. (Skaters' league affiliations as of the time of the announcement)
NumberNameLeague Terror Satana (C)Pirate City Rollers (Auckland, NZ) Justass For All (C)Swamp City Roller Rats (Palmerston North, NZ) Elicia Nisbet-SmithRose City Rollers (Portland, USA) Hannah JenningsRose City Rollers (Portland, USA) Tank-UParadise City Roller Derby (Gold Coast, AUS) Ivy K'niveyVictorian Roller Derby League (Melbourne, AUS) Serious Crash UnitOtautahi Roller Derby League (Christchurch, NZ) Nicki NoxiousRogue Rollers (Dunedin, NZ) Evil K. NeevilDead End Derby (Christchurch, NZ) Jem MolitionRichter City Roller Derby (Wellington, NZ) Renee BrownSwamp City Roller Rats(Palmerston North, NZ) Anna Pave-U'OvaRichter City Roller Derby (Wellington, NZ) Ashlee MackenzieRichter City Roller Derby(Wellington, NZ) Melicious MayhemRiver City Roller (Wanganui, NZ) Lady TramplePirate City Rollers (Auckland, NZ) Fia Fasi Oe?K-Town Derby Dolls (Kawerau, NZ) Miss Metal MilitiaHellmilton Roller Ghouls (Hamilton, NZ) Miss CrunchbullHellmilton Roller Ghouls (Hamilton, NZ) Jordon Leah Parore (Skate the Muss)Pirate City Rollers (Auckland, NZ) Coup D'eTaliaPirate City Rollers (Auckland, NZ) OrKazzmic (non-traveling alternate)Dunedin Derby (Dunedin, NZ) Diva DemolisHer (non-traveling alternate)Dunedin Derby (Dunedin, NZ) Pieces of Hate (head coach)N/A Zephyr (team selector/assistant coach)N/A Karen Edwards (team manager)N/A
2018 World Cup campaign
New Zealand was named as one of the 40 teams to compete in the 2018 Roller Derby World Cup to be held in Manchester, UK.
Team New Zealand organisation With no national body or group set up to manage the 2018 Roller Derby World Cup campaign following the collapse of the NZRDA, Team New Zealand veterans Terror Satana and Justass For All began the process of organising volunteers to create an executive group to oversee the campaign, including management, coaching, and selection.
Members from top-level competitive New Zealand leagues including the Pirate City Rollers, Richter City Roller Derby, Dead End Derby, Dunedin Derby, Auckland Roller Derby League, Whakatāne Roller Derby League, and Swamp City Roller Derby were nominated to represent their respective leagues' interests and formed the Team New Zealand Executive Committee in June 2016. This followed an earlier proposal sent to all New Zealand roller derby leagues proposing that this committee be formed.
Later that year, the executive committee opened applications for coaching manager, assistant coach (x2), and team selector (x2) to form the Coaching & Selection sub-committee. Team USA and Victorian Roller Derby League veteran skater and coach Mick Swagger was selected as coaching manager; Justass For All from Swamp City Roller Derby and Bruiser from Dead End Derby were named assistant coaches; and Sugar Hit from Pirate City Rollers and Baddy from Dead End Derby were announced as team selectors.