Rockford Rage is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Rockford, Illinois. Founded in 2006, the league consists of a single team which competes against teams from other leagues. Rockford is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).
History The league was founded in mid-2006 by Rebecca Engebretson and others, with its first practices held in the parking lot of a Borders bookstore. Its first bout was played in December, 2006, an interleague contest between the Demolition Dolls and the Screw City Slammers, part of a four team inter-league squad that also included the Midwest Maulers and the Rollitas. The bout attracted 650 fans. In 2009, the league attracted attention for its abandonment of smoking breaks."Roller derby team ditches smoke breaks for fitness", Bloomington Pantagraph, July 31, 2009
Rockford was accepted into the Women's Flat Track Derby Association Apprentice Program in September 2009,"Apprentice Leagues", WFTDA [version of 16 November 2009] and became a full member of the WFTDA in June 2010."WFTDA welcomes 11 new members, adds new regions ", WFTDA, 17 June 2010
The league returned to competition in August 2022 after the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted its schedule. It had cancelled a March 2020 bout and had not competed since late 2019; its return bout, against the Kentucky Black-n-Bluegrass, was held at the UW Health Sports Factory.
Historical WFTDA rankings (2011–2016) SeasonFinal ranking"Current Rankings", WFTDAPlayoffsChampionship201127 NCDNQDNQ201233 NCDNQDNQ2013NRDNQDNQ2014NRDNQDNQ2015NRDNQDNQ2016238 WFTDADNQDNQ NR = no final ranking assigned this year
References