10 Important LA Derby Dolls Milestones in 2015

2015 was a monumental year for the LA Derby Dolls. Just 12 months ago we weren’t sure what our future would look like, and we weren’t even sure we would have a facility to house our infamous banked track. It took our entire league coming together for months to fundraise the money we needed to move, make the logistics happen, and redefine our league during a time of transition.

We’d like to take the time to thank again all those who donated to our cause because the LA Derby Dolls would not still be here today without the contributions of our fans. This year had so many moments great and small for us to be proud of. Here are just 10 highlight moments of 2015 as we move into the New Year.

Feb 4. - LARD Co-Op Born

We knew that not only did we have to move in 2015–we had to restructure. Our hard working Board of Directors put a plan into action to re-establish the LA Derby Dolls as a skater-owned and operated cooperative. After numerous hours of legal research and organized action, the Los Angeles Roller Derby Cooperative was born on paper in February. Becoming a skater-owned league was very important to us and we are thriving under our new structure.

March 14th – Hot Dog Sheilas vs. Hamburger Marys 

With the Doll Factory soon closing, we had only a few months left to say our goodbyes. A longtime running joke among some skaters was a “Hot Dog Sheilas vs. Hamburger Marys” themed bout. It originated from a Fresh Meat practice, but with precious little time left at the Doll Factory, some skaters got together to make it happen. Finally the dreams of many came true when this matchup was finally held on March 14th. Made up of a mix of team skaters, the two teams went head to head at this informal LA Derby Dolls homecoming.

April 9 – Last practice at Doll Factory

Even though we had no idea if we would still be operating or skating the next month, we continued to train just as hard as ever. The LA Derby Dolls had closed to the public late 2014 but we weren’t going to let anything slow us down. We continued training right up until our moving day. 

April 10 – Moving begins.

The arduous task of moving everything out of the Doll Factory began April 10th. It took days to take apart our banked track, load it up into trucks, and assemble it in the new location. All hands were on deck for days as we tore down wooden structures, moved anything not nailed down (and some stuff that was), and prepared 4900 Alhambra Ave. to be our new home.

April 25 – Soft opening, BDB rematch

The first bout played at the new location was a Baby Doll Brawl rematch. Suicide Pack (Black) vs. The Plastics (Pink) had been forced to play their first bout quietly without friends and family in the stands since the Doll Factory was no longer open to the public. The Baby Doll Brawl is a very important right of passage for the up-and-coming LA Derby Dolls skater as it’s the debut for all future talent of the league. Thankfully in our new location, these rising stars got their chance to shine.

May 1 – New Dollosseum name announced

Members of the newly founded cooperative voted The Dollosseum as the name of our new warehouse location in El Sereno. We embraced our new neighborhood quickly and got to work reaching out to the surrounding community with local trash cleanups, City Council meetings, and much more.

May 16 – First public bout at Dollosseum – Fight Crew vs. Sirens

When the lights went down before the start of the bout and the season opening video streamed across our projector screens, the emotion was extremely heavy in the room. This was the moment we had all been working tirelessly towards for months and finally a new season was officially underway. We were all definitely ready for some roller derby action and so was the sold out crowd.  

May 30 – First Jrs bout at Dollosseum

Our Junior Derby Dolls made their Dolloseeum debut on May 30th. Just like the rest of the league, the Juniors had just gone through a rough year and the first Juniors bout was just as meaningful to us as our first home team bout. The Juniors continued to be featured as double headers once a month throughout the 2015 season. 

June 8 – LA Derby Dolls Named best small business

On June 8, the LA Derby Dolls were named best small business in District 51 of California by assemblymember Jimmy Gomez. Spanning from Silverlake to Eagle Rock and back down to the Montebello area, District 51 is home to a number of unique and tightly knit community cultures. Welcomed at the Capital by Gomez and his staff, it was a special day in LA Derby Dolls history and a symbol of the dedication the Women’s Banked Track Roller Derby league has to its community. 

Dec 5 – VB wins champs

This year was full of firsts and home team Championships proved no different. After an amazing undefeated season, the Varsity Brawlers made it to Champs and won a hard fight over the former 2014 Champions the Sirens. Having been a repeat underdog of the league, this was a particularly sweet victory for the Varsity Brawlers. Congrats VB!

Skater Spotlight – Seth Who?

Seth Who?, coach of the Varsity Brawlers

LADD: The Varsity Brawlers are the only home team without a championship banner.  This year, the team is undefeated and on a mission.  Did the team do anything differently this year to get to this point?

SW: We actually took our strategies from years past and tweaked them a bit. But more than that, VB has put in a lot of extra training hours so they can be more cohesive on the track. And it shows.

LADD: How did you become involved with coaching the Varsity Brawlers and the LA Derby Dolls league?

SW: This is kind of a long story. The first LADD game I attended was Champs 2008, Tough Cookies vs. Sirens. I was instantly hooked and soon after I joined the RaD Dept. A few years later (mid-2012), during one of our many derby/derby rules conversations, my friend, Laci Knight, who was co-captain of VB at the time, suggested I come to one of their practices. I initially declined but about a month later, they had a spot open on their bench staff and I've been there ever since.

LADD: What is the RaD department?

SW: RaD is our in-house audio/video group. We film every game, run house audio and projectors. Members also shoot/edit those great opening videos that are shown before every game, and when there's time, shoot/edit promos for upcoming games.

LADD: Did you have any coaching experience prior to LADD?

SW: No, I never coached prior to LADD. However, I do pick up sports and their concepts relatively quickly.

LADD: People have compared roller derby to being a running back in football.  Do you see much similarity between the sports?  Have you taken anything from watching football that you have used in roller derby?

SW: I can see the comparison of jammers to running backs as blockers in both sports try to create holes/spaces for them to maneuver through. But that's where the comparison ends. Playing roller derby, unlike the majority of sports, skaters have to play both defense and offense at the same time. 

LADD: Who are some of the people who have influenced your style of coaching?  Did you have a mentor?

SW: I was never mentored; it was more trial by fire. I try not to be like just one type of coach. I've read coaching practices/theories from everyone from Gregg Poppovich to Bill Belichick to Pat Summit. I just try to gleam the best aspects. I even read a study on what's the most effective technique to motivate players. There's some great literature out there!

LADD: What would you recommend reading for someone aspiring to learn the fundamentals of coaching?

SW: Sports Psychology for Dummies. No, no… I'm kidding.  Eleven Rings by Phil Jackson is a pretty good read.

LADD: Earlier this year, VB handed the defending champion Sirens their first loss of the year.  How much confidence did that victory give to the team?

SW: We went into that game having won our first two games so our confidence was already pretty high. But the Sirens hadn't lost (I believe) in over a year. They have a very good team and we knew it was going to be hard fought. We were very happy to win.

LADD: What other groups/committees have you volunteered with inside the league outside of coaching the Varsity Brawlers?

SW: I've been a member of our RaD Dept. since I started. Doing everything from making promos to running house sound during bouts. Earlier this year, I was voted onto LADD's first Board of Directors.  I also joined the Internal Rules Committee. 

LADD: Describe what goes on at a Rules Committee meeting.  Are there certain goals the committee is trying to achieve (a direction they want to see the sport go)?

SW: On the Rules Committee, members discuss rules/wording of rules to tighten up gameplay and close potential loopholes.  Suggestions that are passed are then taken by our league RDCL (Roller Derby Coalition of Leagues) Rep. to the RDCL Committee, where rule changes are voted on by all RDCL leagues.

LADD: Tell us a secret about yourself that few people know.

SW: I've stolen at least one item in all the countries I've visited. I'm an international thief!

LADD: Oh?! What are some of your more memorable heists?

SW: Oh no. I've already said too much...

LADD: Are you a fan of other sports?  If so, what teams do you root for?

SW: I'm a huge football fan, rooting for The Ohio State University and the New England Patriots. But I follow all other Boston sports teams as well (Sox, B's, C's)

LADD: Did you grow up in Boston?  If so, what do you miss most about it while living on the west coast?

SW: No, I grew up in Southeast MA (about an hour away from Boston). Strangely enough, I do miss the cycle of the seasons. But only sometimes.

LADD: What keeps you up at night?

SW: Mild insomnia… and spiders.

LADD: Do you have a game day routine/superstitions before a bout?

SW: I try to wear the exact some clothes on bout days. And yes, everything gets washed.

LADD: What was the last book you read?

SW: Not Taco Bell Material by Adam Carolla

LADD: How much time does coaching take in an average week?

SW: It's anywhere between 3-6 hours a week. We only have 2 hours together (private practice/scrimmage) as a team a week.  So most of my "coaching time" is spent away from the track. I re-watch a lot of game footage and comb through stats to pinpoint what elements of our game have improved and what we need to work on. I think it's helped VB stay focused and motivated.

LADD: If VB wins their first championship this year, how will the team celebrate that accomplishment?

SW: We're not thinking about that type of thing. Have to win the game first.

LADD: How long has VB been around and how many people currently on the team were there since day 1?

SW: You know, I'm not sure... Maybe 6 or 7 seasons? No one on this team has been there since Day 1. 

LADD:  Are you noticing support from people who are not normally VB fans this year?  People like rooting for the underdog, and there must be a lot of people pulling for the team to win its first championship.

SW: I am noticing more purple in the stands and cheering for VB this year whether they would normally cheer for us or not. And it's that perception, that the Varsity Brawlers are underdogs, that will make us work hard all the way to the championship.

LADD: Your opponent in Champs this year is the Sirens, the defending champions who took you to the limit earlier this year.  How would you size up that team's strengths and what can people expect in the final game of the year?

SW: The Sirens are an excellent, well-disciplined team and don't make many mistakes.  But we've been fortunate enough to capitalize on the few that have been made.  I expect this game to be fast, have solid blocking, and be a real nail bitter.