WFTDA Apprentice League!!!

We did it! We were accepted to the Women's Flat Track Derby Associate as an apprentice league! This has been our goal since our inception an my personal focus for the past year as the application coordinator. I did tons of research, met a lot of people, did a lot of traveling, and worked hard with my amazing team to show the derby world that the Hellions kick ass. And with the proper guidance, we'll be even more amazing.

On Thursday, October 27, 2011, the WTFDA announced this quarter's group of accepted leagues:
http://wftda.com/news/apprentice-leagues-october-2011

From the WFTDA website, the Apprenctice Program is

Designed to act as a WFTDA 101 tutorial, the Apprentice Program matches new leagues with an established WFTDA mentor, who guides her apprentice through WFTDA processes and requirements, and offers advice about league-specific issues. The curriculum can include everything from league formation to how to become ranked and qualify for WFTDA-sponsored tournaments. Upon completion of the program, apprentice leagues will have the knowledge and league recommendations to apply for full WFTDA membership.

A long road led us to where we are today. I want to say thank you to the following who helped and inspired us along the way:

The Long Island Roller Rebels - you've always inspired us. Thank you for visiting us for a fun practice night. Thank you for the scrimmage opportunities. And thank you for hosting the Empire Skate Showdown, which gave us a chance to shine this year.





Central New York Roller Derby - the team we admire, and strive to be like. We learned so much from you this year and love working with you. We saw how much you grew as a league since being accepted as a full WFTDA member last year. We want to follow in your footsteps!

Our officials - We would not be the well-rounded league we are without The "Argue-nots", our refereeing and non-skating officials staff. Many of them are on the path to become Certified WFTDA referees. Our acceptance into the WFTDA Apprentice Program will help them with this cause because we'll be bouting more WFTDA leagues ourselves (for them to officiate!)  It's a great relationship.  Our officials are also amazing representatives of the Hellions, as they travel pretty much more than anyone to attend and volunteer at away bouts - seemingly every weekend.  We love you Team Zebra!  Thank you for spreading the good name and good nature of the Hellions!

Our announcers - Ida Feltersnatch and Eloda Sarcasm.  These two women are the reason I have such an awesome appreciate for WFTDA in the first place.  They brought me on my first derby road trip to the 2009 Championships, a derby experience I'll never forget and one that shaped my attitude about being part of the larger derby community.  Ida and Eloda call in to the Derby Deeds early and often to keep people on top of our adventures - of which we have so many.  And like Team Zebra, Ida and Eloda are constant travelers, always spreading the good word of the Hellions.  Oh, and by the way - they BOTH became AFTDA Certified this year.  Like the all the Hellions and the refs, they want to be part of their great organizations in the field of roller derby.

Thank you to all the WFTDA Leagues we bouted in 2011 - Queen City, Green Mountain, Providence, Garden State, Montreal, Connecticut, Roc City, Maine, Hudson Valley and of course our match up against Gotham's Wall Street Traitors at Empire Skate Showdown.  We learned something new every game - either from on the track or off the track at the after party. ;)

And of course, thank you from ME to all my amazing league. Team work makes the dream work. We did it!

The Hellions after our bout in Montreal this past summer.  Look at that strategically placed WFTDA banner.
It was meant to be!

I thought 2011 was the year of the Hellions - but the best is yet to come!