Rat City Roller Derby (RCRD) is Seattle’s premier flat-track roller derby league. RCRD was formed in 2004 and has grown into a league of ~120 active members, with hundreds more retired and alumni skaters. We provide skating opportunities and training for skaters 18+, from beginner level through our All-Star team which is currently in the top 20 teams in the WFTDA. We have four home teams –Derby Liberation Front, Grave Danger, Sockit Wenches, and Throttle Rockets – as well as a development team, the Mischief. Our skaters are active in the Seattle derby community, with many coaching juniors ages 8-18.
Roller derby is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, and is a symbol of empowerment and diversity. At RCRD, we are proud to grow and represent the sport in Seattle and beyond. In the fall of 2017 we changed our name from Rat City Rollergirls to Rat City Roller Derby. We rebranded to create a more inclusive and empowering environment for skaters and fans.
Mission Statement
“As Seattle’s premier, member-owned roller derby league, it is our mission to maintain a competitive athletic program, promote the sport of roller derby, provide quality sports entertainment for our fans, and make a positive impact in our community.”
A brief history
Rat City Roller Derby got rolling in April 2004, as Rat City Rollergirls. Our name was inspired by the nickname for the south Seattle neighborhood of White Center “Rat City”, where RCRD started playing at the Southgate Roller Rink.
Within months Rat City Rollergirls had grown to four teams and 80-plus skater-members. Our skaters also formed one of the first all-star teams to represent RCRD on the national and international level.
Rat City values growing the local derby community, whether by hosting training camps, coaching junior derby, informally scrimmaging with teams from nearby leagues, or hosting tournaments like the first Bumberbout at Bumbershoot (2006), or WFTDA playoffs showcasing the best international teams in the sport.
In 2019 Rat City Roller Derby took the steps to fully transition to a non-profit organization. We are excited about the opportunity this gives us to more fully participate with other community organizations, while also being eligible for grants and monetary donations.
Land Acknowledgement
We are proud to acknowledge that RCRD events and training take place upon traditional territories.
The Coast Salish are the Native Americans whose home is located along the shores of Puget Sound. There are 19 recognized and unrecognized tribes which include the Duwamish, Snoqualmie, Muckleshoot and Sammamish and they are the original caretakers for the continued protection of the land and waters with the preservation of the culture. We pay tribute to the Native people of this region and honor their knowledge and traditional culture.
We also acknowledge the robust Indigenous communities made up of tribal diversity that originate from around the country, and whose journeys have brought them here and to other locations by ways of forced displacement or seeking opportunities.
Today the same communities celebrate their heritage, showing resilience and tenacity that would be greatly admired by their ancestors.
If you would like to support the First Peoples of this land, give funds to Real Rent Duwamish.
Inspired by Se-ah-dom Edmo and Dr. Christine Dupres, Portland
What is a land acknowledgment statement?
A land acknowledgement is a formal statement presented at the beginning of public events and gatherings that recognizes and honors Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of the land.
Why do we do this?
“Acknowledgment by itself is a small gesture. It becomes meaningful when coupled with authentic relationships and informed action. But this beginning can be an opening to greater public consciousness of Native sovereignty and cultural rights, a step toward equitable relationship and reconciliation.
“Acknowledgment is a simple, powerful way of showing respect and a step toward correcting the stories and practices that erase Indigenous people’s history and culture and toward inviting and honoring the truth.”
— U.S. Department of Arts and Culture
“To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory you reside on, and a way of honoring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial. It is important to understand the long standing history that has brought you to reside on the land, and to seek to understand your place within that history. Land acknowledgements do not exist in a past tense, or historical context: colonialism is a current ongoing process, and we need to build our mindfulness of our present participation. It is also worth noting that acknowledging the land is Indigenous protocol.”
— lspirg.org/knowtheland
From Goshen College’s Land Acknowledgement Statement
Help us find a new Nest!
Having lost our former home, The Rat’s Nest in Shoreline, WA, due to the property being sold for development, we are now looking for a new one, preferably somewhere we can be long term (10+ yrs, if not permanent). We have been looking for over three years, but it has been difficult to find a place given the dimensions we need: Minimum 18,000 square feet with clear span for track with preferred dimensions of 108×80 in order, as well as space for spectators. Very few facilities exist that meet our requirements, let alone those that are affordable. If you have a space that may work for us, please contact communitycare@ratcityrollerderby.com!
Until we have a new space, we will be practicing in various rented locations around the city. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to find out when and where we’ll be playing! If you’d like to support us, we gladly take donations via PayPal.
Rat City Roller Derby is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization