Forest City Derby Girls

Forest City Derby Girls

Metro area	London, Ontario
Country	Canada
Founded	2006
Teams	Thames Fatales Lunch Ladies Timber Rollers
Track type(s)	Flat
Venue	Various
Affiliations	WFTDA
Org. type	Skater Owned
Website	Forest City Derby Girls

Forest City Derby Girls (FCDG) is a women's flat-track roller derby league based in London, Ontario. Founded in April 2006, Forest City Derby Girls are the first and only full contact league in London as well as being one of the original flat-track roller derby leagues in Canada. FCDG is a not for profit organization owned and operated by the skaters.

The Forest City Derby Girls have two home teams, the Thames Fatales and Luscious Lunch Ladies, who play against one another as well as home teams and travel teams from around Ontario, Canada and the United States.^[1] A travel team called the Timber Rollers was formed in late 2012 that plays travel teams from other leagues. The Forest City Derby Girls have participated in several tournaments, mainly The Beast of the East tournament in Montreal, QC. League skater Killson played for Team Canada at the inaugural 2011 Roller Derby World Cup.^[2] Forest City is also notable for originating the 'double-fist pump' to signify a power-jam.^[3]

In October 2012, Forest City was accepted as a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association Apprentice Program,^[4] and graduated to full membership in September 2013.^[5]

Teams

Thames Fatales

Founded in 2007, Thames Fatales^[6] are identified by their green and black uniforms, as well as their "Sexy Swamp Lady" logo.

Luscious Lunch Ladies

Founded in 2010, the Luscious Lunch Ladies are identified by their yellow and blue uniforms. The Lunch Ladies began as a rookie team but are now a regular home team.

Timber Rollers

Founded in 2012, the Timber Rollers are Forest City's competitive travel team. They are identified by their black and red uniforms, the original colours of the Forest City Derby Girls.

Retired Teams

London Thrashers

Founded in 2006 as the first home team of FCDG. Disbanded in late 2008 to consolidate league members onto one team. The London Thrashers were identified by their bright orange and black uniforms. They played one full season against the Thames Fatales and participated in the first Beast of the East in Montreal.

Competitive History

2006

The Forest City Derby Girls formed in mid-2006 as one of the original women's flat-track roller derby leagues in Canada. At the time the only other leagues in Canada were Vancouver, Edmonton, Hamilton, Toronto and Montreal. The league name and colours red and black were chosen as well as the formation of their first team, the London Thrashers whose colours were bright orange and black. They did not play any games this year.

2007

The Forest City Derby Girls played their first game against the Hamilton Harlots of the Hammer City Roller Girls. The Harlots won 100-20.

Later this year, FCDG had their first home bout. The Thames Fatales beat the London Thrashers.

2008

The Fatales and Thrashers played in the Beast of the East in Montreal. Both teams lost and were eliminated very early on.

During the first official FCDG season, the Fatales dominated the Thrashers 2-1.

The Fatales also played in the Virgin Suicides tournament hosted by the Greater Toronto Area Rollergirls (GTAR) in the summer of 2008. After victories over the host team Derby Debutantes and the Tri-City Rollergirls' Vicious Dishes, they lost in the final to Hammer City's Death Row Dames.

2009

The Fatales played three games at the Beast of the East but were eliminated by the Death Row Dames of Hammer City Roller Girls.

The Fatales had a record of 3-3 for the season.^[7]

2010

The Fatales played four games at the Beast of the East and were eliminated by Les Filles Du Roi of Montreal Roller Derby.^[8]

The Fatales had a record of 5-2 for the season.

The Lunch Ladies made their debut with three big wins against the Rollergettes (Westend Waywards, Toronto, ON), Nickel City Roller Derby (Sudbury, ON and Total Knock-Outs from Tri-City.

2011

The Fatales played a 10-game season going 6-4 with notables wins over Hammer City's Eh Team and Montreal Roller Derby's Les Filles du Roi. The Lunch Ladies, still considered a rookie team played a 5-game season going 3-2 with another win over Tri-City's Total Knockouts.^[9]

Forest City sent a mixed team of veterans and rookies to play the CWRDA eastern championships in Ottawa, Ontario and came away the winner after defeating a Rideau Valley Roller Girls B team in the final. This was the first tournament win for Forest City.^[10]

Veteran league member and jammer Killson was chosen to represent Team Canada at the inaugural Roller Derby World Cup held in Toronto, Ontario in December. Notable were several 25+ point jams against Brazil in round-robin play. She won a silver medal after Canada lost in the final against Team USA.^[11]

2012

2012 was a season of change for Forest City which saw them accepted into the Women's Flat Track Derby Association Apprentice program^[12] and the formation of their new travel team, the Timber Rollers. The Luscious Lunch Ladies would now be considered a regular home team but would continue to play interleague home and travel teams and would not yet face the Fatales in this 2012 season.

The Fatales played in their 5th consecutive Beast of the East tournament and after a win against GTAR's Derby Debutantes, a loss in a final power-jam to Toronto Roller Derby's Smoke City Betties after having a sizable lead. The team then lost their third game of the day to Thunder Bay. The Fatales played 8 games with a record of 4-4.

The Lunch Ladies played 5 games facing stiffer competition with their first losing record of 2-3. After a big win over Royal City Roller Girls' (Guelph, ON) Violet Uprising, they were finally bested by Tri-City's Total Knockouts as well as losing to Rideau Valleys's Slaughter Daughters, one of the best home teams in Eastern Canada. It was a learning season for the Lunch Ladies.

Forest City sent another mixed team of veterans and rookies to the RDAC central championships (formerly CWRDA) in Guelph, Ontario. Receiving a bye due to their previous year's victory, they defeated Royal City's Brute Leggers before losing in the final to Toronto's Bay Street Bruisers.

Forest City finished the season playing their first games in their new home, the Western Fair District's Agriplex^[13] and had team tryouts for the Timber Rollers. Timber Rollers players no longer play on their home teams, leaving room for rookies to step in and take their places.

2012 also saw the formation of an affiliated men's league, the Forest City Derby Guys.^[14]

2013

Forest City's first games of 2013 saw the Lunch Ladies beat the Thames Fatales by a score of 218-119 although the Fatales would go on to win the season series two games to one.^[15]

The Fatales finished the season 4 wins and 5 losses with their second trip to the quarter finals at Montreal Roller Derby's Beast of the East tournament since its inception in 2008.

The Lunch Ladies finished with 3 wins and 4 losses with notable wins over their league sister team the Thames Fatales and Northern Ontario Roller Derby's Wild Card all star team.

The Timber Rollers started the season out strong with 4 straight wins and finished the season with 6 wins and 3 losses. Forest City was accepted as a full WFTDA member league in September of this year and the Timber Rollers played first sanctioned game against Lansing Derby Vixens, a 140-126 loss.

Forest City's affiliated Men's League formed their first team, the Pack Men and played their debut bout against Ottawa's slaughter Squad. The Pack Men prevailed in a final jam victory 207-195.^[16]

References