In a state that's known mostly for football, wrestling and corn, Iowa gains some credibility as a roller derby state.
The Women's Flat Track Derby Association, or WFTDA, has announced it's newest inductees into the WFTDA apprentice league program, naming three teams from Iowa to its rolls.
Old Capitol City Roller Girls (Iowa City), Mid Iowa Rollers (Des Moines) and the Des Moines Derby Dames were all named with seven other teams in October 2010. They join the ranks of 53 apprentice teams that now appreciate the benefits of WFTDA mentoring.
OCCRG, MIR and D3 join an apprentice class that's filled with international flavor. Three European leagues -- Auld Reekie Roller Girls, of Edinburgh, U.K., Bear City Roller Derby, of Berlin, Germany, and Paris Rollergirls, of Paris, France -- join the apprentice program in October 2010 with Terminal City Rollergirls, of Vancouver, British Columbia.
Prior to WFTDA's latest apprentice program announcement, 10 roller derby leagues hail from Iowa, including veteran leagues such as Sioux City Roller Dames and Cedar Rapids Rollergirls.
As the game continues to evolve and grow, more teams will look to join the apprentice program, and still more teams will continue to form.
Eventually OCCRG, MIR and D3 will likely eye a joining the ranks of WFTDA-sanctioned teams and bout higher level teams, possibly joining the Region tournaments, which end this year in Chicago in November.
Find a list of Iowa roller derby teams here: http://iowarollerderbydiaries.blogspot.com/
The WFTDA Apprentice League announcement: http://wftda.com/news/apprentice-program-welcomes-10-new-leagues-october-2010
