The offseason retirement and transfer announcements started coming early this year, a sign of the effect of the no-offseason World Cup of 2018, burn out and long term planning. There will be more announcements to come, but here is a first run through early announcements that have come before charter updates.
VRDL ALL STARS
Going into Champs VRDL and their fans knew that Lady Trample was on her way to Denver and Jaana Nuku was on her way to Finland.
Jaana had retired earlier this year after the World Cup, suffering an injury in the Gold Medal game, but came out of retirement late in the season to help VRDL try and defend the Hydra trophy. It was the best #RetirementFail story of 2018. With a move with her partner back to Finland though, there won’t be a VRDL come back in 2019.
Joining those early losses, Sun State transfer Jambi has retired, making her 2018 Team Australia/VRDL run her last season, as has transfer jammer Princess Ella Edwards.
Jambi goes out with a Silver Medal at the World Cup and a Silver Medal at 2018 WFTDA Champs, hardware that makes her absolutely wild derby commute worth it.
Significant losses and roster turnover are nothing new for VRDL and their B team was the best in the World in 2018, however, the team was still adjusting to losses to the blocker rotation in 2018 and will now have to make over the jammer rotation for 2019 while more changes are likely to come. Only Bianca, Lauren Foote and Bicepsual remain from the 2014 Playoff roster.
Gotham 🐝🐝🐝
After years of pretty substantial turn over Gotham made it through their end of year party with just one major retirement, but it’s a big one. Sexy Slaydie, a world Champion many times over with Gotham and USA Roller Derby, Slaydie retires as one of the most feared blockers in the history of the WFTDA.
Denver Mile High Club
Denver announced two charter retirements this week and hinted at a 3rd. Veteran blocker S.H. Long has moved and transferred to Gold Coast Roller Derby, while jammer Gypin is hanging her skates up.
London Brawling
London Brawling’s Champs streak was broken this year in Atlanta with a tough 5 point loss to the Montreal New Skids in the 3rd place game. Retirement announcements came shortly after, with blocker buds Onyeka Igwe and Esther Arocha announcing their departures.
Jammer Carley McAdam has also announced that those Atlanta games were her last with London Brawling, with her moving back to Australia.
Juke Boxx on the other hand, has announced she is going to skate until she is dead, lol! She has also more recently announced that her and Ballistic Whistle are moving to Barcelona and that she plans to skate for Barcelona Roller Derby after finishing with London Brawling at the 2019 Euro Cup in April.
New Skids
Longtime New Skid and Team Canada skater Surgical Strike has announced that she is hanging up her skates (for now). She retires after 3 straight Champs appearances and with a Bronze Medal with Team Canada.
Crime City
Triple threat PonyCat has announced they are leaving Crime City, but not retiring! She will be heading back to Copenhagen for #20GrindTeen.
Bay Area Derby
BAD jammer Frightmare announced her retirement from derby through a post on her sponsor Chaya’s website. Citing concussions and anxiety around sub concussive hits, Frightmare has announced she is taking time off to coach and plot next steps while compiling information to advocate for a greater literacy and safety surrounding concussions in women’s flat track roller derby.
Rainy City
Rainy City said goodbye this week to blocker Gemma Harvey.
MNRG All Stars
MNRG and Team Poland skater Hurtrude Stein has not fully retired yet, but she has moved towards a coaching role with MNRG. With MNRG declining a Playoff invite this past year, fans are encouraged to go back in the WFTDA Archive to watch Trudy’s monster performance against Atlanta in Dallas 2017 to help her team clinch a Champs invite.
Canberra
Shortstop is on the move again! She has announced she taking a derby break and moving to Korea for a new adventure.
Kallio All Colours
Sara Gilbert announced their retirement well in advance of the European Continental Cup, but this one still hurts. I will always be hoping for a Sara Gilbert come back.
That’s enough heart break for now.
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