Founded in 2006, Angel City Derby was the first flat track roller derby team in Los Angeles, California. With the National Women’s Soccer League announcement today of an expansion team in Los Angeles under the ownership of Angel City and the promo line and hashtag “We Are Angel City,” many were shocked and confused that the team would have branding so close to that of Angel City Derby, without having reached out to Angel City Derby.
The decade plus hard work of Angel City members, past and present, is important and should be celebrated. @AngelCityDerby should also be supported in their calls for this work to be recognized and for the @NWSL and @weareangelcity to reach out. On a day where those accomplishments can feel overlooked, I thought it was important to put focus on their history.
- Angel City was formed in 2006 as the first flat track league in Los Angeles, California. They played their first bout on June 30, 2006 and 2021 will be their 15th anniversary season.
- On top of the All-Star Hollywood Scarlets, they have the B Team “Rocket Queens,” and regionally competitive teams in the Shore Shots and Road Ragers.
- They gained membership within the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association on June 15, 2007. Angel City has played 140 sanctioned WFTDA bouts all time, carrying a win-loss record of 83–57.
- Angel City has made 7 straight Championship appearances (2013–2019). They have qualified for a post season in 10 of their 12 seasons and the last 9 straight.
- Angel City has won 7 straight post season medals, including a Gold Medal from the 2019 Division 1 Playoff in Winston-Salem with a 120–73 win over the Texecutioners. (1 Gold, 4 Silver, 2 Bronze).
- The highest WFTDA ranking all time for Angel City Derby’s Hollywood Scarlets came in September 2016 when they were ranked 4th in the world.
- Angel City’s Hollywood Scarlets have competed internationally, playing postseason games in A Coruña, Spain (2018), Vancouver, Canada (2016) and Montreal, Canada (2019). They have also competed against teams from Melbourne, Australia, London, England, Helsinki, Finland, Malmo, Sweden, Manchester, England, Canberra, Australia, Buenos Aires, Argentina and Berlin, Germany.
- Angel City’s B Team the “Rocket Queens” has competed in 3 straight B Team Championship Tournaments and carries an all time record at that tournament of 6–5. They are widely recognized as one of the best B Team programs in the world, with one of the overall best travel training programs in the world.
- One of the best WFTDA highlights of all time
- Angel City members have driven the growth of West Coast roller derby and played a role in training and inspiring many people in the derby world. Some notable skaters past and present include Laci Knight and Satan’s Little Helper who both made the 2017 Team USA Roller Derby, as well as Catch Mikachu (Team Japan), Lolo Betancourt (Team Indigenous), InterStella Burst (Team Indigenous), Rachel Rotten, Hunnie Brasco, Champaine (Team Phillipines), Micki Krimmel (Superfit Hero), Tui Lyon (Team Australia), Pearl Jam (Stunt Double in “Birds of Prey”), Ima BlowBya, Soledad, Fifi Nomenon, Bantam Menace (Team Korea), Boo Gogi (Team Korea)and more.
- Angel City’s “Parks and REFreation” Official crew are notably forward thinking and an important part of West Coast derby officiating.
- Angel City skaters are routinely featured in media, including recent examples in the film “Birds of Prey” (2020) and shows like The Fosters.
- Angel City’s Jr program has competed in 3 Junior Roller Derby Association (JRDA) Championships, winning Silver in 2016 and Bronze in 2017.
- Angel City’s close 2016 loss to Victorian Roller Derby League (VRDL), who would later go on to win Bronze at Champs, is one of the greatest WFTDA post season games of all time and would have arguably been the greatest upset of all time. It was a perfect illustration of Angel City’s style of play, which is a mix of intensity, physicality and focus.
Angel City Derby is one of the most skilled programs in all of WFTDA, with a rich history of building up women’s sports in Los Angeles and beyond. Hopefully the NWSL and Angel City reach out and acknowledge this.
