Okinawa Roller Derby is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Okinawa, Japan. Founded in 2010, the league currently consists of two teams, an all star team which competes worldwide and a B team which competes against teams from other leagues in Japan. Okinawa Roller Derby is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).
History The league was founded as "Kokeshi Roller Dolls" in August 2010 by Amanda Harms (known as "Pisa Cake")Matt Orr, "Women on Okinawa find friendship through roller derby", Stars and Stripes, 26 May 2011 and Nicole King ("Nurse Fight'n Bail"). It held its first practice in October, with only six members, but had twenty skaters by the end of the month, and in January 2011 formed three intraleague teams. In May, it played its first bout, an intraleague contest.Asa Spades, "Can You Believe There's A Roller Derby League HERE?! Kokeshi Roller Dolls", DerbyLife, 16 September 2011"Kokeshi Roller Dolls to launch inaugural season", Weekly Japan Update, 19 May 2011 This attracted more than eight hundred fans. Many of the league's members are not native Okinawans, and are often expatriate Americans in the armed forces, or come to Japan for work or with family.
In October 2011, Kokeshi was accepted as a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association Apprentice Programme,"WFTDA Accepts 13 Leagues into Apprentice Program", WFTDA, 27 October 2011 and it became a full member of the WFTDA in June 2013."WFTDA Welcomes First Full Member Leagues in Asia and South America ", 6 June 2013"Kokeshi Roller Dolls joins Women's Flat Track Derby Association ", Stars and Stripes, 6 June 2013
In March 2017, the league announced a rebrand as Okinawa Roller Derby, maintaining the Kokeshi Roller Dolls name for its B team.
WFTDA rankings
SeasonFinal ranking"Current Rankings", WFTDAPlayoffsChampionship2014214 WFTDADNQDNQ2015223 WFTDADNQDNQ2016317 WFTDADNQDNQ
References
External links Official website