NWA Roller Derby (Northwest Arkansas Roller Derby) was a flat track roller derby league based in Fayetteville, Arkansas, (USA). Founded in early 2006, NWA Roller Derby was the first flat track league in Arkansas to play a version of roller derby using new standardized rules and a track design that was based on the dimensions of the old banked tracks, made popular by the founders of modern roller derby, the Texas Rollergirls. NWA Roller Derby also became the first member league out of Arkansas of the national organization, the Women's Flat Track Derby Association, announced by the WFTDA in December 2007.
In July, 2018 NWA Roller Derby were accepted by the I.R.S. as a 501(c)3 charitable organization. In late 2019, NWA Roller Derby merged with Benton County Roller Derby (est. 2010), forming what was announced as Natural State Roller Derby (NSRD) in early 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic that year, NSRD paused practice and games until late 2021. NSRD resumed practice and game play in the 2022 season.
The league has been featured in reports on KNWA-TV,"Roller Derby Takes NWA by Storm!", KNWA, October 12, 2009 and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette."Anatomy of a rollergirl", Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, February 18, 2011 By late 2010, NWA was one of three flat-track derby leagues in Arkansas.Celia Storey, "Arkansas skaters have three leagues", Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, October 18, 2010
History The early beginnings of NWA Roller Derby consisted of two home teams, the Twisted Sisters and the Hardwood Harlots. Their first public bout, "Fright Night Fight", was held on October 18, 2006. A game in January 2007 drew over 1000 fans. Over the course of 2007 NWA Roller Derby held home bouts between the two teams for the general public while also premiering their newly created all-star team, the Arkansas Killbillies, a combination of top players from both home teams. At the end of 2007 NWA Roller Derby dissolved their home teams in favor of a league format consisting of two travel teams, the Arkansas Killbillies (all-star team) and the Backwoods Betties.
NWA Roller Derby merged with Benton County Roller Derby (est. 2010) in late 2019. By early 2020, the new merged league was announced as Natural State Roller Derby (NSRD). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic that year, NSRD paused practice and games until late 2021. NSRD resumed practice and game play in the 2022 season. They practice at the Starlight Stadium in Fayetteville, Arkansas with home games hosted at The Jones Center in Springdale, Arkansas. WFTDA sanctioned games restarted in 2023 after a hiatus taking in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
WFTDA competition NWA Roller Derby consisted of the All Star Team and a B Team; the All Star team competed for WFTDA Rankings.
Rankings SeasonFinal ranking"Current Rankings", WFTDAPlayoffsChampionship20086 SCDNQDNQ200910 SCDNQDNQ201012 SCDNQDNQ201120 SCDNQDNQ201227 SCDNQDNQ201389 WFTDADNQDNQ201471 WFTDADNQDNQ201593 WFTDADNQDNQ201691 WFTDADNQDNQ2017154 WFTDADNQDNQ2018282 WFTDADNQDNQ
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