A Little Bit About Us
The Fargo Moorhead Derby Girls, LLC (hereafter referred to a FM Derby Girls or FMDG) are the state of North Dakota’s first and premier womens flat-track roller derby league. FMDG is a skater-owned and operated league that operates under the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) motto hailed throughout the country of “By the Skaters, For the Skaters”, and “Real. Strong. Athletic. Revolutionary.” FMDG is on a mission to bring roller derby to North Dakota and foster serious competition on a national level by hosting bouts and traveling to compete against other roller derby leagues across the country and in our area (Minnesota, South Dakota, Canada, and more).
Additionally, FMDG is dedicated to the evolving culture and sport of the American pastime of modern roller derby. FMDG challenges social stereotypes and strives to provide positive role models for young and old alike. Through the league’s bouts, events, and other outreach, FMDG brings athleticism and creativity to what NBC Nightly News calls, “The fastest growing sport in America.”
The women of FMDG are also interested in contributing to the local community of Fargo/Moorhead by donating profits, goods, and volunteer time to local community efforts and organizations. FMDG is unique from other sports teams and businesses because the skaters themselves from the Fargo/Moorhead and surrounding areas manage it. Our league is separated into various committees that include treasury, marketing, sponsorship, training, and more. Each of the women on our league is drawn to this sport due to their love of the ever-growing international sport of roller derby. However, in order to maintain the motto of “By the Skaters, For the Skaters” each skater on the league is expected to contribute or participate in the business end of the league as well. The women of FMDG learn how to create and maintain professional partnerships with local businesses, file taxes, and everything else that is required to run a successful business in the state of North Dakota. The skaters handle all aspects of bout production, and contrary to popular belief, there is nothing staged or scripted in the sport of flat track roller derby, unlike the banked-track sport we knew as roller derby of our yesteryears. Our organization provides a healthy athletic outlet for the women involved, an opportunity to bring our community together, and also insight and valuable business training to the women involved. The result is a refreshingly honest and genuine entertainment experience for all who attend.
Roller Derby History and Resurgence
In 1935, during the Great Depression, Leo Seltzer invented a spectacle called Roller Derby. Originally, the derby was a long distance track race. Periodically collisions and crashed occurred as skaters tried to lap those ahead of them. Seltzer realized this was the most exciting part of the event, and Roller Derby became a full-contact sport, with elbowing, body checks, and fights. The fans loved it.
The sport peaked in the late forties and fifties, drawing as many as 30-40 thousand fans per bout. The hype continued through the sixties and seventies until the expense of travel and competition from other entertainment forms killed off the larger leagues in the last 1970s. Since then Roller Derby has remained largely dormant until recently.
The national all-female derby revival began in 2001 in Austin, Texas, and has been gathering speed ever since. The new generation of derby skaters pays homage to the theatrical traditions of the past, but plays by real rules, with real penalties, real referees, and real champions. Modern day roller derby is a fast-paced, hard-hitting, explosive sport that combines the spirit of Seltzer’s vision with genuine athleticism.
Since 2001, there are now 379 roller derby leagues in operation in the United States, Canada, England, Germany, and more. Nearly every state in the United States has one or more roller derby leagues representing them on a national level and FMDG is determined to include the state of North Dakota to the ranks!
