TXRD--Lonestar Rollergirls

TXRD LONESTAR ROLLERGIRLS
Roller Derby, Texas-style

Founded in 2001 in Austin,Texas by She-EOs Anya Jack, April Herman, Heather Burdick and Nancy Lynn, TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls was started with a vision of outrageous production value and fabulous women on skates. The Lonestar Rollergirls are local favorite daughters as well as a hearty entertainment staple, perfectly blending the Keep Austin Weird attitude with a free-wheeling pursuit of fun and competition, with rocking local music thrown in for good measure.

High Impact

Primarily composed of women between the ages of 21 and 40+, the Lonestar Rollergirls embody a do-it-yourself attitude, pooling their resources and varied skill sets to keep their league up and rolling. With 10+ committees and an elected governing body, these women have fought to build their organization from the ground up, never taking an official loan and keeping the majority of league responsibilities in-house. The same work ethic continues to pervade the league today, as the rollergirls look to the future and plot the course for where the next five years will take them. Their plans are big and their dreams even bigger, and there is no doubt that these women will continue to impact Austin, and beyond, in a serious way.

Teams We currently have five teams: The Hellcats (50's-style vixens who love their hotrods and switchblades), The Putas Del Fuego (Cholas with a taste for blood and tequila), The Holy Rollers (the baddest bullies in the Sacred Heart schoolyard), The Rhinestone Cowgirls (Texas fillies that offer up the best in country-fried violence), and the Cherry Bombs (ruthless Rock 'n' Roll misfits run amuck).

The History

The Lonestar Rollergirls first public bout was seen by approximately 400 spectators. By season's end, crowd attendance had reached 1,300, with hundreds having to be turned away at the door. Now, as the 80-member skater-owned and operated league hits its fifth anniversary, the sport of roller derby has grown in incredible leaps and bounds, as has the amount of involvement that each skater puts into this business.

In 2003, TXRD purchased an original roller derby banked track, making them the first all-girl league to ever skate on a banked track. TXRD has sparked a roller derby revival and can be directly connected to new leagues springing up in cities around the world, from the Cayman Islands, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.

The Word is Out

Local and national media have taken notice of the women of TXRD, recognizing that this group of women truly is unique. Media Coverage includes: The Chicago Tribune, The Austin American Statesman, The Austin Chronicle, Austin Monthly, Austin Fit Magazine, Bust Magazine, Drill Magazine, Loaded, Playboy, Rank and Review, SPIN, Texas Highways Magazine, IN Magazine, Austin Music Network (AMN), National Public Radio (NPR), KLBJ Radio, 101X Radio, Mega 93.3 Radio, KAOS 95.9 Radio, KVRX Radio, KOOP Radio, Comedy Central's Insomniac with Dave Attell.

TXRD is also featured in three music videos, as well as a documentary being filmed by Bob Ray and Werner Campbell of Crashcam Films. The documentary, titled "Hell On Wheels," tells the story of a group of women who create a high-octane rock and roll-fueled, all-girl roller derby league from the ground up. The film follows the women through the planning stages, fundraising rock shows, grueling practices and, ultimately, up to their first bone-breaking, smashingly successful first season and beyond.

In 2006, the Lonestar Rollergirls were featured in a 13-episode television series on A&E titled "Rollergirls." This opportunity helped spread the new derby to households across the nation and the world, and renewed the excitement for banked track roller derby that many viewers recalled from decades ago. That same year, the Lonestar Rollergirls had the chance to skate in larger venues across Austin, including the Austin Convention Center in Downtown Austin.

The LonestarRollergirls also have participated in the first two interstate banked tracked derby bouts for the new all-girl leagues. In 2005, the league hosted the Renegade Rollergirls from Arizona, and then in 2006, the LA Derby Dolls from California. We look forward to many more cross-country matchups in the near future!

The Best Fans in the World
The fans that attend our bouts range from white-collar professionals and soccer moms with kids in tow, to bikers and mohawked rockers. The largest majority of or fan base is from 21-35 years of age, with an emphasis on things alternative when it comes to music and entertainment. Much of our audience is comprised of those who spend a large amount of time in Austin's entertainment districts. But again, because of roller derby's past glory, it appeals to many who grew up watching it on TV.

TXRD Loves Its Community

The women of TXRD volunteer their time and make special appearances at many benefits and events to raise money for local charities. Recent events have benefited New Horizons, an Austin-area shelter for mentally and physically abused children, The Austin Human Society and The David Powell Health Clinic for uninsured and underinsured HIV+/AIDS patients.