Women ' s Flat Track Derby Association The Women ' s Flat Track Derby Association ( WFTDA ) is an association of women ' s flat track roller derby leagues around the world . The organization was founded in April 2004 as the United Leagues Coalition ( ULC ) but was renamed in November 2005 . It is registered in Raleigh , North Carolina as a 501 ( c ) ( 6 ) business league organization , which is a type of non - profit organization . According to its mission statement , the organization " promotes and fosters the sport of women ' s flat track roller derby by facilitating the development of athletic ability , sportsmanship , and goodwill among member leagues " and its governing philosophy is " by the skaters , for the skaters " — the primary owners , managers , and operators of each member league and of the association are women skaters , although this does not preclude any particular business structure ( leagues don ' t have to be legally incorporated or internally egalitarian ) . The mission statement also says WFTDA sets " standards for rules , seasons , and safety , and determining guidelines for the national and international athletic competitions of member leagues " and says " all member leagues have a voice in the decision - making process , and agree to comply with WFTDA policies . " History . 2004 . In its first year , the ULC was an informal electronic message board through which established leagues compared notes in order to prepare for interleague play , and it was also used to exchange information to help new leagues that were just getting started . 2005 . The ULC evolved into a more formal organization in July 2005 , when representatives of 20 leagues met in Chicago to discuss establishing a governing body for women ' s flat - track roller derby . At the meeting , a voting system was established , as was a set of goals and a timeline was established for facilitating interleague play . Among these goals was the production of a standard track design and standard game rules . The design and rules which were settled upon and distributed later that year . In November 2005 , the ULC voted to change its name to the Women ' s Flat Track Derby Association . 2006 . In early 2006 , a track design and rules were published on the organization ' s fledgling web site . By that time , the organization had grown to 30 leagues , a cap decided upon at the July 2005 meeting . Induction of new member leagues was postponed until revised membership requirements could be discussed at the next face - to - face meeting , scheduled for the end of May . However , in February 2006 , soon after the initial requirements were published and following the fragmentation of several leagues , a " multi - league per city " clause was added to the membership requirements . Although throughout early and mid - 2006 the clause was listed as a requirement for membership , WFTDA ' s web site was later updated to state that the policy is " unofficial " . WFTDA also claims the policy is intended to uphold goodwill between members — by excluding leagues not likely to find favor with established members — as well as to prevent rival leagues in the same city from being privy to each other ' s " proprietary information . " Following the May 2006 meeting , a press release was issued to promote the organization and publicize the meeting . The June statement covered the following points : In addition , Eastern and Western divisions , delineated by the Mississippi River , were announced . Thus , each member league is either Eastern or Western , and Division 1 , 2 or 3 . In September 2006 , new membership was reopened . 2007 . By late August 2007 , WFTDA membership was up to forty - three leagues . On August 15 , 2007 , WFTDA announced it had struck a deal with the MavTV network to record , edit and broadcast the 2007 Eastern Regional Tournament as a weekly series of 12 one - hour episodes ( one episode per bout ) . In mid - 2007 , WFTDA ' s Web site was updated to reflect changes in the requirements for placement in the three divisions : it is now based on seniority , as measured by readiness for inter - league play and the number of seasons completed while a WFTDA member ( see table below ) . In September 2007 , WFTDA was admitted to USA Roller Sports ( USARS ) as a Class V member — a national amateur roller skating organization — and a WFTDA delegate joined the USARS Board of Directors . 2008 . In February 2008 , WFTDA announced that leagues from Canada would be eligible for membership . In June 2008 , the WFTDA Rules Committee created a Question and Answer forum to " provide definitive and final answers about the Women ’ s Flat Track Derby Association Standard Rules . In July 2008 , WFTDA began a referee certification program . In September 2008 , WFTDA had grown to 60 leagues , and the official WFTDA magazine " fiveonfive " began publication . In November 2008 , a flyer was published announcing that for 2009 , WFTDA member leagues would be divided into four regions , rather than two : West , South Central , North Central , and East . Each region has a tournament scheduled , followed by a national championship : 2009 . In January 2009 , Montreal Roller Derby became the first Canadian league admitted as a member . The league was WFTDA ' s 66th member , and was placed in the East region . Also in January , the WFTDA announced it would stop accepting applications for new membership from February until July , so that it could concentrate on internal restructuring in order to , among other things , " grow the scope " of the organization . In April 2009 the WFTDA published revised rules , WFTDA Rules 4 . 0 . The revised rule - set became effective for all WFTDA sanctioned bouts on June 1 , 2009 . In May 2009 , the first officially sanctioned international WFTDA bout was played between Montreal Roller Derby and Harrisburg Area Roller Derby at the Olympic Skating Center in Enola , PA . In July 2009 , the WFTDA announced its new apprentice program for aspiring member leagues that replaced its traditional membership application process . The program is designed to act as a " WFTDA 101 " tutorial , and will match new leagues with an established WFTDA mentor , who will guide the apprentice through the processes and requirements necessary to becoming a full member . Upon completion of the program , apprentice leagues will have the knowledge ( and the recommendations ) needed to apply for full WFTDA membership . In November 2009 the WFTDA opened for worldwide membership and the London Rollergirls became the first league outside North America to join as apprentice members . 2010 . In June 2010 , the WFTDA announced the first round of Apprentice league graduates , and formed two new regions outside of the United States . ( Leagues in those regions will compete in the closest US region until they develop more fully . ) 2012 . In March 2012 , Bear City Roller Derby from Berlin , Germany became the WFTDA ' s first full member league in continental Europe . Championship tournaments . Each WFTDA region holds a tournament in September or October : the Eastern , North Central , South Central and Western Regional Tournaments . The top three leagues in each tournament qualify for the WFTDA Championships , held in November . The winner of the Championships is awarded the Hydra Trophy . Together , the four qualifying tournaments and Championships are termed the " Big 5 " . List of winners of WFTDA Championship Tournaments : Member leagues . As of December 3 , 2012 , 172 leagues are WFTDA members : Apprentice Leagues . As of December 2012 , 95 leagues are enrolled in WFTDA ' s Apprentice Program : Many roller derby leagues that are not WFTDA members use the WFTDA rules . Rankings . Member teams unranked at this time :