Classic Modern Roller Derby in Arizona

Michi-chan Sports considers the period from 2003 through the end of 2012 as the "Classic Modern Era".  This was at a time when the game was first being developed worldwide.   While the first games played in 2003 & 2004 were more "renegade" (or "Texas") style, we started to see structure come into the game as tolerance for the horseplay reduced (but not totally go away) and we started to see more structure of rules starting to form in both the WFTDA leagues (such as AZRD and TRD) and independent (AZDD).  

The WFTDA, AZDD and Desert Dolls games played in the Classic Modern Era were very distinctly different than the WFTDA, USARS, MRDA, JRDA and RDCL games of today.  The Classic Modern Era had less strategy, but still had strategy.  The packs were always moving, the lead jammers were celebrated (and didn't change), the star pass was the highlight of the game and the fans loved it. 

Today's game, especially in WFTDA, has significantly changed since the early days.  During the Michi-chan era (2007~2010), we saw WFTDA go through version 2 through 4 of the rules.  WFTDA would stop using version numbers in 2010.  For the various independent leagues, such as Arizona Derby Dames and Desert Dolls (now Phoenix Roller Derby), there was a fairly basic ruleset.  Of course for Renegades, there was just some simple game parameters, but no penalties.  

Some of the distinct rules that existed during this classic era (except for the Renegade Rollergirls) included:

• Two whistle starts - Jams would start with a single blast of the whistle where the pack (the blockers and the pivots) would start, the jammers must remain behind their jammer line.  Once the last pack skater crossed the pivot line, a signal of two short whistle blasts would start the two jammers.  Two whistle starts were eliminated in WFTDA in 2013.
• Periods and period length - When the original WFTDA rules were published in 2006, the game structure was three 20-minute periods.  In 2007 (with version 2.1), bouts now had the option of doing two 30-minute periods instead.  Early AZRD bouts played through mid-2008 had three periods.  They, along with TRD would eventually move to two 30-minute periods.  In AZDD Seasons 1 and 2 (2006 & 2007), they played two 20-minute periods. In AZDD Seasons 3 and 4 (2008 & 2009), there were two 15-minute periods in order to accommodate double header bouts. AZDD was an independent league and did not skate using WFTDA rules.  Also, in AZDD, the period clock would stop between each jam.  The Derby Brats used 3 20-minute periods throughout this era. At the time, the Derby Brats used a modified version of the WFTDA rules that did not allow for hitting.  From when they started bouting in 2010 to the time when they adopted USARS, Desert Dolls had two 20-minute periods with a period clock that stopped after each jam.
• Final jam in period - The original rule in WFTDA was that the last jam in the period would be cut off if the period clock expires during the jam, this includes if the clock expires during set up.  In WFTDA 3.1 (August 4, 2008), the "natural conclusion" rule was introduced.  Under this rule, if the period clock expires while a jam is in progress, the jam may continue to its natural conclusion.  Also, if at the end of a jam, there is less than 30 seconds remaining on the period clock, a new jam cannot start unless a time out is called.  At AZDD, we witnessed inconsistent handling about how final jams were handled and it was never clarified.  We had seen situations where if there was less than 90 seconds left on the clock (remember, AZDD stopped the clock between jams), we would see either one of three things happen: (1) the period would end, (2) one more jam would run with the time remaining on the clock or (3) the clock was reset to 90 seconds to run a final jam.
• Jammerless Jams - If one jammer is already penalized and in the penalty box and the other jammer subsequently picks up a penalty to send them to the box, a jammerless jam can be declared as long as the original jammer in the box has more than 10 seconds left on their penalty and the jam would be called off.  Both teams would reset with new jammers and skate short one blocker. However, if the original jammer had less than 10 seconds left on their penalty, the jam would continue with no jammers and then the original jammer can return to the jam and would otherwise be eligible to score. It was a general understanding that a bout could not end on a jammerless jam. If there is a jammerless jam at the conclusion of regulation play (and I did witness this happening at least once), an additional "overtime" jam would be started and would go to its natural conclusion.  The Jammerless Jam was always the fun subject of derby drinking games.  WFTDA would eliminate the jammerless jam with version 4.0 in April, 2009.  
• Grand Slam - If one jammer completely laps the opposing jammer, they would score a additional point for each time one jammer laps the other.  Refs would tap the top of their head several times to signal a grand slam point.  The Grand Slam as we knew it, quietly left WFTDA in December, 2009.
• Always skating forward - The classic game always had a nice forward flow.  This would all change in 2013 when WFTDA tolerated blockers stopping while not engaged in a block in order to set up.  This would eventually lead to other defensive strategies that would change the optics of the WFTDA game forever and make it its own unique product.  The USARS game would continue to embrace the "skating forward" optic found in the modern classic game.

Raised track surfaces/rope lights - One important rule that was in the classic modern era that we supported going away was the language of WFTDA Rule 2.1.3 that required a raised surface, not exceeding a quarter of an inch to demarcate the track boundary. This was finally changed with the WFTDA 2017 rules release.  While the early days of rope lights were a fun aspect of the optics of classic modern derby and a part of that original 2003 Arizona game, the safety issues involved with any kind of raised surface, such as ropes, rope lights, light strips, etc., no matter how well they are taped down, far outweigh the optics of the game.  We should not have to sacrifice broken ankles for a pretty track no matter how fans first it is.   If someone can come up with a way where the track lines could be lit from under the track, that would bring a new twist to the old game and would be welcomed as long as it does not raise the track surface.

Extended take downs (fighting) - During the classic modern days, there was what some would call "fighting", we called it "extended take downs".  These types of take downs date back to the very first bout played in Arizona in 2003 and over the years, we have seen such activity reduce over time (though AZDD tolerated it to an extent during their flat track run and DDRD pretty much tolerated them in the beginning times of their league).  The fans loved these takedowns and could explain one reason as to why AZDD was getting larger crowds than AZRD at the time.  The old saying was "what the ref can't see, the ref can't call".  It is important to realize in this time, well after the era is over, we do not feel that it is required to bring back extended take downs to be a true Classic Modern bout, in fact AZRD and TRD ran many Classic Modern bouts without these and the optics were still fantastic.   It is important to know that the "fighting" that took place at AZDD and DDRD as well in most cases at AZRD and TRD in the early days was what would be considered as "brutal".  No matter what, derby skaters did follow the "douchebag rule" (don't be a douchebag).

Renegade style - Classic Renegade Rollergirls bouts were played with three 10-minute periods and 60-second jams that could be called off by a lead jammer.  Renegades (at least in Arizona) did not wear helmet covers to indicate the jammers (one Arizona skater, Mayhemily did not even wear a helmet!).  Renegade bouts during the Michi-chan era in Arizona were short track games.  Even in Renegades during the Michi-chan era, the extended take downs were not necessarily brutal.  Those who skated Renegades knew what they were getting themselves into.  The Renegade culture was playing by the "golden rule" (do onto others as you expect them to do onto you) as well as the douchebag rule.

During the Classic Modern Era, the overall culture was very different. This was a time when skaters had more "sexy" attire and it was not uncommon to see skaters in fishnets, garters, petticoats and ruffled panties.  Depending on the league, there were also some sexually explicit skate names. These were elements that brought in external fans (those who had no adjacency to derby) at the time.   

As the Classic Modern Era started to wind down, there was a lot of debate over whether derby should be "selling the sport" instead of "selling the sex".  Through the 2010s, we started to see attitudes start to shift as the sexual elements of the sport faded away in favor of an emphasis on the athleticism.  While the concept of the "Me Too" movement has been around since around 2006, the concept reached an awareness peak in 2017 to address sexual assaults and exploitation of women.  Derby during the 2010s led the way in demonstrating the power of women (cis and trans) without having to resort to sexual exploitation.  

While the days of the fishnets was a significant indicia of the Classic Modern Era's optics, it is a part of the past and should be up to the individual on how they wish to express themselves, not an expectation of the culture or the fan optic.  Any revival of the Classic Modern ruleset should never be dependent on the a revival of the Classic Modern culture.

During the Classic Modern days, transphobia was still very rampant, but it was reflective of the attitudes at the time.  One league was very transphobic in their early days telling people (including representatives of LGBTQ rights organizations) derby was only for "real women" and that trans women had no place in the sport.  Michi-chan experienced her fair share of transphobia during those early days while covering events.  However, we were starting to see acts of inclusion starting in those early days.  At least one league had a trans woman in their roster as early as 2007 on their home teams.  At the time, WFTDA did not have provisions to permit trans women to skate in sanctioned bouts.

The first signs of institutional inclusion started in 2008 through the advocacy of Michi-chan when she served as an advisor to the board of directors of the Old School Derby Association (OSDA) who had resolved that there needs to be a place for trans skaters on single gender teams based on their identified genders.  This was fairly easy for OSDA at the time because OSDA was the only national association at the time to have provisions for "co-ed" (what we now know as "open gender") teams. 

The first transgender policy from WFTDA would come around 2011.  This policy, while seriously flawed (such as using terms like "transgendered"), was a step in the right direction.  Policies at the time focused on hormone levels (which was common in other sports) and had been perceived that leagues would need to obtain medical records.  

While Michi-chan also supported hormone levels at the time, she supported them but in a less intrusive manner.  Many states (including Arizona) allowed for trans women and men, who were undergoing hormone replacement therapy to provide a letter from a medical professional to their motor vehicle department stating that they are under an irreversible therapy and that they will be living in their identified gender, to be able to obtain identification that is congruent with their identified gender.  Michi-chan supported leagues only requiring such identification in order to demonstrate their gender.  In some states (such as Ohio), gender could not be changed or may require evidence of surgery.  In those states, it would be better to just accept the athlete's word.  

By the mid-2010s, the WFTDA policy would evolve to accept "self identification" and that those who were female identified, regardless of birth gender could skate in all events, including sanctioned bouts.  There was obviously some resistance to this in the earlier days, but is the "fear of the unknown" started to taper off, derby had evolved into a sport where trans women and men felt the most welcome and accepted, despite the many moves made by governments to ban trans people (specifically trans women) from participating in sports.

By the late 2010s, the concept of open gender teams was widely accepted by MRDA, JRDA but not WFTDA.  In the 2020s, WFTDA would start experimenting with sanctioning open gender events. Because WFTDA's policies by this time allowed for female identified skaters to participate, they made it clear that open gender play was not the place to "segregate" their trans skaters. 

So yes, while transphobia was pretty rampant in the Classic Modern Era, small steps were being taken during the time to eradicate it and today, even the most transphobic league of the Classic Modern Era is now more welcoming.

The following leagues operated during the Michi-chan era and afterwards during the Era (2003~2012):

This is our state. This is our derby.