Itıs always possible to start a team (or a league for that matter) in your city if the city can support it. Some things to think about when forming a league are: Can you find a place to practice? A place to bout? How difficult will it be to recruit skaters?

Hereıs a little "formula" the WFTDA came up with for starting a league. Itıll give you an idea of what you need to do. Also feel free to reach out to all of the other leagues out there...get on their Web site, ask them how they do things.

1. gather up girls (10-20 is a good number to start out with)
2. start skating at open skates
3. find a place where you can eventually have private practices (You will need some funds to achieve this)
4. find a coach(es) (you will also need money for this)
5. start holding fundraisers to pay for #3 & #4
6. research existing league's websites for information about teams and league structures, uniforms, events, rules, and so forth
7. get a webpage, logo, merchandise, etc. (need money for this)
8. set up the business structure of your league to manage insurance, finances, liability, and so forth
9. train, train, train ­ it will probably take at least a year before youıre ready to put on a bout for the public
10. play some derby!!!

The rookie roller leagues yahoo group is an online message board which helps new leagues who wish to become members of the WFTDA.

In order to join, email rookie_leagues@wftda.com with the answers to the following questions:

1. What is the name and location of your league?
2. How many skaters are currently in your league?
3. Where are you skating and how often?
4. Will your teams be co-ed?
5. Will your league skate on a flat- or banked-track?
6. Will your league be owned and/or managed by personnel apart from the skaters?
7. Will the skaters be considered employees of the league?
8. Have you attended one of the ³rollergirls² bouts? Or have you done research into the existing leagues (i.e. looked at all the websites about teams, league structure, uniforms, events, rules)?

There are pros and cons for both LLCs and nonprofits so there is no one "correct" answer to this question. Ask the leagues in your area what they chose and why. Below are some pros and cons of each approach.

Nonprofit organization
An organization that is not conducted for profit, and whose net earnings are devoted exclusively to charitable, educational, or recreational purposes.
Pros for being a nonprofit

• you donıt have to pay taxes

• you have to have a Board of Directors
• you have to submit your Bylaws before being granted nonprofit status (at least in some states)

Limited liability company (LLC)
A Limited Liability Company is a company that is similar in structure to a partnership, but its members are not held personally liable for the company's debts or liabilities. Pros for being a LLC

• you donıt have to submit Bylaws upon incorporation
• you donıt have to have a Board of Directors
• you can have as many ³Owners² as you like

• you have to file a tax return, and any tax responsibility flows through to the owners, meaning that they have to claim their ownership portion on their individual taxes

See the following page for application information: http://www.wftda.com/membership.html

To get letters of recommendation, make sure you are reaching out to the WFTDA leagues in your region. If you don't already have a relationship with leagues near to you, go to their website and get an email address. Email them and introduce yourself! Ask if you could attend their practices and bouts, ask someone on their league to attend your practices and bouts. The leagues in your region are interested in helping and mentoring you!

First, verify that the names you wish to use are not already taken. The master roster of names is here: http://www.twoevils.org/rollergirls/

If your names are not already taken, submit your name(s) to masterroster@gmail.com

WORK IN PROGRESS

WFTDA policy prevents our organization from becoming involved in the affairs of non-member leagues. If your league plans to apply for WFTDA membership, we recommend that you help all of your league-mates understand that the requirements for WFTDA membership includes the following stipulation:

Member leagues must be either direct or representative democracies. Democracies are characterized by voting, whether voting directly on the issues or electing a Board of Directors to vote on issues.

We hope that the implementation of this requirement within leagues that plan to apply for WFTDA membership will help ensure that member leagues are governed by the desires of the majority of skaters.

We also hope that your league can work through the issues itıs currently facing as weıve found that in most cities, one league is ideal.

WORK IN PROGRESS