As rocker Tom Petty musically crooned in 1985, “The waiting is the hardest part.”
For the two local women’s flat-track roller derby franchises covered by Arch City Sports, the anticipation of their respective post-seasons is reaching a fever pitch.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
Both the primary travel squads of the Arch Rival Roller Girls (ARRG) and the St. Chux Derby Chix (SCDC) optimistically await the reveal of the next set of calculated rankings by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), which will determine playoff seed and tournament location designation. The governing body will release its brackets within two weeks’ time.
Calculated rankings within the WFTDA implement an algorithm that takes into consideration a team’s overall strength, its respective game-day opponents’ strength and the ensuing differentials of games played during the past twelve months.
Photo Credit: Jeff Higgins
Where the final rank of current #14 Arch Rival and #47 St. Chux lands and which tournament both will inevitably compete at is anyone’s guess.
Sure, they might internally know where they could potentially finish, rank-wise. There is, however, the variable of where all the other playoff contending leagues land within the hierarchy, which might alter the complexion of the locals’ future tournament schedules.
Indeed, the hardest part for both is the waiting.
“It’s definitely a little bit nerve-wracking, waiting to see what happens,” said St. Chux captain Pixie Dust-Ruction. “Especially since it’s not only up to how we play, but to how other leagues do. Somebody doing well or poorly can shift everybody around, so it’s just a waiting game now to see how things shake out in the end.”
“We’ve done everything that we’ve needed to do,” said Arch Rival co-captain Bricktator. “So for now, with the wait, we’re just letting it happen because everything is out of our hands.”
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
For St. Louis-based Arch Rival (11-0), the whirlwind season included victories over #7 Minnesota, #21 Team United, #26 Dallas and #28 Steel City.
Right now, Arch Rival is designated by the WFTDA as Division 1, earmarked for the Top 40-ranked leagues internationally. That division begins four separate, ten-team playoffs beginning in early September.
With its current rank of #14, St. Louis is slotted as a fourth seed in one of the four WFTDA Division 1 playoffs. However, if the next set of rankings contains a two-position jump, Arch Rival would claim a particular playoff’s third seed. The aforementioned win over the seventh-ranked Minnesotans in early June should help its cause.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
“We really want to be a number three,” said Arch Rival pivot Mayor Francis Slayer. “With the games that we added to the calculator in June, we think that we’ll get that number three seed.”
When its final rank is solidified, St. Louis will compete at a Division 1 playoff held in either Tucson (AZ), Dallas (TX), Jacksonville (FL) or Omaha (NE). Slayer says her squad is more concerned with tournament opponents than geographic location.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
“Really we’re more worried about who were playing rather than where we’re playing,” she says.
That being said for self-financed St. Louis rollers, a six-hour car hop to Omaha in early October is certainly less taxing, and cost-efficient, than a five hour flight to Tucson in early September.
“I think that with Omaha being within driving distance for us, that would be nice,” said Bricktator. “We can also have possibly support from our fans. That would be a bonus.”
Photo Credit: Jeff Higgins
Meanwhile, St. Charles County-based St. Chux (2-7), had a topsy-turvy year against comparable squads. Their two lone wins were against #61 Brew City and #83 Tiger Bay, but they maintained respectable losing differentials against #30 Arizona, #44 Nashville and #49 Naptown to keep its potential playoff dreams intact.
For SCDC, they currently sit in WFTDA Division 2, designated for the international leagues ranked #41 through #60. The hierarchy’s two weekend playoff tourney of ten begins in late-August.
With its current rank of #47, St. Chux would be a particular Division 2 playoff’s third seed. However, there is the potential for a drop to mid-bracket with its setbacks this season and the traction of hard-charging leagues that sit underneath.
Photo Credit: Jeff Higgins
Numerous injuries to the starting line-up this season has plagued the St. Charles County-based rollers, resulting in game outcomes that might have been different if the squad was fully-stocked. Regardless, the Pack In Black are up for the challenge no matter where they end up.
“We are eager to see rankings, but I feel that the team has rallied behind the rag tag line up,’ said St. Chux blocker Whip L’Ash. “Considering all the unfortunate events, I am proud of so many skaters stepping up into solid travel team positions. It’s been a tough season, probably our toughest, but with it has come a new wave of growing skaters and that’s exciting to see.”
And that new wave will get to experience a WFTDA Division 2 playoff round in either Cleveland (OH) or Detroit (MI).
Photo Credit: Jeff Higgins
Last season marked SCDC’s inaugural trip into a post-season tournament, which saw them as a playoff’s top seed. That’s a lot for frenzy for a newbie. The Pack In Black is being realistic in its potential post-season and just making the Division 2 dance of twenty leagues is rewarding enough.
“In some weird way, there is a little less stress, possibly due to less pressure, if we indeed end up somewhere in the middle,” said L’Ash.
Photo Credit: Bob Dunnell
In the end, the goal of both leagues is to make a push into the WFTDA Championships weekend, held in St. Paul, Minnesota, in November. If Arch Rival concludes its respective Division 1 playoff as one of the top three finishers, they’ll earn a trip to the Gopher State finale. Meanwhile, if St. Chux snags one of the top two slots at its respective Division 2 playoff, they will take a trek to the North Star State.
“We have all the right tools and everybody is dedicated,” assessed Arch Rival’s Slayer. “We have our eyes on a common goal. Everyone feels that this is the year for us to do it. We have everything we need to get to where we want to go. We just want the right teams in our bracket so we have the easiest possible route to Championships.”
Photo Credit: Jeff Higgins
“We know what to expect and I think having to face adversity has actually helped us to become more malleable as a team,” said SCDC’s L’Ash. “I believe you will see some great things from St. Chux at playoffs. The constant that you will see is a team that is having fun while playing with determination, teamwork, and above all, class.”
(When final pre-playoff WFTDA rankings are released, and when both squads find out where they will be playing at for their respective post-seasons, we’ll provide you an update at archcitysports.com.)
For more information on the Arch Rival Roller Girls, go to www.archrivalrollergirls.com.
For more information on the St. Chux Derby Chix, go to www.stchuxderbychix.com.
By trade, he is a six-time, regional Emmy Award-winning news videographer/editor for KTVI/KPLR-TV. By hobby, he is a writer for Arch City Media, dating back to February 2014. Emphasis is on featuring and promoting local women's sports, but will cover anything that is not reported by traditional media outlets. Also a contributor to local concert reviews.
