We Mean Business
Founded in 2001 in Austin, Texas by trailblazing “She-E-Os” Anya Jack, April Herman, Heather Burdick and Nancy Lynn, TXRD—Lonestar Rollergirls has always possessed 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 rockin’ local music thrown in for good measure.
Primarily composed of women between the ages of 21 and 45, the Lonestar Rollergirls are DIY at its finest. Most of our business is handled in-house; our members pool their resources and varied skill sets to keep their league up and rolling. With over 25 committees and an elected governing body, we have fought to build our organization from the ground up, never giving up even when times were lean. The same work ethic continues to pervade the league today as TXRD looks to the future and plots the course for where the next five years will take us. Our plans are big and our dreams even bigger, and there is no doubt that TXRD will continue to impact Austin and beyond in a serious way.
Sports or Entertainment?
Female athletes have always been set apart from their male counterparts. Lady Bulldogs. Lady Cubs. Lady Eagles. Not so in roller derby. Derby is the first real all-female sport, and the male and co-ed leagues are the ones who are distinguished from the all-girl default. Derby girls certainly consider ourselves athletes and will continue to do so in the future.
That being said, what would roller derby be if it wasn’t flashy and fun as well? Thanks to the tireless work of those who came before us, women are freer than ever to pursue our passions. If such passions include skating in a circle in fishnet stockings and hitting our friends, we certainly will do so. Our uniforms and tough attitudes may not conform to any ideals of beauty or femininity, but we are decidedly gorgeous women just the same.
TXRD continues to walk a fine line between sports and entertainment, a unique concept not only in sports in general but in roller derby itself. Though the focus has shifted over the years to the real, hard-hitting action, TXRD still offers a little something extra. Our games feature not only fist-fighting but also duels, tug-o-wars, and pillow fights. Some people think we fight as a gimmick; we know that we fight because the game just isn’t the same without it.
Spreading the Love
Since 2005, TXRD has hosted many guest trainers as well as held invitational games and scrimmages with other leagues, namely the Renegade Rollergirls from Arizona, the LA Derby Dolls, and the Charm City Rollergirls from Baltimore. In 2010, the Lonestar Rollergirls participated for the third time in the most recent of the first three interstate banked-track derby tournaments, which were dubbed Battle on the Bank.
The explosion of the sport of roller derby is in many ways due to TXRD’s appearances in the 2006 series Rollergirls and the movie Whip It. Though the insane influx of fans on both occasions was almost more than we could handle, we are proud and honored to be the impetus behind the creation of so many leagues. We look forward to continuing to build relationships with leagues across the country and the globe.
Press
Local and national media have taken notice of the women of TXRD, recognizing that this group of women is truly unique. We have been featured in the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, the Austin American-Statesman, the Austin Chronicle, Austin Monthly,Austin Fit, Bust magazine, Drill magazine, Loaded, Texas Monthly, Hustler, Rank and Review, SPIN, Texas Highways magazine, IN magazine, and the Daily Texan (University of Texas at Austin) and the University Star (Texas State University, San Marcos), among many other university publications. We have also appeared on various radio and television stations including Austin Music Network (AMN), National Public Radio (NPR), KLJB radio, 101X radio, Mega 93.3 radio, KAOS 95.9 pirate radio, KVRX radio, KOOP radio, Comedy Central’s Insomniac with Dave Attell, News 8 Austin, and KXAN News Austin, Univision Deportes, and ESPN’s SportsCenter.
TXRD is also featured in multiple music videos, as well as a documentary filmed by Bob Ray and Werner Campbell of Crashcam Films. The documentary, entitled Hell on Wheels, tells the story of the group of women who created 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, a dramatic league split that preceded their first bone-breaking, smashingly successful first season.
In 2006, the Lonestar Rollergirls were featured in a 13-episode television series on A&E titled Rollergirls. This program 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. The series initiated the beginnings of hundreds of league across the country and throughout the world. That same year, the Lonestar Rollergirls had the chance to skate in higher-capacity venues across Austin, including the Austin Convention Center in the heart of downtown, where we still skate to this day.
In 2009, Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, entitled Whip It, resulted in an overwhelming amount of interest from both die-hard fans and derby virgins. Based on TXRD’s earlier back-alley DIY style, the film followed a small-town girl (played by Ellen Page) through her journey of finding her passion, strength and individuality in roller derby. Two of TXRD’s finest skaters were cast in the movie as stunt doubles. The movie brought many new people to love roller derby as well as showcased the “We Can Do It!” feminist attitude. The movie also continued to set derby girls apart as the new wave of role models for young women across the nation.
Community Pride
Someone from every clique, age group, culture, and every other demographic has been to one of our bouts: Hollywood directors, monks, bikers, bachelorette partiers, college students and professors, and individuals from across the globe have come to see the ladies of TXRD skate their hearts out. Because TXRD has worked so hard to bring derby into the public eye, the average demographic of attendees at bouts has increased to include practically every individual possible!
We represented at PrideFest, Austin’s local gay and lesbian parade and festival and slaughtered the competition at GirlStart’s ping-pong tournament. We were honored to be the featured presenters at the University of Texas Women’s Week—and all that just this season! TXRD has always been involved with the Austin community through local events and by donating our money, time, and swag to many charities including BACA, GENaustin and SafePlace. We love our town and our fans, and it shows.