March 2016 Featured League: St. Chux Derby Chix

Located just outside of St. Louis, MO, the St. Chux Derby Chix are gearing up for an exciting 2016! With the 3rd Annual Skate to Thrill Invitational coming up quickly April 9th and 10th, St. Chux are gearing up for one exciting weekend for fans and skaters alike. Learn more about St. Chux, Skate to Thrill and all the other exciting things in the works for 2016.

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Where are you located?
We are located in St. Charles, MO about 20 miles West of St. Louis.

When was your league formed?
Our league was formed in 2009.

When did you join WFTDA?
In September 2012, we became a full WFTDA league.

When did you graduate from the Apprentice Program?
We graduated from the apprentice program in 2011.

How does your season run?
While we practice year round, our competitive season typically runs from February-August. We play, on average, 1-2 bouts per month unless we play in a tournament which could increase that to 3-5.

What are the closest WFTDA leagues to you?
SCDC benefits from being surrounded by WFTDA and MRDA leagues. The Arch Rival Roller Girls are the closest team, followed by Confluence Crush Roller Derby located across the Mississippi in Illinois. SCDC also benefits from the support of the The St. Louis Gatekeepers, currently ranked #1 as a MRDA league.

How many skaters/teams do you have?
We have roughly 40 skaters, with about 5-6 newcomers within the last month. Our league is divided into two teams: our A Team, Pack in Black (Travel Team); and our B Team, Hell’s Belles (Recreational Team). Both teams travel and play competitively. Our teams practice together because we strongly believe that our new skaters develop faster and benefit from playing with our veteran skaters. In return, new skaters bring their enthusiasm and help re-energize the league.

How is your league structured (home teams, travel team, management)?
We have a Board of Directors who develop and enforce SCDC by-laws as well as policies and procedures. The Board is made up of a President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Committee Heads. Our Committee Heads include: IT, Sponsorship, Coaching, Bout, Interleague, and Newbie. We also have a Primary Bench Coach who coaches both A and B team bouts, and is a big asset to our training and team development.

Who is your biggest rival? And have you had any outstanding, memorable moments when you've played them?
We have had a great set of back-and-forth bouts through the years against Demolition City Roller Derby from Evansville, IN. As a fellow Division 2 team that is close geographically and historically in Rankings, we have split wins and losses in a great rivalry.

Do you have any sister/brother/junior leagues you’d like to give a shout out to?
We would like to send a big shout out to our Friends, The St. Louis Gatekeepers. Sharing a metro area with the reigning MRDA Champions means that there’s always a Keeper at our practices, and SCDC skaters are always welcome to practice with the guys. Practicing with the best is a great situation to be in.

What are the individual challenges of your city?
The biggest challenge we strive to overcome is the lack of knowledge of the actual sport of flat track roller derby. Bringing in fans new and old is pretty easy because people are familiar with the term of roller derby. However, not knowing the rules or how the sport is played can be discouraging to some spectators.

What are your biggest training challenges?
We tend to have few issues with training, but our biggest training challenge is organizing training for different types of skaters. Each of our skaters is a different type of athlete. Finding training conditions that encompass the league as a whole while building each skater as an individual is sometimes difficult.

Tell us about your training facilities.
We currently train at Great Skate, a public skating rink in St. Peters, MO. In addition to our skating facility, our league participates in various off-skates cross training, weight lifting, and outdoor activities to help build strength and endurance.

Where do you hold your public games?
Our public games are held at Matteson Square Garden, a multi-sport recreational complex, located in O’Fallon, MO.

How many days a week do you practice? How are your practices divided/organized among your teams/skaters?
We have two evenings of skate practices. We divide our track into three components: New newbie skaters, skaters who are working on crossing off their MST, and our travel team. A normal practice might include basic skills, footwork, strategy, and contact. At the end of each practice we always scrimmage for an hour to help apply our training in live form.

Who are some “behind the scenes” skaters/members who really help your league run?
Refs/NSOs are the backbone of our games. Not only have they made certain games run smoothly, they also assist us with training and fundraising. They are a huge part of the SCDC family.

What are some of your league's biggest accomplishments?
Between the seasons 2014 and 2015, we had roughly 15 skaters who retired or transferred. Without hesitation and a bit of sweat and tears, our players stepped up their game to fill the voids. Even during the off season prior to 2016, our players relentlessly played on and overcame adversity, to become a better team than last season.

St. Chux had an impressive 2015 season, taking home #5 at the D2 Playoffs in Cleveland last fall. What are some of the match-ups and tournaments in your sights for 2016?
We are all excited for next month's WFTDA-Recognized Tournament, the 3rd Annual Skate to Thrill! SCDC always looks forward to this tournament. Skate to Thrill is a full weekend of non-stop derby action with some of the top D2 leagues, D1 leagues, and the pleasure of having international leagues this and the previous year.

We’ll also participate in K-Town Shakedown in Kalamazoo, MI, April 29-May 1. We are determined to qualify for WFTDA Playoffs for the third time.

We are all excited for next month's 3rd Annual Skate to Thrill Invitational! As hosts, what can you share that fans and skaters alike can look forward to at the tournament?
There’s going to be so much talent packed into two days at this year’s Skate to Thrill. What fans and skaters can look forward to is that every team is going to leave their hearts on the track. The pairings of teams should bring a level of excitement that should leave people in amazement. High probability of a few nail biting, gut wrenching bouts to be played.

Who are some of your star skaters on the track, and why?
We have so many great skaters, it’s difficult to pick just a few. Current team captain, Jedi, is the backbone of our jammer rotation, a force to be reckoned with, and always delivers amazing point totals on game day. Former captains Whip L’Ash and Pixie Dust-ruction have been with the team for many years and have been fierce blockers that should never be underestimated. Whip L’Ash is our leading blocker, and if you’ve seen her work you will know why she has earned that name. Her ability to play is only secondary to how much she has helped train our team.

You are an incredibly community- and charity-focused league, how has this part of your league's mission helped you find your place with fans in St. Charles? Are there any exciting charitable causes you are working toward in 2016?
It is important to us to give back to the community that supports us. We will be supporting several charities this year. In February we supported The Magdalene House of St. Louis a residential community for women who have survived lives of prostitution, violence, and addiction. Some future charitable causes include but are not limited to St. Ann Pet adoption help our furry friends find homes, and the Megan Meier Foundation creating awareness and prevention to bullying and cyber bullying.

Do you have any big fundraisers coming up?
Nerd Wars Trivia is a big hit within our community. Themed with a ComicCon atmosphere we encourage our participants to dress as their favorite characters. Just recently we hosted a very successful poker tournament we hold annually. In addition, we work concession stands throughout the MLB season for the St. Louis Cardinals and occasionally work events at the Edward Jones Dome. It makes for a long day, but the benefits are worth the hard work. We meet a large amount of fans as well as earn funding to help our team financially.

Who are some of your favorite sponsors?
We love our sponsors and couldn’t be the team we are without them. SCDC would like to give a special thanks to Hooters in St. Peters; Monster Energy drink; and a local radio station The Viper 100.7.

Do you have a special message for your fans?
To all of our fans: We greatly appreciate you and your support. Nothing is more rewarding to look into the crowd and see all the smiles and hear all the cheers. You’re one of the reasons we love what we do on the track. Spread the Derby Love with Everyone!

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