We’re huge fans of this area’s namesake competitive all-girl sk8er team the Rat City Rollergirls, and when we heard that they’re kicking off their 2010 season with a charity fundraiser at Key Arena this Sunday, Jan. 31st, we just had to announce it.

Donation amounts will depend on game outcomes, and the four home teams have chosen to support the following local charities:

• The Throttle Rockets with play for Fisher House, which assists families of military personnel.
• Grave Danger will support OldDog Haven, finding new homes for abandoned senior dogs.
• The Sockit Wenches are skating for Lambert House, a center for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning youth that encourages empowerment by developing life and social skills.
• Derby Liberation Front will support Pinup Angels, who send care packages to troops overseas.

Here are the details on the event:

WHAT: Rat City Rollergirls charity fundraiser bout.

WHEN: Doors open at 2:30 p.m. and the game starts at 3:30 p.m.

WHERE: KeyArena in lower Queen Anne.

INFO: The Rat City Rollergirls now have a dedicated entrance for our season ticket holders – enabling them to score the best seats! Doors on the East side of KeyArena will open for season ticket holders at 2:15pm.

Visit www.ratcityrollergirls.com for more information on the 2010 season.

Founded in April 2004, Rat City Rollergirls, LLC, (RCRG) is Seattle’s (and the Northwest’s) first flat track, all-female roller derby league. RCRG is composed of about 100 member-owners, who are divided among four teams:

• Derby Liberation Front
• Grave Danger
• Sockit Wenches
• Throttle Rockets

RCRG’s fifth team, the Rat City Rollergirls All-Stars, is composed of the best players from the four home teams, who represent RCRG in regional and national play.

Also, be on the lookout early next week for a video we’ll be shooting at Sunday’s bout.

Looking for a better gift than fruitcake this holiday season?

Our friends The Rat City Rollergirls would like everyone to know that they’re returning to the Key Arena for their 6th Season of high-action athletics, and tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster locations, or online by clicking here.

From a press release:

Both Rat City Rollergirl season passes and tickets are the perfect stocking stuffer for you and your family this season. Season passes fit perfectly into any envelope, and they’re the best way to show someone how much you care (or to show them Santa IS listening).

This season, we’re bringing hard-hitting roller derby that the whole family can enjoy at an affordable new price.

General admission is now only $14 and kids under 16 are only $8.

Find greater values when you purchase season tickets before January 2010. The season kick-off is January 31st followed by 4 more chances to experience the exciting, fast paced action:

• March 6
• April 10
• May 1
• June 5

Go to Ticketmaster.com for seating and ticket information at the Key Arena or visit Ratcityrollergirls.com.

They started in White Center, and we’re big fans (heck, we even scrubbed up 16th SW with ‘em) so we’re proud to announce that the Rat City Rollergirls (RCRG) All Stars were invited by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) for a spot in the 2009 WFTDA Western Regional Tournament, which will take place Oct. 2nd – 4th in Denver.

RCRG All-Stars will compete against all-star teams representing nine other roller derby leagues for a chance to advance to the 4th annual WFTDA National Championship, set for Nov. 13-15 in Philadelphia, PA.

The Western Regional Tournament, called “Derby on the Rocks,” is expected to draw hundreds of roller derby players and fans to watch some of the best action the sport has to offer. Fans wishing to cheer on RCRG as they take the national stage can find ticketing and other information at www.derbyontherocks.com.

As the 4th-seeded team in the tournament, RCRG will first play 5th-seed B.ay A.rea D.erby Girls (from San Francisco) at 9pm (MDT) on Friday, Oct. 2nd, and will play at least three games over the course of the three-day, multi-level tournament.

To make it to Regionals, RCRG first had to earn a ranking within the West Region by playing sanctioned bouts against other teams. The top ten teams from each of the four WFTDA regions – based on current rankings – received invitations to their respective regional tournaments. If a league was unable to attend, the next-ranked league was invited.

The West Region includes:

• California
• Washington
• Oregon
• Nevada
• Arizona
• New Mexico
• Colorado
• Utah
• Idaho
• Wyoming
• Montana
• Hawaii

There are currently 23 WFTDA member leagues in the West Region.

If you’d like to donate to the cause, you can “get your ass kicked” by a Rollergirl by clicking here, where your $25-$100 donation will get you cool bumper stickers, mugs and t-shirts.

Be sure to mark your calendars and cheer our Rat City Rollergirls on!

White Center Blog’s intrepid roaming reporter Bart “On the Street” Bryan just called in from SeaTac Airport with this breaking news: the Rat City Rollergirls have just landed, back from Houston where they took third place in the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) “Battle Royale” Regionals!

This means that the RCRGs are now qualified for the WFTDA Finals, which will be held in Portland Nov. 14th and 15th.

In a related development, the RCRGs will be sponsoring a street cleaning of 16th Ave SW this Sat. Oct. 11th, starting at Roxbury and going south for three miles.

So…big huge congrats to the Rat City Rollergirls!

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.