SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ROLLER DERBY!

Ithaca SufferJets need your help now, more than ever!

Our goal for 2017 is to compete in the International WFTDA Division II Championships! Because Roller Derby is such a unique and dynamic sport, teams around the world must travel a great deal to find adequate competition. This year 3 of the * THE BEST * tournaments in the United States have invited us to play. The SufferJets know that unless we compete at this high level, any chance for making it to Championships are over before the season even begins.

skaters also cross-train year-round in order to maintain tip-top shape to be able to compete at the highest level of this sport.

Qualifying for Division II Championships is the goal that haunts our workouts and daydreams. It is a goal that is rooted so deeply in our hearts and minds as we live our lives day-in and day-out. Our members hold full-time jobs, parent children, and generally keep our tiny upstate New York towns running smoothly. Our skaters return to the track after major injuries, surgeries, childbirth, and other life-changing events because we know we need our sisters in skates in order to make sense of our lives. We all need something to live for, and our skaters need Roller Derby. When life gets tough, we are, and always will be, there for each other. Indeed, Ithaca Rolls Deep.

You can help us to keep rolling in 2017. Any and all donations are appreciated and will ultimately get us closer to our goal.

The Big Picture:

For over 10 years Ithaca League of Women Rollers For have provided a space for women across Ithaca and the surrounding area to find social and emotional support among other women while competing together in a physically and mentally challenging sport. Modern roller derby is unique in that it is a fast-action contact sport led by women as opposed to so many other sports that present as a "women's alternative" to a male-dominated sport.The pro-women attitude is galvanized by the ILWR's focus on issues of women’s empowerment, body positivism, and inclusivity. The result is a safe community where women support each other in their successes, encourage each other through their defeats, and receive the same in return - whether on or off the track.

League-members have a vote and a voice in the management and direction of the organization to ensure that the league is reflective of the women who participate. It is common for women who have retired from the training and competition aspect of the organization to continue to volunteer with the organization because of the strong bonds that they have formed and because they continue to believe in the importance of the mission of ILWR.

Like the adult program, the Junior Derby program focuses on developing teamwork, relationship building, self-confidence, empowerment, athletic skills, and sportsmanship. Roller derby can be an alternative for children and teens who do not feel comfortable with, or inspired by, mainstream sports programs. In our juniors program, young women participate in afterschool training programs and compete in full production games in front of family, friends, and fans.

ILWR is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which endeavors to provide athletic opportunities for women and youth, and to promote the well-being of our region through charitable donations, volunteering, and community outreach for numerous community-oriented non-profits and women-centered organizations. ILWR is a member of WFTDA (Women's Flat Track Derby Association) and currently ranked 87 out of 320 teams in the world.

So please, help us keep the dream alive in 2017 and supply a tax deductible donation to help us succeed!

Donations will help with preparations for our TENTH home season, travel expenses, and other outlying costs.

***NOTE: If you already donated at one of these levels, we haven't forgotten about you! We're keeping track of your donations and will give you rewards as well!***