Welcome to Athens Ohio Roller Derby
MISSION
Athens Ohio Roller Derby is a non-profit organization dedicated to being an inclusive community of roller derby athletes in Appalachian Ohio. We provide a venue for improving mental and physical health and well-being while building community engagement through the sport of roller derby.
VISION
Athens Ohio Roller Derby will be a pillar in the community that creates and maintains a sustainable and distinctive roller derby league which promotes elite competition through sportsmanship and professionalism.
VALUES
Inclusivity: Welcoming individuals of all backgrounds and abilities.
Teamwork: Encouraging collaboration and mutual support.
Resilience: Building strength and perseverance on and off the track.
Empowerment: Inspiring confidence and personal growth.
Community: Fostering a sense of belonging and support within and beyond the league.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Athens Ohio Roller Derby Statement on Trans Athlete Inclusion
At Athens Ohio Roller Derby, we stand unwavering in our commitment to creating an inclusive and affirming community where everyone is celebrated, respected, and supported. Roller derby is, and always will be, for everyone.
In light of recent legislation in Ohio and across the United States aimed at excluding transgender athletes from participating in sports, we want to be unequivocally clear: trans rights are human rights. Trans, nonbinary, gender-expansive, and intersex individuals belong in sports—period.
Athens Ohio Roller Derby believes that everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive, both on and off the track. The beauty of our sport lies in its ability to create empowering spaces where individuals of all identities can come together, form bonds, and grow as athletes and as people. These spaces are only possible when we reject discrimination in all its forms.
We acknowledge that trans athletes, particularly trans athletes of color, face disproportionate harm and exclusion due to the intersection of race, gender, and systemic oppression. We stand in full solidarity with them and commit to amplifying their voices and experiences.
Transphobia does not align with our values or the spirit of roller derby. We oppose policies that seek to harm and marginalize trans people, particularly in sports, where inclusion and community should be at the forefront. We will continue to actively create a safe, accessible, and welcoming environment where trans athletes can be their authentic selves and participate without fear of judgment or exclusion.
To our trans, nonbinary, gender-expansive, and intersex community members: we see you, we love you, and we support you. You will always have a place with us, on the track and beyond. Together, we will keep rolling forward and fighting for a world where everyone can belong and thrive.
Signed in solidarity,
Athens Ohio Roller Derby
