About USARS

USA Roller Sports (USARS) is the national governing body of competitive roller sports in the United States, including inline/rink hockey, speed skating, figure skating; and since 2011, roller derby. Founded in 1937, USARS is recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the International Roller Sports Federation (FIRS) as having jurisdiction over official national events and in organizing teams for internationally-recognized events, such as the the Pan American Games and (potentially) the Olympic Games.

Before making its official entry into roller derby governance in 2011, USARS assisted the growth of the modern game by making available USARS memberships and the necessary insurance liability coverage it came with to leagues. However, USARS was ill-equipped to handle the rapid influx of derby skaters, which in part led to the creation of the WFTDA. While USARS is in the process of recovering from poor management decisions made in the past, their official recognition still gives them some sway, nationally and internationally, in helping to guide the growth of roller derby.

The USARS tournament season consists of a number of regional tournaments, and one national tournament, open to any teams wishing to participate. Hundreds of roller derby leagues/skating clubs and thousands of players are affiliated with USARS. Yet due to the relative newness of the USARS roller derby program and the prolific use of WFTDA roller derby rules, only about 30 teams currently play by the rules published by the organization. This number is growing, however, due to the increasing awareness and popularity of its version of the game.

More about USARS:

USA Roller Sports Home Page – News, features, events for all USARS disciplines
USARS Roller Derby Home Page – Rules, Resources, and Insurance info
USARS Roller Derby Rules on Facebook – Official rules discussion page



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