Allentown, PA-  The Lehigh Valley Rollergirls (LVRG) are charged up to announce their 2013 schedule.  The two teams of the league, the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) sanctioned Hissy Fits and the Special Vixens Unit (SVU), will be skating a combined 12 bouts this season and will once again be hosting the “Battle in the Valley” tournament to wrap up the season.  

A major highlight of the season is an exciting new rule set that will make the bouts easier to follow for spectators and even faster on the floor by eliminating minor penalties and the second starting whistle.  According to LVRG President Tanara “Helen DaRink” Govern, "I think that the rule changes from the WFTDA will make the bouts more exciting to watch from a fan’s point of view.  The change to a single whistle start will get the jam going quicker and will change the structure of derby play in many ways. The removal of minor penalties will also improve the flow of the game."

The season will open on Feb. 16 with an intraleague “Pink versus Black” bout.  This will be a great opportunity for fans to see the returning players from last season take on the new 2013 rule set. "Fans will be getting their first taste of these invigorating changes with Lehigh Valley's season opening intraleague bout.  If you thought you knew derby, guess again,” said LVRG Head Coach Michele “Rose Beef” Dolgos.

After that, SVU will be skating in four bouts and the Hissy Fits will skate in six WFTDA sanctioned bouts this season, including a 500 mile road trip to take on Cape Fear Roller Girls in North Carolina.  When asked about the upcoming season, new Hissy Fits Captain Lynda “Lin Diesel” Searfass replied, "I am really excited about this season. We are starting with the most returning skaters we have ever had and we have open recruit scheduled in January, which should bring our league membership to an all time high."

This year LVRG will again be offering season tickets and with only four away bouts this season, they are a real steal for serious fans.  www.brownpapertickets.com/event/309495

Complete LVRG Schedule

1/28/13:New Player Orientation (open to the press)

2/16/13:HOME -- Pink vs. Black (Intraleague bout)

3/09/13:HOME -- Hissy Fits vs. Ithaca

4/06/13:HOME -- Hissy Fits vs. Mother State

4/27/13:HOME -- Special Vixens Unit vs. Black Rose

5/11/13:HOME -- Hissy Fits vs. Harrisburg Area Roller Derby (HARD)

6/15/13:AWAY -- Special Vixens Unit vs. Iron Mountain

7/13/13:HOME -- Hissy Fits vs. New River Valley

8/10/13:AWAY -- Special Vixens Unit vs. Ithaca

8/24/13:HOME -- Hissy Fits vs. Salisbury

9/07/13:HOME -- Special Vixens Unit vs. Iron Mountain

9/28/13:AWAY -- Hissy Fits vs. Cape Fear

10/19/13:HOME -- Pink vs. Black (Intraleague bout)

11/2/13:HOME -- Battle in the Valley Tournament

About LVRG- With the revival of women’s roller derby sweeping the nation, the Lehigh Valley Rollergirls were established in January 2006 with the hope of bringing the thrill and excitement of the game to the Valley. The Lehigh Valley Rollergirls are the area’s only women’s flat track roller derby league, and have rapidly grown from just a handful of women meeting at open skates to full WFTDA members with two currently competing travel teams. LVRG has received much attention from local media outlets, including PBS and Pulse Weekly, and even traveled to Montreal in June 2007 to play in one of the first international roller derby bouts since the revival of the sport. This non-profit, skater-owned and operated league is dedicated to promoting strong women and the spirit of sisterhood, both on and off the track. When not in the rink, the girls can often be found at various community events in the area. www.lehighvalleyrollergirls.com

About WFTDA- The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association is the international governing body for the sport of women’s flat track roller derby and a membership organization for leagues to collaborate and network. The WFTDA sets standards for rules, seasons, and safety, and determines guidelines for the national and international athletic competitions of member leagues. There are currently 172 WFTDA member leagues and 94 leagues in the WFTDA Apprentice program.  www.wftda.com