15th February, 2022 — Good Sports awards
Roller Derby champs win Darling Downs Sports Award
Toowoomba City Rollers have been crowned the winner of this year’s Sports Darling Downs Good Sports Award!
This champion club won the award for their commitment to promoting roller derby as an inclusive and safe community for people of all ages.
In collaboration with Good Sports, the Sports Darling Downs Good Sports Award aims to distribute funds to sporting individuals, teams and organisations to assist their development pursuit of excellence in sport.
Toowoomba City Rollers set out to promote the real spirit of the sport, said Club President Raelene Dennis, by creating an environment for members to thrive, and changing how people saw roller derby culture.
“We noticed that there was a negative perception of roller derby in our community, probably because of pop culture. We knew this perception couldn’t be further from the truth of how inclusive, positive and fun the sport can be,” said Raelene.
“Through Good Sports policies and resources, we’re able to show the community that our club prioritises the health and wellbeing of our members. Resulting in a wider range of people embracing roller derby as a mainstream sport and proudly engaging in skating outside of the club.”
Judges impressed by Toowoomba City Rollers
The club really shines in the community on many levels. The members support the local Gowrie Junction community by managing the operations of community halls to ensuring its availability for all to use and enjoy.
Toowoomba City Rollers’ generosity and dedication towards their members and the sport in general, along with the demonstrated shift in culture, stood out to the Good Sports judging panel.
“We were very impressed by how supportive Toowoomba City Rollers are of all roller derby clubs, assisting new and established leagues across Australia and hosting multiple Australian team training sessions for juniors and seniors,” said Ashlee Adams-Smith, Senior Community Development Officer with Good Sports.
“Their perseverance and enthusiasm for creating a healthier sporting community for future roller derby champs through this supportive community they’ve built is genuine. They’ve successfully established a more family-friendly and inclusive culture not typically associated with the sport.”