In July of 2009 eight girls (and a ref) got together to talk derby at a local indy clothing shop in Zürich Switzerland. We came from different cultures, different skating backgrounds, all walks of life (heck, we even spoke a few different languages) but we came together with a common goal – it was time to bring roller derby to Switzerland. Just a few short weeks later, the ZCRG had a name, a logo, a website, and we began the search for our new home away from home – a local skating venue.

Zürich City Rollergirlz are the first roller derby Verien in Switzerland. We play women’s flat track roller derby by current WFTDA rules. It is our goal to bring a sport we love to a country we call home. It’s been a fun and interesting journey to spread the love of a brand new sport to a place that’s never heard of it. Not only do we have all of the normal challenges of starting a league but we also have to create the interest, build the fan base, and find the surfaces to skate on. Most of our conversations start with the most basic of questions – what is roller derby?

Derby is a DIY (do it yourself) sport. Our league, like most, is skater run… everyone plays a part. As a member you’re not just a skater, you have a say in all aspects of the league – promoting, designing, recruiting – you are welcome to help with whatever appeals to you. Derby girls come from all walks of life. You don’t need to have a sporty background, you don’t need to be in great shape, in fact, you don’t even need to know how to skate. We welcome beginners as well as seasoned skaters. We are a diverse group of women from a variety of lifestyles and we encourage women from all walks of life to participate without fear of prejudice. All we ask of new girls to show up with a great attitude and be committed to learning something new and give it your best.

Roller derby is a positive character building experience that offers an opportunity for you to get in shape, build self confidence, and meet other self motivated, resilient women. We strive to empower women in all ways. We help build a spirit of athleticism, sportsmanship, teamwork, independence, and a positive self image. If these are qualities that appeal to you, we want you to join us! The ZCRG team is like a family and we’d like to welcome you as a new member to help us grow and spread the love of rollerderby across Switzerland.

For more information, please take a look at our FAQ or email us your questions at info@rollerderby.ch.