(image courtesy of kcrollerwarriors.com)

Returning Players:

Captain: Barbrarian
Co-Captain: Sara Pain & Brawl

Archie Lee
Bonita Bandita
Brain Czar Us
Bubonic Peg
Dirty Herri (formerly Hells Heroine)
Diva de los Muertos
Dolly Darton
Flying Monkey
Lucha Lethal

* * *

Notice some holes in the lineup? You’re not the only one. I had to confirm with Bubonic Peg that I hadn’t just missed something. I knew Case Closed and Bruz-Her had re-entered this year’s draft, but I was not aware of the players the Dorothys were losing to retirement. Still, watch for new captain Barbrarian to take a much larger role on the track this year alongside veterans Archie Lee and Sara Pain, and from the looks of it, 2012 will give some players who weren’t as high-profile in the past a chance to step up and show what they’re made of. On that front, I’d keep an eye on Diva de los Muertos, Flying Monkey, and Lucha Lethal in particular.

Transfers

Gypsy Roller (transfer from the Harbor City Roller Dames)

* * *

It’s really anyone’s guess at this point what Gypsy Roller brings to the table for the coming season. The Harbor City Roller Dames were only accepted into the WFTDA‘s Apprentice Program in October, so it may be that the Dorothys’ latest transfer is still cutting her teeth. That’s pure speculation, though, and we may well find out differently as the season approaches.

Rookies

Buffy Slammers
Chelsea (derby name as yet unknown)
Ram Ram
RecycleHer
Sk8l Attraction
Sneaky Pete

* * *

The 2012 Dreadnought Dorothys have far more rookies this year than any other team in KCRW, and that paired with the extensive list of retirees below probably signals a period of relative rebuilding for the Ruby Reds. I did say relative; you can expect the Dorothys to continue a lot of the same hard-hitting, high-scoring game play they’ve become known for, but it’s clear they’ve been taken down a notch. The Rink of Fire Championship is no longer a foregone conclusion. While it’s safe to acknowledge that these rookies must have impressed to have been drafted to the Dorothys, they may have a thing or two to prove before they can fill the skates of some of the ladies who have retired or transferred.

Retiring:

Bamboozler
Eclipse
Hall Balls
Ira Gash
Scratch N Tiff
Thunderstruck
Toto Basketcase

* * *

I am still in shock at the news that both Eclipse and Hall Balls have called it a career. The great Number Zero was consistently the best blocker I’d seen in my travels, and Balls one of the most dominant jammers I’d ever had the pleasure of watching trackside. This is going to have significant implications for the Wolfpack on the national front, and although I’m confident that KCRW‘s roster will step up accordingly, no one in St. Louis wanted to see Pujols pack it up for L.A., if you see what I mean. These two incomparable stars will be sorely missed by the Dorothys, the All-Stars, and fans alike.

I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention the retirement of Kelley Young, formerly known as Snot Rocket, from the Wolfpack as well. I don’t know what the biggest shock of all was, but this one was right up there. Kelley Young was our ace; she was practically unstoppable in Denver this season, and the fact that she came out of retirement having disowned her former moniker tells the story of a reputation of blazing speed, skill, and grace that even she didn’t want to deal with (you can only imagine how her opponents must have felt). Even though she hadn’t actually been a Dorothy for quite some time, there will never be another Kelley Young, in Kansas City or anywhere else.