YARD is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

[1] The league was founded in December 2008 by Tifany Griffith, known as "Ground Zero".

Little Steel won its first bout against a Steel City Derby Demons team,[2] but progress was initially slow and it was only in October 2010 that it was ready to play its first home bout.

[3] By early 2011, the league had 24 skaters, and was aiming to join the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

[5] Little Steel rebranded in 2023 to become the Youngstown Area Roller Derby to have a more inclusive name to bring in more skaters and to extend into co-ed competition in the future.