ROLLER DERBY 101
~Roller derby is a full-contact sport played on an oval track. The object of the game is to score the most points by lapping opposing team members on the track. A roller derby game is called a Bout. Each Bout consists of two 30-mintue periods and each period contains multiple Jams. A Jam is a 2 minute period in which teams attempt to score points.
TEAMS
There are 2 teams on the track with 5 players on each team.
POSITIONS
1 Jammer – the point scorer
3 Blockers – playing defense
1 Pivot - plays defense, but is the leadership position in the pack, calling the shots
In order to tell the skaters apart, the Jammer wears a star helmet cover and the Pivot wears a striped helmet cover.
The Pivot & the Blockers make up the Pack – their job is to stop the opposing team’s Jammer from breaking though the Pack & scoring, all the while helping their own Jammer advance.
GAME PLAY
The Pivots & Blockers from both teams skate together on the track to form a single Pack. Once the last Pack member skates 30 feet from the starting line, a whistle is blown and the Jammers begin to skate.
The Jammers must skate and muscle their way through the pack and completely exit it to gain the ability to score points. Once the Jammer fights her way out of the Pack, she then races around the track in order to lap the Pack. At this point, each time the Jammer passes the hips of a member of the other team, she scores one point for her team. The first Jammer that legally passes through the Pack first wins the status of Lead Jammer.
A jam ends when the two minute time period is over or the Lead Jammer calls off the jam.
BLOCKS & PENALTIES
Today's roller derby is unlike the entertainment roller derby of the 20th century - there are no longer brutal punches, kicks, fake moves, etc. There are international sport rules that are enforced by referees. For example, skaters receive penalties for all of the following: blocking with any part of the arm below the elbow, kicking, tripping, charging from behind, making a block above the shoulders, or blocking when a player is out of bounds (i.e. off the track). This is a very abbreviated list of fouls.
RESOURCES
This guide covers the basics of roller derby game play – for a complete list of standardized rules & regulations for flat track roller derby, feel free to visit: Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTD)–TheRules of Flat Track Roller Derby
TEAMS
There are 2 teams on the track with 5 players on each team.
POSITIONS
1 Jammer – the point scorer
3 Blockers – playing defense
1 Pivot - plays defense, but is the leadership position in the pack, calling the shots
In order to tell the skaters apart, the Jammer wears a star helmet cover and the Pivot wears a striped helmet cover.
The Pivot & the Blockers make up the Pack – their job is to stop the opposing team’s Jammer from breaking though the Pack & scoring, all the while helping their own Jammer advance.
GAME PLAY
The Pivots & Blockers from both teams skate together on the track to form a single Pack. Once the last Pack member skates 30 feet from the starting line, a whistle is blown and the Jammers begin to skate.
The Jammers must skate and muscle their way through the pack and completely exit it to gain the ability to score points. Once the Jammer fights her way out of the Pack, she then races around the track in order to lap the Pack. At this point, each time the Jammer passes the hips of a member of the other team, she scores one point for her team. The first Jammer that legally passes through the Pack first wins the status of Lead Jammer.
A jam ends when the two minute time period is over or the Lead Jammer calls off the jam.
BLOCKS & PENALTIES
Today's roller derby is unlike the entertainment roller derby of the 20th century - there are no longer brutal punches, kicks, fake moves, etc. There are international sport rules that are enforced by referees. For example, skaters receive penalties for all of the following: blocking with any part of the arm below the elbow, kicking, tripping, charging from behind, making a block above the shoulders, or blocking when a player is out of bounds (i.e. off the track). This is a very abbreviated list of fouls.
RESOURCES
This guide covers the basics of roller derby game play – for a complete list of standardized rules & regulations for flat track roller derby, feel free to visit: Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTD)–TheRules of Flat Track Roller Derby
If you're still confused, try watching this short Youtube video by Ninh Ly published on Nov 25, 2017 :