Roller derby is an amazing, athletic, action-packed game on wheels, played on an oval track by two opposing teams, each ultimately trying to outscore the other with as many points as possible to win! However, it’s not just a race. It’s a “bout”, where each team is not only trying to score, but doing everything they can to keep the opposing team from scoring.
In women’s flat track roller derby, each bout is played for 60 minutes, in two 30-minute periods, by a pack of skaters on quad roller skates. A “pack” is the largest group of skaters on the track that includes blockers from both teams, skating in-bounds within 10 feet of each other, usually much closer. Each period is comprised of a number of “jams”, in which each team fields five skaters: four blockers and one jammer. The “jammer” on each team - wearing the starred helmet cover, and starting at the “jammer” start line (at the back) - is the point scorer, scoring one point for each opposing player she laps legally (including any in the penalty box), and can gain “lead jammer” status if she is the first jammer to get through the pack, in bounds, legally passing all blockers on her initial pass. The “blockers”, including the “pivot” - the blocker wearing the striped helmet cover, usually starting first at the “pivot” start line (at the front), and the only player who can assume the jammer’s role in a “star pass” (when a team’s jammer removes her helmet cover and passes it to the pivot, who then becomes the jammer once the jammer’s helmet cover is on her head) - work inside the pack, both offensively to help their jammer score, and defensively to keep the opposing jammer from scoring. Blockers do this by blocking opponents, assisting their jammer, changing the pace of the pack, and executing detailed strategies to better their chances. Each “jam” is played for two minutes, or until it is called off by the lead jammer, by repeatedly tapping her hands against her hips requesting the jam to be called. A jammer may call of a jam to keep the other team from scoring, if there is no point in racing a fast pack, if the jammer is exhausted or injured, to extend the period with a subsequent jam or kill time on the period clock to prevent another jam from starting, or a variety of other strategic reasons.
During a bout, penalties are assessed by the officials (in stripes) for any infractions of the rules that have “major” or “minor” impact on game play (e.g.: using elbows, forearms, head blocks, back blocks, cutting, etc). Major penalties require the offending skater to serve one minute in the penalty box, while minor penalties are noted and accrued. Once four minor penalties accumulate, the offending skater serves one minute in the penalty box. A player who earns 7 trips to the penalty box during the course of a bout is expelled from the bout.
Successive jams are played until the end of each 30-minute period, or, until the natural conclusion of the last jam (possibly longer than the period clock in certain situations). The periods are separated by a half-time of at least 5 minutes (usually longer). The bout reaches its conclusion at the end of the second period, including any overtime jams - if the score is tied at the end of the last period, an overtime jam will be played for a set time of two minutes, where jammers will score on their initial pass and lead jammer status cannot be earned. If the score is still tied at the end of the first overtime jam, subsequent overtime jams will be played until one team scores more points than the other, and is declared the winner.
Any questions? Ask your favorite player… She’ll be happy to tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the revolutionary, empowering sport of roller derby! You can also see the full and complete rule set by checking out the WFTDA website!