Track Setup
Women's flat track roller derby is played on a variety of floors and surfaces, including concrete, sport court, and wood. The track layout is 108 feet by 75 feet and is flat and oval. It also includes both the outside lane and the infield area for officials. You'll notice there are two primary lines across one side of the straightaway on the track. The back line is called the jammer line, and jammers must start each jam behind that line on the track. The other line is called the pivot line, and blockers start the jam anywhere on the track between the jammer line and the pivot line. Once the jam starts, the skaters are allowed to skate forward, past these lines and start making contact, but they must stay on the track at all times, if they can help it
Gameplay
Roller derby is played in increments called jams. Each jam lasts up to two minutes. Both teams field up to five skaters at the start of the jam. Four of these skaters are called blockers, and one is called the jammer. The jammer wears a helmet cover with a star on it and scores points for the team. The blockers are playing both offense and defense at the same time, and together they make up what is called the pack. The two jammers start each jam behind the pack and must get through all of these skaters for an initial pass before they can begin to score points. When the initial pass is complete, a jammer can score one point for every opponent they pass with their hips. The first jammer out of the pack legally is declared lead jammer, which means they can end the jam anytime they want before the two minutes are up. Sounds easy, right?
Scoring
Roller derby is a hard-hitting contact sport, played on quad roller skates. The object of the game is simple: score a point for every opponent you pass, but getting there is not so simple. At the beginning of the jam, each team fields a jammer. The jammer is the skater with a star on her helmet And she is the only one allowed to score points for her team After the whistle, each jammer must make what's called their initial pass through the pack before they can start scoring points. On each subsequent pass, they can score one point for each opposing blocker they pass upright and in bounds on the track. If a jammer completely laps an opposing jammer, she can also earn a point for passing her. Each point is scored by the jammer's hips getting past her opponents, not her skates. Requiring speed, agility, and even a little creativity.
Penalty Quick Reference Guide
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