What: Women's Flat Track Derby, also known as “roller derby”, is based on roller skating in formation around an oval track. Points are scored as certain players lap members of the opposing team.
Who: Modern roller derby is predominantly played by women, though men of ten played when the sport was invented in the mid-1900's. Most participants are now women over the age of 18 who are interested in having a good time while competing in athletics.
HOW ROLLER DERBY IS PLAYED
A roller derby team is made up of five girls playing in one of the following positions:
Jammer: One per team, this player scores the points. Identified by the star on their helmet
Pivot: One per team, this player acts as the “pace car” and keeps the pace of the pack. Identified by the stripe on their helmet.
Blocker: Three per team, these players try to stop the other team's jammer from passing through the pack to score points while also attempting to propel their own jammer through the pack. Blockers wear no specific helmet.
In roller derby, each game is called a bout. Bouts usually consist of several races, or jams. Bouts traditionally have two halves, lasting 30 minutes each.
At the beginning of the jam, the pivots and blockers wait at the starting line. The referee blows a whistle and they skate as a pack while the jammers wait at the starting line. When the entire pack crosses the starting line, the referee blows the whistle again, and the jammers start to skate.
At this point the jammers begin to skate through the pack. The first jammer to successfully navigate through the pack, without incurring any penalties will be designated the "lead jammer." This designation gives the jammer the right to call off (end) the jam whenever they choose by touching their hips.
Once a jammer has passed the pack once, every pass after that will gain the jammer points. A jammer receives one point for each opposing player she passes. If she also passes the opposing team's jammer, that is an additional point and is considered a "grand slam." The jam ends when either the lead jammer calls off the jam or two minutes elapses.
At the end of the bout, the team with the most points wins.
Who: Modern roller derby is predominantly played by women, though men of ten played when the sport was invented in the mid-1900's. Most participants are now women over the age of 18 who are interested in having a good time while competing in athletics.
HOW ROLLER DERBY IS PLAYEDA roller derby team is made up of five girls playing in one of the following positions:
In roller derby, each game is called a bout. Bouts usually consist of several races, or jams. Bouts traditionally have two halves, lasting 30 minutes each.
At the beginning of the jam, the pivots and blockers wait at the starting line. The referee blows a whistle and they skate as a pack while the jammers wait at the starting line. When the entire pack crosses the starting line, the referee blows the whistle again, and the jammers start to skate. At this point the jammers begin to skate through the pack. The first jammer to successfully navigate through the pack, without incurring any penalties will be designated the "lead jammer." This designation gives the jammer the right to call off (end) the jam whenever they choose by touching their hips.
Once a jammer has passed the pack once, every pass after that will gain the jammer points. A jammer receives one point for each opposing player she passes. If she also passes the opposing team's jammer, that is an additional point and is considered a "grand slam." The jam ends when either the lead jammer calls off the jam or two minutes elapses.
At the end of the bout, the team with the most points wins.
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