Roller Derby Explained

Roller Derby is a full-contact sport, played between two teams of womxn on quad roller-skates in an anti-clockwise race.

Each team comprises maximum 15 players, with up to five at a time on the track for each ‘jam’ that lasts up to two minutes. The ‘jammers’, who are the scoring players, identified with a star on their helmets, work their way through the ‘pack’ made up of ‘blockers’ and a ‘pivot’ player (stripe on helmet) from each team. The blockers’ objective is to assist their own jammer through the pack and to prevent the opposing jammer from scoring points.

The jammers need to legally passed through the pack before she can start scoring points. Jammers score a point for every opposing skater she passes, and the first jammer to break through earns the ‘Lead Jammer’ status. Jams are up to two minutes long, unless ended by the lead jammer, who calls it off by repeatedly placing her hands on her hips.
Jams are played 30 seconds after one another until the ‘period’ is up.
Two periods make up the entire match, known as the ‘bout’, and the team with the most points at the end, wins.

Skaters may land up in the penalty box for 30 seconds for performing illegal moves.

The rules are enforced and games are run by the referees and the Non-Skating Officials (NSOs) who manage time keeping, scoring and the penalty box.