History
The term Roller Derby dates as far back as 1922 where it was referred to as a multi-day race. During the course of a derby, massive collisions and crashes often occurred as skaters tried to lap those who were ahead of them. It was soon clear that this was the most exciting part of the race, and the sport was modified to maximize physical contact between the skaters. With a certain roughness now permitted, skaters began pushing and shoving with gusto. Over time, the spectacle evolved from an endurance race into a sport involving two teams of five skaters. A team scored points when its members lapped members of the other team, which is the basic premise of roller derby to this day.
Fans went wild for derby, with fan clubs springing up across the country. Except for a brief hiatus during World War II, the popularity of roller derby continued to grow. Throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s, derby bouts drew huge crowds, regularly selling out 50,000-seat stadiums. By the mid-1970’s, however, over-the-top theatrics and prohibitive travel expenses resulted in the virtual extinction of roller derby.
In 2001, the creation of Texas-based Bad Girl Good Woman Productions (BGGW) sparked a roller derby renaissance. The newly formed league was soon split in two. By late 2005, there were over 50 leagues. There were more than 80 by February 2006, and more than 135 by mid-August 2006. Today, virtually all roller derby leagues consist entirely of female members, who not only skate, but also participate in the organization and operation of their leagues. They all use traditional quad roller skates, and most leagues compete on flat tracks, which require a greater level of skill to navigate and maneuver than banked tracks.
Flat-Track Roller Derby 101
A roller derby bout is divided into two 30 minute periods, those periods are divide into jams, which can last up to two minutes. Each team consists of five members: one pivot blocker, three blockers, and one jammer. The largest group of blockers from both teams comprise the Pack.
| The Pivot |  | The pivot is the brains of the pack with the best knowledge of the game, she controls what the blockers do. She will set the pace, call out plays and direct the rest of her blockers. Occasionally, pivots can even take over the jammer position, if the jammer "passes the star" to her. |
| The Blockers |  | Blockers work together with their pivot to first and foremost not let the opposing jammer through the pack, they are also responsible for helping their jammer get through the pack. Working together to break up walls of other blockers, assisting with whips, blockers can make or break the game. |
| The Jammer |  | Typically the jammer is one of the fastest most agile skaters on her team. She scores points on her second pass through the pack by legally passing opponents in-bounds. If the jammer passes a blocker out of bounds, or commits a penalty to pass a blocker, she must drop back and re-pass legally or forfeit the point. |
How does it all work in motion?
The pivot and the blockers skate as a defensive pack, with the jammer starting 30 feet behind after the second whistle. On the first whistle the pack take off, once the entire pack passes the pivot line, two quick whistles are blown signaling the jammers to start. The jammers must pass through the pack one time before scoring points. The goal of the jammer is to pass through the pack first without committing any penalties. The blockers are responsible for both keeping the opposing jammer from getting through by hitting or impeding her and assisting their jammer through with whips and pushes. The first jammer through the pack legally acquires lead jammer by their jam ref with one long whistle and one hand up in the air. When the jammer approaches the pack a second time she is now on her scoring pass, the jammer receives one point for each opposing player she legally passes. The jam will last for up to two minutes, unless the lead jammer calls off the jam (usually in a stratgeic way to keep the other jammer from scoring) by putting both hands on her hips in an up and down motion.What can happen in a jam?
Illegal Blocks - You cannot block or push an opponent from behind, trip with your feet or legs, use any part of the arm below the elbow to hit a blocker. Grabbing, holding, or pulling an opposing player is not legal. Skaters cannot hit below the mid thigh or above the shoulders. And absolutely no fighting allowed!
No Lead Jammer - If neither jammer can complete their initial pass through the pack by passing all opposing blockers legally and in-bounds, then there is no lead jammer for the jam. When this happens, the jam will last two minutes because neither jammer can call it off.
Penalty Box Trip - If a skater commits a major penalty during a jam, they may be sent to the penalty box if the ref sees it. A player can also be sent to the penalty box for committing four minor penalties. The skater will have to leave the track and skating outside of it in the counter-clockwise direction until she reaches the penalty box. She will spend one minute in the penalty box before she's allowed to re-enter the game.
Grand Slam - If a jammer laps the opposing team's jammer (the jammer has not made her first pass yet), she scores and extra point. If she gets all 5 points for those on the track, or the penalty box, it's called a Grand Slam.
This is just a few things that can happen in a jam, if you want to learn more about Roller Derby and it's Rules you can check out the Women's Flat Track Derby Association Website.
