Roller Derby
Five skaters.
Two periods to win.
Two minutes to score.
Welcome to roller derby, where wheeled teams collide in a chase for triumph.
How? Be the fastest around the track, and the smartest in the pack.
Let's break it down.
Step 1 of 6
Step 2 of 6
Objective
Like a race, each team's Jammer hustles for points by skating laps. But to score, they have to pass the opposing Blockers.
And you think they'll just wave them through?
Step 3 of 6
Setup & Positions
Derby splits into jams of two-minute action (like downs or rounds) and thirty-second breaks. Teams field 1 star-cover Jammer and 4 Blockers, one being the stripe-cover Pivot who can change roles with the Jammer.
Step 4 of 6
Jam Start
Players flock to the track. Jammers set behind the Jammer line. Blockers face them anywhere opposite the line and 30 feet ahead to the Pivot line.
Officials start play: “5 seconds!”
...4...3...2...1...
Whistle
Step 5 of 6
First Pass
Jammers race at the Blockers, who crowd into the Pack they must traverse. Blockers push and position to halt the opposing Jammer while clearing lanes for their own.
The first Jammer through without foul becomes Lead Jammer, who can end the jam anytime before the 2 minutes are up.
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Scoring Pass
Done with their first lap complete, Jammers vie for points based on opposing Blockers they pass before the jam ends—a max of 4 per lap.
Step 7 of 6
Continuing the Jam
The track goes bananas.
Blockers skate alone or in groups to control space. Players check opponents out of line or off-track entirely with their hips, torso, and arms above-elbow. Jammers can Pass the Star to the Pivots, handing off their scoring role with the helmet cover.
All to make sure only they complete their passes. Combining Jammer agility and Blocker presence is how teams take the win.
Penalties
The sport may be fierce but it still has limits. Common flags cover contact, position, and safety. Rule-breakers skate to the penalty box where they stay for 30 seconds.
The cost is real: No Jammer, no scoring. Fewer Blockers and the Pack tilts against you—while the opposing Jammer can still score in full.
Penalties include:
Illegal Contact
- Blocking with or targeting at illegal body zones
- Targeting players not moving in Play
- Hazardous moves and actions, even if with legal body zones
- Multiplayer blocks with walls made by linking teammates
Illegal Positioning
- Blockers not maintaining the Pack
- Cutting the track by gaining position while out of bounds
- Impeding the flow of game
Calls
Who enforces these rules? A third team, the Officials, watches play from every angle to keep progress and flag penalties. Follow the jam state with these common signals:
This "L" identifies the Lead Jammer
Made by the Lead Jammer, this signals a jam end
This "X" calls a cut track penalty
An open hand up warns players they're out of Play
Grabbing the forearm calls a forearm contact penalty
This hold signals a multiplayer block penalty
Common terms
- Apex Jump
- A legal aerial move where a player starts in-bounds, jumps the inside of a turn, and lands in-bounds while never touching another player.
- Blocker
- Players who attempt to control the track by preventing the opposing Jammer from scoring and creating opportunities for theirs to pass through the Pack. Four Blockers are fielded per jam per team.
- Bout
- A complete roller derby game, consisting of two periods and an intermission.
- Engagement Zone
- The area 20 feet in front of and behind the pack where blocking is legal.
- Jam
- A single play lasting up to two minutes. Bouts are made up of many jams.
- Jammer
- The point scorer, identified by a star on their helmet cover. One per team.
- Lead Jammer
- The first jammer to legally exit the pack on their initial pass. Can call off the jam.
- Pack
- The largest group of in-bounds blockers from both teams skating within 10 feet of each other.
- Period
- A twenty or thirty minute session of unlimited jams.
- Pivot
- A blocker with a stripe on their helmet cover who can receive a star pass and become the jammer.
- Power Jam
- When one jammer is in the penalty box, giving the other team a scoring advantage.
- Star Pass
- When the jammer hands their helmet cover to the pivot, transferring the jammer role.
- Whip
- A legal assist where a teammate grabs and propels the jammer forward.