| Player Positions | |
| The game of roller derby is divided into a series of short races known as "jams." Each team for a jam consists of five players: a pivot, a jammer, and three blockers. | |
| Jammer: The jammer scores the points for their team. For each opposing player the jammer laps, the team receives a point. A jammer can only score a point if they pass an opponent while remaining in bounds on the track. The jammer is denoted by the star on their helmet cover. |  |
| Pivot: The pivot serves as the leader of the team on the track. The pivot skates ahead of her blockers and maintains a large number of roles such as: controlling the pace of their team, calling plays to the other team members, and serving as the last line of defense against the opposing team's jammer. The pivot is denoted by the stripe on their helmet cover. Also, the pivot is the only player who can switch positions during a jam. A pivot can trade helmet covers with the jammer, thus becoming the point scorer while the old jammer now becomes the team's pivot. The pivot and jammer cannot switch roles with any of the blockers. |
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| Blocker: A blocker must prevent the opposing team's jammer from passing members of their team. They also engage opposing blockers to help their jammer make it through the pack and collect points. A blocker is denoted by wearing a blank helmet cover. |  |
| Bout Description | |
| Each jam lasts two minutes in length. | |
| A jam begins with pivots and blockers skating away from the starting line after the first whistle. Once the pivots and blockers, known as the pack, are 20 ft away from the starting line, the jammers will begin skating toward the pack. | |
| The jammer who makes it past their opponent's pivot first is known as the lead jammer. A jammer may not attain lead jammer status if they pass any opponents out of bounds or commit a penalty while moving through the pack. The lead jammer can call the jam, end the jam, before the two-minute limit by putting their hands on their hips. | |
| A roller-derby bout consists of three twenty minute periods. A period does not have a set limit on the number of jams played during the period. | |
| Penalties | |
| As with other contact sports, roller derby provides rules on contact to prevent serious disadvantages or injuries to the skaters. Examples of some penalties include: | |
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| Roller derby divides penalties include minor and major penalty categories. Referees discern between minor or major penalties based upon the potential of the foul harming another skater. If a skater receives a major penalty, the skater must sit out the next jam in the penalty box. The team loses a blocker on the track for any jam they have a skater in the penalty box. To compensate for each missing player, the point value for the penalized team's pivot increases. For example, if the team loses a player due to a major penalty, passing the pivot is worth two points instead of just one. | |
| Penalty Wheel | |
| Roller derby offers a unique twist in allowing players who have hurt their team the most a chance at redemption. At the conclusion of the second period, the skater from each team who has received the most penalties square off in a one-on-one showdown to earn points for their team. The showdown is chosen through a fate-driven device known as "Penalty Wheel." Such athletic contests offered by the "Penalty Wheel" include: skate jousting, arm-wrestling, or an old-fashioned roller disco-off. The skaters will perform two showdowns selected by spinning the "Penalty Wheel", with the victor of each showdown receiving a point for their team. |
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| Reference Links | |
| Check out some of the following sites for a history of roller derby, interactive demos, and detailed explanations of roller derby rules: | |
| HowStuffWorks.com -- How Does Roller Derby Work? | |
| Roller Derby Rules Wiki -- sponsored by the Gotham Girls Roller Derby League | |