Hello Derby Fans!
In honor of our upcoming bout this weekend, on Saturday the 17th (tickets are still available here!) our feature of ‘So You Wanna Derby’ will be talking about the basic rules of the game.
Last post, we discussed the different people you’d see on the track, so today we’re covering what the flip it is they’re all actually doing out there!
At a glance, derby is chaotic. There are people, limbs, skates, and who even knows what else, flying in every direction. But I promise, there *is* actually a method to all of this madness!
Let’s start at the beginning: flat track derby is played on a flat, oval, track (if you’re familiar with some older styles of roller derby, or some movies about roller derby, there is another style that is played on a banked track– more on that in a different post!). Play is split into two thirty minute halves with an intermission between those halves.
Within each half, play is further broken down into a unit called a Jam. A Jam lasts for a maximum of two minutes, and there are 30 seconds between each Jam.
All of the juicy stuff of roller derby- the full contact, high action, skating chaos- happens within the context of a Jam. During a Jam, each team is required to field five skaters. Four of those skaters are blockers, and one is the jammer (and one of the blockers has the special role of pivot!). If you’re feeling lost, check out my last post from this series where I discuss all the positions– I promise it’ll help. 🙂
During a Jam, the jammer is essentially the ‘ball’, that is, they are the one scoring points. Everyone else on the track is trying to help their own jammer score points, or prevent the opposing jammer from scoring points.
The jammer scores a point for every opposing blocker they lap, on each lap. However, they must make it through the pack (the group of blockers from both teams), then all the way around the track, to be initially able to score those points on opposing blockers.
In other words, when a jam starts, both jammers are trying their hardest to get out of the pack first, go around the track, and then go through the pack again to earn points for their team– all while the other players are playing offense, or defense, respectively.
There are some nuances to how exactly points are scored, and how jammers are different from other players, and what a lead jammer is– but that’s all for another post. Derby can feel really complicated and intimidating, but I’m hoping by breaking everything down into little bite sized chunks, I can make it easily understood to anyone stumbling- or seeking- out this blog.
The last thing I want to note about general derby rules is that we do play a full contact sport. However, there are VERY strict rules regarding safety, and where it is legal/illegal to make contact on another player. Play that is unsafe or illegal or just plainly against derby rules can result in a skater being given a penalty, which is served by 30 seconds in the penalty box. Those 30 seconds must take place during jam time, so if a player ends a jam in the penalty box, they will remain there until their time is up for the next jam.
You win a game of derby by having the most points at the end of the game!
PHEW, that was a lot of information I just threw at you. But as we say on the track, practice makes perfect, and I’d highly recommend bringing your newfound knowledge to our game! A huge part of learning derby is watching derby, and the more you watch the more it allllll starts to make sense. Take it from me; I’m still learning SO MUCH about derby every dang day, and treasure the times I get to watch my teammates play, and even better, ask them questions about it afterwards.
Hope to see you this weekend!
Hugs and Bruises,
Public Emily No. 01
