Do you want to play roller derby? First off, congratulations on making this official decision, which will probably become among your best life choices. Besides being a fun and challenging way to explore your athletic side as you exercise, roller derby has amazingly fantastic side effects. So to say, engaging in roller derby improves your confidence, expands your social circle, and provides an opportunity to legally exert physical violence.
Roller derby has experienced some serious comebacks since 2001 after a group of Austin women decided to form a league then. Ever since, it has been among the fastest-growing sports globally, and one of the only full-contact sports specifically designed for women. Currently, it is common to come across at least one roller derby league in every city within the United States. Interestingly, there are enough roller derby skaters globally to hold a roller derby world cup.
That said, it is possible for one to rise from zero roller derby experience to an experienced skater? Well, nothing is impossible. The guide below will equip you with the necessary info to get you started. Read on!
What is Roller Derby?
Contrary to what many people see, especially those who aren’t interested in sports, roller derby is more than a sport with a bunch of ladies bashing each other on a track. It is an incredibly tactical sport with more than 40-paged rulebook. The game is divided into two-minute jams, with each team fielding five players. Among the five players are a jammer, a pivot, and three blockers.
Jammers, as the name suggests, start from behind the pack with a goal of lapping the pack as many times as they can. The other team members help the jammer through the pack while trying to stop/block the jammer from the opposing team. This can be done through full-body contact. However, douchebag styles, such as elbows, tripping, and head butting, are not allowed in the game.
The History of Roller Derby
Roller derby and roller skating came around almost the same time. However, much interest in speed skating races began in 1884, when roller skating started gaining immense popularity. The sport then evolved into multi-day endurance races, which were solely for entertainment purposes and attracted world-class athletes. Since then, the sport has gone through its fair share of ups and downs in the last three centuries. However, mainstream media has resurfaced and made roller derby popular than ever before.
Read more: The Complete Guide to Help You Get Familiar With Roller Skates
Leo Seltzer renewed roller skating interest in 1934 and decided to combine the initially popular six-day bicycling races with roller-skating into one event. This led to a month-long skating spectacle, which was dubbed the Transcontinental Roller Derby. This unique event was more like a cross-country skating race and consisted of 25 male/female teams skating around a woven oval track. Team members could skate up to 11.5 hours daily, covering up to 3,000 miles. If two members came off the track at the same time, they faced disqualification from the game. Only nine teams finished the first Seltzer’s official derby.
Following the unexpected success of the first derby, the derby hit the road, touring the U.S. with a portable track. The sport later became more physical in the late 1930s, with players being encouraged to go physical, using elbows, push and dramatize falls to entertain the crowd. However, as it got more physical, the length of the race declined, with the concept of two-team emerging. This later evolved into a two-five person team, skating for a maximum of 15 minutes. Each team earned points when they lapped members of the other team, which has remained a standard to present-day roller derby.
Before the U.S. got into WW1, the game had grown wildly, gaining almost four million spectators. However, it was sharply disrupted as many athletes enlisted. At the end of 1945, Leo Seltzer picked up the game where he had left. He was boosted by the publication of roller derby on television around 1948. Crowds, which started at approximately 500, soon grew to 7000 plus. The introduction of roller derby on T.V. created overnight stars, including Ken Monte, Midge Brashun, and Bert Wall, who developed remarkable fan bases.
Following this, the 1949-1950 roller derby season was outstanding, mainly because the National Roller Derby League was founded. However, sporting personalities were still struggling to prove that the sport is legitimate, as fans highly debated if the fights and injuries are real or staged. Some fans watched the game for the showmanship and theatrical effects, while others didn’t enjoy them, leading to unreliable support. Leo Seltzer gave up the league to his son in 1960, unsure of the future of this sport.
The 1960’s season brought some new changes to Roller Derby. For instance, mandatory helmets were introduced, and players were highlighted to make them easier for viewers to find them. Roller games, which are a comical theatrical race, was also created. Jerry Seltzer, Leo’s son, also brought in other ideas and tactics to appeal to a large audience. Unfortunately, his efforts couldn’t hold for long due to poor attendance.
The revival of roller derby began in 2000 in Austin, TX, and grew to more than 135 leagues by 2006. Roller derby then spread internationally, gaining a wide television audience. Various special effects, live derbies with entertaining drama, and roughhousing came in.
With that, modern roller derby is an international sport. It is a female-dominated game, but there is a growing number of male teams as well, making it a unisex game. With an increasing audience, it was under consideration to have roller derby in the 2020 Summer Olympics. FIRS, which is recognized by the International Olympic Committee as the official governing body of roller sports, released the first set of roller derby rules.
By 2019, the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association had 468 full member leagues and 46 apprentice leagues.
Roller Derby Rules of Play
Like any other game, contemporary roller derby has some set of rules, with different variations based on the interests of the governing body’s member leagues. Check out the summary of derby rules below for an informed introduction into roller derby.
Basic Rules of Play
The first thing to know about roller derby is that it is played in two periods, each of 30 minutes. As mentioned, each team has 15 players but can field a maximum of five per jam, which are gameplay episodes. Jams last for two minutes but can be called off prematurely. Each playing team designates a scoring player, who is the jammer, and the other four members are blockers. One blocker becomes a pivot and is allowed to become a jammer during the period of play. The next jam can involve different players from the 15 pre-selected players.
During the gameplay, players skate around a circuit track counterclockwise. A team scores points when a jammer breaks through the other teams’ defense and skates one lap to begin another lap through the pack. The jammer’s earned pass scores a point for passing the other team’s defenders, and a point for each opponent blocker not on the track. If the jammer goes through the entire pack, it becomes a four-point scoring tip, often called a grand slam.
Jams
The gameplay begins with blockers lining up along the track anywhere between the jammer and the pivot. The jammers then start behind the jammer line. Like soccer and other games, jams begin with a single short whistle, after which both blockers and jammers begin engaging. Blockers form a pack, which is a single group of blockers with members of both teams skating proximally. Blockers should maintain the pack, but can freely skate within 20feet behind or ahead, within an area called the engagement zone.
The first jammer to break through the pack earns the status of a lead jammer, and a designated referee blows the whistle twice, skates near, and points at the lead jammer. Once earned this status, it cannot be transferred to other skaters, but some actions, especially being sent into the penalty box, can make one lose this status.
Probably the main benefit of being a lead jammer is that they can stop the jam anytime by repeatedly placing both hands on their hips. If the lead jammer doesn’t stop the jam early, it automatically ends after two minutes.
Blocking
Players can block their opponents to prevent their movement or remove them from their bounds. However, for this, the skater should be upright, skating counterclockwise, in bounds and within the marked engagement zone. Players are prohibited from blocking with hands, head, elbow, and feet. Contact above the shoulders below the mid-thigh and blocking from behind is also not acceptable.
Penalties
Referees can penalize for violation of rules during gameplay. A player who receives a penalty gets out of gameplay and sits in the penalty box for 30 seconds of the jam time. Suppose the jam ends during this period, the player remains in the penalty box during the subsequent jam until the 30 seconds end. The player also plays short-handed, just like in ice hockey. A player fouls out of the game after seven penalties and is sent back to the locker room.
Roller Derby Strategies and Tactics
With roller derby, both offense and defenses are played simultaneously. This volatile aspect complicates the game’s tactics and strategy. For instance, blockers can create a large hole for their jammer to pass and score. However, the same strategy can allow the opposing team’s jammer to score as well. That said, below are some strategies of the game;
Ending the jam
The lead jammer can end the jam any time, which controls the opposing team’s ability to score more points. The main goal is to score as many points as possible and outscore the opposition. In most cases, the lead jammer can score as many points as possible on the first scoring trip and ends the jam before the opposing team begins the scoring trips. If the lead jammer fails to fall behind the opposing jammer, the coach can conclude that the team is outscored and direct the lead jammer to call off the session.
Passing the star
The teams’ jammer can “pass the star” or perform a star pass to the team pivot, which is handing the helmet cover with the star to the pivot. This turns the pivot into a jammer. Note that passing the star doesn’t nullify the earned pass of an opponent that the former jammer scored. Jammers can pass the star due to fatigue, injury, or because the pivot has better abilities to score.
Penalty killing
With the help of the pivot, blockers can adapt the gameplay to a penalty situation. For instance, a short-handed team can try to make the pack skate faster, which slows down action until the team regains full strength.
Walling Up
More than two blockers can skate together to make it challenging for the opposing teams’ jammer to pass through. As such, they skate side-by-side, using a wide stance that maximizes blockade. However, they must not link or grasp each other. The ability to form a wall immediately denies the opposing team time to respond, as it can inhibit, slow, and deny the opposing jammer a chance.
Effective walls can last the entire jam. However, teams can use other variation tactics, such as;
- Backward bracing – in this situation, one skater stays in front of the wall skates backward to sight the jammer and directs teammates to form the wall in the right direction.
- One skater can also break off from the wall suddenly and challenge the opposing jammer actively. Another teammate should replace the skater in the wall.
- Players can also abandon the side that the opposing jammer is trying to pass and fortify the active side of the wall.
Jammer Tactics
Jammers should be active in the game to respond to walls and obstacles mounted by the defending team. Some tactics include;
- Inducing the wall to separate using physical force
- Evading the mounted obstacle to the other side
- Juking – the jammer skates on one side but then quickly shifts to the other side to avoid the blockade
- Spinning 360 degrees near the end of the obstacle
- Using teammates to prevent the defense from adjusting
- Using a whip – one or more teammates use the jammer’s hand and swing the jammer forward to create momentum for the jammer
Other commonly used tactics include goating, bridging, and recycling. Recycling occurs when a skater bumps into the opponent jammer outside the track. As such, the jammer can only enter the track behind the skater. The skater buys more time by skating clockwise towards the rear of the engagement zone, maximizing the time wasted by the jammer outside the track.
Referees
Every game certainly should have match officials. For roller derby, four referees skate inside the track. Three additional referees are also required in flat-track derby, but they skate outside the track. Referees are tasked with calling for penalties, awarding points, and ensuring safe gameplay. Referees should also wear skates with white and black stripped wear.
- The head referee is responsible for the entire gameplay. He/she undertakes general supervision and has final authority on the rulings made. The ref skates as an inside pack referee, thus responsible for expulsions and announcing results of official reviews.
- Pack referee – they can be up to 5 in number and tasked with watching skaters in the pack, calling penalties, and pack definition. They can be found both inside and outside the track.
- Jammer referees – roller derby has two jammer referees, who skate inside the track. As the name suggests, they are responsible for watching jammers of specific teams, and wear a wristband and sometimes a helmet cover with colors resembling their designated team’s color to identify the team they are watching. They award opponents points and signal if the jammer they are watching is the lead jammer.
Non-Skating Officials
Unlike referees, non-skating officials take positions outside the track, time the jams, record, and display scores communicated by the referees. Among these officials, include;
- Scorekeepers – they record the points scored by jammers
- Penalty trackers – they track individual skater’s penalties and inform the head referee of a skater in danger of fouling out
- Penalty box manager – this official heads the affairs within the penalty box. The manager calls for penalties for penalty box violations and illegal procedures, such as removing the helmet within the penalty box. The manager also points to where the player is designated to sit, time jammers, and executes any necessary jammer swaps.
- Jam timer – the official starts and signals the end of jams.
- Scoreboard operator – the official update every teams’ scores after successfully earned passes.
How to Get Started with Roller Derby
Most people looking to get into roller derby probably get their interests from some movie or the increasing media attention. Well, that’s completely fine, and the steps below will help you re-evaluate your interest in the sport and help you get started.
- Why do you want to play roller derby?
There are many reasons why you may want to join roller derby. Well, if among your choices is that the game looks like a good way to burn calories, or you have developed general interest over time, you should wreck check yourself. If you often get sucked to new ideas but get bored easily, know that roller derby is quite intense, in terms of labor, time, and cost. As such, it can take a while before it becomes your favorite thing.
If skating, fashion, and tough women attract you to the game, you should get attracted by sweating, competition, and aggression of the sport.
2. Do Research
After evaluating your interest in the game, the next step is getting to know the basics of the sport. Check out the basics of the game, terms, and how the game works, then find some fun stuff about the game. You can search YouTube for more videos, check leading sports sites such as Derby News Network for a better introduction into roller derby world.
You should then try finding your local roller derby league. This is easily possible, especially as most roller derby teams maintain their websites on social platforms such as Facebook and MySpace. You can also search other resources, such as the WFTDA and International Derby Roster to find global derby leagues.
If you turn out fruitless from your web searches, you can ask around and check your local newsweekly. Contacting sports personalities and event editors can also be a fruitful lead. You can also ask around your local skating rink, skate shops.
3. Contact Your Local Roller Derby Recruiter
Leagues vary significantly in their level of organization and skill. This greatly affects the desire of recruiters to recruit amateurs of various skills, often referred to as “fresh meat” in the derby world. Some derby teams welcome interested persons of all skill levels and willing to help learners from their wobbly first steps while others demand higher skill levels to be accepted.
Some teams provide initiation Bootcamp to help learners improve their skills while others expect you to walk into the team ready to play. Besides, some teams will have you try out the game immediately, while others will encourage new members to attend a Bootcamp before subjecting them to tryout tests. This is probably why you should consult a league recruitment coordinator.
The coordinator will answer all your questions concerning your skill level, Bootcamp availability, and long-term questions about the team, such as practice hours, and more. While this may make or break your roller derby dreams, it is a prudent step.
4. Attend a Derby Bout
The next step is attending a roller derby bout. Regardless of whether you have watched the game on-screen or read widely, you should witness the game first-hand for a better understanding. This will help you understand the mechanics of the game that you are getting yourself into.
5. Start Skating
If watching the bout first-hand didn’t scare you, it is time to get yourself on wheels. At this stage, you should worry if you don’t own skates, as you can head over to the local rentals for a pair. You should skate whenever possible, without worrying about anything fancy in it. The main goal is to get confident on the wheels. With time, challenge yourself to skate faster, performing some turns, and holding into thigh-burning derby positions.
6. Re-evaluate your Decision
In your early days of roller derby, things might not be as demanding as they seem. However, this will change as time goes by. Below are some things you should consider before making your final decision.
7. Time
Roller derby practices are done more than 2 times a week. As such, you should put aside more than 5 hours per week, depending on your team’s requirements. You should be willing to spend extra time as an amateur to work on improving your skills. You should also set aside time for community services, attending fundraisers, work home bouts, and other events of the team.
8. Health
Being fit to play roller derby requires significant lifestyle changes, which include dieting, exercising, and sacrificing other lifestyle joys. You should be willing to modify some fun habits to perform better and adhere to team policies. Injuries are common, which is why you should have sufficient medical insurance to cover you in case of any injury.
9. Finances
As mentioned, roller derby is likely a costly sport to venture into. Just to mention, the starter gear can cost several hundred dollars. As such, your budget for monthly dues, new gear, team jerseys, travel costs to away games, practice clothes, and other necessities.
10. Personality
Roller derby, like any other game, comes with its own set of criticism. As such, you should try harder after failures instead of giving up. You should keep your temper and attitude in check when angry or frustrated as well.
Choose Your Derby Equipment
It is a ritual for every roller derby player to adopt a skate name. Some players see it as an alter ego, while others use it for fun. However, how do you get to choose your derby name? Definitely, you should find a good name that your fans will be chanting from the stands. This will be a source of confidence while instilling fear into your opponents.
That said, a derivative of your name is the best place to start. However, before settling on a name, you should have a variety to try out. Start by creating a persona by picking a quality in you that you would like to emphasize. This could be from your physical, emotional, or other aspects. This could be your hair color, strength, moody nature, nationality, hobbies, or music.
When doing this, remember that as a gentlewoman’s agreement, you shouldn’t have a skate name that resembles the name of another player. Therefore, check to ensure that no one else has your name from the national roller derby register. Once you have picked your name, submit it to the relevant authorities to update your name and number in the leagues’ database. If you need some inspiration, some best names include Must Hang Sally, Die Sharona, Fox Sake, Maiden Hell, and more.
Gearing Up
The last step to get fully started with roller derby is gearing up. To get your full equipment, you should sacrifice heavily and chip into your savings. Roller derby players skate on four-wheeled roller skates. As such, they should wear protective equipment all time, which include a helmet, elbow pads, wrist pads, mouth guards, and kneepads.
Current roller derby rules prohibit the use of inline skates by players, except for the referees. Individual teams may add their own protective gear, such as knee-length pants, hard-case sports bra, and protective cups for additional safety.
With all these requirements, the initial cost of getting into the game can be pricey. You will also need to upgrade the gear if you take up the game seriously. Fortunately, with the sport skyrocketing in popularity over the last few years, skate shops are increasing in number, making them easily available. The guide below will help you find the best roller derby equipment to get you started.
Roller Derby Skates
One of the difficult decisions for amateur roller derby enthusiasts is finding the best derby skates. Roller derby, unlike other skating sports, is played on short speed boots. Short boots with small heels or no wheels provide better performance that suits the style of skating that roller derby requires. The budget bracket below will help you identify suitable derby skates.
- Free to $150 – you can get vintage skates with upgraded wheels or second-hand skates with this budget. These entry-level speed skates will get you through the tryouts, but you might need an upgrade if you join the team.
- $150 to $250 – they are medium budget skates that suit heavyweight individuals who also use their skates for other purposes. They feature fiberglass-reinforced plates, which provide better performance and durability.
- $250 to $450 – they are high-commitment and quality skate boots. They offer better fit and performance compared to entry-level boots. They are made from nylon plates, which are durable yet lightweight.
- $450 to $550 – they are quality leather speed boots with aluminum plates and roller derby wheels. They are a good choice for those who want to take up the sport seriously and want good boots.
- $550 + – at this price range, you can get custom skate with custom sizes, color, and fit.
Serious derby skaters will often upgrade to professional speed skates. These models are designed for unmatched performance and fit. Compared to other skates, they are lightweight, provide better agility, better energy transfer, and improved performance. That aside, you will note that there are two types of skates. One type has padding, while the other has no padding. Picking one comes down to personal choice.
Helmet
You should have a helmet for your safety purposes. Fortunately, any skating helmet can do. Cycling helmets cannot be used for skating, but skating helmets can be used for cycling. You should try any helmet before buying to ensure that it has a snug fit and doesn’t slip off your head. You can choose either a soft foam skateboard helmets or dual-certified skateboard helmets.
Pads
During gameplay, you will likely fall over every time, which is why you need aggressive skate pads for your knees and elbows. Most players prefer starting with anarchy pads then upgrade later. You will need protective pads for your elbows, knee, and wrist guards. For the knee pads, cheap, recreational-grade pads commonly used for inline skating are not advisable. Get the best and cushiest pads within your price range.
For the elbow pads, ensure that they fit well and offer great padding. Though it is unlikely that you will fall on your elbow, they come in handy if you do. Choosing perfect wrist-guards is important, as they take a lot of abuse when playing. As such, find wrist guards with solid plastic inserts at the top and bottom for additional hand protection. They should also fit snugly yet comfortably.
Mouth Guards
Like pads, mouth guards come in handy in any form of contact sports. You can go for cheap mouth guards, gel mouth guards, fitted sports guards, or professional mouth guards for mouth protection. Cheapie mouth guards are affordable and offer sufficient protection but make it difficult to talk when wearing them.
Gel mouth guards provide automatic insurance and better protection. Fitted sports guards are customized by the dentists and are the most comfortable and good looking but pricey. They come in various colors but don’t have dental warranty associated. Professional guards, on the other hand, are reasonably priced, slim-fitting, and easy to talk in but not durable. Like gel guards, they have a limited amount of dental insurance.
How to Get in Shape for Roller Derby
Without a doubt, roller derby can help one get in shape. However, it is a good idea to build on your fitness before immersing into the game. Below are some ideas to get you in shape;
- For cardiovascular endurance, have a 20 – 30 minutes aerobic exercising schedule 3 to 5 days every week.
- Legs and abs exercises can help in strength training
- Squats, toe presses, leg presses, lunges, and toe pulls are also good for preventing shin splints.
- Consider daily stretching and one off-training day to recover.
The Bottom Line
Roller derby is, without a doubt, an interesting game, especially for those with great interest. For those looking to get started with the sport, getting to know various basics can help ease your transition into the game. Worth noting is that this game is a contact sport, and injuries are bound to happen. This ranges from superficial injuries such as torn eyelashes to serious cases of torn ligaments, broken bones, and concussions. As such, you should make your safety a priority. Hopefully, the guide above can help you find a soft landing as you get introduced into the game.
