Roller Derby History - The Rules

International Roller Skating League Rules

The game consists of two halves, each half has four alternating 10 minute periods of women and men.

A TEAM is composed of five men and five women.  Only five members of each team can be on the track at one time.

The GAME STARTS when the referee signals by blowing his whistle that the two teams are equally in position.  This group is called the pack.  In this pack are two BLOCKERS (white helmets) and two JAMMERS (striped helmets) and a PIVOT man (black helmet).

A JAM (scoring play) occurs when one or more jammers have pulled away from the pack.  The jammers have 60 seconds to score.  A jammer must wear a striped helmet.  The blocker, who cannot score, wears a solid colored helmet.  The pivot man can jam as long as he isn't the first jammer out of the pack.

A jam can start:

1. when the referee has signaled that both teams are in the pack
2. when the pivot man of each team is evenly together at the front of the pack
3. when all jammers are at the rear of the pack
4. when a pivot man from each team is on the pack the pivot skater cannot be more than 20 feet in front of the pack when the jam starts.

The clock and the jam actually start when one of the jammers has been able to pass the leading opposing blockers in the pack.

Helmets must be worn by the jammers to score, unless through some involuntary action the helmet is knocked off, then the referee has the right to decide on this point.

A jam will be considered at an end for any of the following reasons:

• the expiration of the 60 second time limit
• at the conclusion of each 10 minute skating period
• when the lead jammer places both hands on his or her hips
• a jam may also be called by the officials for any emergency

A jammer receives one point for every member of the opposing team he or she passes, every time he or she laps the field within 60 seconds.

There are PENALTIES consisting consisting of one and two minutes that may force a team, to skate shorthanded.

There will be two penalties, a major and a minor.

A minor penalty will be one minute duration from the time the skater enters the penalty box and will be called at the discretion of the referee for:

• Holding
• Illegal blocking
• Stalling
• Illegal use of hands
• Other minor fouls.

A major penalty is two minutes and will be called at the discretion of the referees for:

• Fighting, and intentional roughness
• Deliberate and excessive insubordination
• Gross unsportsmanlike conduct
• Railing.

A major penalty calling for expulsion from the game will be called at the discretion of the referee.  If a player is ejected from the game his or her team receives a two-minute penalty.

If a player does not leave the track immediately or interferes with the remainder of the field he or she will receive an additional one-minute penalty.

If a skater's penalty overlaps into the following period, ANY member of the opposite sex taking the track must serve out the balance of the penalty time.

No more than two players on any team can be in the box at one time.  If a third player or more is penalized, the player or players committing the offence must leave the track and be replaced by a substitute.  The penalized skater will begin serving his time when one of the skaters in the penalty box returns to the track.  At such time, the substitute will return to the bench.

If any player accumulates a total of 8 minutes in penalties during a game he or she is automatically ruled out of the game and his or her substitute will spend the time of the penalty in the penalty box.

There can be no tie games.  If at the end of the eighth period the score is tied, the game will go into overtime in the following manner:

• The woman and men will alternate five-minute periods until a point is scored.  The team scoring the first point will be declared the winner.
• The last jam rule does not apply in overtime periods.

Points are scored as follows:

• A jammer receives one point for every member of the opposing team he or she passes, every time he or she laps the pack.
• If a blocker commits a foul on a jam skater, the jam skater will be awarded the point that he or she is attempting to score.  If, in the opinion of the referee, there is a deliberate penalty against a jammer to prevent that skater from scoring, and this jam would determine the game's outcome, the official may award up to 5 points on the jam.  The determining factor would be the score differential at the time of the jam.  The injured team's score could not be raised higher than the fouling opponent.

A skater forced into the infield may not better the position he was in when he left the track.

A skater receiving a penalty becomes ineligible to either score or be scored upon.

A fouled skater cannot be passed for a point unless he o she has had sufficient time to recover form the foul.

No jam can be considered a legal jam with more than five skaters on the track from each team.

A skater with skate trouble cannot be passed for a point.

On any disputed point that is not clearly spelled out in these rules, a consensus of the referees will have the final decision.

Any jam starting on the 4th or 8th period with less than 60 seconds remaining will run until 60 seconds have elapsed or until called off.

A player may block an opponent with any part of his or her body with the following exceptions:

• It is illegal to use any part of the arm below the elbow.
• It is illegal for a skater to block with his or her feet or trip an opponent.
• In using arms for blocking purposes, the arm must be bent not fully extended.
• It is illegal to block from the rear.

Elbows may be used in blocking but not in the following manner:

• A skater is not permitted to use an elbow block above the shoulders.
• A skater is not permitted to use an elbow with an upward or downward motion

In setting up a double block, it is illegal for the defensive skaters to grip hands or lock arms.  Both blockers may receive the penalty at the discretion of the referee.

Other forms of illegal blocking may be called at the discretion of the referee.

No defensive skater will be permitted to drop back more than a distance of 20 feet behind the pack to block a jammer.  A one-minute penalty may be called by the official.

All skating must be in a counter-clockwise direction.

To Top of Page