The Game

Quick definitions:
bout - the entire game of roller derby (ie. match, game)
period - there are three periods in a bout, these periods consist of unlimited jams
jam - when gameplay occurs; can last up to two minutes, but no more than

Each team has anywhere from 7-14 players. From that pool of players 5 girls are selected from each team for a jam. Four girls are blockers and one is a jammer for each team. The jammer wears a panty (helmet cover) with a star. The pivot, the blocker leading the pack, wears the panty with the stripe. Different girls are chosen for positions in jams. Some girls block and jam. Some are only jammers, and some are only blockers.

Jammers from both teams are positioned 33 feet from the pack. At the first whistle the pack (the group of 8 total girls) takes off. At the second whistle the jammers take off trying to catch up with the pack and break through.

Points are NOT scored during the inital break of the pack. The jammers vie for lead-jammer status, which would allow them to "call off the jam" whenever they choose. To achieve lead-jammer status, the jammer must break the pack first without going out of bounds or committing any penalties (back-blocking, cutting the track, elbowing, etc). The jammers can use their blockers to pull their way through, and blockers try to whip their jammer through or push other blockers out of the way while blocking the opposing jammer.

After the initial pass, jammers can score points. This is done by legally passing blockers. Every blocker of the opposing team that the jammer passes legally is one point. She can score a total of four points on every pass through the pack. If she is lead-jammer, she can strategically call of the jam before the other jammer passes through or continue for the full two minutes to rack up as many points possible.

Other reasons to call of the jam are if the jammer is caught in the pack and the opposing jammer is about to score more points, the jammer is knocked out, the jammer is tired, etc.

The blockers never score points. In the rare occasion that the jammer "passes the star" - a strategic move where the jammer takes off her star panty and gives it to the pivot - the pivot can score points after circling around and passing through the pack.

A jam can last up to two minutes and there are unlimited jams in every period. Each period is twenty minutes long. There are three periods in a bout.

The team with the most points wins. I love winning.

Easy, huh? Well, easy until you try playing. Or reffing!

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