The Salt City Derby Girls play by the official WFTDA rules. We are always self-insured and do everything by the book.

How the Game is Played:

Players:

• Pivot:
  • Stays in front of "the pack", or group of blockers.
  • Regulates the speed of the pack.
  • Is the last line of defense against the opposing team's jammer.
  • There is always 1 pivot from each team in play.
• Blocker:
  • 3 players from each team make up "the pack" of blockers. Following the pivot around the court, they attempt to thwart the jammer from the opposite team from passing the pack, while at the same time helping their own jammer through to score.
• Jammer:
  • Each team has 1 jammer in play at the start of each "jam".
  • The first jammer to break through the blockers and pivots earns "lead jammer" status. As lead jammer, she has the ability to call off a jam at any time.
  • Jammers score a point for every blocker/pivot from the opposing team she passes WHILE INBOUNDS.

Game Structure:

• There are three 20 minute periods per bout.
• Each 20 minute period consists of multiple "jams".
• A jam starts with one short whistle blow and ends either when the lead jammer calls it off, or after 2 minutes.
• Scores are recorded after each jam.
• Players only have 20 seconds to reassemble after each jam.
• If a skater is not in formation when the whistle blows, the team plays without that player.

Illegal Procedures

• False start
• Too many skaters on the rink
• Improper uniform, jewelry, or skates
• Failure to use helmet covers

Major Penalties

• Gross unsports-lady-like conduct
• Illegal interference in game-play by skaters not involved in the jam
• Deliberate and excessive insubordination to a referee
• Fighting
• Any form of illegal blocking which is deemed a serious threat to other
  skaters, such as blocks falling above the shoulders or below the hips.
• Disregard of the rules (demonstrated by repeated minor penalties)

Minor Penalties

• Any form of illegal blocking which is not deemed a serious threat to other skaters.
• Blocking or assisting outside the pack
• Intentionally cutting the track
• Illegal Procedure
• Intentionally skating out-of-bounds
• Fighting

Rules of Engagement

Distinct from the rules that govern blocking and skating during bouts, the following are not allowed during fights:

• Hitting or punching to the face
• Kicking another skater
• Intentional tripping with feet or hands
• Choking by helmet straps
• Biting
• Intentional, negligent, or reckless blocking to the head or neck
• Intentional, negligent, or reckless pulling of the head, neck or helmet
• Jumping onto or into a pile of fighting skaters (“dog pile”)
• Serious physical violence or any action deemed by the officials to cause an extraordinary physical threat.

Penalty Enforcement

• Skaters who are assessed a major penalty must immediately leave the rink for a total of one minute.
• When a skater has earned four minor penalties that skater will be assessed a major penalty.
• All skaters involved in a fight will be assessed a major penalty.
• Violation of rules of engagement can result in expulsion from the period or bout. The referees have the authority to punish the foul based on the severity of the situation.
• A team may not substitute for the position of the penalized player (for example, if the jammer is in the penalty box, the team must play without a jammer).
• After serving one minute in the penalty area, the penalized skater(s) may re-enter the track. She may wait for the pack to pass her once and enter the pack from the back.
• A jammer re-entering play from the penalty box may score immediately upon reentering if she was pulled from the jam after having completed her first pass through the pack.