Damage to businesses limited, but hard
September 5, 2012
Better Business Bureau serves as consumer watchdog
September 5, 2012
– Roller derby matches are comprised of two 20-minute, running-clock halves. Two-minute jams are the crux of the events.
– Each team has five skaters on the flat track at a time. One of these skaters wears a two-toned helmet cover that features a star. These skaters are their teams’ jammers. Only the jammer can tally points.
– All 10 skaters start each jam without motion. Once the referee blows the first whistle, three blockers and one pivot on each team begin to circle the track. The pivot wears a striped helmet cover, determines the pace at which the pack skates and can relieve the jammer if she receives the star helmet cover. The blockers are strictly strategic impediments (or attainable points) to opposing jammers.
– Once the pack is about 30 feet ahead of the jammers, the referee blows a second whistle and the jammers are allowed to start. In order to tally points, a jammer must lap an opposing player.
– The first pass of an opponent’s blockers is a non-scoring pass, but it determines the jam’s lead jammer, who gains the power to end the jam at any time.
– After the first pass, a jammer gains her team one point for every opponent she passes. If she laps the opposing team’s jammer, she scores a Grand Slam, which is worth 5 points. A jammer cannot be blocked by someone 20 feet ahead or behind the pack.
– Although contact is welcome, not all forms are legal. Use of the hands, blocking with forearms, tripping, kicking, hitting from behind, shoving, holding, swinging elbows and blowing with the head are all impermissible. Four minor penalties – or one major penalty – sends a skater to the penalty box.
– The penalty box plays a large role in the game. Jammers score the regular amount of points, even though they’re passing a minimized pack. If a jammer goes to the box, only one team can score.
Brittany “Delirium Trigger” Dominique watches roller derby action unfold.
