About Roller Derby

Derby in the Netherlands

Roller derby came to the Netherlands in 2009 thanks to the Amsterdam Derby Dames (now: Amsterdam Roller Derby). Currently, there are clubs (or: leagues as we call them) in Amsterdam, Arnhem, Breda, The Hague, Eindhoven, Enschede, Groningen, Heerlen, Middelburg, Nijmegen, Rotterdam and Utrecht. Because the sport is very small and the differences between teams are large, there is no nationally organized competition. Teams organize their own events and invite teams to come and play. 

What is roller derby?

Roller derby is both a young sport as well as one with a long history. Contemporary roller derby is an amateur sport pioneered by women. The sport has a strong do-it-yourself ethos, and diversity, inclusion, and self-determination are at the forefront.

Roller derby is a full contact sport on roller skates in which one skater per team scores points by passing opponents. Physical contact, speed, strength and strategy are at the heart of the game, which includes elements reminiscent of rugby, ice hockey and short track speed skating.

Game play basics

The game is played with two teams of up to 15 skaters on an oval track, flat on the floor. Two 30-minute halves are divided into jams, short rounds of play that last a maximum of 2 minutes.

At the start of a jam, five players per team take their place on the track: one jammer, who can score points, and four blockers. The jammers wear on a cover with a star over their helmet. The blockers of both teams together form the pack, the jammers start behind them. At the whistle, the jammers try to make their way through the pack. Blockers help their own jammer and at the same time try to hinder the other team’s jammer. The game consists of constant offense and defense, making it a dynamic and exciting sport to watch.

During a jammers initial pass through the pack they don’t score points, but on all subsequent passes they do. Each opposing blocker passed by the jammer equals one point. The jammer that is first to complete the initial pass through the pack in a legal manner gains lead jammer status. The lead jammer can end the jam before the 2 minutes are up. This can create a point differential. After the end of the jam, there is 30 seconds to place new players on the track and a new jam begins.

The Pivot

Of the four blockers, there is one called the pivot. This blocker is identified by the helmet cover with a stripe. The pivot can take over the role of the jammer during the jam when the jammer gives the helmet cover with the star to the pivot. This is called a star pass.

Physical contact

Physical contact is an integral part of the game. Skaters may use almost their entire body to hinder opponents: the torso, arms up to the elbow, hips and thighs up to the knee may be used to dish out hits. Skaters may not hit each other against the mid-back, head or knee and lower legs.

Penalties

To keep the fast-paced game fair and safe, seven on-skates referees are required. They count points, award lead and penalize skaters who commit fouls with a 30-second time penalty. This penalty is served during the jam, temporarily leaving the team in question with one less skater on the track.

In addition to the referees, there are up to 11 non skating officials. They are important to keep the game running: they track and time penalties, manage the jam- and game clocks, track the points that are scored by jammers and operate the scoreboard.

The History of Roller Derby

The sport originated in 1930s Chicago, where impresario Leo Seltzer organized endurance races on roller skates. In these races on an oval, banked track, teams of men and women rode around for days until one winner remained. Seeing that the public especially enjoyed seeing people overtaking each other and spectacular falls, Seltzer began experimenting with a form of play in which today’s roller derby can be recognized.

Roller derby developed into a professional spectacle sport, similar to professional wrestling. Great alter egos and spectacular (staged) body contact were used. Teams consisted of men and women, although these played in alternating game periods, never against each other. Various versions of “The Roller Derby” traveled throughout the US and several TV shows were produced. However, by the end of the 20th century, attendance and ratings had declined to the point that the curtain seemed to fall for good.

The Revival

As an amateur sport, roller derby saw the light of day in the early 2000s in Austin, Texas. A group of women aimed to start an all-female version of “old school” derby. Because a banked track (the traditionally inclined version of the track) that was previously used was expensive, they developed a version of the game that could be played on the flat floor. This flat track version of roller derby caught on and, because this track could be set up in many places, it inspired other groups of women to set up derby leagues–as derby clubs are called–as well.

By 2006, there were 135 leagues in the US, and from then on the sport began to gain a foothold outside the US as well. Although modern derby had “for women, by women” as its focus, teams for men and later, juniors also began to emerge. It is estimated that there are now more than 2,000 leagues worldwide. Running a league is up to the skaters themselves: they provide their own training, venue, organize their own games and train their own referees. The Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby Association (WFTDA) is the largest umbrella roller derby organization, although not all leagues are affiliated with it.