FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Just what is GRR: the Gainesville Roller Rebels?
Who can join GRR?
What exactly is flat track roller derby?
Is roller derby fake?
Does roller derby have rules?
Where can I find out more about roller derby?

Just what is GRR: the Gainesville Roller Rebels?

Gainesville Roller Rebels (GRR) is Alachua County’s first and only women’s flat track roller derby league, founded in November 2007 by Ms. Rebel and incorporated as a Florida non-profit in June 2008. Find out more about the league — including our history, community involvement and goals — in our About GRR section.

Who can join GRR?

SKATER STATS: 18-and-up women; quad skates required.
REFEREE STATS: 18-and-up men and women; quad skates preferred.
Visit our Join GRR page for more information and details on our next Fresh Meat orientation.

VOLUNTEER STATS: 18-and-up men and women.
Who needs skates to be awesome?! GRR has volunteer positions open for statisticians, medics and more. E-mail staff@gainesvillerollerrebels.com for more information on how you can become a non-skating part of one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation!

What exactly is flat track roller derby?

Video produced and edited by Paul D. Piche

In its current incarnation, flat track roller derby is a genuine athletic competition complete with well-defined rules, divisions, tournaments and a governing body: the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

A roller derby game is called a bout and is comprised of two 30-minute periods. Each period is made up of an unlimited number of plays or “jams,” which each last two minutes or less.

A jam consists of two teams of five players each: four blockers and one point-scoring player, the jammer. Blockers from both teams skate together in a pack and are continuously lapped by the jammers. Jammers (starred helmet cover) are sprint skaters; after their first pass through the pack they score one point each time they legally pass an opponent. The blockers at the front of the pack are pivots (striped helmet cover) and control the pace of the pack. All blockers skate to prevent the other team’s jammer from getting through the pack and scoring while helping their own jammer to move through legally and score.

Is roller derby fake?

No way! Playing the game is fun and exciting, but every woman is also very competitive and playing to win. None of the action during a bout nowadays is scripted. Team themes, skater personas and crowd involvement all contribute to the mix of sport and entertainment that makes roller derby the joyous spectacle we love.

Does roller derby have rules?

You bet! The current rules of flat track roller derby were created by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). These rules are very extensive and cover everything from the setup of the track to what is and isn’t legal in the sport.

What constitutes a trip to the penalty box? Four minor infractions (for example, use of elbows during a hit, blocking another player out of bounds, etc.) or a single major infraction, such as arguing with a ref or cutting the track. Any move that puts another player in serious danger automatically results in ejection: clotheslines, skates to the face, fighting, unsportswoman-like conduct…

Visit WFTDA’s Official Rules page for more information.

Where can I find out more about roller derby?

Cruise through the our site, check out the other roller derby sites in our Links section or visit WFTDA.com.

By the skaters. For the skaters. Always.