Bettie FAQ
Need more info? Here's some info for ya!
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Q: So, what is Roller Derby?
A: All-female, do-it-yourself, flat-track roller derby has been called “the fastest growing sport in the United States”. Inspired by the Rat City Rollergirls, the Seattle-area flat-track league that was founded in 2004, we started our league in 2006.
Q: How does the game work?
A: It works like this: The game, or “bout”, is played between two teams in two 30-minute periods. During each period there are an unlimited amount of jams (usually around fifteen to twenty). When the pack is in formation the ref blows the whistle and the jam begins. Once the pack is on a roll, the ref blows a double whistle and the Jammers take off. The first Jammer to legally break through the pack in the initial pass is named the Lead Jammer. The jam lasts for two minutes unless the Lead Jammer calls it off for strategic reasons. The pack, Blockers and Pivots, set up offensive plays to help their own teams Jammer through the pack, and also play defense to prevent the opposing team’s Jammer from scoring. The Jammers are the only ones that can score, by lapping the pack then on subsequent laps passing the opposing Blockers and Pivot, all while staying in bounds.
Period: A set of Jams played in a 30-minute duration.
Jam: A two minute (unless called off early) scoring session.
Team: Five or More roller girls, with a maximum of five on the track at a time: a Pivot, a Jammer, and three Blockers.
Pack: Two teams of three Blockers and a Pivot, for a total of eight, skating in formation.
Formation: Pivots in the front, Blockers in the middle, Jammers at the back.
Jammer: Sprint skater, wearing a star helmet, who breaks away from the pack and scores points by lapping opposing team members on the track.
Lead Jammer: The first Jammer to legally break through the pack earns the strategic advantage of calling off (ending) the Jam; she signals refs by putting her hands on her hips.
Blockers: Each team gets up to four blockers on the track. They make holes in the pack for their Jammer to get through and block the opposing teams’ Jammer.
Pivot: Each team gets one Pivot, wearing a striped helmet, on the track. She sets the pace of the pack by skating in front, in addition to playing offense and defense with the Jammers. She is also is the only blocker that can become the jammer and score points, if the jammer "passes the star" (helmet panty) to her.
Offensive Play: Helping score points, including whips and pushes, and knocking down Blockers.
Defensive Play: Inhibiting opposing Jammer from scoring points, including booty blocking, checking, and takeouts.
Lapping: After the Jammers initial pass through the pack, she skates her ass off to catch up to the pack and attempts to break through again. For each member of the opposing team she passes, she earns a point for her team, for a maximum of five points per lap.
Q: I want to be a rollergirl! What does it take?
A: Still think you got what it takes? Here's the lowdown.
The Realities of Doing Derby...
It's a tough, competitive sport. If you have no desire to knock someone else down, or fear being knocked down, this may not be your sport! Derby is more than fishnets and tough names...
There are many commitments that come with doing derby, whether they be time commitments of financial commitments. We want to give you a realistic idea of just what to expect when you begin.
Gear:
Skates.........................................................$100 to $300
Pads / Helmet..............................................$100 to $200
Fees:
League Dues...............................................$30 per month
Skater Insurance..........................................$50ish per year
Other Costs:
Gas (practice is in Burlington and Lynden).......Varies per skater. Carpool!
Bettie Merch / Uniform..................................$15 and UP
Time:
Time commitment can vary dependent on skater, and is generally a range of 6 to 25 hours per week. Mandatory practice plus participation on at least one committee makes up a bulk of this time, but most skaters also take time to go to open skates at least once per week.
So, if you think you have what it takes, keep your eye out for an upcoming Tryouts Announcement. We traditionally have held tryouts in the fall, but may add a second opportunity at some other point in the year. Tryouts consist of "Booty Camp" training sessions and WFTDA skills testing.
Q: I am interested in the history of Roller Derby.
A: A Brief History of Derby...
Original Roller Derby was created by Leo Seltzer back in the 1930s. The first-ever Derby "game" was skated on Aug. 13, 1935 in the Chicago Coliseum, with over 20,000 people watching.
At that time, rather than a competitive game, Derby was an endurance race. Male/female teams would switch off skating a race of 57,000 laps, which amounted to 4,000 miles - roughly the distance across the United States. A large map was displayed with markers showing where the teams would be if they were really skating across the country.
A few years later, New York sportswriter Damon Runyan noticed the crowds’ reaction to collisions and suggested to Seltzer that physical contact should be a part of the game. Roller derby then began its evolution into what we know it as today.
Roller Derby had its ups and downs over the years, eventually migrating from east to west. Roller Derby thrived in Northern California in the 1960s and 70s. The Bay City Bombers, formed in 1954, were at the forefront of Derby popularity.
Under Seltzer, Roller Derby survived until its last official game in 1973 when Roller Derby succumbed to rising gas prices and transportation costs.
In 1977 David Lipschultz revived Derby, bringing it back to some of its former glory in Northern California. The new organization lasted until Dec. 12, 1987, when financial problems and involvement with partners who suddenly backed out, put an end to this version of Derby.
Classic roller derby never completely disappeared. A few teams remained active after the sport's decline, and some leagues formed to keep the traditional co-ed format alive. But the sudden explosion in roller derby's popularity has centered on new, women-only leagues.
The first of these leagues was formed by an ambitious group of women in Austin, Texas in 2001. Since then, spreading like wildfire, over 200 leagues have appeared across the United States.
These organizations are largely skater-owned and operated. Participants are building their teams from the ground up, taking inspiration from other leagues as they go. Since every league is the product of its own skaters' efforts, no two are exactly the same.
The Bellingham Roller Betties was founded in 2006 as a skater owned and operated DIY, nonprofit organization and is now over 50 women strong. We’re currently practicing, training and working together to build a roller-derby empire in the upper-left corner of the lower 48. We became a WFTDA member league in 2009.
While Roller Derby may not be the most conventional of sports activities, it remains a positive outlet for women to simultaneously participate in both athleticism and self expression; and it is again spreading at too great a rate to be ignored.