How safe is roller derby?
Sarah Smith
Published Jan 15, 2026
Is it dangerous? Roller derby is a full-contact sport and some players will inevitably get injured. Our first and lasting priority is to train our skaters with safety in mind. All skaters are required to master the basic skills of the game before being allowed on the track for true full-contact play.
Can you get hurt in roller derby?
Of the 1 395 respondents, 48.7% (679) reported having at least one injury in the previous 12 months. The skaters' average age was 32 and have played roller derby for four years. The most common injuries were to the ankles (22.5%), knees (21%) and head (11%). Of the head injuries, 75% were diagnosed with a concussion.
Is roller derby aggressive?
I love how playing roller derby combines physical exertion with intimacy. It's an intense mix of violence, pain, sweat, tears, yelling, laughter, euphoria, bodies pressed together and grabbing each other and, most of all, trust.
Is roller derby hard?
Well, the reason is, and I'm not going to lie to you, I'll say it again, Roller Derby Is Tough. It's about time we were honest about it. It's up there with surfing, skateboarding, rugby and many other sports that look cool – but in reality require grit, determination and sheer bloody-mindedness to master.
Can a 12 year old play roller derby?
There are Junior Roller Derby leagues all across the country that accept skaters as young as 8 years old. The best way to find the right fit for your kid is to look up and talk to your local league(s) on what their requirements are and what your kids will need to skate with them.
42 related questions foundWhat age can you start roller derby?
Most leagues require skaters to be at least 18 years old and some require that skaters be over 21.
What are the rules of roller derby?
Roller derby is a full-contact sport; however, Skaters cannot use their heads, elbows, forearms, hands, knees, lower legs, or feet to make contact to opponents. Skaters cannot make contact to opponents' heads, backs, knees, lower legs, or feet.
Is roller derby fake?
The roller derby you may have watched in the 70s and early 80s was often scripted and rehearsed. The roller derby of today is real and is thought of as more of a sport than a spectacle. The skaters involved are athletes and take the sport very seriously.
Do roller derby players get paid?
The salaries of Roller Skaters in the US range from $19,910 to $187,200 , with a median salary of $44,680 . The middle 50% of Roller Skaters makes $28,400, with the top 75% making $187,200.
Why is roller derby female?
Roller derby is a growing, popular sport, where teams compete on roller skates, and where rules allow 'blocking' and full body contact. Roller derby is primarily played by women, with men restricted to support roles during its revival stage in the early 2000s.
Were roller derby fights real?
The teams dressed together at the Norfolk arena, for a game before a wildly appreciative mob that revved all the players up and made them skate full tilt. The fights were real and vicious, and the Bombers' poor little stubby Tony Adorno, whom they all call Tunafish, had to go to the hospital with a sprained ankle.
Will roller derby be in the Olympics?
In February 2012, the International Olympic Committee considered roller derby, amongst eight other sports, for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic Games.
What is a roller derby wife?
A derby wife is quite simply this – 1. She is the one person in this whole sport of roller derby that the very instant you looked at her, you felt like you'd known her since you were a fetus.
Can guys do roller derby?
Men have always played a role in roller derby, usually through supporting the female players as officials or referees. In recent years that has started to change. Men have decided they want to play. The Men's Roller Derby Association was established in 2007, with teams starting in Australia soon after.
What's the object of roller derby?
The objectives of roller derby are relatively simple. Each team fields a single point scoring skater ("Jammer") whose object is to lap as many opposing skaters as they can.
What is a power jam in roller derby?
Power Jam–a situation wherein one team's jammer has been sent to the penalty box, and thus only the team with a jammer on the track can score.
Where is roller derby most popular?
By this measure, roller derby is more popular in New Zealand than in any other nation in the world, followed by Australia (4.9 leagues per million people), and Canada (4.6 leagues per million people.) “Roller derby is more popular in New Zealand than in any other nation in the world.”
How long is a penalty in roller derby?
Upon sitting in any seat in the Penalty Box, the Skater's penalty time begins. Skaters serve 30 seconds of Jam time for each penalty assessed to them. The final 10 seconds of their penalty time must be served while standing. If a Skater stands early, their time stops until they are seated again.
Is roller derby a girl sport?
Roller derby is an amateur sport in which teams of women compete in bouts, skating around a track trying to help the skater designated as the “jammer” lap members of the opposing team to score points.
How many periods are there in roller derby?
Roller derby is a fast-paced, full-contact sport played on quad roller skates. Each game is two, 30-minute periods composed of two minute plays, or “jams.” Each team starts with four skaters playing defense (“blockers”) and one player playing offense (“jammer”).
When was roller derby on TV?
Television. At 8:30 P.M. on November 29, 1948, Roller Derby debuted on New York television, beginning a 13-week run on the CBS-TV network, broadcasting at a time well before television was in widespread use.
How many people are on a derby team?
In each bout, as a roller derby match is called, 10 skaters at a time take to the track. There are five players from each team: one jammer, whose job is to lap the other team and score points, and four blockers, who try to stop the other team's jammer and clear a path for their own.
What is Usars?
USA Roller Sports (USARS), formerly the United States Amateur Confederation of Roller Skating, is the national governing body of competitive roller sports (inline skating and roller skating) in the United States.