Officiate for New Hampshire Roller Derby

Photo courtesy of S.S. Trixie

Ever wondered why there are so many zebras at roller derby bouts? It is sometimes said that derby may be one of the most challenging sports in the world to referee. The "ball" is a moving human being, traveling through an engagement zone that is, itself, moving; oh - and you're moving, too, ref!

There are typically five to seven skating refs at a derby bout, plus several "Non-Skating Officials" or NSOs, such as penalty box timers, jam timers, and penalty wranglers; and don't forget about the statisticians keeping tabs on skaters' every move!

Whew.

Are YOU ready for the challenge? NHRD is always looking for men and women to join our officiating crew. Our talented group of referees with more than 12 years of combined experience will teach you everything you need to know to get started!

Step #1: Read the rules! Look to the right for a list of resources to feed your inner rules nerd! Can't skate? Start with us as an NSO and we'll help you get there!

Referee and NSO Requirements

You must be 21 or older
You must have health insurance and WFTDA insurance ($60 a year)
You must sign a waiver that says when you get hurt you won't sue us into oblivion
You must be able to attend at least 75% of our scrimmages and events. We scrimmage 1-2 days a week, January through October.
You will need quad skates, a helmet, mouth guard, knee and elbow pads, and wrist guards (Required for skating refs, optional for NSOs).

Check out our current team of refs and NSOs here.

Think you've got the right attitude?

Contact Woody Yankabitch at ref@nhrollerderby.com to get more information about becoming a referee or NSO!

Rules Information

As a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), NHRD plays by their official rule set. WFTDA rules resources can be found here:

WFTDA Standardized Flat Track Roller Derby Rules (PDF)
Appendix B: WFTDA Track Design (PDF)
WFTDA Rules Q&A (wftda.com)
Roller Derby Rule of the Day (facebook.com)

Officiating Positions

Referee Positions

Head Ref: (1) Supervises the officiating.
Jam Ref: (2) Watches each jammer exclusively. Scorekeepers.
Inside Pack Ref: (1-2) Watches the main pack of blockers and pivots from the inside of the track.
Outside Pack Ref: (2-3) Watches the main pack of blockers and pivots from the outside of the track.

Non-Skating Officials

Head NSO: (1) Certifies stats results for submission to the WFTDA for ranking.
Jam Timer: (1) Keeps 2 minute jam times and 30 second break times. Blows jam start whistles.
Penalty Box Timers: (2-4) Keeps track of 1 minute penalty times and notifies skaters when they are allowed to leave the box. Penalty Tracker: (2) Works closely with the Inside Whiteboard NSO to ensure that each penalty type, severity, and jam it occurred in is recorded.
Scorekeeper: (2) Receives point information from the Jam Refs, keeps track of who is Lead Jammer, and records how each jam ends.
Scoreboard Operator: (1) Communicates with the Scorekeeper NSOs and runs the electronic scoreboard for the public.
Inside Whiteboard: (1) Notes all major and minor penalties on a board visible to the referees and skaters. May have "Wranglers" assisting with catching all penalties.
Outside Whiteboard: (2) Communicates penalties from the Outside Pack Refs to the Inside Whiteboard NSO.