Roller Derby

Full-contact team roller-skating sport where jammers score points lapping blockers on a flat oval track.

👥5 per team🌤indoor

What is Roller Derby?

Roller derby is a full-contact team sport on quad roller skates. Each two-minute jam sends one "jammer" per team through a pack of four blockers, scoring one point for each opposing skater lapped. Legal contact is limited to the shoulder-to-hip zone. The modern flat-track revival began in Austin in 2001 and is now global.

Quick facts

Category

Ball Sports

Type

Team sport

Players

5 per team

Where played

indoor

Country of origin

🇺🇸 United States

Estimated origin

1935, Chicago (Leo Seltzer); modern flat-track revival 2001, Austin, Texas

Olympic

No

Popularity

major

Sources & provenance

Last verified 2026-08-20.verified