When a referee makes a call.
We ARE NOT:
- Commenting on how well/poorly you skate.
- Judging intent on your actions.
- Saying you do things wrong.
- Saying you are wrong.
- Saying you’re a bad person.
- Wishing harm on you or your family.
- Commenting on how well/poorly you executed whatever action.
However, we ARE:
Bleacher Creatures - The Credit for Submission
Handsome Joe Hanson with the Crime City Rollers of Malmö,Sweden got in touch to tell me that it was himself that submitted the “Bleacher Creatures” entry.
He tells me that he used this while in Glasgow which can only lead me to believe that he has met Glasgows very own Helliverance. Star of “Shit Roller Derby Announcers Say”
New Entries!!!
Firstly let me apologise for not posting any entries in AAAAAGES!. I won’t let it happen again.
Secondly let me apologise to the 2 people that submitted entries for “Bleacher Creatures” and “Soul Crush”. I wanted to edit these to attribute them to you but once I clicked to publish them it stopped telling me who you were… And Now onto some new entries!
Scrimmage
A practice of gameplay. Normally abbreviated to Scrim
Alternate
One of the designated people allowed to speak to the Referees during a bout.
Gotham Web
A wall where the blockers reach out and touch either the hips or shoulders of the other blockers in the wall creating a web of legs and arms
CannonBalling
Throwing a Team mate into the path of an opposing player. See “Punish the Bullet, Not the Gun”
Punish the Bullet, Not the Gun
Phrase used by refs to explain who picks up a penalty if a CannonBalled player commits a foul as a result of being thrown/assisted.
25 in 5
The Minimum Skill Requirement of skating 25 laps of the track in under 5 minutes.
Winning the Afterparty
Out dancing or out drinking the opposing team at the afterparty
bleacher creatures
The wonderful fans! A term particularly useful on a Halloween Bout as is “ghost points”.I did not make this up but read it on a forum somewhere .
Sorry I lost the name of the person that contributed this. If you’re out there let me know who you are…
Soul Crush
SOUL CRUSH.
The Soul Crush refers to a move where a blocker knocks an opposing jammer or blocker (depending on the situation) out of bounds and then the blocker skates backwards on the track forcing the opposing player to either skate back to re-enter behind him or take the track cut penalty. When it is the opposing jammer that is knocked out of play, a smart pack will all start to skate backwards in the hopes that a less-experienced pack will also skate backwards. This happens quite a bit and is amazing to see executed well. The name refers to the fact that you are crushing the soul of your opponent.
Sorry I lost the name of the person that contributed this. If you’re out there let me know who you are…
New Year - New Entries!
Happy new year from me, Professor Dick Shonary and my team of troglodyte derby dictionary archivists.
The new year sees some more gems unearthed to be added to the dictionary.
2 More Jams
There is never a last jam in a scrimmage. There is always one more. This comes from a superstition that if there is ever a last jam someone will be injured. “It’s 21:29 and we have to pack up at 21:30, 2 More Jams then!”.
Bench Manager
Each team is allowed to have extra personnel in the bench area during a bout. These are normally the bench manager and the lineup manager. The Bench manager is in charge of the tactics for the team and shouting advice to the players on track. The Bench manager is normally also the Alternate and so can query or challenge rules and decisions made during play.
Boutmas Eve
The night before a bout when all good rollergirls get excited and go to bed early so that bout day comes quicker.
Fearleader
The roller derby equivalent of a cheerleader in other sports. Same deal - Team colours, Pom poms but way more attitude.
Helmet Tapper
A jam where one jammer is continually lapping the other. From the tapping of the wrist guard against the helmet of the Jam Ref whenever his jammer is being lapped. “This jam is turning into a real helmet tapper marty…”
Jeerleader
See Fearleader
Lineup Manager
The lineup manager is in charge of sending the right players out onto track at the right time in the right positions. See also Bench Manager
Skate Out
The introduction of the teams to the crowd. Some skateouts are simple with the team skating in a pack and as their name is called by the announcer they give a wave. Some are super elaborate and involve glow sticks, flags, custom costumes and laser light shows. Normally accompanied by the teams chosen theme song.
Swimming
Pulling yourself through a pack of players using a swimming motion. Often a Newbie thing that leads to many a forearms penalty.
New Entries 29 December 2011
Possibly the last update of 2011. A few entries garnered from afterparty discussions with players, refs and announcers.
Also from the smell emanating from the skate bag in the corner of my house…
Seal Clubbing
A shoulder check from behind to the outside of the shoulder made with the upper arm/shoulder of the initiator. Normally a movement with only the upper body designed to throw a hit at the opposing player when close up.
Philly Wall
A wall made of 2 or 3 blockers facing each other, across the track, touching palm to palm and 1 blocker standing in front of them facing backwards and pushing on them to stabilise.
Pad Stink
The bad smell that seems to cling to roller derby safety equipment no matter how much you wash it. Most Derbygirls seem to become immune to the effects. Some actively encourage it.
Stank
See Pad Stink
Straight Back Up
Shout often heard from Newcastle Roller Girl Bettie BasHer when a teammate takes a spill
AFTDA
Association of Flat Track Derby Announcers. The AFTDA is an organistion dedicated to ensuring that announcers at roller derby events the world over adhere to standard behaviours and codes of conduct. They also provide certification as a means of testing announcers on their knowledge of the rules, hand signals and the AFTDA handbook and code of conduct.
New Entries 15 December 2011
Just trying to fill in a lot of the definitions I’ve been sitting on for a while and hopefully everything from now will be suggested by you lovely people. If you are ever at an afterparty with me and I suddenly start pinning you down for a precise definition of something it will be as research for this. Anyway, onto the entries…
Fresh Meat
A new skater that has not completed minimum skills.
Ghost Points
Points that a jammer can accrue without having to pass the player. Examples of ghost points include players not on the track, players in the penalty box and players outside of the engagement zone.
Hip Check
A hit to an opponent using the hips
Hip Whip
A whip taken from a teammate by grabbing their hips and pulling yourself forward.
Hit
Any form of check or contact blocking manouvre
Hybrids
Skate Part. Wheels. Hybrids are wheels which are designed to be the best of both worlds. They provide good amounts of roll and grip. Examples of Hybrids are Atom Poisons and Reidell Shadows.
Jammerless Jam
A jam in which there is a period of time with no jammer on the track as both are in the penalty box. This is outlined in section 7.4.1. of the WFTDA Rules
J-Block
See Can Opener
Juking
Juking is the act of feinting and dodging to try and send a blocker in one direction while you go the other.
MRDA
Mens Roller Derby Association. Formerly MDC or Mens Derby Coalition. Often pronounced ‘Murder’.
No Douchebag Rules
Rule employed when scrimmaging with newer players. This basically means that the more experienced players rein in the big hits and sneaky tactics.
Non-scoring Pass
The initial pass that the jammers make in the jam is the non scoring pass
Pushers
Skate Part. Wheels. Pushers are grippy wheels which are used in combination with Tuners. Pushers are the wheels which are used when cornering and when accelerating
Roller Derby Saved My Soul
Song. Uncle Leon and the Alibis song about our favourite sport. Almost an unofficial theme song.
RollerGirl
Generic name for a skater in Roller Derby.
Rollygamy
Having multiple derby wives
Sheriff Block
Another name for the Can Opener
Skate Fast, Turn Left
Common slogan outlining the basics of being a Roller Derby Player
Skate Rape
Falling on a skate in a sensitive area and feeling slightly violated afterwards.
Taking a Knee
Most commonly seen as a tactic to start the jammers straight away taking a knee is where all blockers on one team kneel down before the jam start forcing an immediate no pack situation. Taking a Knee also refers to the courtesy that is afforded whenever a skaters goes down injured and stays down. While they are being seen to on track it is etiquette for all skaters to kneel.
Tuners
Skate Part. Wheels. Tuners are slippy, hard wheels which are used for maximum speed. Often combined with Pushers to make a custom setup for grip and speed.
Turn Stop
A stop where the skater transitions and then rises onto the toe stops or drags a toestop while transitioning.
We’re Number 2!
Chant popularised from the film Whip It. Chanted by the losing team at the end of a bout.
WFTDA
The Womens Flat Track Derby Association. Often Pronounced ‘Woof-tuh-duh’.
Whip It
Film. 2009 indie film starring Ellen Paige, Juliette Lewis and Drew Barrymore. Even though it is based around Banked Track this film brought a lot of popularity to the sport(both banked track and flat track) worldwide.
