All About Officiating
Roller Derby has two types of Officials: Referees and Non-Skating Officials and they are required so that we can play games or scrimmages. GRDL has two types of Officials: League Member Officials and Game Day Officials , and we are always looking for more people to fill these roles. We value any and all help that anyone would like to lend to our league, and encourage anyone interested in the sport of roller derby to get involved as much (or as little) as they have time to do.
Referees
Referees are volunteer skaters who work together to implement the rules fairly and consistently, creating a safe roller derby environment for all scrimmages and bouts. They work in positions such as Inside Pack Ref (IPR), Jammer Ref (JR), and Outside Pack Ref (OPR) to ensure players are following the rules and penalize them when they do not.
Non-Skating Officials
NSOs are volunteers who work together to record, time, and track the happenings of a game. They work in positions such as Jam Timer (JT), Penalty-Line Up Trackers (PLT), Penalty Box Manager (PBM), Penalty Box Timer (PBT), Scoreboard Operator (SO), and Score Keeper (SK) to keep the game on track, make sure the rules are being followed, and to record all the important information about what happened during the game.
Game Day Officials
Game Day Officials help out at games and events, filling a specific role during the event. These jobs are filled on a game by game basis, and do not require any long term commitment to the league. They are a fun way to be involved with roller derby and to support your local league. Skaters who are not playing in a game are encouraged to sign up as well. Learning to Officiate is a great way to better understand the rules and workings of derby.
Referees (skating officials) and NSOs (non-skating officials) work together implement the rules fairly and consistently, and to document games and scrimmages while they occur. Referee jobs require a base level of training, but some NSO positions can be taught on game day. New NSOs are paired with experienced officials whenever possible.
We welcome experienced referees and any level of NSOs who want to officiate with our crew on game day. Please keep an eye out for the signup forms for our home games on the Games page or look under Events on our Hell's Belles Facebook page.
League Member Officials are actively involved in the league and helping to accomplish the goals of the league year round. Their monthly dues are waived, and they are instead granted league membership, including voting rights, by their continuing participation. Referees are required to maintain insurance coverage, which can be purchased from Roller Derby Canada Services (RDC) for $30 per year. Click for details.
Dedicated officials who are league members participate in our Officials Committee, and work between games to organize and train new and experienced officials, help prepare and process game day paperwork, as well as officiate on game days. They might also have a specific league job, such as Head or Assistant-Head Ref/NSO. Experienced Officials (with us or elsewhere), or those wish to train to become a dedicated Ref or NSO, and wish to join GRDL as Officials can apply for league membership using our Online Membership Form (coming soon!).
Referees are encouraged to attend practices and are welcome to participate in any non-contact drills, including off-skates, warm ups, footwork drills, cool downs, and stretches. Additionally, during practices, referees can work on their officiating skills during drills or scrimmage, or can choose to work on skating skills on the sidelines. They are encouraged to share their rules knowledge with not just other referees, but with everyone in the league. We happily support any referees who are working towards any level of WFTDA certification in any way that we can, but we also welcome referees who just want to support the league with their skills and knowledge.
"Referees in Training" are not required to go through our Derby 101 program, but are encouraged to do so in order to improve their skating skills and knowledge of the rules. Please note, referees participate only in the lessons that apply to their required skills (no blocking/hitting), but will learn skills useful to WFTDA referee testing. Referees in Training may also attend any regular league practices to work on skating and referee skills. Completing the program gives you the skills you need to get started as a Referee officiating games and scrimmages.
Non-Skating Officials are encouraged to attend practices so they can work on some skills such as Jam Timing, Penalty Box Timing, and Score Keeping during drills and scrimmage-style play. They are also encouraged to take part in the Rules training portion of Derby 101 when they are first getting started.
For more information, email us at: officials @ georginarollerderby .com