Rules

HOW IT WORKS
In each Jam, the two teams square off against one another with 5 skaters per team. The 5 skaters are divided into 4 defensive players known as Blockers (one of whom wears a striped helmet cover and is called the "pivot;" like a quarterback, this position is the play-caller and controls her pack), and a points-scoring skater, known as a Jammer (identified by a helmet cover with a star).

The Blockers skate together in a formation known as a Pack. The Blockers' job is to stop, obstruct or force the opposing Jammer out of play to prevent her from scoring, while at the same time assisting their own Jammer. Play begins when one of the refs signals the Pack to begin moving. Once the last Pack member travels 20 feet from the starting line, another signal is whistled to start the Jammers. This is when the official Jam begins.

Once the Jam whistle is blown, the Jammers must fight their way through the Pack and exit it completely to qualify for scoring. The Blockers from the opposing team will try to prevent them from doing so.

Once out of the Pack, the Jammers then race to lap the Pack. From this point, each time the Jammer laps a member of the opposing team and passes her in-bounds, she receive one point for her team. A Jam is OVER when one of the following occurs:
- The 60 second time limit elapses.
- The Lead Jammer places both hands on her hips, calling off the Jam.
- When an official ends the Jam due to an emergency, skater injury, or extreme fouls.

SCORING
- A Jammer can earn one point for every skater on the opposing team lapped and passed in bounds, and she is eligible to gain points for those members of the opposing team withheld (either due to penalties, or tactical decisions to withhold skaters by the opposing team) from play if she clears the Pack and laps the opposing Jammer. The Jammer can only score on each Blocker once per scoring pass.
- A Jammer can also earn a point for opposing skaters who skate out of play while she is scoring. For example, the Jammer is entitled to immediately receive a point from every opposing Blocker who is leading the Pack by more than 20 feet once she clears the legally defined Pack.
- If a Blocker commits an egregious foul, the Jammer may be awarded the points she may have been attempting to score. If a foul is committed during a critical game-deciding Jam, the referee may award up to five points. This has only happened twice in three years. On the final Jam, there is a special provision for major fouls, in which the penalized team loses all points earned in that Jam, and a special overtime Jam is conducted.