About Geelong Roller Derby League

Geelong Roller Derby League was established in March 2008. When we say established, we refer to a handful of skaters learning and running drills obtained from YouTube. There was assistance from skaters from other leagues, including Margy Bargy of the London Rock and Rollers.

After seven months two aptly named teams, the Frankenskaters and the Bloody Marys would present their first bout to family and friends on Halloween. (This being the origin of the GRDL travel team which remains to this day, the Bloody Marys).

Further assistance to build on knowledge and skill level was sought from the Victorian Roller Derby League, in particular Betty Bamalam and Harry Spot'er. After months of blood, sweat and tears, GRDL's first public bout hosted on the 6th December 2008, which saw the Death Leopards take on the Black Sadists.

In March 2009, the Bloody Marys bouted against VRDL’s B Team called “New Breed” at BVAC in Geelong. Soon after this a rematch was held in May which saw the Bloody Marys clinch a nail biting win by one point in an overtime jam. This rematch was a sell-out held at Deakin University, where local band (and diehard Bloody Marys supporters) the Dukes of Deliciousness provided half time entertainment.

The 600 spectator capacity venue at Deakin would not suffice public demand for future bouts of this new expanding sport. A new venue was secured just in time to kick off GRDL's first home season later that year. The league was continuously growing and expanding, now with enough members to field two teams - the camo clad Atom Bombs and the Psychotics sporting electric blue and black.

In 2010, GRDL teamed up with sister skaters from Ballarat Roller Derby League to send a team, The Maulrats, to Adelaide for the first national derby tournament. Leagues from both Australian and New Zealand attended The Great Southern Slam in the two day spectacular. The Maulrats final rank was 5^th out of the 16 leagues involved – and this after playing 3 bouts in a day!

Today, GRDL has grown to approximately 100 members comprising of referees and skaters of all levels. The league is skater owned and run, with a portion of bout proceeds being donated to help support many local charities.

All GRDL members are passionate and dedicated to the sport, played in accordance with the internationally recognised Women's Flat Track Derby Association's rules and guidelines.

About Roller Derby

pron. Roh-Ler DER-bee

definition n.1. Full contact roller skating sport

n. 2. Addictive, fast paced, hard hitting action

A Roller Derby Bout consists of two 30 minute periods, which is further broken up into 2 minute jams (which may be called off before the 2 minutes is complete by the lead jammer).

Each team fields a Jammer (Star on their helmet), Pivot (Stripe on their helmet) and three blockers at any given time. The pivots and blockers must stay within 20feet of the pack at all times to be considered in play.

The first jammer to make a clean and legal pass through the pack is Lead Jammer and has the opportunity to call off the Jam before the 2 minutes is up. Both Jammers are required to sprint and manoeuvre through the pack to score points. A point is scored by passing a skater from the opposite team’s hips legally.

Roller Derby

bouts have no such thing as a tie, if in the final jam the scores are tied; there will be an overtime jam which will last for two minutes. The jammers in this jam can score points in their first pass through the pack.