FiveOnFive Sneak Peek: The Do's And Don'ts Of Stripes

Issue 13 of FiveOnFive is available now! Find the FiveOnFive table at Westerns, North Centrals, and Champs, or subscribe!

By: Chaz Hall, Carolina Wrecking Balls

A roller derby referee follows a fine line between enjoyment and insanity. Through months and years of practice, we dive headfirst into a slew of adrenaline crazed women, looking for a big hit and a win. That’s a very difficult thing to do; considering our job is to make sure they don’t send a skate to a face or get too out of control. Being a roller derby referee is a respected position and it takes a special set of skills and talents to become one that is recognized for their knowledge and ability. Regardless of whether you’re a newbie or veteran, WFTDA or not, here are five guidelines to becoming a respected and knowledgeable referee.

let them play

Roller Derby is a high rolling physical sport and the fact is, elbows and forearms happen. Focus on what is important, which is impact. Impact is something you must train your mind and body to react to as it has a direct impact on the game. Remember, some illegal blocks may affect one type of skater, while they may not affect another. Determine if an illegal block is the cause of the loss of position or has affected the game or if the skater’s lack of skill caused her own demise. Remember, let them play and enforce the rules fairly and with an open mind.

master your skating

This is a must. All too many times I have seen a variety of referees who are amazing rules lawyers and could probably sweep me off my feet any day with their knowledge, yet fail to learn how to stop and accelerate quickly and effectively. There is no hiding the fact that amazing skating ability will catapult you through the hierarchy of roller derby referees. Being able to skate backwards while watching a pack, being able to hurl yourself in the air to avoid a fallen skater and the ability to weave and dodge your own referees as you chase your jammer down, is vital to becoming a referee. Don’t think that just because you can quote newest rule set that that in itself makes you a good referee. Take some time to have fun with your skating and advance yourself.

grab a mentor

No matter where you are in your rules and skating skill, always find someone who is better than you. Trust me, they’re out there. As a referee, you will inevitably build a host of partnerships with leagues and other referees. Use this time to network and grow as a person and a referee. A lot of the people you meet come from fairly interesting life paths and those paths have made them the referees they are today. Humble yourself and open yourself to new ideas and concepts. Forget what you know and go to your mentor or soon-to-be mentor and admit to them you don’t know everything and you’d like their help. It’ll go a long way and your mind will be much more open to concepts and ideas if you do so.

open your eyes and ears

Always seek to improve. Every practice and game should be a learning experience. Focus on one thing at a time and as your skill improves, focus on another and then revisit the old ones. As you grow as a referee, you will learn that learning new things should not mean the sacrifice of old knowledge. This game changes faster than the stock market and, frankly, so does the mentality and strategy. Even after years of experience, referees may forget something as simple as cutting the foremost opposing blockers and call it as a minor, even though track cutting is most likely the first penalty they learned to call. Do they miss it because they don’t recognize or know the rules? Absolutely not, but when the game changes to pack destruction and their eyes are wider than a semi trying to define a pack, the track cut may not be on their mind at the time.

Remember to always visit old rules and focus on ways to improve those skill sets. Fiddle around with ideas on how to remember minors on certain blockers or your jammer, doing so will improve your memory and also your ability to call effectively. When you open your eyes and ears, you open yourself to creativity and creativity is the lifeblood of improvement. Take some time in the next week or even month to refocus on something you believe you have mastered. You’ll probably realize and learn a lot of things your eyes and ears missed a few months before.

NSOs yeses and nos

There are only three required skating officials in a roller derby bout, but have you ever considered how many NSOs are required to run an effective bout? Consider the tasks involved in being a non-skating official and how vital those tasks are to your effectively refereeing. NSOs should be respected and shown appreciation, just as you expect to be respected and appreciated. NSOs are the government to our zebra police force. If their documentation or times are ever off, the game suffers. Always remember they are part of your officiating family. Show them the same respect as you do another zebra. A referee who bends over backwards for his NSOs will soon learn that his NSOs will see that and will give you everything they’ve got.

Remember, the Dos and Don’ts of Refereeing isn’t a set guideline or set of rules, just merely a set of suggestions. This will change as our sport matures and grows. As a roller derby referee, you’re part of an elite family of men and women who, in my eyes, are the framework of our game. Always remember though, you’re there to officiate and keep the women who play safe. Always remember to keep the game safe and fair, and if you focus on those two things, your career will know no bounds and know no limits. Good luck, Zebras!