Officials are a very, very important part of roller derby. PFM has a program to train both referees and NSOs (non-skating officials). Referees make sure that everything is safe and that we are playing by the rules. NSOs keep track of times, scores, penalties, etc.
We have two scrimmages a month, which means that twice a month we need help from—and train—referees and NSOs.
Before our monthly Learning Scrimmage we have an overview, covering the basics of being a referee for WFTDA-based play. The goal of this session is to enable someone with basic knowledge of roller derby to understand most of what the skating referees do. Consider this as an introductory or beginner guide.
You may come to just participate in the discussion and then NSO (no gear is needed for non-skating officials) or simply watch the scrimmage and how it works. If you’d like to participate in shadowing a more experienced referee, then you must have the gear listed below. There is a place for everybody!
Gear:
• Helmet, elbow pads, wrist guards, knee pads, and skates.
• Whistle—Fox 40 Classic recommended.
• Vertically striped referee shirt or plain white t-shirt.
Click here to see the curriculum overview.
A basic level of skating skill is required for safety. You must be comfortable on skates, have good balance, be able to stop, etc… If you need a basic intro to skating please email pfmrollerderby@gmail.com to attend a New Skater class. We have them approximately every two weeks. They are open to everybody; in them we teach basic skating and stopping. Full gear, except whistle and referee shirt, is required for New Skater.
Before our monthly Recreational Scrimmage we go over scrimmage scenarios and then apply that knowledge while refereeing. The scenarios come from the WFTDA training manual and topics change from time to time. The same gear as above is required.
NSOs will be given the tools and training they need on the job. NSOs do not need any knowledge or equipment to volunteer.
Ready to start? Check our calendar for the next scrimmage!
