The Rules of Flat Track Roller Derby

3.5 - Passing the Star

A Jammer may transfer their position to their team’s Pivot, allowing said Pivot to become the point-scoring skater for their team for the remainder of the jam. This is commonly referred to as “Passing the Star.” Only the position of Jammer, and not the status of Lead Jammer, may be transferred to a Pivot Blocker. A Pivot-turned-Jammer cannot gain Lead Jammer status.

3.5.1 - The star may be transferred by either Jammer while in the Engagement Zone. Jammers and Pivots must be within the Engagement Zone to pass the star. It is illegal to transfer the star outside of the Engagement Zone or while out of bounds.

3.5.2 - The star may only be transferred to a Pivot that is in play.

3.5.3 - The initiator of the star pass is always responsible for the legality of the star pass.

3.5.3.1 - Jammers may not pass the star while in route to or in the penalty box.

3.5.3.2 - Jammers may pass the star upon returning to play from the penalty box.

3.5.3.3 - Jammers may not pass the star to a Pivot who is in queue for the penalty box.

In order to transfer the Jammer position to the Pivot, a Jammer must remove the Jammer helmet cover and hand it to their team’s Pivot. The Jammer helmet cover may not be handed off via other skaters or thrown. The Jammer helmet cover may not be taken off the Jammer’s head by the Pivot or another skater. A Jammer who has removed, or whose teammate has removed, the Jammer helmet cover has forfeited:

3.5.4.1 - The ability to accrue points, unless the Jammer returns the Jammer helmet cover to their head with the stars visible.

3.5.4.2 - The Lead Jammer status.

3.5.5 - Jammer status is transferred when the Pivot is wearing the Jammer helmet cover on their helmet with the stars visible.

3.5.5.1 - In an illegal star pass, the Jammer status is not transferred, even if the Pivot then has possession of the Jammer helmet cover. Both skaters retain their original status and the initiator of the pass is penalized accordingly (see Section 6.13 - Illegal Procedures).

3.5.6 - Once Jammer status is transferred, it cannot be transferred back to the original Jammer.

3.5.7 - A star pass may be blocked by the opposing team by any means of legal blocking.

3.5.8.1 - If a Jammer helmet cover falls to the ground or is removed from play by any means, it may only be recovered by the Jammer or Pivot.

3.5.8.1.1 - The Pivot is eligible to obtain Jammer status by retrieving a dropped Jammer helmet cover and placing it on their helmet unless the Jammer is in the penalty box, in which case the Pivot will not be considered the Jammer until the original Jammer is released from the penalty box and legally returns to the track.

3.5.8.2 - A Jammer or Pivot may skate in any direction to retrieve the Jammer helmet cover, including out of bounds if the helmet cover is itself out of bounds. They are still susceptible to Out of Play penalties.

3.5.8.3 - If a star pass cannot be completed for any reason, the Jammer may return the Jammer helmet cover to their own helmet and regain their active Jammer position, but not Lead Jammer status (see Section 3.5.4 - Pass Procedure).

3.5.9.1 - A Pivot that has been passed the star attains Jammer status when the Jammer helmet cover has been placed on their helmet. Until the Jammer cover is on, the Pivot is subject to out of play penalties.

3.5.9.2 - A Pivot that has been passed the star and has become the Jammer is now subject to all rules per Section 8 - Scoring. The Pivot picks up where the previous Jammer left off on points scored and number of laps through the pack. The Jammer helmet cover must be on the new Jammer’s helmet and the stars must be visible in order for the new Jammer to accrue points.

3.5.9.3 - A Pivot who has taken the position of Jammer for their team by means of a successful Jammer helmet cover transfer will play the position of Jammer for the remainder of the jam.

3.5.9.4 - A Jammer who successfully completes a Jammer helmet cover transfer to the Pivot will play the position of Blocker for the remainder of the jam.

3.5.10 - See Section 6.13.26 and Section 6.13.27 for passing the star penalty procedures.