The Rules of Flat Track Roller Derby

5.1 - General Blocking

5.1.1 - Blocking is any movement on the track designed to knock the opponent down or out of bounds or to impede the opponent’s speed or movement through the pack. Blocking includes counter-blocking. Blocking need not include contact. Positional blocking is blocking without contact. A skater positioning their body in front of an opposing skater to impede the opposing skater’s movement on the track is positional blocking. Positional blocking need not be deliberate and/or intentional to be illegal, e.g., if the blocking skater is not aware of the Jammer’s position behind the blocking skater.

5.1.1.1 - Counter-blocking is any motion/movement toward an oncoming block by the receiving skater that is designed to counteract an opponent’s block. Counter-blocking is treated as blocking and held to the same standards and rules. (See Section 6.10.5 for Out of Play exceptions.)

5.1.1.2 - Only skaters who are in play (as defined in Section 4.3.2) may skate in front of an opposing skater to impede the opposing skater’s movement on the track. Positional blocking need not include contact.

5.1.1.3 - Only skaters who are stepping and/or skating in the counter-clockwise direction may execute a block. It is illegal to block while at a standstill and while moving in the clockwise direction. This includes positional blocking.

5.1.1.4 - It is legal to block skaters who are standing on the track.

5.1.1.5 - It is legal to block skaters who are skating and/or stepping clockwise or counter-clockwise on the track.

5.1.2 - The skater who makes contact with a target zone of an opponent is considered the initiator of the block. The initiator of the block is always responsible for the legality of their contact.

5.1.3 - A skater who is in play and stepping and/or skating (i.e., not down or at a standstill) in the counter-clockwise direction may block or engage an opposing skater at any time during the jam after the jam start whistle has blown.

5.1.3.1 - Blockers and Jammers begin at the jam-starting whistle.

5.1.4 - To ensure safety, skaters may not use dangerous blocking techniques see Sections 6.1–6.10 and Section 6.16 - Misconduct/Gross Misconduct for penalties relating to dangerous blocking.