The Rules of Flat Track Roller Derby

6.10 - Out of Play

Out of play penalties are applied for actions occurring in front of and/or behind the legal Engagement Zone and for actions that illegally destroy the pack. All actions are to be penalized equally regardless of position (Blocker vs. Jammer). Out of play actions include but are not limited to blocking, assisting, destroying the pack, failure to reform a pack, and failure to return to the Engagement Zone. A penalty will be applied to each offending Blocker for each action.

6.10.1 - A skater who is in front of or behind the Engagement Zone may receive an out of play warning from a referee.

6.10.2 - Illegally destroying the pack is the illegal creation of a “no-pack” situation. When two or more groups of Blockers equal in number are on the track, are more than 10 feet (3 m) from one another, and no single group meets the pack definition, no pack can be defined. If the actions of a skater, team, or group of skaters create a “no-pack” situation, one penalty for destroying the pack will be applied to a single skater who is most responsible or the Pivot (see Section 7.1.4). Both teams are responsible for maintaining a legally defined pack.

6.10.2.1 - Examples of illegally destroying the pack, or creating a no-pack situation, may include but are not limited to a skater, skaters, or team running away, braking or coasting to drop back more than 10 feet (3 m) behind the opposing team, taking a knee, intentionally falling, or intentionally skating out of bounds in such a manner that the legally defined pack is destroyed.

6.10.2.1.1 - The rules do not define pack speed. Illegally destroying the pack penalties shall not be given for gradually deviating from the speed of the pack as established through game play, unless said deviation is sudden, rapid, and marked, leaving the opposing team no opportunity to adjust and maintain a pack.

6.10.2.2 - A skater or group of skaters is always responsible for the consequences of their actions. If their actions create a no-pack situation (excepting those covered in Section 6.10.2.3 and Section 6.10.2.1.1) they must be penalized as directed in Section 6.10.9 and Section 6.10.18. When determining responsibility of a no-pack situation, per Section 4.1.2 and Section 6.10.2, both teams are responsible for maintaining a legally defined pack.

6.10.2.3 - Pack destructions as a result of normal gameplay are not to be considered illegal pack destructions and should not be penalized. Skaters still must reform a pack immediately or be subject to out of play penalties (see Section 6.10.6 and Section 6.10.7). Examples of normal gameplay which should not be considered illegal pack destructions include:

6.10.2.3.1 - Forcing an opponent down or out of bounds.

6.10.2.3.2 - A pack being destroyed as the result of a missed block. This is not the same as intentionally skating out of bounds to destroy a pack, which should be penalized according to rule 6.10.2.1.

6.10.2.4 - When no single skater or team can be clearly found responsible for illegally destroying the pack, no penalty for illegally destroying the pack shall be enforced, however skaters and teams are still responsible for immediately reforming a pack (see Section 6.10.7, Section 6.10.12, and Section 6.10.20).

6.10.3 - Jammers may initiate engagement with Jammers outside the Engagement Zone.

6.10.4 - Jammers may not initiate engagement with Blockers outside the Engagement Zone. If a Blocker initiates engagement with a Jammer outside the Engagement Zone, the illegally engaged Jammer may counter-block and go unpenalized. Likewise, if a Jammer illegally engages a Blocker outside the Engagement Zone, that Blocker may counter-block and go unpenalized.

6.10.5 - Blockers may not initiate engagement outside the Engagement Zone. If a Blocker initiates engagement with an opponent outside the Engagement Zone, the illegally engaged opponent may counter-block and go unpenalized. Likewise, if a Jammer illegally engages an opponent outside the Engagement Zone, that opponent may counter-block and go unpenalized.

6.10.6 - Out of play skaters will be warned to return to the Engagement Zone and will be penalized if they do not immediately attempt to return to the Engagement Zone.

6.10.6.1 - A skater ahead of the Engagement Zone is compelled to skate clockwise to return to the Engagement Zone if the pack is stopped or moving clockwise.

6.10.7 - During a no-pack situation skaters will be warned that there is no pack and will be penalized if they do not immediately attempt to reform the pack. During a no-pack situation out of bounds skaters must return to the track and reform a pack.

6.10.8 - Skaters may not assist teammates outside the Engagement Zone.

6.10.9 - No-pack situations without a measurable impact on game play.

6.10.10 - Any illegal blocking while out of play that forces the receiving opposing skater off balance, forward, and/or sideways, but does not cause the opposing skater to lose relative position.

6.10.11 - An out of play assist that affects the recipient but does not improve relative position.

If the out-of-play action has a measurable consequence for the game it is a major penalty.

6.10.12 - A skater who, after being warned, does not immediately attempt to return to the Engagement Zone. A major penalty must be applied to each offending Blocker who does not attempt to return to the Engagement Zone.

6.10.13 - After a warning, a failure to immediately attempt to reform a pack will result in a major penalty. This penalty includes failure to reform a pack by returning to in bounds from out of bounds. One penalty will be applied to a single skater per team, if applicable, who seems most responsible, or the Pivot (see Section 7.1.4).

6.10.13.1 - Examples of an immediate attempt to reform the pack by the front-most group of skaters include actively braking or coasting. This should continue until either they have come to a stop, at which point they may not start skating counter-clockwise again, or a pack has been reformed. During a no-pack scenario the front-most group is never required to skate clockwise to reform a pack.

6.10.13.2 - During a no-pack scenario, the rear-most group must accelerate forward until either they are sprinting and then maintain that speed, or a pack has been reformed. If a pack reformation is imminent, they may make motions to slow in order to enter the pack in a controlled fashion.

6.10.13.3 - During a no-pack scenario, if there are more than two groups, skaters who are in neither the front-most or rear-most groups may choose for themselves whether they would prefer to speed up or slow down in an attempt to reform the pack.

6.10.13.4 - During a no-pack scenario, if all of one team is out of bounds, the team on the track must skate forward, accelerating until they are sprinting, a pack has reformed, or a member of the opposing team may legally return to the track behind them.

6.10.14 - A Blocker returning to the pack from behind, having lapped the pack. A penalty must be applied to each offending Blocker (see Section 4.3.3.3).

6.10.15 - A Blocker returning to the pack from the front, having fallen behind the pack. A penalty must be applied to each offending Blocker (see Section 4.3.3.3).

6.10.16 - No Pack: After a warning, a sustained failure to reform a pack will result in a major penalty. This penalty includes a sustained failure to reform a pack by returning to in bounds from out of bounds. One penalty will be applied to a single skater per team, if applicable, who seems most responsible, or the Pivot (see Section 7.1.4).

6.10.17 - Any illegal blocking while out of play that forces the receiving opposing skater out of their established position. This includes forcing a skater down, out of bounds, or out of relative position.

6.10.18 - Illegally Destroying the Pack: The act of illegally destroying the pack causes all Blockers to lose relative position. The skater responsible for destroying the pack receives a major penalty.

6.10.19 - An out of play assist that improves the recipient’s relative position. The penalty is given to the initiator of the assist.

The following egregious acts will be automatic game expulsions and can be punished as a multi game suspension (see Section 7.4.2.2). Expulsions will be issued for a conscious attempt to block an opponent in an egregious manner while out of play, whether or not the action was successful.

6.10.20 - Intentional, negligent, or reckless contact with an opponent while out of play.