The Rules of Flat Track Roller Derby

3.2 - Pre-Jam Positioning

3.2.1 - Prior to the start of a jam all skaters must be in position with the Blockers in front of the Jammers. (See Section 1.2.3.1.)

3.2.1.1 - Blockers are in position if they are between the Jammer Line and the Pivot Line (measured counter-clockwise) at the start of the jam. No Blockers may be touching the Jammer Line, and only the Pivot Blocker may be touching the Pivot Line. Blockers must be in a position, pre-jam such that the pack will exist behind the Pivot Line and in front of the Jammer Line at the jam-starting whistle, or immediately after the jam-starting whistle should the jam begin without a defined pack.

3.2.1.1.1 - It is required that more than half of the on-the-track Blockers from each team begin in this pre-jam positioning. An Illegal Procedure penalty will be assessed to the Pivot in that jam of the team(s) that did not field enough Blockers in proper pre-jam position (see Section 5.13.31).

3.2.1.1.1.1 - If all of one team’s Blockers are lined up out of position per Section 3.2.1.1, a Delay of Game penalty should be issued when the 30 seconds between jams has expired (see Section 5.13.31 and Section 5.15.4).

3.2.1.2 - At the jam-starting whistle, Blockers are permitted to be either upright or down on one knee.

3.2.1.2.1 - Blockers may not intentionally take starting positions that purposefully prolong that skater’s ability to return to an in-play position or a team’s ability to reform a pack (e.g., intentionally starting on one’s back, intentionally starting in a dog pile) (see Section 5.13.30).

3.2.2 - Pivot Starting Position: Only the Pivots may line up on the Pivot Line. Pivots are considered on the Pivot Line when they are upright and also touching the line.

3.2.3 - Non-Pivot Blocker Starting Positions: Blockers line up in any order behind the Pivots as demarked by the hips. If a Pivot is not upright and on the Pivot Line, Non-Pivot Blockers are not required to line up behind that Pivot.

3.2.4 - Jammer Starting Position: Jammers may line up anywhere between the Jammer Line and the Pivot Line (measured clockwise). Jammers may line up touching the Jammer Line, but may not be touching the Pivot Line.

3.2.5 - The pack and Jammers may begin rolling at the jam-starting whistle from the designated Official.

3.2.6 - Jammers may not be accelerating at the jam-starting whistle. They are, however, permitted to be moving, coasting, or braking.

3.2.7 - Skaters who line up completely outside of their legal starting area will be issued a penalty (see Section 5.13.10).

3.2.8 - Skaters who line up fully in bounds but in an illegal starting position (while touching their legal starting area) are considered to have committed a False Start, and will receive a False Start warning. Once warned, skaters who False Start must cease all forward motion until they have yielded to all skaters in the immediate vicinity by ceding relative position to those skaters, or they may be issued a penalty (see Section 5.13.9).

3.2.8.1 - If, after the warning, no skaters are in immediate vicinity of a skater who has false started (in the clockwise direction), the false-starting skater must come to a complete stop in order to yield. After yielding, they may skate normally.

3.2.8.2 - If a false-starting skater attempts to cede relative position (by coming to a stop), but no other skaters make an attempt to take back said advantage, the false-starting skater is no longer required to yield.

3.2.8.3 - Prior to yielding, a Blocker who has false started is not considered part of the pack.