ABOUT GSR

A photo of the shark mascot running towards the camera

Garden State Roller Derby is New Jersey’s premier flat track roller derby league, consisting of approximately 40 skaters.

The league has two traveling teams, the all-star Ironbound Maidens and the B-team, the Brick City Bruisers. In addition, there are three home teams, the Northern Nightmares, the Jersey City Bridge and Pummel, and the newest home team the Gateway Grim Reapers, who bout against each other throughout the season.

GSR is in Division 2 of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).

ABOUT ROLLER DERBY

Roller derby has experienced a revival in the past few years, with almost 1500 teams around the world. It is a full contact sport played in traditional quad roller skates on a flat surface, such as a the floor of a roller rink.

Roller derby games are called bouts, which are divided into two 30-minute periods. Each period consists of a number of jams, which can last up to two minutes.

In a jam, each team puts five players on the track: a pivot, three blockers, and a jammer. The jammers are the point-scorers, and attempt to earn points by lapping the pack and successfully passing the opposing team's blockers. The pivot and blockers from each team form the pack, and their main objective is to impede the progress of the opposite team's jammer through the pack. Blockers can use shoulder and hip checks, as well as booty blocks, to distract.

Penalties are given to skaters who block illegally (clotheslining and punching are against the rules, folks), behave in an unsportsmanlike manner or otherwise break the rules.

Roller derby is a true contact sport, and while bouts may be tough and action-packed, they are absolutely family friendly and enjoyable for fans of all ages.

For more information, visit rules.wftda.com.