Question:

Both scoring referees award and signal Lead Jammer status to their Jammers (the second, mistakenly). If the second Jammer successfully calls off the jam (incorrectly believing she is the Lead Jammer), should she be assessed a penalty?

Answer:

No. It is only a penalty for a Jammer who is NOT Lead Jammer to call off a jam (6.2.8). If both Jammers are awarded Lead Jammer status, even in error, then an appropriate use of referee discretion (8.3.1) should be to dismiss any penalty assessment.

Question:

If both Jammers are called off on penalties, but the jam ends before the second Jammer takes her seat in the penalty box, is there a Jammerless Jam?

Answer:

In the above situation, the Jammerless Jam rules apply, but new lineups are fielded because the previous jam has already ended. The original Jammers serve their time in the penalty box as Blockers, and the teams will begin the next jam short those Blocker positions.

Question:

Who receives penalties when multiple players are involved in an illegal block outside the engagement zone?

Answer:

Penalties are assigned to all out of play Blockers involved in an illegal action.

Question:

Does the opposing Jammer qualify as a potential Not-on-the-Track point? What if both Jammers are on the same scoring pass?

Answer:

Jammers are treated like any other opposing skater for Not-on-the-Track points. Section 7.4 does not delineate between Blockers and Jammers:

• 7.4 The Jammer earns a point for each opposing skater who is not on the track immediately upon scoring her first point on an opposing blocker.

An opposing Jammer will be scored upon in this fashion regardless of what pass she is on relative to the other Jammer.

Question:

If at the end of a jam there is a split pack, or no pack, does a Jammer earn points for opposing out-of-play skaters out in front of her?

Answer:

If there is not a legal pack at the end of a jam, the Jammer does not score on opposing Blockers ahead of the Engagement Zone. A pack is required for 7.5.7 to be in effect.

Question:

When is a major penalty in effect, at the time the referee calls it, or when the penalized skater becomes aware of it?

Answer:

A penalty is in effect at the time that the penalty is enforced. The penalized player is “in the box” when the referee directs her off the track.

Question:

Should the penalty for “flipping the bird” be one minute in the box or an automatic ejection? Secondly, if WFTDA leaves us the freedom to decide, should this issue be decided by the league’s democratic process, or should the policy be decided by the refs only?

Answer:

“Flipping the bird,” or any other disrespectful gesture or expression by a skater directed toward a Referee or Official is grounds for automatic expulsion, according to precedent set forth in WFTDA interleague and tournament protocols. The same action by an opponent directed toward another skater is generally not penalized. Most WFTDA leagues follow this protocol, but the WFTDA does not interfere with the way individual member leagues govern Gross Misconduct of this nature in intraleague bouts. The WFTDA believes that the democratic process is the best model for success.

Question:

Can players re-enter the track the in front of the opponent who forced them out of bounds, if that opponent is herself currently out of bounds?

Answer:

Yes skaters can re-enter the track in front of out-of-bounds opponents. Rule 6.2.10.1 states that a “skater cutting around a downed or out-of-bounds player is not bettering her position.”  However out-of-bounds players will be penalized for cutting around in bounds players.

Question:

If a skater’s hips are ahead of a Blocker’s hips when that Blocker knocks her out of bounds, is that skater still eligible to be penalized for cutting the track if she returns to play in front of that Blocker?

Answer:

Yes, she is still eligible to receive penalties for cutting the track. Players must re-enter the track behind the player who forced them out of bounds, regardless of hip position and regardless of who was originally in front. The in bounds player successfully put the out of bounds player at a disadvantage by legally knocking her out of bounds and out of play and the out of bounds player cannot negate that advantage.

Question:

Does a Jammer have to pass blockers both ahead of the pack and out of play in order to become Lead Jammer?

Answer:

No, players ahead of the legal Engagement Zone* do not prevent a Jammer from becoming Lead Jammer. The first Jammer to legally pass the frontmost in-play Blocker, having previously and legally passed all in-play Blockers will earn Lead Jammer status. The Jammer must be in bounds for all passes.

*Engagement Zone - The zone in which players may legally engage. The legal Engagement Zone extends from 20’ behind the rearmost pack member to 20’ in front of the foremost pack member, between the inside and outside track boundaries. Jammers may engage each other outside of the Engagement Zone.