We are SIRG
Derby of the Dead Halloween benefit. Roller girl Ruthless Benedict answers questions on derby.We're more than just ladies on skates! We're involved in the community and throw awesome fundraising parties as well! We've skated in charity walks, acted as clean up crews for events, made ourselves into zombies, skated as demons, drawn mustaches on each other for money, and more! We are more than just a league - we are a family.
Our Mission Statement:
Founded in June 2009, The Southern Illinois Roller Girls (SIRG) are the first all female flat‐track roller derby league in Southern Illinois. Our mission is to actively provide and sustain an environment in which courage, mental acumen, and respect are developed and fostered in tandem with vitality, athletic ability and physical strength, through the spirit of good sportswomanship. Through the sport of Roller Derby our league shall aim to empower women by challenging team members’ personal growth both on and off the track. Each member shall act in such a manner that brings honor and distinction to our league, the sport of Roller Derby, and the Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby Association (WFTDA) as we seek official membership with the association.
Margaret Bleed skates with referee Captain Obvious in the Southern IL AIDS Walk.The Southern Illinois Roller Girls shall establish and maintain roots within the Southern Illinois Community. As a non‐profit organization our league shall foster community outreach by supporting local charities through fundraising and volunteer services.
The Southern Illinois Roller Girls shall offer all eligible and interested parties an opportunity to become involved in the sport of Roller Derby by holding a regular training and bout schedule, and shall foster ongoing intra and inter‐league growth through the principles of camaraderie and competition.
Roller Derby 101:
Roller Derby is a competitive contact sport in which skaters skate in formation around an oval track while trying to score as many points as possible. Just like any other sport there are rules and positions.
A derby competition is called a Bout. Each Bout is broken into two 30minute periods. Each period can have an unlimited number of Jams. A jam is a two-minute interval where skaters race around the track trying to get their team to score as many points as possible while simultaneously keeping the opposing team from scoring.
Each Team has five skaters on the track during a jam, and they all skate in different
positions: Pivot, Blocker Jammer -- It might be helpful to think of Peanut Butter and Jelly to
remember the position names and the order they skate in.
Photo by Brian Berson. Example of us in action from Season's Beatings.The Pivot leads the pack, setting the pace of the jam. There is only one Pivot on a team
and she wears a helmet with a stripe down the middle to differentiate her from the other
positions. The pivot can also act as a blocker and is the last line of defense keeping the
opposing team’s Jammer from scoring.
Blockers make up the bulk of the pack with 3 positions on each team. The Blockers are
the defensive members of their team, as they have to block the opposing team’s
Jammer from getting through the pack, while propelling their own Jammer to the front of
the pack.
The only position on a team that can score points is called the Jammer. Each team has
one Jammer who wears a star on her helmet. The Jammer who makes it through the
pack first is called the Lead Jammer, and during the succeeding laps she can score a
point for each player she passes on the opposite team (maximum of 4 points per lap).
To learn more about the rules and penalties watch this 2 min explanation on video created by the Hammer City Roller Girls! Or check our schedule and come see a bout for yourself!
