In addition to the obvious danger to the blocked skater there is a chance that their feet with skates flail at a height where they pose a danger to others.

So in our opinion this should be a clear case of 4.1.5 Unsporting Contact

Some contact is considered unsporting, either because it falls outside the boundaries of expected normal gameplay or is inherently unsafe

Only penalizing this based on contact to the back of the leg or a flailing elbow brings the risk that skaters may find a way to avoid these technicalities and perform an equally unsafe move that can not be penalized this way.

But, I do not think this needs a casebook clarification. I think the starting point of it being a pin is throwing you off. You note that the back of the leg is not a legal target zone. Nor is swinging of the elbow in the course of blocking legal. This action starts as a legal pin. If they either swing their elbow or back block, it becomes the illegal move you’re describing, for all the reasons you list.

Captain is penalized for team penalties because they are ultimately responsible for team behavior, otherwise what determines a Captain. They really don’t lose the ability to take a TO or OR, since the A can do that.

Those penalties should be treated no different than others, they stack (so Yeti having another :30 added to a penalty already being served as a Pivot (a type of Blocker) is appropriate) and are served consecutively. And they don’t hold special consideration at any point. If the game can end by three points with the winning team’s Jammer in the box but owing another :45 in penalty time, then the game can end with the Captain sitting as a Blocker owing more time.

If a Captain fouls out the team can designate a new C, but does not need to designate a new C. If the team afterwards incurs a penalty that should be assigned to the C, at that time they must designate a new C. Since these are all penalties during stoppage, there is no chance that it should happen mid-jam.

Interesting question that this raises in my mind though - what if a team requested to re-assign the C when their C was at 5 or 6 penalties, in order to prevent their C fouling out? I don’t know…

We are looking for at least one of each of these roles:

Game Sanctioning Processor

Review game sanctioning paperwork submitted by teams to ensure they are filled out correctly and completely, validate insurance info, and perform other checks to ensure they meet WFTDA sanctioning guidelines and requirements.

Tournament Sanctioning Processor

Review tournament sanctioning paperwork submitted by teams to ensure they are filled out correctly and completely, validate insurance info, and perform other checks to ensure they meet WFTDA sanctioning guidelines and requirements. This role is a bit more involved than game sanctioning as involves multiples teams/leagues per event.

These roles aren’t super glamorous, but they are crucial behind-the-scenes roles that directly support leagues and teams across the WFTDA community. They are also super easy to do online, and very flexible - work at 3PM or 3AM your time, whatever works. We’re asking for a commitment of 1 hour per week, with some flexibility for 2-3 hours per week during busy derby months.

We will fully train any incoming volunteers - the processes are pretty straightforward, and we have written documentation you can refer to along the way. We have a Google chat set up we use for communication/questions. It’s a fun environment and a great way to get behind-the-scenes insight into how WFTDA sanctioning works!

We’re looking for detail-oriented individuals who can review documents carefully, reliable volunteers who can commit to regular weekly work (at least one-two hours per week on average), and people passionate about supporting the derby community.

If you’re interested, please email [email protected] to apply/learn more.

Based on the description of the action, I hard agree that it warrants a Misconduct penalty at least, and possibly expulsion. Especially if the impacted skater is flipped. That’s judo, not roller derby.

I wanted to post here after some calls I made at Clover Cup 2026 this past weekend. For context, the game in question was a JRDA game but I don’t feel this alters the scenario.

During the first period of the game both myself (RIPR/HR) and another SO (OPR) observed several instances of a move which I would describe as a modified version of a ‘catch/pin’.

Mechanics:

• White team blocker places their upper arm ahead/around torso of black team skater, and their thigh (of the same side of their body) behind the upper leg of the white team skater - a traditional ‘catch’
• Rather than clamping down in the usual sense (which would become a Misconduct, pinning, if the black team skater was unable to free themselves) the white team blocker instead drove their upper arm backwards (against the chest) and their leg forwards (against the back of the black team skaters leg), resulting in the black team skater falling completely to the ground.
• This move, if applied with significant force, can result in the flipping of the receiving skater.
• It is important to note that this isn’t the same as a pinning penalty because in this situation the action is fast and the receiving skater has no time to react to try to free themselves from the hold.

After observing this in the first period I spoke to the rest of the crew and we agreed that this move was significantly dangerous, unsporting and against the spirit of the game and was an obvious progression of the rule clarification around Misconduct pinning. In the half I spoke to both team benches (together) and explained what we observed and made it clear that if this move was performed with impact it would be called as a Misconduct and if it resulted in flipping there would be discussion around expulsion. There was extended discussion with the coaches related to the fact that this move was legal contact zone/legal target zone (although the back of the leg above the knee is not a legal target zone) etc. and did not fall under the specific pinning or jabbing clarifications for Misconduct.

In the second period I called two Misconduct penalties for this action.

I wanted to post here for several reasons:

1. After this game there was discussion around officials using their discretion to call penalties on moves like this which are not explicitly covered in the rules/clarifications/casebook. I want to do my due diligence as an official and ensure that there is an opportunity to discuss calls like this, in order to maintain equitable officiating of games
2. I think this move is significantly dangerous that it deserves its own entry or clarification
3. I wanted to share the move because it happens rapidly and can be easily overlooked
4. I wanted other peoples input as to how to handle these situations

There is footage from the game which I have not linked here as it is a JRDA game, not WFTDA and I don’t think that the specific team/skater/event is really even relevant, this isn’t about calling people out. The skaters were operating within the confines of what the rules currently explicitly state and these type of moves don’t get identified until a team tries them. I want this discussion to be around the broader concept of the move and of penalizing this type of action. However, if my description of the action is not clear I can record a video of me performing the move on a willing participant.

TL;DR

I think we need a rules clarification or a casebook entry for a move which is a modification of catching/pinning/flipping/takedown.

Thank you for your time!

-Tinytanium

Edit: This is being discussed on Facebook and I am not posting this here for drama, but for clarity.

• JurassKick Sparks (They/them; Hammer City Roller Derby) L1 NSO
• Banana (she/her; Rose City Rollers) L1 NSO
• Fillet Official (She/Her; Pittsburgh Roller Derby) L2 SO
• Lethal Lynz (She/her; Gem City Roller Derby) L1 SO
• Condena (He/Him; Quindes Volcánicos Roller Derby Quito) L1 SO

WFTDA Certification is also proud to announce these officials are in the certification process:

• Adam Splitter (he/they; Rose City Rollers)
• Pretty Miffed (she/her; Independent)
• Wishbone Breaker (She/her; Gem City Roller Derby)
• Connie (Perth Roller Derby)
• Danger Muffin (he/him or they/them; Bay Area Derby)
  (Pls send confidential feedback for Danger Muffin to Eggs Bene-Decked [email protected]
• Merry Khaos (she/her/they; Harrisburg Area Roller Derby)
• Danger Muffin (he/him or they/them; Bay Area Derby)
• GnomeSkull (he/him; No Coast Roller Derby)
• Ice Queen (Dallas Derby Devils)
• Stormakten (she/her; Stockholm Roller Derby)
• biANic (they/elle; Capital City Crushers)
• Breadpool (He/Him; Rose City Rollers)
• Mass (Monterey Bay Derby Dames)
• Birdie (She/Her; Saskatoon Roller Derby League)
• Doc Lawless (she/her; Texas Rollergirls)
• James Bondage (He/Him; Big Easy Roller Derby)
• RJ (Dallas Derby Devils )
• They Them Mayhem (they/them or she/her; Ottawa Valley Roller Derby)
• Ope (she/her; Windy City Rollers)
• Free the Biscuits (She/her; Mid Missouri Roller Derby Riots)
• Andynaline (he/him; Antwerp Roller Derby)
• Sin Bin Queen (she/her; Independent)

If you would like to file an evaluation for an official, please use this link:
Officials Evaluation

If you would like to comment on an Official’s character, please use this link:
[Official’s Character Feedback]
(https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-SYfSLKckEc_NDDrIlRxPwNdV0OSdc07BXmGIKsnlDE/edit#question=888399679&field=1337420881

-Brace

• Unpacking and Setting-up the CRG System (day/evening prior)

• Testing the system prior to the first game (day/evening prior)

• Managing the system throughout the weekend (all days)

• Troubleshooting issues and problems

• Completing backups per the checklist

• CRG System Dismantle and Packing up for Shipment (after last game on last day)

The CRG Manager is part of the WFTDA leadership for the tournament and should work in conjunction with the THNSO(s) and GTO(s) to ensure proper functionality,

All host league and WFTDA policies are expected to be followed.

Please answer the following questions to complete your application.

Priority Deadline: April 3, 2026

Final Deadline: April 17, 2026

NOTE: Acceptances for May tournaments may be sent prior to deadline. Application may be extended, or remain open, if needed.

Apply Here

Montreal, QC

August 28-30, 2026

Application for THR, THNSO and GTO: Classique Georgia W. Tush 2026 - THOs Application / Enregistrement Chef.fes de tournoi

You are supported by Board of Directors oversight as well as WFTDA staff in this position.

The position is open to anyone interested, so please feel free to share with your league. You do not need to be a current rep to qualify as we are very interested in people with varied management and competition-related experience.

Please complete this application form to register your interest and tell us a little bit about yourself and your goals for the committee. The application is open until March 22.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position: Competitive Play Committee Chair

Pillar: Games

Time Commitment: 10 hours per week

Term: Two years, renewable

The WFTDA is looking for a task-oriented, results-driven leader for the Competitive Play Committee. The Competitive Play Committee is responsible for developing competitive programs and pathways that support our Member Leagues and creating sustainable global competitive opportunities.

Within the committee there are also three subcommittees, each with a Subcommittee Chair: Rankings (responsible for management of the rankings algorithm and rankings releases); Rankings Calibration (responsible for assessing the strength of regions and teams to properly assign seats at WFTDA Championships, brackets for Playoffs and Championships, and seeding in these brackets as needed), and Fair Play Panel (responsible for rulings on suspension requests, and sanctioning issues).

The Competitive Play Committee Chair will lead and manage their committee to:

• Work with the WFTDA Board and staff to assess and address the competitive needs of all members and to ensure that the committee is creating and maintaining programs that support those goals.

• Ensure competition alignment with organizational priorities and values.

• Monitor sanctioned games and tournaments during the regular season, in light of the goals of the competitive play structure: Fairness, transparency, equitability, competitiveness, and entertainment. In the event that new or novel strategy or behavior threatens to disrupt the above, work with the Competitive Play Committee to mitigate or iterate.

• Maintain committee deadlines, and ensure continual progress towards task completion by deadlines.

• Build consensus within the larger committee and alignment between the three subcommittees.

• Delegate specific tasks to committee members. The Chairperson is responsible for continual follow-up to monitor progress towards the specific and overall task goals, not for the execution of any specific goal.

Competitive Play Committee Responsibilities:

• Work with Membership to assess their competitive needs and to build programs that support them.

• Manage the Rankings Calibration Panel to manage rankings and placement of regions in Championship events.

• Consult with WFTDA Board of Directors and staff on WFTDA event requirements to support competitive structures

• Manage and iterate on Competitive Play policies of the WFTDA. Ensure they are kept updated to support the competitive needs of our organization, that Membership has the adequate opportunity to give feedback, and that all final changes are communicated to Membership.

• Manage the rankings-based seeding and tournament location assignment system for WFTDA Championship tournaments. Determine the number of and location of tournament events needed and any competitive requirements of those events.

Experience:

Candidates for Competitive Play Chair must submit a formal application and should meet most of the following requirements. Candidates are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet every requirement in this list.

• Availability to make the commitment to up to 10 hours per week performing tasks and providing deliverables

• The Competitive Play Chair does not need to be an expert in rankings and competition, but needs to be comfortable enough to appropriately lead a committee of experts.

• Proven experience in time management and/or project management

• Demonstrated superior organization skills

• Demonstrated superior communication skills, especially around personal availability

• Ability to have an online presence to supervise and participate in discussions

• Knowledge of the WFTDA, its committees, diversity of member leagues, and mission. It is not a requirement to be a WFTDA representative for this position, however relevant experience in understanding the competitive needs of a team or league is helpful.

• Strong strategic management skills

• Strong organizational and management skills

• Ability to think creatively and critically

• Ability to meet deadlines

• Be rad. Be a listener. Be a leader.

WFTDA Champs will take place October 15-18, 2026 in Malmö, Sweden. For information on the WFTDA Championships read our latest news here.

The eligibility requirements for Tournament Officials have been updated for 2026:

• Eligibility will be determined from March 31, 2026.

• Sanctioned and/or regulation games in the last 24 months are considered for eligibility.

• Please note, applications require the most recent version of the WFTDA Officiating History Document.

• Certification is not required for 2026 applications.

Information on the selection process and job descriptions can be found in the WFTDA TOSP Policies and Procedures document and the WFTDA Postseason Requirements for Officials.

Applications for Officials are due March 31, 2026

LINK: TOSP - WFTDA 2026 Champs Officiating Application

Timeline

• Priority consideration and rolling acceptances: March 21
• Application close: March 31
• Acceptance notifications: April 7

Tournament Leadership

• THRs - Bibbity Bobbity Boom (she/her) and Wanda Gogh? (she/her)

• THNSO - Fickle Bitch (she/her)

• GTO - Professor Harm (he/they)

Tournament Information

• Dates: June 20-21, 2026

• Location: Royal City Curling Club (be where the magic happens!), New Westminster, BC, Canada. The Royal City Curling Club is situated on the unceded territory of the Halkomelem speaking peoples.

• Games: 10 games (9 sanctioned, 1 regulation) among teams ranked between 45 and 85 from NA West region.

Apply here.

What we actually need is a proper way to manage officiating identities as an “account,” linked to Games data so we know that you and I officiated the “same” game, which would be queryable as a database. Before then it’s sort of doomed to be somewhat imprecise and laborious. But at least it’s free!

I didn’t think about small data samples and being able to identify. I think I was just curious about if there are trends regionally in thinking around cert that could be found in the data. A worthy consideration and reflection I’d think - mostly I’m curious as I want derby to grow beyond US, and want to help and understand what the attitudes and limits are in the regions. I don’t know if I’ll ever get the opportunity to travel internationally for financial reasons but I still want to be part of the best derby.

But in terms of cutting the data down by region – there is a sneaky privacy risk at play when we cut the data into too-thin of slices: With only 8 applicants, being too specific might lead them to be identified. As you note, you applied from L1 to L3 and got L2. So anything we say about “aussie folks who tried to skip L2” wouldn’t actually be a general statement, it’d be a statement about you, and maybe one other person. And if we said “there were only 2, and one was X and the other was Y,” then you’d know which one you were, so we’d be telling you specific information about the other person, who you might be able to identify. That would violate their privacy. So unfortunately we can’t dig deeper on the Aussie group specifically but that is definitely an interesting question!

From my very general read of packets overall, I’d say you’re not alone. A lot of people apply for a higher level just thinking hey, why not, and are totally fine with going up one level instead of two. Most of them are actually not far off, either, and the summary we send them often can help them focus to reach the next level faster since they now know the one or two things missing. A few skip attempts were simply not aware that higher levels mean more than just “being better.” Truly inaccurate self-assessments are rare.

Appreciate this reflect and check and the hard work all panel members do for people who apply.

As a non USA official, I’d love the certified officials list to be able to sort by region. Just so I can see who the cert people are in the region to gain wisdom from. Would help when doing IRGFs etc.

would love to know data of the people that applied to skip levels and were reduced, and also those that were bumped up and their region. Are they seeing officiating in their region and mentally slotting themselves in a level or not seeing something in their region.

To give context about the skipping levels and reduced levels etc. I was someone who applied to skip from 1 to 3 and was awarded 2. I was not disappointed AT ALL. I applied for 3 because I recognised that in my region there was very few officials who were officiating at the level I was, atleast in terms of THO, teaching and mentoring roles (hopefully that’s read humbly). I figured it was a bit of a leap but thought I’d put it out there and also come away with feedback that people might not have said to me personally. That’s what I’ve received and I’m so grateful to hear and learn more so I can reach level 3. Just thought I would share my reasonings to maybe explain some of the data.

• Doesn’t Matt-er (Rose City Rollers) L3 SO
• Bloodie Le Fleur (She/Her; Tampa Roller Derby) L1 SO
• Matante (She/Her; Montreal Roller Derby) L2 NSO
• Dungeon Smasher (He/Him; Fox Cities Roller Derby) L1 NSO
• Bollito Sin Gluten (they/them; Easo Avengers) L1 NSO
• Poppins (she/they; Roller Derby Québec) L1 SO
• Hammer (she/her; Flathead Valley Roller Derby) L1 SO
• ScrewLucy (She/her; Independent) L2 SO
• Typhoid Johnny (he/him/his; Nashville Roller Derby) L1 SO
• Professor Vex (They/Them; ToRD) L1 SO
• T (she her; Prague City Roller Derby) L1 NSO
• Muggles (She/They; Independent) L2 NSO
• Tito (He; Panties Dinamita Roller Derby Costa Rica) L1 SO
• Tha Doctah (he/him; Independent) L3 NSO

WFTDA Certification is also proud to announce these officials are in the certification process:

• JurassKick Sparks (They/them; Hammer City Roller Derby)
• Adam Splitter (he/they; Rose City Rollers)
• Pretty Miffed (she/her; Independent)
• Wishbone Breaker (She/her; Gem City Roller Derby)
• Banana (she/her; Rose City Rollers)
• Fillet Official (She/Her; Pittsburgh Roller Derby)
• Connie (Perth Roller Derby)
• Lethal Lynz (She/her; Gem City Roller Derby)
• Condena (He/Him; Quindes Volcánicos Roller Derby Quito)
• Danger Muffin (he/him or they/them; Bay Area Derby)
  (Pls send confidential feedback for Danger Muffin to Eggs Bene-Decked [email protected]
• Merry Khaos (she/her/they; Harrisburg Area Roller Derby)
• Danger Muffin (he/him or they/them; Bay Area Derby)
• GnomeSkull (he/him; No Coast Roller Derby)
• Ice Queen (Dallas Derby Devils)
• Stormakten (she/her; Stockholm Roller Derby)
• biANic (they/elle; Capital City Crushers)
• Breadpool (He/Him; Rose City Rollers)
• Mass (Monterey Bay Derby Dames)
• Birdie (She/Her; Saskatoon Roller Derby League)

If you would like to file an evaluation for an official, please use this link:
Officials Evaluation

If you would like to comment on an Official’s character, please use this link:
[Official’s Character Feedback]
(https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-SYfSLKckEc_NDDrIlRxPwNdV0OSdc07BXmGIKsnlDE/edit#question=888399679&field=1337420881

-Brace

@stacktrace If I’m understanding your query correctly, I’ve updated the slide deck to include two additional charts to show the differences in pronoun (gender identity), officiating type (NSO/SO), and levels applied and earned. Overall we had more applicants for Level 1 (and most of those applicants preferred feminine pronouns), but those with masculine pronouns applied for certification on skates versus off.

@Micro The reduced level counts include officials who applied to “skip” a level, such as an official who is currently not certified applying for L2 or L3, or an official who is currently L1 applying for L3. If you’re interested in more information about how many officials applied to skip levels, I’m happy to look more into that (I’d just need some time to go through each individual application).

That being said, from my experience (as Eggs, not as someone from Oversight) I’ve seen different reasons for the “reduced” level, but I’d say more often than not it’s from missing nuanced or detailed information about an official’s experience and knowledge to justify the higher level; other times it’s the lack of evaluations to give more evidence for an official’s experience. It’s truly different for each case, and it’s one reason why I want to look into how we can connect higher leveled/more experienced officials with the next generation.

@BaconTheQuestion Mobile Certification was rolled out for RDWC for officials who struggle to get the requisite overviews and evaluations to apply for certification; several members of the WFTDA Certification team (Oversights, panel chairs, and reviewers) were present as evaluators to provide detailed reviews for these officials, and they could then apply for Level 1. RDWC was a great opportunity to roll this out (pun intended) since it brought so many people together from around the world and allowed for officials (many of whom may be geographically isolated, or have other barriers to get the necessary overviews) to get feedback and information and the apply for certification.

Regarding “Applied vs. earned”, do you know if applicants getting reduced level is linked to materials (evals, OOS) lacking the right information ?

… regarding gender and power dynamics in officiating…

On this theme, I am curious whether you discovered any important differences in the rate of certification at the target level based on the applicant’s gender identity (as indicated by pronoun selection).

Some other things we wanted to review included the number of Level 3 Recertifications reviewed and processed, pronoun identity and officiating type, and where our applicants are located. Additionally, we measured the average length of time it takes for an official to receive their determination.

2025 Certification Stats: 120 total applicants

By Levels Applied

• Level 1: 55
• Level 2: 34
• Level 3: 14
• Level 1 Mobile Certification: 3
• Level 3 Recertification: 14

By Level Earned

• Level 1: 72
• Level 2: 19
• Level 3: 25
• Recognized: 1

Applied vs Earned

• Equal levels: 87
• Bump levels: 5
• Reduced levels: 25

By Officiating Type

• Non-skating (NSO): 75
• Skating (SO): 45

Preferred Pronouns of Applicants (NSO/SO)

• She/Her: 56 (25/31)
• He/Him: 35 (9/26)
• They/Them: 14 (7/7)
• She/They: 12 (3/9)
• He/They: 3 (1/2)

By Location

• USA: 74
• Europe: 22
• Canada: 13
• Australia: 8
• Other: 3

Major takeaways and other thoughts

• Average wait time is long (~3 months to receive determination) but is steadily decreasing
• 14% increase in officials applying for certification from 2024 to 2025
• NSO/SO application divide widened from 2024 (see linked post for more information)
• Most officials receive the level they applied for

Overall, we’re interested to see how the WFTDA Officials and Skater feedback results compare to our findings, specifically regarding gender and power dynamics in officiating. Additionally, while we’re not surprised to find that a significant portion of officials applying for certification are located in the United States, we wonder if it’s worth breaking these numbers down further to see where our officials are and if membership would find this information beneficial, especially for those who are geographically isolated. Finally, we were able to make significant progress on the the backlog of certification applications once we were caught up on the Level 3 Recertifications, but we’ll be looking into ways to reduce the wait time for determinations.

More information can be found in this slide deck, and a recorded presentation can be made upon request.

Thank you, and be eggs-cellent to each other.

Eggs

obo Certification Oversight

Host League: Zürich City Roller Derby (ZCRD)

When: June 27-28, 2026

Where: Zürich, Switzerland

Format:

• 2 days, round robin
• 6 sanctioned games
• 1 regulation game outside of tournament

Teams:

• ZCRD AllstarZ (Current rankings: WFDTA 37 / FTS 29)
• Tampere A (currently WFDTA 53 / FTS 55) from Finland
• Harpies Milano A (currently WFDTA 44 / FTS 33) from Italy
• Mexiko City A (currently WFDTA 33) from Mexico

Additional Game:

ZCRD BruiseZ (current ranking: FTS 276) vs. Harpies Milano B (currently FTS 224)

Application Form:

Roll-Chambeau Officiating Application, April 25-26

Boston A level tournament featuring four similarly ranked teams.

If you are interested in taking on a leadership apprentice role, please indicate on the application.

The Big Dig Officiating Application, June 13-14

Boston B level tournament.

Opportunities for apprentice or shadow officiating positions.

• Monitor email inbox and respond to questions and requests.
• Monitor the online feedback form and answer when possible.
• Troubleshoot common errors (we have a guide) and help users resolve when able.

We need someone that can:

• Work with the google document ecosystem, specifically Sheets.
• Trouble-shoot common technical problems.
• Communicate with users respectfully and helpfully.
• Maintain confidentiality (job includes access to the account that owns all OHDs)
• Consistently Respond within a couple of days.

Long term, I see this role as eventually assisting in larger projects.

This is part of the Officiating Tech function of the Tech Pillar. The OffTech Chair position is currently vacant, so it would be reporting directly to me [Tech Officer] for now.

We have a backlog of issues / requests at the moment, but once caught up, I want to say there are maybe 5-10 messages a week.

If you’re interested in helping out, please either DM me here or email [email protected].

Traditionally Beta Testing would be run through the Rules Committee, if the Committee all agreed in a meeting to support and organize that. But there’s nothing stopping any league from running their home league or a practice however they want to. The more games/practices the better though, as it usually takes at least one full one just for everyone to wrap their heads around how it is working on skates.

I am going to revisit the document now, I had random PARALYSIS I apologize and appreciate everyone who is engaging with this.

If we do feel like the document is updated well eventually, do I just start beta testing, ask others too?

I am going to incorporate your other notes into the document now.

The committee felt we were lacking the numbers needed to successfully staff this tournament. We will continue to move forward reviewing and making selections from those that applied before the deadline and fill in any remaining holes or gaps with those applicants applying in this second round.

The application will remain open until enough candidates are received to make selections from and the tournament can be fully staffed. We’ve also updated the application to include a Spanish translation of the instructions, questions and answers.

Additionally, we will be considering exceptions to the posted requirements to allow for more applicants to be considered.

You can find more details and APPLY HERE: WFTDA 2026 Postseason Officiating Application

One possibility: There is a weird thing where, when you first input a link, the sheet can behave weirdly and show no games at all. My guess is that the game history data takes a minute to load in the backend, and it just gives null results until it loads.

Regarding Head Officials and 2nd positions…I wasn’t entirely sure how to count HNSO games, and I’m open to suggestions. With HNSO, both the 1st and 2nd positions may be of interest. I considered ways to incorporate 2nd position info, but I gave up and decided to count every game by 1st position exclusively.

I may have used it wrong, but I don’t see games when I sort by NSO position but do see them when I sort by CHNSO. When I CHNSO, which is in the primary position column, I am almost always doing another NSO job at the same time, which is in the second position column.

It’s mostly for fun, but I have found it makes a useful tool for digesting an official’s history into a more readable format and looking at various types of games. There are dropdowns to filter the data by association, level, date, and position…so you can look at things like “MRDA games NSOed since Covid”.

If you want to play with it, go to the following link and make a copy for yourself:
Math’s Officiating History Viewer
Then, copy a game history link into the appropriate green cell (D3). Note that shortened or “vanity” links don’t work in Google Sheets.

Let me know if you have questions, suggestions, or critiques!

Disclaimer: Game totals aren’t the whole story of an official. I would never base important staffing decisions on game totals, and I encourage you not to either.

EDITED: I found the link on Facebook!

(New link) https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScRM9iz5-8GPQDC0cNpmrMKVDRH-\_He7MPeVNQXETHnsrAWKA/viewform

The staffing vision for this event is an inclusive “Learnament” designed to bring best officiating standards to the region and help local officials grow to give them confidence to apply and the training to excel at Sanctioned events in the future. The Tournament leadership is committed to the highest standards of safety, fairness, and fun for all applicants no matter their current officiating experience or derby officiating goals. The Tournament Heads each have more than a decade in WFTDA event leadership and WFTDA officiating committees.

We hope to staff mentor officials as well local officials, to craft the best mix of learning, support, and growth for everyone while ensuring skater experience. Looking to work positions you can’t get experience at in your home region? Pigeon-holed due to your local staffing? Looking to shine as a mentor? Seeking a new perspective? Come join us. Ideally, we’ll have 2 set crews, but staffing will be highly contingent on available applicants.

We welcome you to apply and hope we see you in April!

PS: we’re still seeking a GTO

HaND 2026 will be a 2 day / 8-11 game / 6 Team tournament June 13-14, 2026

more info: https://mnrd.me/hand-info

THO / GTO application: here

Deadline for THO/GTO application : Jan 31, 2026 9pm Central

Thanks

Also - just pointing out that point is not intrinsically tied to ceding or yielding if the order is given but the jam ends before it can be done.

I think pointing at the skater as we do the verbal cue, and until we get their attention is helpful. Both for other skaters to identify that it’s not them, and for the skater in question to have it made clear that it is for them. That’s different than doing it before the cue, however.

And it’s also not immediately related to the question of “how do we signal Report to the Box”.

While the cue name would suggest that we should point to the box, I don’t think that’s the intention. We don’t want them to head towards the box in that moment, we want them to head off the track. For four of the seven (in a standard array of skating officials) that’s away from us, and we should point through the skater to the outside. It’s confusing as a signal, however, for OPRs. Because we want them to come towards us. Do we want a different signal for OPRs? I doubt it. Here again, I’d say the best option is to point at the skater, through the skater, as the signal then slightly curves outward in an “out of here” (but friendly) manner.

WHEN: June 13-14, 2026 (the best time to visit Maine! )

WHERE: Happy Wheels Skate Center in Westbrook, Maine (a suburb of Portland)

Tournament Leadership:

• Tournament Head Officials: Chemical Restraint and Candied Bacon
• Game Tournament Official: Dry White Toast
• Tournament Director: Cinderellbows

Timeline:

• Priority Decision Given to Applications Submitted by February 6, 2026
• Applications Close on March 6, 2026

Participating Teams:

• Maine Roller Derby Port Authorities
• Maine Roller Derby Old Port Brigade
• North Star Roller Derby Supernovas
• Harrisburg Area Roller Derby Nuclear Knockouts
• Twin State Derby Vixens
• Dirty Jersey Roller Derby All Stars
• Aroostook Roller Derby Biohazards
• Bay State Brawlers

As a group, we have discussed your input and take it as a valuable learning experience. We hope that any official that would like to apply to this tournament does so.

We are ALWAYS open to feedback.

Thank you,

Tobias

Co-GTO La Foire du Nord 2026

WFTDA Sanctioning Chair

On behalf of Roller Derby Québec, the THOs would like to apologize for having closed the Officiating Application earlier than previously announced. This was done with no intention to promote or favorize applicants who already applied or to harm any other potential applicants and the application was closed early because of the high number of applications received. We recognize how this action looks and understand that it spread out a feeling of a broken promise, for which we are deeply sorry. We would add that this decision was made only between the THR and THNSO and did not include the GTOs.

The Application has been re-opened until January 17, 2026 – since the application was closed for 24h, we have added that extra 24h to the deadline in the spirit of fairness.

The selection process will obviously be done with time, “equal weight and care” as we both do and have always done as THOs.

Once again, we sincerely apologize for our action and hope that this will resolve the issues and that we can move forward. We truly believe in the spirit of teamwork and providing a fair chance to everyone.

We are opened to any questions or comments.
Thank you,
THOs Yogi and Matante