What's the point?

Duties during Scrimmages and Games

• Maintain safety
• Protect game flow
• Penalize illegally gained advantage
• Establish an atmosphere of professionalism, impartiality, and fairness

Other Duties

• Teach the rules to others
• Supervise or assist track setup
• Officiate drills and scrimmages
• Continue one’s own professional development
• Mentor newer referees
• Have fun!

Skating Official Skills

• Skating skills
• Rules mastery
• The ability to correctly spot, process, and issue penalties

Professional Conduct

• Display good judgment in regards to behavior, honesty, fairness, and integrity
• Treat league and community members with respect, dignity, and fairness
• Maintain exemplary (even over-the-top) standards of neutrality and impartiality
  • No clapping, displaying team logos, posing for pictures with skaters, etc.
  • No hugs, high-fives, celebratory behavior, etc.

• Demonstrate a consistently high commitment to safety
• Discuss rules and procedural disagreements privately, not in front of others.
• Refrain from gratuitous displays of attention-seeking behavior while on duty.
• Always be respectful of NSOs – they are equals, not inferiors.

• Avoid conflicts of interest. Disclose all that exist to the head referee and/or crew.
  • Avoid: gambling, public predictions, public opinions of skaters (coaches, etc.)
  • Allowed but disclose: Familial, financial, and associational
• Zero tolerance of alcohol or drugs at derby-related events while officiating and/or on skates
• Be wary what you post on social media about the sport

Whistles

• (Standard) Fox 40 Classic
  • On lanyard
  • On finger ring
• Avoid non-standard whistles unless specifically instructed to use them

Whistle Signals

Don’t forget

• A jam continues until the fourth tweet of the first set of jam call-off whistles.
• When being called off, other referees should attempt to exactly match the timing of the tweets.
• Whistles are not used when issuing penalties between jams.
• Whistles are not used with warnings.

Verbal Cues and Hand Signals

All penalties are issued using the following format:

1. (whistle) +
2. Team color +
3. Skater number (spelled out) +
4. Penalty (cue and hand signal) +
5. Report to the box hand signal

Verbal cues (3 Star Levels)

Roughly correspond to basic, intermediate, and advanced cues.

Penalties

WFTDA OFFICIATING CUES, CODES AND SIGNALS

4.1.1 - Impact to an illegal target zone

• Back block
• High block
• Low block

4.1.2 - Impact with an illegal blocking zone

• Head block
• Forearm
• Leg block

4.1.3 - Other illegal contact

• Illegal Contact, or
  • Illegal assist
  • Early hit
  • Late hit
  • Out of play block
• Direction, or
  • Stop block

4.1.4 - Multiplayer blocks

• Multiplayer

4.2.1 - Illegal positioning

• Illegal position, or
  • Failure to reform
  • Failure to return
  • Failure to yield
  • Destruction
  • Skating out of bounds

4.2.2 - Gaining position

• Cut, or
  • Illegal re-entry

4.2.3 - Interfering with the flow of the game

• Interference, or
  • Delay of game

4.2.4 - Other illegal procedures

• Illegal Procedure, or
  • Star pass violation
  • Pass interference

4.3 - Unsporting conduct

• Misconduct, or
  • Insubordination

Additional communications

Skater identification required

• Show the star
• False start
• Report to the box
• Stay on the track
• Return to the track
• Go to your bench
• Lead Jammer
• Not lead jammer

No skater identification required

Hand signals

Referees must know all hand signals

• Expressively – the ability to perform them correctly for others
• Receptively – the ability to recognize hand signals by others

Hand Signals List (Quiz):

Roller Derby: The Game

Game types

• Sanctioned games are regulation games that count towards rankings within a specific organization.
  • WFTDA sanctions adult women’s derby
  • MRDA sanctions adult men’s derby
  • JRDA sanctions junior (18 and younger) derby.
    • JRDA has females only, males only, and open divisions.
  • In a sanctioned game, teams may have a maximum of 15 skaters.
• Regulation games are games played using the WFTDA rules, officiating procedures, and officiating cues/codes/signals with no deviations.
  • American (but not all international) games must also adhere to WFTDA safety guidelines.
  • In regulation and non-regulation game there is no maximum number of skaters.
    • Participating teams may agree upon a maximum in advance of the game.
• Other (aka non-regulation) games are those played that deviate from the regulation game requirements.
  • Example: 30-minute games.

In bounds, out of bounds, down, and upright

• A skater is out of bounds if they touch beyond the track boundary line with any part of their body.
  • Exception: touching beyond the track boundary line with one hand or arm
  • The track boundary line itself is considered in bounds
• A skater is straddling when they are touching both in and out of bounds at the same time.
• A skater is down when they have both hands on the floor, one or both knees, or are in a prone position.
  • One hand or arm touching the floor is not down.
• A skater is upright if they are not down
  • Falling is upright until they are down.

The pack

• The pack is the largest group of upright, in bounds blockers from both teams skating or standing in proximity.
  • If the pack is destroyed, a strict set of rules is enabled until it is reformed
• A no pack situation is when a single pack does not exist
  • This can be two or more equal-sized packs
• The engagement zone is an area stretching from 20 feet in front of the pack to 20 feet behind it.
  • This is where the bulk of gameplay takes place
  • Blockers must remain inside the engagement zone
    • An upright, in bounds blocker in the engagement zone is in play
    • Out of play blockers must immediately return to the engagement zone
  • The engagement zone does not extend out of bounds.

Jammers and lead jammer

• A jammer not wearing a helmet cover is an inactive jammer
  • Inactive jammers cannot earn passes towards scoring or lead jammer status
  • Inactive lead jammers cannot call off the jam
    • Exception: if the lead jammer’s helmet cover was removed through natural gameplay or an opponent’s action
  • An inactive jammer may still leave the engagement zone
  • An inactive jammer may put the jammer helmet cover on their head to become active
• The lead jammer is the first jammer who:
  • Establishes a superior position to the foremost in play Blocker, having already
  • Earned a pass on all other Blockers (except those ahead of the engagement zone)
• A jammer loses the ability to become lead jammer if they:
  • Remove their helmet cover
  • Receive a penalty
  • Exit the front of the engagement zone without first earning lead jammer
• A pivot-turned-jammer (following a star pass) cannot become lead jammer

Blocking and assisting

• A block is physical contact made to an opponent, and any movement or placement of one’s body to impede the opponent’s speed or movement
• The initiator of a block is the person who causes the block to occur.
  • A block can have multiple initiators.
• A positional block is a block without contact wherein a skater positions themself so as to impede an opponent.
  • Positional blocks need not be intentional
• An assist is physical contact to a teammate that affects their movement
• Blocking and assisting must occur while upright within the engagement zone
  • Exception: Jammer vs. jammer blocking
  • Exception: Counter-blocking while out of play
    • Counter-blocking beyond what is required for safety is considered a separate block
  • Exception: Passively assisting while straddling the track
  • Other minor exceptions
• A block can be initiated with any part of the body
  • Exception: The head
  • Exception: Hands, forearms, and elbows
  • Exception: Legs below mid-thigh
• It is legal to block any part of an opponent’s body (ie; target zones)
  • Exception: Neck and head
  • Exception: The back, including the butt and back of the legs
  • Exception: Legs below mid-thigh

Other concepts

• Game flow is the natural progression of the game, ideally without undue delays
• If a team has five or fewer skaters (after injuries, foul-outs, etc.), the head referee may declare a forfeit. This is rare, and is done after consulting with both team captains.
• The teams and head referee may mutually suspend play due to safety concerns, problems with the venue or track, etc.
• There is no such thing as an inactive pivot. A pivot not wearing their pivot cover loses all privileges of being pivot until they again wear the cover.

Safety gear, skates, and accessories

Mandatory Safety gear

• Required gear: helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards, and mouthguard
  • Mouthguards are not required for referees
  • Skaters are not required to wear safety gear that provides no medical benefit
    • Example: a wristguard for a skater with a missing hand
    • Example: a mouthguard for a skater missing so many teeth it cannot be fitted properly
• Helmet, elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards
  • Must have a hard shell or insert
  • Partially cracked shells can be taped over
  • Fully cracked shells must be replaced and are not allowed
  • Loose velcro on pads or wrist guards must be taped down at the referee’s discretion.
• Helmet
  • Cage-style face shields are not permitted
  • Visors are legal provided they are designed for use with the helmet
  • Visors must be transparent, meaning the wearer can be distinctly seen
  • Mirrored and iridium visors are not permitted
  • Visors must be fixed in place during game play (ie; not raised).
  • Helmet should have little play when moved side-to-side or front-to-back
  • Chin strap should not impede breathing but should be tight enough to prevent sliding
  • Straps should form a short V under the ear, not a long V under the neck.
• Elbow pads / knee pads
  • Pads should be secure on the arm/leg when lightly tugged up and down
  • Pads should be properly centered over the elbow/knee, not overly high or low.
  • Elbow pads with a padded (not hard) shell are not allowed
  • This includes pads that are soft until impact (at which point they become a hard shell).
• Wrist guards
  • When palms are up, the hard shells or insert may be on the top, bottom, or both.
• Mouth guard
  • Trimming of mouth guard is allowed, but it must be in one piece.

Optional safety gear

• May not have a hard shell
  • Padded shorts
  • Knee or ankle supports
• May have a hard shell
  • Chin guards
  • Turtle shell bras
  • Shin guards
  • Tailbone protectors
  • Form-fitting face shields (ex: nose guard)

Skates, accessories, and casts

• Skates must be quad-style skates. Players are not allowed to use in-line skates, although referees may use them.
• Skates are not safety gear. They are entirely the purview of the skater.
• Skates must be functional and intact. A jam may be called off or a skater may be ordered from a jam due to equipment failure at the referee’s discretion.
• Toe stops are not required equipment.
• Accessories are permitted so long as they have no sharp edges, internal wires, or anything capable of harming another skater.
• Jewelry, belts, safety pins, spikes, or anything that might pose a hazard to other skaters are disallowed.
• Casts are permitted if they do not pose a hazard to other skaters.
  • They do not require padding.
  • A wrist guard is not required over a cast that extends to the wrist.

Other rules and requirements

• Roster numbers
  • May not be affixed to the uniform with safety pins (hazard) or tape (falls off)
• Captains and alternates
  • The captain and alternate must sport a C (or A) on their uniform, clothing, or arm.
• All off-skates personnel (NSOs, photographers, coaches, etc.) must wear closed-toed shoes
  • Exception: those beyond 15’ from the outside track line or behind a raised barrier.
• A skater whose injury alters the flow of the game must sit out the next three jams.
  • This includes stopping the game clock, causing a jam to prematurely end, or requiring a substitution in the penalty box.
  • A second occurance from the same skater in a period requires they sit out the remainder of the period.

Penalties related to safety gear

• “Illegal procedure” + optional cue indicating the violation
  • For removing required safety equipment during a jam (including to/from the box)
  • For removing required safety equipment while in the penalty box.
    • Mouthguards may be removed while seated in the box, but must be replaced prior to exiting.
    • Straps can be adjusted without penalty
    • A skater in the box may not remove gear to fix or adjust it. To do so, after being released from the box they must leave the track area.
• This includes both during and between jams.

Reference:

Reference:

• https://roller-derby.frama.io/the-zen-of-reffing/

OBBA Announcements

What's the buzz?

OBBA Apiary Update

Current OBBA Leadership

• President: Miranda Clementel
• Vice President: Erica Leon
• Treasurer: Mike Brennan
• Secretary: Andrew Beard

• 2023 Elections
  

  OBBA By Laws

• Please volunteer to serve
  

  Available Positions (must be members in good standing):

  • Board Positions (requires vote)
    • President
    • Secretary
  • Other Positions
    • Apiary Manager
    • Outreach Coordinator
    • Newbee Welcome Coordinator
• Please plan to vote (In-Person)
  

  August 17

  Eligibility to vote: Members in Good Standing

  • Paid Member
  • At least 14 years old
  • Have attended at least 3 association events (including virtual)

UF Bee Management

Current UF Management Recommendations

• Feed colonies if light
• Monitor for and control small hive beetles
• Monitor colonies for varroa
• Treat for AFB/EFB if needed

What is blooming in Central Florida

Hive Types

Langstroth Beehive

• History
  
  • The mid 19th century
  • Rev. Langstroth invented the Langstroth hive and revolutionized beekeeping
  • The most commonly used type of hive in the United States
• Langstroth Components
  

  The hive is made of 3 parts:

  • Bottom board, with the entrance for the bees
  • Supers (boxes) with frames for brood and honey
    • A Queen excluder might be used
  • Inner cover and roof for weather protection

  

• When to add supers
  

  Put honey supers as the bees begin to fill the frames in the existing super.

  • Most beekeepers wait until 6-7 of the frames are full before adding a new super
• Advantages
  
  • Easy hive inspections
  • Easy honey extraction
  • Extracted combs can be reused in hive
  • Easy to access treatments
  • Easy transportation
  • Interchangeable parts
  • Most beekeeping courses and other resources teach using management techniques for this hive type.
• Disadvantages
  
  • Access only by taking the roof off.
  • Wiring and waxing frames with foundation is time-consuming
  • The queen can only move inside the bottom super
  • Full supers are heavy to lift or move

The Long/Horizontal Hive

• Long/Horizontal Hive
  
  • Same building principles as the Langstroth hive but is horizontal
  • Less lifting!
  • Same frame size as a standard Langstroth hive

  Bees will maintain the brood primarily near the entrance with honey stored further away

• Advantages
  
  • No heavy lifting
  • Frames from Langstroth hives can be used interchangeably
  • Modified versions allow for the addition of supers
• Disadvantages
  
  • More expensive
  • Only frames are standard sizes

Top Bar Beehive

• Top Bar
  
  • The oldest hive
  • Simple design - easy to build and set up
  • Natural type of layout for bees

  

• Advantages
  
  • Bees build natural comb
  • Less disturbance during inspections
  • Comb is crushed, no extracting tools are necessary.
  • Wax can be easily harvested
  • Possibility to build the hive at waist height, eliminating the need to bend.
  • A lid covers the bars – stops rain, and shades out the sun.
  • No heavy lifting needed.
• Disadvantages
  
  • After a harvest, bees must rebuild
  • Not very common hives
  • More frequent inspections and harvests
  • Time consuming harvest
  • Feeding colonies can be more difficult
  • Not as much local support
  • Can be challenging for new beekeepers
  • Bees may abscond more frequently

Warre Beehive

• Warre
  

  A French beekeeper, Emile Warre, designed the "People’s Hive"

  • A solution to keeping bees with minimal interference to their day-to-day activities
  • Mimics a hollow tree
• Design
  

  Mimics a hollow tree trunk

  • The boxes are square
  • Contain 8 top bars
  • The bees build downward (their preference)
  • Additional boxes are added to the bottom
  • Also have a quilt box

  

• Advantages
  
  • Very low maintenance
  • It's the naturalist's dream hive
  • Affordable
  • No need for a queen excluder
• Disadvantages
  
  • Although you only need to lift twice a year, it will make for some very heavy lifting
  • Inspecting can be extremely cumbersome
  • Illegal in some states (like FL)
  • Can't easily inspect due to non-removable bars
  • Less common system with limited local support

Flow hive

• Advantages
  
  • Honey extraction by turning a tap
  • The queen is free to wander around the hive
• Disadvantages
  
  • More expensive
  • Honeycombs are made of plastic
  • Lots of fidgety parts and bits to deal with pests have lots of places to hide
  • The oblong shape causes cold spots to develop over the colder months
  • The honey box is heavy to lift to inspect the brood
  • No wax harvest
  • Separation between the keeper and the bees

Golden Hive or One-Room Hive (Einraumbeute)

Your Choice …

No hive is perfect

• Prioritize your needs
• Trouble with heavy lifting?
• Considering foundationless?
• What do local beekeepers use?

No matter what type of beehive you choose, if you take care of your bees and keep them healthy, they will be happy with your choice!

Stay involved, Stay connected

• OrangeBlossomBeekeepers.org
• Slack: OBBA.slack.com
• Facebook: Orangeblossombeekeepers
• Instagram: OrangeBlossomBeekeepers