Photo by BadJon
Who We Are
The Lowcountry Highrollers (LCHR) are a group of strong, smart, and driven women with the common goal of bringing roller derby to Charleston, SC. The league began in the spring of 2008 with two roller derby veterans and a Craigslist ad. Several girls answered the call, recruited their friends, and began skating together and meeting to form this organization. The group quickly gained community support in the media with articles in the Charleston City Paper and in the skating community with rink time at Hot Wheels Skating Center.
Today the LCHR league consists of more than 60 skaters, coaches, referees, and officials from diverse backgrounds working together to promote and play the sport of flat track roller derby. In December 2011, LCHR became South Carolina’s first full member league of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), and are in the WFTDA East Region.
Interested in derby? Find out how you can get involved with LCHR!
The Lowcountry Highrollers are a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. View our 2012 income tax filing here.
The Sport We Play
The Lowcountry Highrollers follow the rules and guidelines set forth by the WFTDA. Roller derby games are called bouts, and each bout is divided into two 30-minute halves. Each half is composed of a number of jams, which can last up to two minutes each. The bout is played on a flat, oval track.
Each team consists of five players: three blockers, one pivot, and one jammer. The pivot, who is identified by the striped helmet cover (called a helmet panty), serves as team leader on the track as well as a blocker. Blockers attempt to hinder the opposing jammer’s progress while simutaneously advancing their jammer’s position. Blockers and pivots skating together form the pack. The jammer, identified by her star helmet panty, scores one point for each opposing player she laps after her initial pass. The jammer who successfully makes it through the pack first without committing any penalties becomes the lead jammer. The lead jammer has the ability to strategically call off the jam before the alotted two minutes. She does this by repeatedly placing her hands on her hips.
Blockers may use body parts above the mid-thigh, excluding the forearms, hands, elbows and head, to impede the progress of the opposing team’s jammer. Penalties are given to skaters who skate or block illegally, engage in misconduct, and for other illegal procedures. Contrary to popular belief, we do not punch, fight, or pull hair!
For a crash course in roller derby, check out this video from the College of Charleston Magazine.
