This lecture is meant to be given to each team an hour or so prior to the commencement of the bout. It contains all of the information which is critical for the players to know. Hopefully, they'll all already know it, but it's best to ensure it anyway.

The lecture is presented here as a list of things that the players should know. The lecture should be given, and then any questions taken. If it doesn't get out of hand, allow questions during the lecture, but if there are more than a few, defer them to the end.

The Lecture

• We will be assigning penalties for illegal actions to the best of our abilities. While we necessarily miss some of what goes on, we notice more than players think because players almost invariable do not hear us calling minor penalties. So, just because you don't hear us calling penalties doesn't mean that we aren't.
• As a corollary, please don't do illegal blocks because you don't think that we're calling penalties. We are, and you won't do your team any favors by sitting in the penalty box.
• "Falling small" is one of the skills that you are required to have. It's on the WFTDA minimum skills requirements, which all of you passed, so everyone here is capable of falling small. Falling small means that your body is under control, and your legs and arms are pulled in to your body in the normal good form for the fall that you're doing. If you fall big and trip other players — even on your own team — we will give you a major penalty for tripping. Tripping is very dangerous. Intent is irrelevant; you need to be able to play this game safely or you shouldn't be on the track. Please note that if you fall small and someone falls over you anyway, it's not your fault and you will not face any penalties.
• Also, when falling, please keep your hands to yourself. This isn't swimming and falling isn't drowining. You're not going to keep yourself up by grabbing another skater, but you will probably pull them down — dangerously — and get a major penalty.

• When you get sent to the penalty box, you cannot skate clockwise to get to the penalty box. If you do, you'll get extra penalties. Yes, this might mean that you have to skate around the track. It's called a penalty. If you don't like it, don't get any.
• Jammers start on the second of the two whistles which start their sprint. If they cross the line before that, they're subject to false start penalties. However, if they want to start further behind the line and begin on the first whistle without crossing the jammer line before the second whistle, that's their privelege. We make no comment on whether that's strategically advisable.
• If a player wants to get a 4th minor penalty, please take advantage of the minor penalty applied to false starts for blockers. In particular, catch one of the referee's attention between the jams, then walk across the pivot line and stay there (on the track). Once the jam begins, let the pack pass you (to yield advantage). Once the pack passes you, we'll assign you a minor penalty. Please don't elbow opponents or use other illegal blocking techniques to try to get your forth minor. That endangers safety, and we might call it as a major for dangerous play even though it wouldn't normally qualify for a major penalty.
• If neither jammer is on the track, either because both got a penalty, or because one has a penalty and the other failed to be on the track, or because of equipment trouble, we will call off the current jam and form a new jam with the same skaters. People previously blockers will become the jammers, anyone who was in the penalty box will stay there, and we'll get the new jam going as quickly as possible. Under no circumstances in a jammerless jam situation should anyone either enter or leave the track. One of the referees will retrieve the helmet covers from the off-track jammers.
• Only the captain or the designated alternate should question a referee's call. This means that if you get sent to the penalty box, don't ask "For what?!?!"
• This is a sport, not a therapy session, so please be polite to the people on the other team at all times. We will call penalties for rude or disrespectful language, gestures, etc. on the track.