Officials

About RC Officiating Staffing
Officials come from all over the world to practice, learn, teach, mentor, bond and celebrate at RollerCon. But RollerCon is so much more than a typical derby event – more skating, more skaters, more scrimmages, more challenges, bouts, and non-derby skating events stretching all day and night, including opportunities for experience and evaluations in multiple rulesets. It’s an Official’s dream – and a bit of an administrative puzzle, as well. Officials are crucial members of the RollerCon Staff. Your hours and compensation are tracked much like the rest of our volunteer staff, but of course there is The Patch – and some additional benefits, opportunities and requirements.

RollerCon provides an exceptional opportunity for officials to gain experience in high-level but not high-stakes games, and to interact with other officials from all over the world. Our RC Officials Management goals are: maximize mentorships and on-the-job experience for officials of every experience level; keep the game schedule on time; maintain a safe and fun environment for skaters, officials, and all attendees; create an environment that fosters building skills, relationships, and confidence.  Here’s how game staffing works:

  • Shortened “challenge” games are staffed by self-selection. Officials may sign up for a limited number of games per day starting in the late spring / early summer, when the game schedule is complete. The purpose of the limit is to give everyone opportunities for coveted positions and high-demand games. As the event draws nearer, the number of slots each official may select per day may increase.
  • Full length, marquee, and sponsor bouts may be subject to staffing decisions made by Officiating Management, especially in game leadership positions, but most positions for most games are available for self-selection.
  • Some RollerCon games are identity-focused. For those games, Officiating Management requests that non-members of those communities allow time and opportunity for members of those communities to select positions in those games. Otherwise officiating selection / assignment is managed as described above.
  • In some cases, a game may be approved and scheduled with modified, atypical, or less common rules (and consequently without a robust officiating community available). In such cases, the organizers of the game are responsible for recruiting officials to sign up, however crew assignments are still tracked in the same volunteer management system. (Games with insufficient officials necessary for safe gameplay may be cancelled.)

RollerCon Passes for Officials


RollerCon is a roller skating convention with over 500 unique events – for everyone, including officials. Its not all work (like at a tournament). To attend the convention, you will need a pass. To participate on skates (including skating positions officiating bouts), you need a pass with skating privileges, and verified insurance.

We have several passes to consider. Please check out the different types of passes and privileges they offer: RollerCon Passes.


Before RollerCon


  • Review the official’s skills, below.
  • Self-schedule 30 minute challenges in our Volunteer hours tracking database,vORC. Shifts open June 1st, after the games schedule is completed.
  • Join the RollerCon Officials fb group for a notification when ORC opens.
  • Shifts can be self-selected up to your daily limit, which increases closer to the event and resets at midnight (Central). If no shifts are available, please check back; people drop shifts as their schedules develop.
  • Plan wisely; it can easily take 30+ minutes to get from a host hotel room to the competition tracks – often longer, plus time to gear up if you skate. Please pad your schedule generously and allow travel time between shifts. The convention area is very large.
  • Please check the game ruleset. RollerCon hosts games of different rulesets, track types, and sometime alternate staffing models, which will be noted in the sign-up form.

At RollerCon


  • Please check in at VCI when you arrive, at least 30 minutes before your first shift. The staff will show you how to clock in and answer any questions you might have.
  • Attend the Officials Huddle on main track in the morning for crucial daily info.
  • Pick up shifts on site by talking to the Officiating Leads at each Competition Track. They can also assist with scheduling emergencies.
  • Officials are expected to act professionally and treat every competitive event seriously, even the “fun” challenge bouts. Sanctioned and regulation bouts should be treated the same as any tournament. That means taking a break from the party to be mentally & physically prepared, on time, etc.
  • Missing a shift is just cause to lose all future shifts – and its an administrative headache for already-overworked managers. Please don’t do it.
  • Shark Tank. Want to work more than you’re scheduled? Check in with the Officiating Track Leads, who fill last minute openings. We typically have a lot of opportunities!

Your officiating hours are added to any other volunteer shifts you do for compensation. More info about compensation.


REF LEVELS / SKILLS


Please note the skill level of the game you’re signing up for and be conservative about your ability to officiate at that level. RollerCon games aren’t like tournament games; they often feature very creative and sometimes ad-hoc uniforms and occasional wild variations on standard rules or just asinine quirks during the jams, so they can be especially challenging to officiate – and even harder than usual when you factor in the wide range of skater skill levels from skaters all over the world.

RC Officials recognize that self-assessment can be difficult, so if get in over your head, talk to the Officiating Leads (at each Competition Track) and share your concerns.  They can observe, mentor, review your schedule, and rearrange crews if necessary.


Important Links for Officials



About RC Officiating Staffing
Officiating Management recognizes that RollerCon is an exceptional opportunity for officials to gain experience in high-level but not high-stakes games. Our goals are: maximize mentorships and on-the-job experience for officials of every experience level; keep the game schedule on time; maintain a safe and fun environment for skaters, officials, and all attendees; create an environment that fosters building skills, relationships, and confidence. Find out more about how we do staffing at the Officials “help wanted” page.

  • Shortened “challenge” games are staffed by self-selection. Officials may sign up for a limited number of games per day starting in the late spring / early summer, when the game schedule is complete. The purpose of the limit is to give everyone opportunities for coveted positions and high-demand games. As the event draws nearer, the number of slots each official may select per day may increase.
  • Full length, marquee, and sponsor bouts may be subject to staffing decisions made by Officiating Management, especially in game leadership positions, but most positions for most games are available for self-selection.
  • Some RollerCon games are identity-focused. For those games, Officiating Management requests that non-members of those communities allow time and opportunity for members of those communities to select positions in those games. Otherwise officiating selection / assignment is managed as described above.
  • In some cases, a game may be approved and scheduled with modified, atypical, or less common rules (and consequently without a robust officiating community available). In such cases, the organizers of the game are responsible for recruiting officials to sign up, however crew assignments are still tracked in the same volunteer management system. (Games with insufficient officials necessary for safe gameplay may be cancelled.)