Fast starts

Jamming or blocking, being able to pull out a fast start can open up many opportunities. There are lots of different ways to start, and I have listed 2 of my favourites - the Down Start for jamming and the Up Start for blocking. Ready?

Down Start - for Jamming
This start is very similar to the start a sprinter uses. It's kind of complicated to explain only using words, so picture a sprinting start when reading this!

• Place the toe of your right leg stopper down just behind the start line. Drop your left knee to touch the ground just behind the start line
• Balancing with your left hand, extend your right arm behind you, staying in line with your back
• On the first whistle, raise your left knee so you are in a half-crouch, balancing on both toe stoppers, leaning forward
• On the second whistle sprint: take 3 running toe stop steps, then splay your feet outwards into a duck run for a few steps, then sprint as usual

Up Start - for Blocking

• From your position behind the starting line, get up on both toe stops, staggering your feet with (preferably) your left leg behind, keeping your knees and hips bent and slightly facing towards your back leg
• On the whistle sprint: take 3 running toe stop steps, then splay your feet outwards into a duck run for a few steps, then sprint as usual

 To Run as a Drill:

• While stationary, run the skaters through the motions of each start
• For the Down Start, place a pair of skaters on each side of the track where the jammer line would be positioned, with other skaters queued behind them off the track
• Blow an initial whistle to queue when they are to change positions, then a few seconds later blow their second whistle
• As the skaters complete the lap, come off the track and join the back of their line
• For the Up Start, you can continue to run it in this format; alternatively place 8 skaters at a time behind the pivot line to simulate doing this start in a pack

Stay Low

Think your derby stance is low? Get ready to get lower! Low skating can be used to reduce your legal target zones, increase your stability and make your height compact. Use it to sneak past a giant blocker, brace against a big hit or prepare for a killer can opener.

• From derby stance, bend further at the hips, knees and ankles so your chest is resting against your knees
• Slightly lift your chest up so your head is upright and facing forwards
• To check you have the position correct, you will be able to rest your elbows in FRONT of your knees

To make this a drill, go through the above technique with your skaters while stationary, then spread them out on the track to do a few laps in this stance. Encourage them to try different things in this position - sticky skating, fast speed, hugging the inside line, and lateral turns to see what difference it makes for them.

A great way to incorporate this stance into every training session? Whenever you see a skater standing tall (no longer in derby stance), tell everyone to drop their butt 5cm (2 inches). And keep reminding them anytime anyone gets tall.

Situational Scrimmage

Scrimmage is an essential part of a training plan - it allows skaters to work together on the track to try out all the skills they have been practicing, test out different strategies, and learn how to work with their team. Situational scrimage takes it to the next level by giving one team a goal or tactic for each jam.

There are almost endless suggestions for what instructions you can give to a team; these are ones I have used and found to be very helpful. Only give instructions to one team at a time, to allow the other team to watch and respond accordingly.

1. Everyone but the pivot plays defense
2. Force the jammer out of bounds and stop to make them enter behind you
3. Control the front of the pack
4. Get your jammer through on the inside
5. Aim for 3 jammer assists
6. Push an opposing skater out of bounds 3 times
7. Slow the pack at the start of the jam
8. Allow the opposition to hold the front and try and force them out of play
9. Make a wall of 3 at the front
10. Trap one opposing player and come to a crawl

If you have any situational scrimmage suggestions that work well for you, please leave a comment to share with others

Hold Up

Hold up the jammer as they come through by controlling your speed and working with a partner. This is an endless jammer drill that will help keep over-enthusiastic chasers in check.

Evading Can Openers

A few weeks back, I posted a how-to for killer can openers. This week, let's look at what to do when you are on the receiving end of one and how to avoid feeling the pain.

Bobble Headed Jammer

Even the sneakiest of jammers sometimes finds themselves stuck behind a stellar blocker. This duking technique can introduce an element of confusion that the jammer can take advantage of to get around.

Running the Gauntlet

The goal of this drill is to teach skaters to stick with a partner while skating in a dynamic pack, to improve track awareness, improve lateral movement across the track, and to build confidence and skills in moving through a pack.