20 minutes

Focus: Understanding pack definition, giving refs practice at making pack definition calls (in the actual drill bit at the end).

Often trying to explain pack definition to skaters, both freshmeat and min skills passed skaters can be tricky so sometimes things need to be slowed right down to check that everyone understands. The drill is less of a physical drill but more of a demonstration and a chance for skaters to ask questions...

The pack is the largest group of mixed blockers (i.e. blockers from both teams) on the track skating within 10ft of one another. 

Get 8 people on track and give 4 of them bibs of one colour and the other 4 bibs of another colour.              
Mix them together and explain that this is the pack and this is because there is a group of blockers from different teams within 10ft of each other.

Separate the two groups of skaters by colours, moving the two groups 20ft away from each other. Explain that this is a no pack, because there is no group of mixed blockers skating within 10ft of each other. 

Move one person into the other group. Explain there is now a pack as there is a group of mixed blockers skating within 10ft of each other.

HERE it is probably good to check everyone understands – I find it better to have advanced skaters on track and newer skaters (or those who are less clear on pack definition watching off track – as long as they actually pay attention).

Create two equal groups e.g. 2 black, 2 white skating 20 ft from 2 black, 2 white, explain that this is also a no pack, because there is no ‘bigger group’.

Pull some skaters off track or ask them to ‘down’ themselves, then explain that skaters who are not in bounds, or have fallen over cannot be considered part of the pack as they are not in play.

When a no pack situation occurs, a referee will shout ‘No pack!’, and everybody should respond straightaway. Make sure everyone understands that it is EVERYONE’s responsibility to reform that pack.

It is also advisable to go through penalties that may occur as a result of pack definition issues...

• "Destruction of the pack" You do something which causes there to be a no pack situation. (4 blacks and 1 white in the front, and 3 whites in the back, 20ft behind the front group. The white blocker in the front group turns around to skate to the other white blockers).
• "Failure to reform" The pack is destroyed, and no skater makes an attempt to reform the pack (Demostrate a ‘no pack’ call being made where no skater does anything to fix it).

THE ACTUAL DRILL - Send people away in groups of 8, with a spread of advanced skaters across the groups. Ask the advanced skaters to order instructions i.e. 78 take a knee or 1945 skate off track, then tell the other skates in that group to reform the pack. Referees can be used to define the pack, call 'no pack' and call out penalties where relevant.

5-10 minutes

Focus: Learning the referee hand signals, communication and blocker awareness

Everyone gets into one big pack. Referees will be skating around the track signalling various penalties at the skaters (and each other) - these will be hand signals only - no words. It will be the responsibility of the team mates to communicate that a penalty is being called - and what penalty is being called – to ensure their team mates are paying attention. While this is happening on each whistle, the girls have to touch two new people.

Focus: Blocker awareness and Communication

Part 1: Get the skaters into pairs and get them to take turns to knock each other out and sprint back so the person knocked out has to enter behind the skater that has hit them out.

Part 2: Then get skaters into groups of 5 – one opposing skater and 4 blockers the back blocker will knock out the opposition then shouts to the other skaters to recycle back for them. The other three skaters bridge back increasing the distance that the skater knocked out has to bridge back.
Define the opposition pack by placing a cone in front of the pack - one skater steps out to be the ref to ‘define the pack’ – increasing awareness of pack definition and the engagements zones (10 foot between each skater, the last line of defence can go 20 feet). All swap around each getting a chance to be the ref and practice awareness of pack definition.

Referees can be used to help teach the skaters and check skaters are correctly calling out of play and no pack scenarios.

20-40 minutes

Focus: Pressure testing

The aim is to put all that’s been worked on in the session into application in a more derby like scenario.

Groups of 6: There will be two offence (who wear pivot panties), one jammer and three blockers. Have everyone else off track ready to go on. This drill requires the whole track. This can be done on skates or 'sock derby' style for rookies.

Get the skaters to line up in front of the jam line, except the jammer who lines up behind. Then run like a normal jam, call off at 2 minutes or after the jammer has completed a scoring pass.  The offence should avoid passive offence, they are on the team of the jammer aiming to help them through.

As there is only one jammer on track this keeps the focus simpler, giving the blockers viewer things to focus on - which is why this is ideal for newer skaters.

Remember to recap offence if working with newer skaters - The offence should create holes in the wall that the jammer needs to find and target or by destroying the pack by goating an opposition blocker.

Referees will be needed to define the pack and call penalties. Preferably having one jammer ref to keep track of whether the jammer completes a scoring pass.

15 minutes

Focus: Having walls that are multi-layered, communication and reforming in front of the jammer.

Divide skaters into groups of 4 or 5, 1 jammer, 3/4 blockers. The jammer goes at 50% for this drill.

The aim is for the blockers who the jammer has passed to cycle to the front, trying to maintain two layers of blockers at all times. This is done by the front skaters continuing to hold the jammer back allowing their team mates to reposition themselves. This doesn't have to be done with a specific wall but that can help structure the drill, the focus should be having a multi-layered wall that continually repositions itself depending on the jammer - this is the dynamic element.

Encourage the blockers to communicate which of them the jammer is making most contact with, they can communicate via shouting things like 'on me, on me' or 'jammer here'. This should inform their team members that they should be getting to a position where they can add support to that blocker with the most contact.

Providing the skaters with examples of dynamic walls can be useful before starting the drill - anchoring: one behind or two behind, washing machine, diamond, fat controller and two in front & two behind.

Referees can join in with this drill as with dynamic walls in particular multilayer blocks can occur.