Lesson #7 - Point Stategy

This is an article I wrote for the Examiner back in June of 2011. It still is one of the most informative pieces I think I've ever written pertaining to strategy and I've added a few more pictures. Enjoy!

Live Points vs. Dead Points

by Katie Mae Peters

Hard hits, amazing assists, booty blocks, and wicked waterfalls are usually the aspects most noticed in a game, but what about the subtext? Do these amazing skills just add up to showmanship and giving those action thirsty spectators their money's worth?

While the starting fourteen need to keep the crowd engaged, they also need to win the game. And how is a game won? By points of course. Unlike most sports where a ball/puck/shiny object of some interest creates the point; roller derby deems the players on the track points. While this seems like derby 101 information, many players forget to guard their point.

Just like derby!

The best way to keep your point locked down stronger than a maximum security prison is knowing the difference between live and dead points. As a jammer skates up to the back of the pack, every blocker on the opposite team is a live point; but everytime a jammer legally passes the hips of an opposing skater, that individual's point changes to a "dead point." This means that star-sporting skater has been awarded the point, cannot lose that point (ex. if the jammer gets knocked to the back of the pack behind said blocker), and (the most crucial detail) cannot score anymore points on that blocker until the next pass through the pack.

Here a a couple good rules of thumb to remember:

1. Live points only positional block.
-By engaging the jammer with a hip check or a shoulder block you make it much easier for a them to score on you even while you are hitting them. The jammer just needs to throw their hips in front of yours before you take them out to rob you of your point.

Photo Credit Ken Knight

2. Live points stay in the front of the pack.
-One of the best setups to an amazing point defense is getting all your team's live points in the front of the pack. This creates more distance a jammer has to skate to get to your points, which in turn runs down the jam clock. It also puts players in a prime postion to control the pack.
-The opposition's blockers also unknowingly help to keep your points safe (think of it this way, blockers sometimes get so caught up in their own defense stopping the other jammer, they actually hinder/create obstacles for their own jammer).

3. Dead points never stop attacking the jammer.
-Chances are when you lose your point, you will now be behind the jammer. Don't just continue skating in your same spot idly waiting for another team member ahead of you to stop the jammer. You should be enraged to have been robbed of your point and want to keep that skater from scoring on any more of your players (within the bounds of roller derby rules and basic sportsman eticate, no hauling off to punch the jammer now). Chase that jammer down and never stop hitting. But remember that if the jammer gets past all your other defenses and out of the engagment zone, you need to immediately drop back into the pack and reform into your original position.

Photo credit Ken Knight

4. Points reset every pass
-If a jammer passes you one lap, players must remember their point resets the next time the jammer passes through the pack. Translation; Shake it off Dead Points! Reset and stop the jammer on their next pass.

5. Jammers are points too
If you've ever played the jammer position on a team, hopefully you're humble enough to admit that a jammer is only as good as her blockers. Even though I'm a pretty fast skater and can overtime juke my way around opposite blockers, I would never get through the pack as quickly or score as many points without my friendlies.

During a scrimmage with 2010 WFTDA Champions the Rocky Mountain Roller Girls, a bench coach calmy explained to a newer skater who had been trapped as a jammer in the pack for an entire two minutes, "There is no greater sin in derby than being a fifth point." I've adapted the saying a tad for my own personal mantra to include "without a fight." So many people get caught up in the pack members being points, they forget their own jammer becomes a fifth point when lapped by the opposition's jammer.

Photo credit Ken Knight

-Always assign a blocker to drop back and help the jammer if they get stuck. This keeps one person accountable and also prevents all your blockers from breaking apart to haphazardly get your jammer through. Jammers, don't be afraid to call out for that help. Your momma gave you a set of lungs, so use them!

-If that opposite jammer is coming up behind you and there is no way you will get through the pack before they pass you, become a fifth blocker and give that jammer hell.



So think about these rules every time you scrimmage or go into battle for a game win. I promise you'll see dramatic results for the good =) And if you're feeling extra bandwidth generous visit the original posting of this article I did in June. Each click pays me mula! (No annoying ad viewing required).

Lesson #6 - Just Ask

Well the inagural Blood & Thunder Roller Derby World Cup has come and gone. Teams from all over the globe fought hard and made lasting international bonds with fellow competitors. There are so many lessons I personally took away from this experience, it could take me a month to write them all out. But there is one lesson over all the others, I really want you all to take from my experience.

Many people constantly ask me "How'd you become a manager for Team USA?"

Bonnie D. and I represent!

I have one answer.

Back in my good old community college days, I sold gym memberships for a living during the prime selling hours of 4AM - 9AM. Giant FML. At some point in my extensive sales training (believe me sales people are trained to psychologically mess your mind up so you say yes to anything they have), my boss told me a saying that went something along the lines of "You don't get 100% of what you don't ask for." When my boss relayed this information, he was trying to motivate me to ask everyone at the end of a workout/sales pitch to join the gym. I took the quote further though and incorporated it into my life's mantra.

This saying literally propelled me into every opportunity I have had since. When I wanted to be more involved in theatre I asked to be a board member - result - I've now served on the Stage III Board of Directors nearly two years now. When Team USA announced open recruitment I asked to be involved in any way possible - result - Buster appointed me Team Manager and I followed the girls to Toronto and eventually our World Cup win. Now I want to try my hand at dog sledding and writing for the college newspaper - result - I asked and the appropriate parties said absolutely.

                                                             !!!!BUT!!!! *Disclaimer*

Everytime I revieced a new position or someone took me onto their plate as a leap of faith, I worked my ass off. The fastest way to ruin your credibility and make people immediately turn to an "I don't think so" answer is to do a lackluster job. The last thing you want sticking to your shadow is a mundane reputation... unless of course deficiency is something you strive for.

Yep, I steal stock photos...

So disclaimer aside, don't be afraid to ask for what you desire. Worse case scenario, the answer will be no. In that situation you haven't lost anything, except maybe a bit of ego (the sooner you learn to live without that the better). Best case scenario, the answer is yes and you gain your heart's desire.

So go forth and ask away!

... and cartoons off the internet.