Derby Requirement: proper derby stance needed to stay stable during game play (whilst engaged with hits & contact) and also most skills cannot be completed without bent knees!

Skater must bend at knees & hips with shoulders back, show they are stable with centre of gravity down + forward & skates low with soft/flexible knees

Basic Skill: Demonstrate 'derby stance' with the correct position of body highlighting position of shoulders / hips / knees (imagine a string is running through top of skater's head through their body down to the floor and their stance needs to be fully aligned with it).

Heads, Shoulders, Knees, Cone

Set Up: pair up skaters & stand facing their partner with a cone in between them

Action: skaters touch their own heads, shoulders, knees & grab cone on calls (of head, shoulders, knees or cone) from the coach. Competition for the first to grab the cone - reset after grabbing the cone. Everyone must stay in derby stance throughout.

Coaching Points:

• Back must be upright - should not tip head/shoulders/chest forwards or bend at the waist

• Must bend at knees and drop butt down

Progression: play as a knock-out; with winners going onto compete & find the group's overall victor!

Drop, Squat & Roll

Action: all skaters on track skating at a moderate pace; on coach's whistle must drop to a squat position whilst rolling and hold until the coach's second whistle

Coaching Points:

• skaters can sticky skate or stride whilst holding the squat (avoid crossovers)

• watch for skaters position 'before' the whistle to ensure they are already low & getting LOWER

Progression: hold skaters in the squat position for a longer position / build into skating as a pack

Derby Requirement: efficient way to skate around track - particularly when not skating 'around' the track (e.g. if returning to the bench or small movements in the pack).

Skater uses steady / confident / fluid stride with both feet pushing straightaway; shifts weight completely from foot to foot comfortably without stumbling

Weight should be in the centre of skate (off toes) & core engaged.

Highlight common errors & difficulties:

• leaning forward with shoulders / looking down - makes it more likely the skater will fall forwards

• stiff & straight legs / tipping at the hips - the skater is more likely to trip & won't have as much power in skating

Basic Skill:

Demonstrate a basic stride with correct motion of legs, highlighting low centre of gravity / bending at knees / pushing out to the slides (not to the back) / engaging glutes to drive the 'power' of a good stride

Drill

Set Up: Start with skaters in a circle

Action: Explain how to stand on skates / derby stance and then practice stance together in the circle.

• Bent flexible knees

• Straight back

• Head and chest up

• Bum down

Drill progression

Skaters on track skate forward.

Coaching points:

• Use both legs equally

• Long, strong strides

• Pushing sideways - avoid the temptation to try and walk.

Derby Requirement: to be able to skate at speed without lifting feet, important when skating as a pack or close proximity where stride/crossovers could result in kicking those nearby on track.

Confidently propels self whilst keeping all eight wheels on the floor - displays good posture & is able to accelerate

Sticky Skating - Basic Skill

Demonstrate the 'lemon' pattern with hands [& feet], show how your skates should not be too wide (making it harder to pull feet together) or too narrow (making it hard to build up speed) with an ideal distance at about shoulder width apart.

With skaters in a circle at the centre of the track to practice pointing the toes in/out using their weight to shift from back/front.

Highlight the muscle groups engaged (the inner thigh - adductors) for skaters to build up this strength in off skates exercises

Tap the Floor

Set Up: all skaters on track

Action: all skaters sticky skating on track, on the whistle should be able to touch the floor

Coaching Points:

• skaters should stay in a low stance - not 'bob up & down'

Progression: increase the frequency of the whistle

Limes

Set Up: all skaters on track

Action: allow legs to cross whilst sticky skating (vs 'lemons')

Coaching Points:

• skaters will need a good derby stance and soft knees

Progression: Build up to one footed sticky skating, skating on one foot at a time in single 'curves' - skaters will need to sway hips to transfer weight & build momentum