Warm up: Where's The Pack?!

Step 1: Send the players on to the track, tell them to free skate and that warm up will begin in 2 minutes

Step 2: Walk in to the inside of the track, when you are ready to start warm up shout "Where's the pack?!" as loud as you can, the first player to answer "here!" will form the basis of the pack. Confirm where the pack is by replying "pack is here!" and using the ref hand signal for where the pack is.

Players should recognise the 'pack is here' as a call to action, hustling to where the pack is. This is a key momenet where you as a coach can change gears from 'gentle warm up' to 'business time'

Credit: I stole the "where's the pack ? - pack is here" call off Barry Fight at CCR, cheers Barry!

Now that the players are together in a pack you can begin to warm them up.

Begin to fire instructions at the pack, they should listening and responding quickly:

Start with Physical Warm ups:

• Back two skaters to the front!
• Change direction!
• Fast Lap!
• Stop on the whistle!
• Touch the floor!
• Three Sixty!

Add Game Play Warm ups:

• Recycle Tantrum!
• Do not let Shorty get to the front!
• Bridge Penny Front!
• Where's Slinky at? (players call 'outside!' etc)

With this drill you can be creative - give the players new instructions when you think of them, they should expect to hear instructions that they have not heard before. When first given novel instructions, players might look confused - but we want them thinking, we want their mind as warm not just their body, and we want them used to deciphering problems, not just doing what they are told.

Novel instructions (use sparingly so the players have to figure them out)

• Odd numbers to the front!
• Black T-shirts take a knee!

Progressing Into Leadership

This is a great drill to progress into leadership. After a few sessions, the players should be used to the instructions and how to deliver them with pace to keep everyone on their toes.

At this point, begin to pick out players and have them take charge of the warm up.

The nature of roller derby means that anyone might find themselves on track and required to take a leadership role - so pick players out at random to embed leadership throughout the squad

There are two stages of mastery we want to see demonstrated in this warm up:

1. Players can perform the warm up and be mentally and physically ready to play
2. Players can demonstrate leadership by taking charge of the drill and delivering it to other players.