Orlando Roller Derby Team Strategy

Team Strategy for 2025
1. Jam Starts (4)
- Front (Sides/Pyramids)
- Front (Stack/Toblerone)
- Back (Goose)
- Back (Chase)
2. Plays (2)
- O-Zone
- Scatter (Scatter/Points)
3. Mental Game
- Rules understanding
- Derby IQ
- Resiliency
- Game Poise
4. Skills
- Communication
- Skate Skills
- Stamina and Athleticism
2025 ORD Team Fundamentals
TOGETHER
Jam Starts (4)
Notes:
- Prefer Front Starts
- Dynamic starts are GOOD! Watch what is happening and communicate
- Blockers should be comfortable in every blocker position
- Jammers read the Floater; Floaters read the Jammer
1. Front (Squish)
- Floater moves to same side as Jammer
- Tripod moves to "squish" Really is lining up one butt against brace and the other 2 as a 2-wall
1. Front (Squish)
- Floater attacks/moves opposition butts!
- (Floater side) ORD Butt screens opposition brace away from line (inside or outside line)
1. Front (Squish)
- Jammer has a straight path to get through quickly
- Ideally, ORD Jammer minimizes exposure to out of bounds and moves back to center
1. Front (Squish)
- (Floater side) Butt rejoins 2-wall to form tripod
- Floater continues to help block opposing Jammer
2. Front (Pyramids)
- Floater moves to same side as Jammer
- Tripod moves to other side (In front of opposing Jammer)
2. Front (Pyramids)
- Floater attacks/moves opposition butts!
- ORD (Floater side) Butt moves opposition brace to the line
- Remaining ORD brace/butt remain focused on opposition Jammer
2. Front (Pyramids)
- Jammer has a serpentine path to get through quickly
- Offense continues to try and move opposition
2. Front (Pyramids)
- Floater will join the 2-wall to form the ORD tripod
- Original (Offensive) Butt becomes the Floater
3. Back (Goose)
- ORD Jammer and Floater line up on opposite sides
- ORD Jammer blocks opposition Jammer/Offense
3. Back (Goose)
- Tripod, Floater, ORD Jammer all suck back on the opposing Jammer
3. Back (Goose)
- Once opposing Jammer is caught (<2s), Floater and Jammer run away
4. Back (Chase)
- When the Jammer and Floater find themselves on the same side
4. Back (Chase)
- Floater waits for ORD Jammer to be close, then acts as if they are Jamming and try to break up opposing tripod
- Jammer follows Floater and runs through
ORD Plays (4)
- O-Zone
- Scatter (Scatter/Points)
1. O-Zone
- Once opposing Jammer gets out, closest blockers run back to play offense for ORD Jammer
- Other 2 blockers race to back of pack to S-wall and catch opposing Jammer
1. O-Zone
- One of the offensive players joins with S-wall to make a tripod
- The other Floats
2. Points (Scatter/Points)
- Used during Power Plays
- The concept is the same when we need "Points"
2. Points (Scatter/Points)
- Goals:
- To break up opposing tripod
- To hold at least 1 blocker to maintain pack
- NOT to be scored on (let go and race forward)
2. Points (Scatter/Points)
- 1, 2, or more blockers can race into pack to achieve goals
- Scatter - usually 1 or 2
- Points - everyone (with 1 holding a blocker just long enough)
2. Points (Scatter/Points)
- Jammer races in ready to score points and/or call off Jam
Mental Game
- Rules Understanding
- Derby IQ
- Resiliency (Personal and Team)
- Game Poise
Derby IQ
- Grow Collective Understanding Of:
- Game Strategy
- Gameplay tactics
- All Things Pack
- Requires Rules Competency
- Expect: In-person and virtual discussions
Resiliency Development
- Regular Messaging (Coach's Corner) on Slack
- Exercises To Develop Personal Resiliency
- Occasional Challenges
Game Poise
- Grow individual and team ability to maintain composure and focus under pressure
- Develop confidence in individual skills and team ability
- Encourage quick and effective decisions during gameplay
Skills
- Communication
- Skate Skills
- Stamina and Athleticism
Communication
- THE key individual skill leading for team success - MUST be a priority for every skater
- Goal is for communication to be evident between:
- Blocker and Blocker
- Jammer and Blocker
- Blocker and Jammer
- Bench and Skaters
Skate skills
- To play on Travel, skate skills are above minimal base level
- Jammers should concentrate on all stops, turns, direction changes, etc
- Blockers should concentrate on plows and hockey stops, as well as lateral quickness
Stamina and Athleticism
- Training adjustments to encourage more rapid cycling during practice
- Expect all skaters demonstrate strong effort during practice - URGENCY
- Let a trainer know if you are unable to do maximal effort (injured or feeling off)
- Expect additional activity and exercise OUTSIDE of practice
2025 ORD Team Fundamentals
TOGETHER