Referee skating patterns – all positions

Objective: Practice referee skating patterns, work on vocal projection and build communication skills between refs
Typical length of drill: Twenty minutes per part – forty mins to run full drill.
Materials needed: Stopwatch, whistle, taped out track.

Skill level required: All levels

Description: This is a two-part drill. The parts can be run concurrently or over separate sessions. It is basically a skater-less jam drill where mock jams are run to the full two minutes.

1. Refs only – no bunny. Refs all select a position to start in. Encourage them to start in a position that they do not usually/often skate in. On the start whistle all refs skate as if there is a pack and jammers on the track.  A single ref is asked to both set the pace of the ‘pack’ and to initiate penalty calls (which are mirrored back by all refs on the track)/rules discussion with all other refs on the track. Encourage refs to make eye contact when they are speaking and to provide feedback to other refs about what they can hear, what they can see, if they are getting enough eye contact. Rotate refs through all roles and make sure everyone has a go at setting the pace/initiating the rules discussion.

2. Refs with bunny. Refs all select a position to start in. Encourage them to start in a position that they do not usually/often skate in. On the start whistle all refs skate as if there is a pack and jammers on the track.  A single ref acts as the ‘bunny’ or ‘pack’ and another ref is asked to initiate penalty calls/rules discussion with all other refs on the track. Encourage refs to make eye contact when they are speaking and to provide feedback to other refs about what they can hear, what they can see, if they are getting enough eye contact. Again, rotate through all roles and make sure everyone has a go.

Additional notes: Experiment with who sets the pace/initiates the penalty calls.  Asking an OPR to project well enough to be heard by every ref on the track will really push their projection skills. 

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