More video Strategery from Eastern Regionals

Rather than writing a lot, I think the strategies in this clip speak for themselves:

Penalty burn
Saving the Goat
Working a “stationery” wall
Awareness of penalty box rotations

Enjoy my rudimentary VH1 inspired balloons. If someone would send me an MP3 of a sound clip for balloons opening and closing, that’d be awesome!

22 Responses to "More video Strategery from Eastern Regionals"

Ninja Sass'em says:

November 30, 2010 at 2:45 PM

Me likey! I love the “steel curtain” move. These are very smart and aware chicks. Way to play with what’s under the helmet.

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Bane says:

December 22, 2010 at 7:02 PM

Another Awesome video. I love the pop up video style!

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Plan B says:

February 4, 2011 at 2:35 PM

Another example of stroller derby. This “strategy” is killing the sport. Nobody wants to watch a skaters stand still on the track.

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1. Bitches Bruze says:
  
  February 5, 2011 at 12:59 PM
  
  Quite to the contrary. There are MANY of us who love watching skaters “stand still” on the track. It’s brilliant, difficult, and a unique feature of flat track roller derby you simply can’t do in banked track without holding on to the rail.
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjstV34g56U
  
  While I respect you may not like it, then it’s your option to seek out derby or other sports you do like. It is most definitely not true that “nobody wants to watch.”
  
  Reply
  1. Plan B says:
    
    February 5, 2011 at 6:24 PM
    
    Sorry if you’ve had these discussions before and you are tired of having them. From my involvement I’ve seen this type of play rise in popularity mostly in the last two years. In my opinion, it exploits loopholes in the rule-set and creates a different game than was intended by the founders of modern roller derby. I fear that fans will lose interest, and it will ultimately hurt the momentum the sport has gained over the previous years. But alas for now it’s here and it’s legal.
    
    Reply
    1. Derby Newb says:
      
      May 19, 2011 at 9:43 AM
      
      Well, I am a bit confused. I have read the rules and it says you are not allowed to block while standing still and that includes positional blocking. (WFTDA 5.1.1.3) I totally get “slow” play. Its the “stop” play that has me scratching my head.
      
      Reply
      1. Bitches Bruze says:
        
        May 19, 2011 at 9:47 AM
        
        What it says, in addition to “illegal to block while at a standstill” is that you must be stepping or skating. These skaters are stepping. The act of stepping, even in place, means you are not at a standstill.
        
        Reply
        
        Derby Newb says:
        
        May 19, 2011 at 10:01 AM
        
        Can you show me where that is in the rules? Forgive me, I am a derby newb afterall. Any help you can give me to help me understand would be appreciated.
        
        Reply
        
        Derby Newb says:
        
        May 19, 2011 at 10:09 AM
        
        Got it…Nevermind.
        
        Reply
        
        Bitches Bruze says:
        
        May 19, 2011 at 10:32 AM
        
        In the same rule YOU quoted:
        
        5.1.1.3 Only players who are stepping and/or skating in the counter-clockwise direction may execute a block. It is illegal to block while at a standstill and while moving in the clockwise direction—this includes positional blocking.
        
        and an excerpt from 6.9.1 which defines what clockwise is:
        
        Clockwise movement is measured by the skates moving past a line perpendicular to the track boundaries.
        
        Therefore, all movement perpendicular to the track boundaries is considered counter-clockwise as is all movement specifically counter-clockwise. Stepping or skating is movement.
        
        Reply
        
        Derby Newb says:
        
        May 19, 2011 at 11:14 AM
        
        6.9.1 does clarify clockwise, but it leaves the line between standstill and counter-clockwise up for interpretation. Obviously, you can’t be moving and at a standstill, but moving perpendicular to the track is NOT counterclockwise. I got A’s in geometry which qualifies me as a nerd. I appreciate your patience and willingness to explain it to me.
        
        I will say this. Rules or no rules, it doesn’t seem very sports”woman” like to just have 4 blockers stand shoulder to shoulder and block the track without moving. There is a spirit in the rules and these sort of tactics more or less thumb their nose at that. I still feel like the stationary wall in this video was in fact a standstill because the contact was initiated from a standstill. I have no problems with slow derby, but I think “stop” derby such as this takes it a little too far.
        
        Bitches Bruze says:
        
        May 19, 2011 at 11:25 AM
        
        Perpendicular is not forbidden. Only clockwise to perpendicular. Perpendicular movement, since it is NOT prohibited in the rules should not have a penalty called on it.
        
        Referees who do so are making shit up.
        
        The point of rules is to define what is prohibited, and only marginally to define how to play. The point of strategy is often to find what is not prohibited by the rules and play in those spaces. Hence, this is a strategy discussion.
        
        The rules define “clockwise” as movement clockwise from a perpendicular line. The rules do NOT prohibit blocking while stepping or skating in that perpendicular line. Therefore (for all you geometry A students like me), the proof says these rules define perpendicular legal movement.
        
        Now, please move on. The wall is legal because it is not defined as illegal. Clockwise aka illegal movement is movement clockwise of perpendicular.
        
        Derby Newb says:
        
        May 19, 2011 at 11:35 AM
        
        Thank you. May I have another? *smirk*
        
        Plan B says:
        
        May 19, 2011 at 11:39 AM
        
        Sorry, that doesn’t make sense. The rules clearly state that blocking while not moving in the counter-clockwise direction (i.e. stepping in place or moving laterally) IS ILLEGAL. Just admit you are wrong and stop confusing Newbs.
        
        Derby Newb says:
        
        May 19, 2011 at 10:09 AM
        
        “Only players who are stepping and/or skating in the counter-clockwise direction may execute a block. It is illegal to block while at a standstill and while moving in the clockwise direction—this includes positional blocking.”
        
        I am looking at the video. At the 1:34 mark, the stationary wall is set up. At what point are they “stepping” in a counterclockwise direction? If they did “step” it was either in place or laterally, not counterclockwise. They only time a counterclockwise motion occured is when the jammer plowed her over.
        
        Reply
        
        Bitches Bruze says:
        
        May 19, 2011 at 10:34 AM
        
        Based on 6.9.1 laterally is still defined as counter-clockwise.
        
        Reply
        
        Plan B says:
        
        May 19, 2011 at 11:19 AM
        
        If you draw a line across the track (i.e. “a line perpendicular to the track boundaries”) where the skaters are, the girls must be advancing past that line. Stepping in place or moving laterally on that line is not moving in the counter-clockwise direction, and would be called for a penalty. I’m not getting what you are saying Bruze, unless I’m missing something. Newb seems to have it correct.
        
        Bitches Bruze says:
        
        May 19, 2011 at 11:38 AM
        
        The rules do not define that perpendicular line as illegal movement direction. Therefore it is assumed legal.
        
        Period.
        
        We can all agree that perpendicular is neither clockwise nor counter-clockwise. But the rules only specifically prohibit counter-clockwise movement from that line. There is no penalty listed for moving along that line. Therefore – LEGAL.
        
        The trick with strategy is understanding there is a difference between the rules and strategy. Referees and skaters should not make stuff up based on their personal interpretation. Rules are never meant to explain every possible way to play. Perpendicular is not illegal. That’s all you need to know.
        
        Personally, I say that defines it as counter-clockwise, but if you want to be technical, it is perpendicular. Fine. It’s still okay because it’s not banned.
        
        Plan B says:
        
        May 19, 2011 at 11:45 AM
        
        Yes, sorry. I meant while blocking. You can skate whatever direction you want.
        
        Bitches Bruze says:
        
        May 19, 2011 at 11:51 AM
        
        Restate everything I said “while blocking.”
        
        The rules do not prohibit blocking while skating or stepping perpendicular to the track boundaries.
        
        If you’re all going to get so technical, perpendicular is neither clockwise nor counter-clockwise. But there is ONLY a rule against blocking while skating clockwise to the line perpendicular to the track.
        
        In my definition, then, WFTDA has declared perpendicular as part of clockwise motion. Admittedly, that is technically incorrect.
        
        Since the rules do NOT specifically ban blocking while moving perpendicular to the track boundaries, it is ALWAYS considered legal.
        
        Therefore, blocking while stepping or skating perpendicular to the track boundaries is allowed, as it was in this video and always will be until the rules change, because it isn’t not allowed.
  2. Wentzell says:
    
    February 7, 2011 at 5:43 PM
    
    You can stand still on banked track without holding the rail – in order to block you must be stepping sideways or forward.
    
    Reply
    1. Bitches Bruze says:
      
      February 8, 2011 at 7:35 AM
      
      I was curious if it was more difficult than flat or if it simply entails a different set of muscles. It seems as though it would be even more difficult to pull off a banked track isolation, but I just watched some Bonnie D. Stroyer stuff that made it look like maybe they’re employing similar strategies to flat track now. It’s kinda neat.
      
      Reply

More video Strategery from Eastern Regionals

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