rachelrage350-blog

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#marketing

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#sports marketing

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I had to watch this clip 15 times before I fully understood how awesome it was. Can you see it? 

Here are the awesome things as you will see them:

1. Watch Violet Knockout as she re-enters from the penalty box. (the first of two Gotham/black blockers re-entering). Violet takes the inside lane and performs a perfectly timed, bad ass c-cut to reform with her wall and trap the VRDL jammer. 

2. Smashin’ Pop then re-enters as a VRDL/white blocker and tries to play some quick offense. HOWEVER…

3. The second Gotham blocker, Flo It All, re-enters from the penalty box, takes the outside line, and renders the offense ineffective. 

Do you think the Gotham blockers communicated in the penalty box where they were headed in their wall? Lesson learned: stay fully engaged in the penalty box - that is 30 seconds to strategize. 

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These 2 VRDL blockers make starting in a down pack look easy. Watch how they track Short Stop off the line, moving laterally and staying close to the Gotham wall to give themselves maximum space before bridging or going out of play.

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Awareness: Rogue Runner knowing that they landed in bounds so that they could barrel roll and keep going. 

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Laci Knight knows that as a blocker, you sometimes have to be willing to sacrifice your body for those points. Satan’s Little Helper was aware and ready with awesome footwork for that nicely timed offense.

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Trisha Smackanawa (Black Jammer for London) and Ima Blowbya (White Blocker for Angel City) battle over the inside line. 

This is a great move as a jammer, here’s why:

1/ Blockers are more likely to drift off the line at the apex (physics!) and if they don’t drift off, it’s easier to get them off the track when pushing.

2/ Driving into Ima Blowbya’s right side brings Ima precariously close to the line and in this case she steps out of bounds while trying to stay in front of the jammer - getting a cut call.

3/ Trisha Smackanawa may not have gotten out but she reduced their blocking core by 25% which gives her an advantage for the next 30 seconds.

Someone is playing the long game.

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The weakest part of a wall with depth, is when that depth gets smashed up against opposing blockers in front (seen here with London’s wall). Watch how Just Jess & Gaz patiently and oh so successfully trade places to not only hold the jammer but to reestablish depth in their wall. 

Beautiful.

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Rose City’s offensive strategy is intricate, well executed and difficult to see. It’s why it is so effective. I’ll try to break it down even though I can’t do it justice.

1/ The very beginning of this clip shows two important things, #4 from Gotham (Violet Knockout) coming back in bounds at the apex and two rose blockers (Elicia Nisbet-Smith and Sarah Gaither) knocking a gotham skater out of bounds.

2/ Sarah Gaither begins to bridge the Gotham blocker (Fisher Twice) back while Nisbet-Smith stays to maintain an established pack. At the same time, Griffin escorts Violent Knockout out of bounds and starts to bridge her back. 

3/ Shaina Serelson of Rose City approaches the remaining two wall to get another blocker. 

Here is what is going on and why it is so genius. Rose city is effectively controlling the speed of the pack and pack definition while also limiting Gotham’s ability to form a wall. 

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That jump!

Also stop, direction change and explosive force that made it a success.

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Two awesome things:

1. Chica Go Lightning’s (White jammer) form as she dips low and slightly turns her back to limit her target zone exposure

2. Just Jess (black blocker) staying in bounds and recycling Chica Go Lightening.

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Now this is how you end a close fought game! I’m still a little heartbroken for Victoria, but do still love Rose and wish them well in the final today. As for Scald Eagle and Lady Trample here? I wish them ask the best and THEY ARE ADORABLE.

Photo by the amazing Photography by D.e.sign. https://www.facebook.com/PhotographyByDEsign/

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Hopefully this will help. Courtesy of my teammate Nuck.

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Watch the way Ima Blowbya (#101 for Angel City on the inside line) staggers her leg behind her blockers to reinforce the wall and to limit the London jammer’s space. It leaves the jammer with 2 options: push or take a giant step backward.

Smart Blocking.

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[Image: Gotham Girls Roller Derby warming up in Black Lives Matter shirts at WFTDA championships]