Killer Jaws

Alternative names: --

Objective: To practice being mindful of what’s going on around you; to practice giving and receiving hits in chaotic situations

Typical length of drill: 5-10 minutes

Materials needed: A relatively large, rectangular space with boundaries clearly marked by cones or tape (this rectangle is the "aquarium"), and a minimum of 17 skaters (note that this game is much better with a large number of skaters)

Skill level required: Skaters must be cleared for contact

Description: This is a full-contact version of the game Jaws.  The game is the same except that in order to tag the fish the shark(s) has to either plant a legal hit on the fish or push them out of bounds.  Just like in real derby the shark initiating contact has to do so IN bounds.

Killer Jaws is a variation on a regular game of tag.  Your skaters are all fish who must escape the hungry shark.  Before the game can begin you need to make a "door" in each corner of your aquarium by setting up two cones with a narrow space between them.  When the fish enter and exit their homes they need to use the door, otherwise they will be considered out of bounds.  Designate one skater as the shark, and divide all the other skaters into four groups: Tuna, salmon, squid and shrimp.  Assign each of the groups to a home (a corner of the aquarium) – that’s where they should be at the start of the game.  The shark's home is in the very middle of the rectangle (you can optionally mark this with some tape); the shark starts the game here.

To begin play the coach yells out one of the fish groups, i.e. “Tuna!”  All the tuna should now exit their home and start skating around inside the aquarium (read: skating IN bounds), around the shark who is still standing in the middle, waiting.  After allowing the tuna to skate around for a little while the coach yells out “Shark attack!” at which point all the tuna should try to get back home as quickly as possible because the shark is now allowed to start tagging them by hitting them or pushing them out of bounds.  Any tuna that receives a legal hit OR commits suicide by leaving the aquarium (read: skating OUT of bounds, purposely or by accident) before making it safely back home becomes an additional shark.  The new sharks will be allowed to tag other fish in the next round.

Once all the non-tagged tuna have made it back home safely the next round can begin.  This time the coach yells out a different fish group, i.e. "Squid!" and all the squid start skating around inside the aquarium, around the sharks who are waiting in the middle.  Again, upon yelling "Shark attack!" the fish all need to make it back home before getting tagged by any of the sharks or skating out of bounds.  The game continues until all of the fish have become sharks.  The coach can also yell out “Sushi platter!” at any time to get all the fish out of their corners at the same time. 

Additional notes: Because this game is not being played on a track with all the skaters skating in the same direction at all times, it's *crucial* that everyone pays attention to what is going on around them (one of the objectives).

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