A hugely effective way to break the triangle defense in ringette is to use the Dynamic Offense.
In the Dynamic Offense, you are also creating amazing 2 on 1 or 1 on 1 scoring chances on a triangle. However, you’re doing it by moving YOURSELVES in the offensive zone, not just the ring. You’re attacking with SPEED.
The Dynamic Offense is potent because when you move with speed, you force the defenders to move with you and ‘honour’ you. This is challenging for defenders because now they have to worry both about the ring and staying with you.
There are many ways to be dynamic on offense: you can do ‘cross and drop’ plays, ‘follow and drop’ plays, ‘high low’ plays, and even ‘come out of the zone and back in’ plays.
Check out these clips. Notice that the ring carrier and her linemates are in motion, forcing the defense to honour them:
There are three keys to this offense:
1. The Ring Carrier Must Be A Threat to Score. A lot of teams have great passing and movement on offense, yet never manage to get the defense out of position. Why? Because the ring carrier telegraphs that she is going to pass the entire time. For a dynamic offense to work, the ring carrier must be a threat to score. In her mind, she is looking to shoot. She only passes once the defenders have taken away the shot. When the ring carrier is a threat to score, this “fools” the defense into honouring her.
2.Timing. Because the players are in motion, it’s critical they get their timing right so that the moment the ring carrier picks up the ring she has a quality scoring chance. You don’t want to be “too early” or “too late.” You want to be “just right” in your timing.
3. Smart Shooting. Just like with the Quick Pass Offense, once you have a defender out of position, you can either take a quick shot before she recovers or drive right around her to the hot spot, where your chances of scoring are sky high. The key is to be ready to shoot, to know how to get right to the hot spot, and to select the best hole in the net to shoot on.
Let us know what you think.
Your friends,
Lisa Brown, Laura Warner, and Abbey van Roekel
Canadian-born and raised, been living in Finland since 1998 – started playing ringette again after a 23-year break! Thanks for this, I am still trying to struggle with ringette in Finnish and trying to figure out where I should be on the ice!