How To SEAL and Break Free of A Defender in Ringette
By Lisa Brown
Your team should have a set break-out or break-outs that you run. The point of a break-out is to make sure your team can actually get the ring up the ice more often than not. Also, ideally, your break-outs should create fast break scoring chances.
Many more goals are scored in ringette on the fast break than once your team is set up 3 v. 3 against the other team’s triangle.
But, a good break-out pattern isn’t enough. The individual players in the break-out also have to use certain skills to make sure they’re getting open. “Sealing” is one trick that I learned that helped me get open when I was playing forward in a ringette game. It’s a secret I stole from basketball…
When you SEAL a defender, you push yourself right up against the defender trying to mark you. You jam yourself right up against her:
Then, at the last minute, you BURST away from the defender quickly using aquick first step, guaranteeing yourself a one-step lead (if not more). Here is a DVD clip where the forward (in black) does NOT use a quick first step to get away. The defender easily stays with her and marks her effectively:
Now watch the forward (in black) as she SEALS the defender and breaks free to get the ring:
You can use this anytime a defender is marking you to ‘bust loose’, snag the ring, and go to the net home free!
Light it up out there,
Lisa B.
Hello, I play ringette I have been playing since I was four and I only had one year that I got a lot of goals and I need to get back into doing that so I never like to shot a lot because I feel people will say I’m a ring hog. but i’m the older player ans i dropped down from AA so my coach expects more goals. so I need some good tips and tricks to get into the triangle and have a good chance of scoring I came to you because I have gone to some of your camps a bit ago so I really need you to help me thanks a lot
Lauren
Email me please @ ringettegirlLF@hotmail.com
Hi Lauren,
Thanks for your note. I understand that you want some tips, but the truth is that even the best tips won’t make a huge difference until you decide it’s okay to score and shine. Part of being a stand out player means understanding that other players will be jealous and sometimes try to hurt you. This happens to all good players. However, you should never dim yourself down to fit in because players who do this to you are not real friends, and you will never feel good about doing it. So have the courage to shine and be yourself. Your real friends will accept you.
Warmly,
Lisa