Lesson #26: Assists¶
by Stephen Lorimor / Axis of Stevil
Last updated: June 30, 2018
Basic concepts¶
(glossary definition) Physically affecting a teammate. Common examples include a push or a whip.
An assist off an opponent is considered to be a block
All assists have an initiator and a recipient
These are sometimes the same person
An active participant of an assist is a skater actively causing it to occur
Example: Offering or accepting an arm whip
A passive participant of an assist is a skater passively allowing it to occur
Example: The skater whose hips are grabbed during a hip whip
Not all assists have a passive participant
Legal and illegal assists¶
Verbal cue: “Illegal assist”. This is a type of “Illegal contact” penalty.
The initiator of an assist is judged for legality in the same way as the initiator of a block.
The initiator of an assist must be…
Upright
Fully in bounds
Inside the engagement zone
Moving counterclockwise or perpendicular to the track
The second participant in the assist is judged in the same manner as the target of a block.
The second participant in the assist must be
Upright
Exception: helping a downed skater upright in the engagement zone should be considered an act of good sportsmanship
Straddling the track or fully in bounds
Inside the engagement zone
Impact to call a penalty
The recipient of the assist gains position on a teammate or opponent.
Types of assists¶
Arm and/or hand whip
Hip and/or jersey whips
Peg assist
Usually done at jam start
A (usually) stopped skater near a track line reaches around the side of the track and grabs their team’s jammer behind an opposing wall between them. The jammer jumps toward the out of bounds area and the stopped skater pulls them in a semi-circle until the jammer lands in bounds.
In theory can be done legally, but is extremely difficult to do.
“Fauxpex” jump
An apex jump in which a skater propels themself forward using their hand on the shoulder of a teammate.