Lesson #25: No pack situations

by Stephen Lorimor / Axis of Stevil

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Last updated: June 20, 2018

Failure to reform

  • An illegal action whereby a blocker does not attempt to reform a pack

  • All actions to reform the pack must be done immediately

    • Leisurely reforming is insufficient

  • No penalties are issued if the pack immediately reforms

  • Blockers who are directed to the penalty box cannot reform the pack

  • Blockers in the back group must cease blocking and skate forward

  • Blockers in the front group must cease blocking and brake to a halt

    • Blockers in the front group are not required to skate clockwise, but may do so.

  • Blockers in a middle group (if any) may either stop or skate forward

    • The entire group need not perform the same action

  • Out of bounds blockers who can legally re-enter must do so if reentering would help to reform the pack.

  • Skaters in a position that prevents an opposing blocker from directly returning in bounds (i.e.; the opponent will receive a cut if they reenter) must skate forward until the skater may re-enter.

  • Penalties go to the most responsible person (if any) in either group that fails to reform

    • Priority goes to a blocker who initiates a new block or continues an existing one

      • This includes positional blocks

    • Next priority goes to the blocker closest to the other group who fails to reform

      • This could also be a blocker who fails to move forward allowing an out of bounds skater to return to the track without skating clockwise

    • When skaters are equally responsible the penalty goes to the closest blocker

  • A penalty should be issued to the most responsible blocker per team who fails to reform

  • Sustained failure to reform warrants additional penalties

No pack situation handling

  • “No pack” is announced.

    • The Rear IPR typically does this. Front IPR less often. On rare occasion an OPR.

  • Destruction penalties are issued (if applicable)

    • These are typically issued by the referee who announced “no pack”

    • If a pack will reform quickly the destruction penalty is sometimes delayed until the pack reforms

  • The front IPR issues failure to reform penalties to the front group as warranted

  • The rear IPR issues failure to reform penalties to the rear group as warranted

  • OPRs watch for blocks that cause an opponent to fall or go out of bounds

  • If an immediate failure to reform penalty was issued and the pack is not yet reformed, an IPR re-calls out “No pack!”

    • Some referees consider this optional while others maintain this is good practice

  • Repeat this process until the pack reforms

  • “Pack” or “Pack is here” is announced when the pack is reestablished.