Skate Control Slides
Week 4 Roller & Inline Skating Academy
Safety First
CORE MISSION: CONTROL & AWARENESS
Stopping & Changing Directions
Mastering the snowplow stop, controlled braking, dynamic wide turns, and floor navigation.
Snowplow Stop
Friction Braking
Wide Turns
Weight Shifting
Arena Games
Real-Time Reaction
Skill Focus 1
The Snowplow Stop (V-Stop)
The Ultimate Safety Brake
01
Athletic Stance
Bend your knees deeply and keep your chest upright. Never lock your knees straight!
Cue: "Squat into the glide"
02
Make the "Pizza"
Push heels outward and turn toes slightly inward into an inverted V-shape.
Cue: "Heels out, toes close"
03
Inside Pressure
Press down firmly on the inside edges/wheels until friction brings you to a full stop.
Cue: "Scrape the floor"
CRITICAL WARNING: Keep toes at least 4 inches apart! If your toes touch or wheels collide while moving, you will trip forward.
Skill Focus 2
Slowing Down Safely (The 3 Gears)
Speed Modulation
GEAR 3
Power Stride
Active pushing with rhythmic arm swings. Maintain vision 15 feet ahead across the floor.
Action: Open skate pace
GEAR 2
Coast & Feather
Cease pushing. Roll parallel with knees bent. Gently brush inside edges to shave off speed.
Action: Gentle deceleration
GEAR 1
Full Plow Stop
Lock into wide inverted V, sink hips down low, and press outward into complete stationary hold.
Action: 0 MPH complete lock
CONTROL FORMULA: You must always be able to drop from Gear 3 to Gear 1 in under 5 strides!
3 → 2 → 1 STOP
Skill Focus 3
Carving Wide Turns & Steering
Edge & Lean Mastery
1. Head Leads the Body
Turn your chin and eyes toward your target exit before your skates ever rotate. Your hips will follow where your eyes look.
2. Airplane Arms
Extend arms out wide for dynamic balance. Point the inside arm directly into the apex of the turn like a guide arrow.
3. Staggered Scissor Stance
Slide your inside skate slightly ahead (about half a skate length). This creates an elongated, rock-solid turning base.
4. Lean from the Ankles
Never bend sideways at the waist! Keep torso aligned and press ankle edges gently toward the center of the arc.
PRO TIP: Wide turns preserve momentum while keeping total balance. Tight turns cause spinouts!
Activity 1
Red Light, Green Light Rink Arena
Reaction & Stopping Game
GREEN LIGHT
SKATE FORWARD
Smooth, balanced strides. Keep head up, scan floor, and maintain 6 feet of safety distance from peers.
YELLOW LIGHT
SLOW DOWN SAFELY
Immediately stop pushing. Drop into athletic glide, feather your wheels, and prep your snowplow stance.
RED LIGHT
COMPLETE STOP
Instant snowplow stop! Freeze in low balance stance without wobbling or drifting forward.
Referee Rule: If you roll after "Red Light" is called, take 3 push steps backward!
Goal: Cross the endline with 100% control
Activity 2
The Slalom Obstacle Course
Agility & Direction Navigation
Zone 1
Slalom Cones
Carve wide S-curves around 5 staggered cones using your scissor stance.
Focus: Wide turning
Zone 2
Decel Gate
Drop from Gear 3 speed to Gear 2 glide through the narrow cone alleyway.
Focus: Speed control
Zone 3
360 Carousel
Carve a complete wide circle around the central marker without tipping.
Focus: Continuous edge
Zone 4
The Stop Box
Sprint into the box and execute a textbook snowplow stop inside the tape lines.
Focus: Precision brake
Champion Skater Mindset
Speed means nothing without control. Smooth brakes and sharp turns make a master skater!
Ready to Roll!
Skate Control Coach Guide
W4
SKATE CONTROL COACH GUIDE
Week 4 • Stopping & Changing Directions
Target: Grades 3–8 / Youth PE
Lesson Duration: 50–60 Minutes
Primary Focus Control & Awareness
Warm-Up & Stance 10 Min (Ready Glide)
Core Mechanics 20 Min (Stops & Turns)
Arena Games 25 Min (Games & Course)
MANDATORY PRE-CHECK & SAFETY REMINDERS
Verify 100% compliance: Certified helmets clasped, wrist guards secured palm-side down, knee/elbow pads centered. Floor check: Clear floor debris and establish standard rink traffic (counter-clockwise perimeter roll; center floor reserved for drills).
1 SNOWPLOW STOP (V-STOP) PROGRESSION
Skill Goal: Stop within 6 ft at moderate speed
Phase A: The Athletic Drop
Begin in parallel glide. Drop center of mass: flex knees to 120°, drop hips backward slightly, keep chest up. Cue: "Sit in the invisible chair."
Phase B: Inverted V-Shape
Push heels outward while pivoting toes inward into an inverted wedge. Distance between big toes must stay at least 4–6 inches apart. Cue: "Pizza slice!"
Phase C: Inside Edge Bite
Apply downward force through the inside wheels/edges. Feel the friction scrape against the surface. Hold stance until fully stopped. Cue: "Scrape and stick!"
2 CONTROLLED DECELERATION (“THE 3 GEARS”)
Skill Goal: Smooth speed downshifting
Teach students to actively manage momentum rather than relying on perimeter walls or panic grabs. Introduce 3 vocal commands:
Gear 3 (Stride): Rhythmic power pushing, active leg extensions, upright scanning vision.
Gear 2 (Coast & Feather): Feet parallel, hands forward, light intermittent inside-edge drag to bleed speed.
Gear 1 (Emergency Stop): Immediate drop into deep snowplow or T-brake to freeze within 2 seconds.
Common Stopping Faults & Instant Fixes
| Observed Fault | Root Cause | Coach Intervention & Vocal Cue |
|---|
| Toes Knocking Together | Stance too narrow; turning toes inward without pushing heels out. | "Widen your stance first! Push heels out, don't just point toes in." |
| Falling Backward | Knees straight; torso tilted back onto skate heels during brake. | "Knees over toes! Hands forward like holding a steering wheel." |
Skate Skills Tracker Worksheet
Skating Skills Academy • Week 4
SKATE CONTROL PASSPORT
Theme: Stopping & Changing Directions
L-4
Skater Name
Date
Helmet
Wrists
Pads
The Control Pledge: "I commit to keeping my head up, controlling my speed before entering crowded areas, and using safe snowplow stops instead of grabbing walls or other skaters."
Core Skill Badges • Practice & Checkpoints
Check each box as you master the skill
1 The Snowplow Stop
- Drop knees into a low athletic glide
- Heels pushed out, toes pointed slightly in
- Toes kept at least 4 inches apart (no click!)
- Full stop achieved in under 6 feet
2 Controlled Deceleration
- Gear 3 stride downshifts cleanly to Gear 2
- Feather inside edges without jerky stopping
- Hands remain extended forward for balance
- Maintain 6-foot spacing from skaters ahead
3 Wide Carving Turns
- Turn head and chin to look through the arc
- Inside skate slides slightly ahead (scissor)
- Lean from the ankles, not bent at the waist
- Smooth wide arc completed around cone
4 Direction Flow & Awareness
- Transition smoothly from left arc to right arc
- Navigate safely around stationary obstacles
- Carve a complete 360-degree carousel circle
- Execute emergency stop on sudden signal
Form Check: Snowplow Feet Position
Look at the three skate diagrams below. Check the single stance that represents a safe snowplow stop.
/ \
Toes touching & heels out
/ \
Heels out & toes 6" apart
| |
Parallel feet straight ahead
Skate Control Lab • Student Practice Passport Page 1 of 2
ACTIVITY ARENA LOG & REFLECTION
Game Scores, Course Runs, & Mindset Log
Session Record
A1
ACTIVITY 1: RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT ARENA
Target: Zero drift on Red
Record your performance across 3 rounds. Check the box if you stopped completely without taking penalty steps.
Round 1
Clean Green Glide
Solid Red Freeze
Round 2
Smooth Yellow Coast
Solid Red Freeze
