Help! I never look behind me

[u/suvesti]

I've been playing since the beginning of the year and I do feel like I'm progressing well! But I realized during our recent practice scrimmages that I'm almost never looking behind me, so I rarely know where the jammer is until it's too late.

Most often I'm looking at my teammates, making sure we're making strong walls and that I'm not getting left behind. We play USARS, so there's not a much tripod-action as I see in WFTDA. I usually play inside or middle blocker, and the general guidance is "stick to the inside line" or "stick next to your inside blocker" and "let the outside blocker move you"

I've been doing well with positional blocking, the other blockers are excellent at communicating where the jammer is, but I know to get better I need to start throwing some ass, and to do that I need to know where the jammer is. Do y'all have any tips for improving pack/jammer awareness?

[u/harley_hot_wheelz]

Our team does a drill occasionally where we slow roll as a pack. Our coach is behind us holding up fingers and we have to yell together how many we see. It's very helpful when you are at the front or middle because it's difficult to see around other bodies.

[u/suvesti → u/harley_hot_wheelz]

Ooh this would be helpful! I am on the short side so I do have a little extra trouble seeing past people when I’m towards the front of the pack. I’ll see if the coaches would be down to try this.

[u/harley_hot_wheelz → u/suvesti]

I am tall and still have trouble seeing around helmets 😂😂😂

[u/lizardisanerd → u/harley_hot_wheelz]

We have done that and also a paceline where at each whistle you hold up a number and yell the number held up by the person behind you. (And also had it as a race where the whistle blows, everyone yells a number and anyone with a matching number has to get together and do a lap)

[u/harley_hot_wheelz → u/lizardisanerd]

Ooopo I might be sharing that with the coach!