4 Things I Learned my First Time Jamming

At the bout this weekend in Maine, I assumed I wouldn't be put in to jam.  I mean, maybe I should've at least considered the possibility because I've been jamming a lot at practice.  But as far as I knew, I'd be playing the front inside blocker position.  Easy enough, but important.  Guard the line.  Watch for the jammer.  Work with the pivot.  Got it.  

Halfway into the second period, Beefcake told me I was on deck to jam next.  Kitty smiled at me and told me I could do it.  I grabbed the jammer panty and made to sure wave it at Eloda Sarcasm who was sitting behind our bench.  Then it was time.

1.  Don't be scared.  Don't be scared.  Don't be scared.  Don't be scared.   (oo00ooOOoo000mmmm)  I want to be a team player, and I want to do what coaching tells me to do; I trust them.  Beefcake thought it was a good idea, so I went for it.  I didn't even want to think about being scared.

2.  You can do it in scrimmage, you can do it in a bout.  I stepped up to the jammer line.  I had done this before.  The girl next to me was doing a "runners start" (almost down on one knee, touching the floor.)  She was ready to go, and I knew she didn't plan to hit me off the line.  Phew, no nonsense.  Except from me.  I love jumping/bouncing on my top stops when I'm lined up to jam.  I feel so energetic and I need to let it out somehow.  Was it appropriate, though?  Would I look silly?  I decided I didn't care and started my engine.

3.  Trust your blockers.  One thing Beefcake told me before going out to jam was that he had a solid group of girls blocking for me.  I wish I could remember who exactly was out there, but most importantly Sally Mae Hurtyou was out there.  Somehow, I made through the pack as lead jammer.  Holy crap.  Maine was playing a fast game, so I had to concentrate on catching up.  Next mission: how to get through?  But then I saw Sally, who was about 10 feet behind the pack.  I called her name, grabbed her hips, and ducked down.  She started plowing through the pack.  We got by a few girls and I hopped around on the inside line past the last person in the front.  4 points!!

4.  4 points is enough.  I called off the jam soon after I broke through the pack and scored my points.  Maine's jammer was still trying to catch up to the pack to make her first scoring pass, so she didn't score at all that jam.  A net gain of 4 points for us!  I had a couple options.  Let her catch the pack and hope my blockers could keep her back, but in reality she might've gotten through so that would've been 4 points for each of us.  Net gain of 0.  Say I wanted to make up for that - I could try to achieve another scoring pass, but would I be able to?  At that point 4 points (Maine) vs 8 points (Hellions) is still just a 4 point net gain.  The game is won in increments of 4.  I did what I needed to do.