T-Stop on Inline Skates: Progression and Peer Assessment

A step-by-step T-stop progression on inline skates, always with a helmet and full pads: from the move standing still to stopping inside a marked zone. A partner assesses three criteria on a sheet to track progress.

How to play

1. Review the basic stance and explain the T: back foot crosswise behind the front heel, weight on the front leg, back wheels dragging lightly without bearing weight (4 min).
2. Standing, holding the wall or a partner: set up the T and gently drag the back skate (5 min).
3. At low speed: two strides, glide with feet parallel and T-stop before a line of cones (8 min).
4. Precision stop: stop inside a 2-meter box starting from three different distances (6 min).
5. Peer assessment: the partner rates posture, foot placement and stopping distance from 1 to 3 and records it on the sheet (5 min).
6. Reflection: why the T works at low speed and what to do at higher speed or on a slope (2 min).

Rules

• Helmet and full pads at all times.
• Nobody speeds up until they can T-stop safely at low speed.
• Stop in separate lanes, one skater per lane.
• No stopping by grabbing another person or a partner's clothing.

Variations

Adaptations

• Ankle injury: acts as assessor with the sheet and times the starts.
• Autism: gets a preview of the six phases and keeps the same lane and partner throughout.
• Low vision: uses a lane with brightly colored cones, and a partner calls out the line.

Learning goals

• Perform a controlled T-stop at low speed.
• Match stopping distance to a marked zone.
• Assess a partner with objective criteria and give useful feedback.

Equipment for a class of 25

• inline skates: 15
• helmets: 15
• knee pads: 15
• elbow pads: 15
• wrist guards: 15
• cones: 16
• worksheets: 15

Teacher tip

If the school has no skates or pads, borrow them from a local skating club, the city recreation department or another school, or let students bring their own with a signed parent permission form. If there are only a few pairs, run two shifts and have the group without skates act as assessors.

More main activities for High School