Here's a quick skeleton of what we went through tonight.
Repetition equals learning.
OFFENSIVECONTINUATION
Physical Aspects:
1) Getting to a ready position, facing a sideline to allow cuts in or deep
2) Running while seeing the field, knowing where the disc is (reading your defender with peripheral vision)
3) Anticipating throws and moving as the disc is in the air (ok to go early, not to go late)
Individual Cutting:
1) Sweet spot: Where you can both cut for the continue OR for the initial thrower. This is a spot you have to get to in order to create flow. Usually downfield of starting spot, and in between lanes.
2) Clearing: 3 Fast steps out of the lane (more important than running hard all the time, and this will set you up for deep looks and to see the field)
3) Holding: Keeping defender occupied on sideline (allowing space for middle players to cut), ready to
attack as a fill-in cut in the middle or going deeper for the continue....On our toes!
Team Cutting:
1) Attacks; increasing our scoring by making every attack eat up more yardage (and stringing attacks together by resetting to the handlers).
2) Going deep; putting the disc out into space aggressively to score goals, get more yards, and avoiding diagonal throws straight to a cutter. Put it out in front. Everyone is a thrower in this offense. Aggressive turnovers are better than dump-swing turnovers.
3) Cut quickly, rather than pretty or in the 'perfect' spot. Don't be afraid to quickly go to the dead side...make the marks earn their paychecks.
4) Keep your head up, and win the loose throws (It's NOT LUCK...it's SKILL)
2.5.07
mlu article
Referees in Ultimate?
Major League Ultimate at Potlatch
Potlatch is Seattle’s groovy get-down time, when the Fish all scatter to different co-ed teams, dress up fancy, and enjoy the heck out of having most of the country come to play in our backyard. This year’s difference was the introduction of Major League Ultimate. The folks at MLU invited 60 of the top players from around the country to form 4 teams for a mini-tournament at the same field site. The catch: Games would be played under experimental rules and with referees!
From Sockeye, 7 players joined the Northwest Wolves team. Sam CK, Moses Rifkin, Alex Nord, Chase SB, Jeremy Cram, Lou Burruss, Roger Crafts and myself joined with 2 guys from Rhino (Portland’s open team) and 7 monkeys from Furious George. I was stoked to play with such a talented group…I have played in the past with Brian Snyder from Portland but only played against the others. Would we mesh with longtime opponents? Would it be 2 teams operating separately in one jersey? What would the SW, SE and NE teams be like?
With no practice, the first games were critical in trying to gel and simultaneously figure out the rules. There was a 2-point line: Any huck greater than 50 yards into the endzone was worth double! This seemed to change the game more than the referees, and it forced most of the teams to come down in some sort of junky zone which allowed easy yardage but prevented huge throws. It was a big advantage for us to have the tall kids in the back…it seemed like our median height was well above 6’….and trying out different freelancing zones was pretty interesting.
Referees can do a lot of good things for the game. The stall count was silent and counted by the referee from 1-7 (instead of the usual 10). This made for some exciting seconds just before the stall count finished, as defenders scrambled to cover that last receiver and force the uncontestable stall count violation. The game seemed cleaner in general now that players could foul out of a game, like basketball. The referees were admittedly inexperienced, but got much better and more adamant about their calls by the end of the tournament, and you could expect to get whistled for any obvious fouls….we tried to test the limits of what they would see, and for the most part, if you could get away with it in a basketball game, you could get away with it in the MLU.
The other teams were obviously talented, but I think we benefited a great deal from having played with many of our teammates. We only had 3 teams represented, while other squads had 4-6 teams…this probably helped a lot. Playing with our archrivals was definitely a singular experience…players like Furious’ Cruickshank (an amazing handler and defender) were really easy to jibe with. Winning helps, of course, but for the most part I think we were all pleasantly surprised with how well Fish and Monkeys mixed on the weekend. I don’t expect that our games for the rest of the year will be any less hard fought, though….in jest, Lou and Lugsdin mentioned after the final game that we were all allowed to go back to hating each other at midnight of Sunday. Heh heh. A special bonus for me was playing with Aaron Richards, who I have been playing against in Ultimate since high school (Corvallis High v. Crescent Valley…go Raiders!) through college (Oregon v. Oregon State) and then in numerous Portland v. Seattle games, to say nothing of tons of co-ed tournaments. In all that, this was our first time playing together, and it was fun to finally be rooting for him, as well as tossing him a couple of swilly blades to watch him sky his defender.
In the end, we beat a very athletic SE team in a close final, 16-14. Lou Burruss might have to accept the mantle of “Best Player Not Playing this Year” as he moves down to Oregon. The MLU showed some good things, but will probably not be a success until the rules are successful in big games between non-“allstar” teams…practicing teams will be more focused and able to take advantage of the rules better. I’ll be looking forward to watching the next one!
Major League Ultimate at Potlatch
Potlatch is Seattle’s groovy get-down time, when the Fish all scatter to different co-ed teams, dress up fancy, and enjoy the heck out of having most of the country come to play in our backyard. This year’s difference was the introduction of Major League Ultimate. The folks at MLU invited 60 of the top players from around the country to form 4 teams for a mini-tournament at the same field site. The catch: Games would be played under experimental rules and with referees!
From Sockeye, 7 players joined the Northwest Wolves team. Sam CK, Moses Rifkin, Alex Nord, Chase SB, Jeremy Cram, Lou Burruss, Roger Crafts and myself joined with 2 guys from Rhino (Portland’s open team) and 7 monkeys from Furious George. I was stoked to play with such a talented group…I have played in the past with Brian Snyder from Portland but only played against the others. Would we mesh with longtime opponents? Would it be 2 teams operating separately in one jersey? What would the SW, SE and NE teams be like?
With no practice, the first games were critical in trying to gel and simultaneously figure out the rules. There was a 2-point line: Any huck greater than 50 yards into the endzone was worth double! This seemed to change the game more than the referees, and it forced most of the teams to come down in some sort of junky zone which allowed easy yardage but prevented huge throws. It was a big advantage for us to have the tall kids in the back…it seemed like our median height was well above 6’….and trying out different freelancing zones was pretty interesting.
Referees can do a lot of good things for the game. The stall count was silent and counted by the referee from 1-7 (instead of the usual 10). This made for some exciting seconds just before the stall count finished, as defenders scrambled to cover that last receiver and force the uncontestable stall count violation. The game seemed cleaner in general now that players could foul out of a game, like basketball. The referees were admittedly inexperienced, but got much better and more adamant about their calls by the end of the tournament, and you could expect to get whistled for any obvious fouls….we tried to test the limits of what they would see, and for the most part, if you could get away with it in a basketball game, you could get away with it in the MLU.
The other teams were obviously talented, but I think we benefited a great deal from having played with many of our teammates. We only had 3 teams represented, while other squads had 4-6 teams…this probably helped a lot. Playing with our archrivals was definitely a singular experience…players like Furious’ Cruickshank (an amazing handler and defender) were really easy to jibe with. Winning helps, of course, but for the most part I think we were all pleasantly surprised with how well Fish and Monkeys mixed on the weekend. I don’t expect that our games for the rest of the year will be any less hard fought, though….in jest, Lou and Lugsdin mentioned after the final game that we were all allowed to go back to hating each other at midnight of Sunday. Heh heh. A special bonus for me was playing with Aaron Richards, who I have been playing against in Ultimate since high school (Corvallis High v. Crescent Valley…go Raiders!) through college (Oregon v. Oregon State) and then in numerous Portland v. Seattle games, to say nothing of tons of co-ed tournaments. In all that, this was our first time playing together, and it was fun to finally be rooting for him, as well as tossing him a couple of swilly blades to watch him sky his defender.
In the end, we beat a very athletic SE team in a close final, 16-14. Lou Burruss might have to accept the mantle of “Best Player Not Playing this Year” as he moves down to Oregon. The MLU showed some good things, but will probably not be a success until the rules are successful in big games between non-“allstar” teams…practicing teams will be more focused and able to take advantage of the rules better. I’ll be looking forward to watching the next one!
Viva flatstack writeup
Horizontal Stack
Offense
Cutting Concepts
Basic Cutting: You are free to cut in your lane (or fourth of the field width). Cuts are live in either of the nextdoor lanes. Cutting across 2 lanes should be infrequent. Deep cuts from any position are valid, and should try to go towards the endzone (the line of the cut should go through the end-zone space.
Step, Boom Cutting: Isolating players in the middle of the field, where they can use quick steps to make short, direct cuts and start the offense. This is a tough position to be in for a defender, so we want to put defenders in this situation as often as possible.
Clearing from the middle: After middle players cut, they can use the outline fourths of the field to clear to. Clearing should be fast and aware: See the field to anticipate cuts and read the defense.
Filling the middle: Wing players (starting in the outside lanes) can fill the vacated middle lanes to set up additional cuts. Get to the dangerous spots, attack from there.
Side Cutting: When the disc moves to the sideline, the wing player must move IMMEDIATELY, otherwise the offense bogs down. The wing player can cut deep along the line, deep across the field, or in towards the middle. The wing player should not cut directly towards the disc, unless they have an easy catch for 15+ yards.
Handling Concepts
Basic Handling: Try to maximize the amount of time that the disc is in the middle of the field, when possible. Keep the disc moving. Create dump lanes with motion when possible.
Be ready to throw! Long windups will kill throwing lanes and invite effective poachers. Cock a throw and switch when needed, be ready to release quickly if necessary.
Handler Cutting: When possible, handlers should be in motion at stall 4, making aggressive cuts up the line or for the dump. Motion handlers do not necessarily need to wait for an engaging signal from the thrower. Determine which handler goes first by feet: run to ready-spots and attack.
If everything else is equal, go up the line for the dump cut.
Dishy Cuts: If possible, present a target for downfield players to throw sideways or backwards dishy passes. This keeps the disc in a players hands that is unmarked a looking towards the endzone.
Blow through: When a downfield receives the disc, one of the handlers must replace that player downfield. Usually, that handler will return to handler again within 1-2 throws. Sometimes that handler will stay as a cutter if the disc moves from cutter to cutter, and does not reset through the handlers. Handlers are free to go deep if a good opportunity arises with good separation, as this can create new looks for the O and can be unpredictable (on the negative side, though, only 1 handler should bust deep at any given time).
Communicate: When possible, handlers should talk to each other to determine early who is the A and B handler. Also, keep attention on the thrower whenever possible: the dump cutting scheme is great against a perfect D, but often there are easy swing and dump passes available…if standing and catching works, then there is no reason to cut, yet.
Drills
Middle Cutting 1v1: Step Boom setup with 1 thrower, a mark, and a cutter/defender pair. Work on getting the defender off balance and making an immediate move. This drill might only be helpful as a review.
The Pulse Drills: Setting up small, repeatable, common game situations. These can be done with or without a live defense. Running these without D gives more reps, and is especially effective if throwers are willing to pump fake to ‘covered’ cutters.
Variations:
Thrower and two middle cutters.
Thrower, middle cutter and wing cutter (same side)
Thrower, middle cutter and wing cutter (opposite side)
Throwers, middle, 2 wings, immediate middle deep cut
Throwers, any # of cutters, handlers (dishy cut and continuation)
3 Handlers from the middle
3 Handlers from the sideline
Throwers, any# of cutters, handlers (swing throw and immediate wing cut)
7v0 offensive reps
Caterpillar Handling Drill:
Make a sectioned field about 50 yards long, divided into about 7-8 sectionas. Play 3v3, with the offense only being able to move from one section into the very next section (although the O can go backwards as far as they want).
Focus on getting to a wide attack position, and going up the line whenever possible. If an upline cut is unsuccessful, wheel around and look for either an inside out throw, or a swing throw, or even a swing throw from the next dump.
Defense:
The Mark:
Theory: More of the active area of the field is in the middle, so marks need to shift to take this away. This shift is usually to a more straight up mark (About 6 inches removed laterally from the center-line of the thrower).
Extra Benefits: Fewer cutters are available to the thrower, so momentary break mark looks are less dangerous. On the other side, allowing a good thrower to stare at the downfielders without pivoting is a huge offensive advantage. By jumping around on the mark and forcing more pivoting, we can force throwers to pay attention to beating the mark instead of delivering throws, without giving up obvious advantages.
Forcing straighter up also allows better control on huckers and more pressure on upfield dumpcuts. It puts a bit more pressure on the downfield defenders to follow cuts to the dead side, but not so much that they should be out of position of not relying on the mark.
Defending cutters downfield:
Theory: The flat stack offense puts cutters in a position to cut immediately, instead of having to leave a stack to move. This opportunity for quick cuts (like Step;Boom moves) means that we, as defenders, need to be ready to stop the first step. If we can stop the first step, we can drastically disrupt the offensive rhythm.
Defensive Decision Making: Assume every offensive player has 3 cutting lines: In, Out, or BreakSide. Usually we want to allow the first step towards the breakside, since that is the least dangerous cut. Line up on either the In or Out line, putting your body in the way of an immediate move at about an arms length or 2 of distance. This makes the cutter more predictable, as they either have to around you (giving them farther to go) or they have to move away from you (where you are ready to anticipate and win the race). Put your body full on that cut-line, not just near it, and don’t allow them a clear look at a good lane (this way, even if you turn your head to look around, they still can’t just run on their favorite line).
Game Situations: Great deep cutters should probably be ‘given’ the in cut (meaning we give it to them, and then take it away once they show their cards). Great throwers should probably be given the deep cut. Most middle cutters should be forced deep initially, since few offenses routinely want to huck their first throw.
For very fast players, find out where they like to cut first…if they are very fast but want to come to the disc usually, backing them is playing into their hands until they prove they can beat you deep initially.
Be unpredictable: For all other players, try difference D methods and anticipate cuts wherever possible. Try not to make your positioning obvious…this forces cutters to use stall count time to determine cutting angles, rather than using dead-disc time.
Most importantly: Win the initial positioning battles at the beginning of cuts in motion….
Drills:
Marking drills variations:
Bouncing for 3 seconds before starting the mark. This works on marking later in the count, and emphasizes moving your feet.
Emphasize long and low arms (this creates a larger obstacle and makes very good throwers less comfortable.
Counting pivots: Markers get more points for forcing more pivots. This is a great approximation for the flat stack mark in the middle of the field.
Flat stack marking on the sideline: Ready to strike hucks, and stopping inside out throws. The around throw into the middle of the flat stack is a very difficult throw, so it is not our highest defensive priority.
Downfield Drills for Defense:
1v1 Walkups: Starting at stalling –3, let the defender walk towards a stationary cutter. 1v1 for 4 seconds. Emphasize decision making on defense; choose what you want to take away initially, then take everything away later!
1v1 Runups: Start O and D from point A, sprint to point B, then 1v1 for 4-5 seconds or more. Again, defensive decision making is the key…this time on the fly. Point A and B can be anywhere on the field, with Point A usually at a good cutting spot. Mix the angles of this line up to work on footwork in many situations.
Offense
Cutting Concepts
Basic Cutting: You are free to cut in your lane (or fourth of the field width). Cuts are live in either of the nextdoor lanes. Cutting across 2 lanes should be infrequent. Deep cuts from any position are valid, and should try to go towards the endzone (the line of the cut should go through the end-zone space.
Step, Boom Cutting: Isolating players in the middle of the field, where they can use quick steps to make short, direct cuts and start the offense. This is a tough position to be in for a defender, so we want to put defenders in this situation as often as possible.
Clearing from the middle: After middle players cut, they can use the outline fourths of the field to clear to. Clearing should be fast and aware: See the field to anticipate cuts and read the defense.
Filling the middle: Wing players (starting in the outside lanes) can fill the vacated middle lanes to set up additional cuts. Get to the dangerous spots, attack from there.
Side Cutting: When the disc moves to the sideline, the wing player must move IMMEDIATELY, otherwise the offense bogs down. The wing player can cut deep along the line, deep across the field, or in towards the middle. The wing player should not cut directly towards the disc, unless they have an easy catch for 15+ yards.
Handling Concepts
Basic Handling: Try to maximize the amount of time that the disc is in the middle of the field, when possible. Keep the disc moving. Create dump lanes with motion when possible.
Be ready to throw! Long windups will kill throwing lanes and invite effective poachers. Cock a throw and switch when needed, be ready to release quickly if necessary.
Handler Cutting: When possible, handlers should be in motion at stall 4, making aggressive cuts up the line or for the dump. Motion handlers do not necessarily need to wait for an engaging signal from the thrower. Determine which handler goes first by feet: run to ready-spots and attack.
If everything else is equal, go up the line for the dump cut.
Dishy Cuts: If possible, present a target for downfield players to throw sideways or backwards dishy passes. This keeps the disc in a players hands that is unmarked a looking towards the endzone.
Blow through: When a downfield receives the disc, one of the handlers must replace that player downfield. Usually, that handler will return to handler again within 1-2 throws. Sometimes that handler will stay as a cutter if the disc moves from cutter to cutter, and does not reset through the handlers. Handlers are free to go deep if a good opportunity arises with good separation, as this can create new looks for the O and can be unpredictable (on the negative side, though, only 1 handler should bust deep at any given time).
Communicate: When possible, handlers should talk to each other to determine early who is the A and B handler. Also, keep attention on the thrower whenever possible: the dump cutting scheme is great against a perfect D, but often there are easy swing and dump passes available…if standing and catching works, then there is no reason to cut, yet.
Drills
Middle Cutting 1v1: Step Boom setup with 1 thrower, a mark, and a cutter/defender pair. Work on getting the defender off balance and making an immediate move. This drill might only be helpful as a review.
The Pulse Drills: Setting up small, repeatable, common game situations. These can be done with or without a live defense. Running these without D gives more reps, and is especially effective if throwers are willing to pump fake to ‘covered’ cutters.
Variations:
Thrower and two middle cutters.
Thrower, middle cutter and wing cutter (same side)
Thrower, middle cutter and wing cutter (opposite side)
Throwers, middle, 2 wings, immediate middle deep cut
Throwers, any # of cutters, handlers (dishy cut and continuation)
3 Handlers from the middle
3 Handlers from the sideline
Throwers, any# of cutters, handlers (swing throw and immediate wing cut)
7v0 offensive reps
Caterpillar Handling Drill:
Make a sectioned field about 50 yards long, divided into about 7-8 sectionas. Play 3v3, with the offense only being able to move from one section into the very next section (although the O can go backwards as far as they want).
Focus on getting to a wide attack position, and going up the line whenever possible. If an upline cut is unsuccessful, wheel around and look for either an inside out throw, or a swing throw, or even a swing throw from the next dump.
Defense:
The Mark:
Theory: More of the active area of the field is in the middle, so marks need to shift to take this away. This shift is usually to a more straight up mark (About 6 inches removed laterally from the center-line of the thrower).
Extra Benefits: Fewer cutters are available to the thrower, so momentary break mark looks are less dangerous. On the other side, allowing a good thrower to stare at the downfielders without pivoting is a huge offensive advantage. By jumping around on the mark and forcing more pivoting, we can force throwers to pay attention to beating the mark instead of delivering throws, without giving up obvious advantages.
Forcing straighter up also allows better control on huckers and more pressure on upfield dumpcuts. It puts a bit more pressure on the downfield defenders to follow cuts to the dead side, but not so much that they should be out of position of not relying on the mark.
Defending cutters downfield:
Theory: The flat stack offense puts cutters in a position to cut immediately, instead of having to leave a stack to move. This opportunity for quick cuts (like Step;Boom moves) means that we, as defenders, need to be ready to stop the first step. If we can stop the first step, we can drastically disrupt the offensive rhythm.
Defensive Decision Making: Assume every offensive player has 3 cutting lines: In, Out, or BreakSide. Usually we want to allow the first step towards the breakside, since that is the least dangerous cut. Line up on either the In or Out line, putting your body in the way of an immediate move at about an arms length or 2 of distance. This makes the cutter more predictable, as they either have to around you (giving them farther to go) or they have to move away from you (where you are ready to anticipate and win the race). Put your body full on that cut-line, not just near it, and don’t allow them a clear look at a good lane (this way, even if you turn your head to look around, they still can’t just run on their favorite line).
Game Situations: Great deep cutters should probably be ‘given’ the in cut (meaning we give it to them, and then take it away once they show their cards). Great throwers should probably be given the deep cut. Most middle cutters should be forced deep initially, since few offenses routinely want to huck their first throw.
For very fast players, find out where they like to cut first…if they are very fast but want to come to the disc usually, backing them is playing into their hands until they prove they can beat you deep initially.
Be unpredictable: For all other players, try difference D methods and anticipate cuts wherever possible. Try not to make your positioning obvious…this forces cutters to use stall count time to determine cutting angles, rather than using dead-disc time.
Most importantly: Win the initial positioning battles at the beginning of cuts in motion….
Drills:
Marking drills variations:
Bouncing for 3 seconds before starting the mark. This works on marking later in the count, and emphasizes moving your feet.
Emphasize long and low arms (this creates a larger obstacle and makes very good throwers less comfortable.
Counting pivots: Markers get more points for forcing more pivots. This is a great approximation for the flat stack mark in the middle of the field.
Flat stack marking on the sideline: Ready to strike hucks, and stopping inside out throws. The around throw into the middle of the flat stack is a very difficult throw, so it is not our highest defensive priority.
Downfield Drills for Defense:
1v1 Walkups: Starting at stalling –3, let the defender walk towards a stationary cutter. 1v1 for 4 seconds. Emphasize decision making on defense; choose what you want to take away initially, then take everything away later!
1v1 Runups: Start O and D from point A, sprint to point B, then 1v1 for 4-5 seconds or more. Again, defensive decision making is the key…this time on the fly. Point A and B can be anywhere on the field, with Point A usually at a good cutting spot. Mix the angles of this line up to work on footwork in many situations.
6.1.07
Weekend Practice Schedules
Here are schedules for 2 sets of weekend practices.
Practice Schedule
Saturday, Monroe, 10am-1pm
(This is a late-in-the-year practice, where our offensive and defensive gurus do most of the individual drill planning. This particular schedule is for a single practice, x2 days)
10am Jogging, warmup, stretching
10:25 warmup drills
10:45 water break, intro to Defensive drill set
10:50 Defensive Drill Set
11:20 quick water, break for O drill set (different drills for O team and
D team)
11:40 water break, prepare for Carnage
11:45 Scrimmage, full speed, kick each other's asses and make ourselves
better
12:40 Sprint set conditioning
12:45 Offensive Fatigue Drills; fundamental while tired or under pressure
12:55 FULL cooldown, with cooldown plyos, strict stretching routine, core
exercises
1:10pm Done, BagO
Sunday, 9am-12pm
9-945, Physical warmup, quick strike game to 3.
945 water break
950 warm up drills, fundamentals
1010 Offensive Drill Set (split in O and D teams, doing opposite of
Saturday
10:35 water break
10:40 Scrimmage. no holds barred.
11:40 conditioning, fatigue/pressure drills,
11:55 FULL cooldown.
12:10pm done, BagO
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Early Season Weekend Practice Schedule (late July, 2006)
Pre-practice notes:
It is going to be hot. Do what you need to do.
Bring dues ($200).
Bring your Red jersey.
Bring it.
Weekend Goals:
Creation of Sockeye '06 intensity and teamwork
Improve coordination and aggressiveness of individual/team D:
Handler D
Downfield D Fundamentals
Run EndZone offense more efficiently
Strengthen offensive fundamental base:
Clearing & Reaction Cutting
Dump/Swing
Sideline play (facing the middle of the field)
Get 6+ hours of improvement out of 6 hours on the field. Efficiency!
Kick ass and Have fun.
Saturday Schedule:
10AM @ Lake Tye, Monroe: Cleats and sunscreen on and jogging for warmup
1020: Finish warmup, quick water break
1023: Quick footwork drills, warmup throw-run-catch drill(s), new huck drill
1040: Defense: Handler D (D committee's World)
Discussion, fundamental drill, designed handler games
1140: Mandatory Ice, Water, Shade and sunscreen break
1150: Discussion of Offensive fundamentals
2-3 mentally intense drills with live individual OvD
1220: [time and progress dependent] short OvD scrimmage
1230: Endzone offense
quick discussion; Around the Mark throws and Breakmark cutting
Live EndZone scrimmage
1245: Conditioning: Speed Endurance
1255: Recap/Cooldown
Sunday Schedule:
2PM @ Lake Tye, Monroe: CLeats/sunscreen on, jogging
220: finish warmup, quick water break
223: Quick no-disc marking drill, footwork drill, disc skill drill
240: Defensive Focus: Downfield D (D committee's world)
quick discussion, Drills, simulations
340: Mandatory Ice/Water/Shade/Sunscreen
350: Discussion of Flat Stack handling principles:
C-cuts, handler clears, dump and swing, backfield dumps.
3 mentally intense drills
420: [progress depending] Live OvD fullfield scrimmage (no O-team pulls).
450: Conditioning (immediately after final point)
Quickness/Explosiveness focus
5pm: Recap/Cooldown
Practice Schedule
Saturday, Monroe, 10am-1pm
(This is a late-in-the-year practice, where our offensive and defensive gurus do most of the individual drill planning. This particular schedule is for a single practice, x2 days)
10am Jogging, warmup, stretching
10:25 warmup drills
10:45 water break, intro to Defensive drill set
10:50 Defensive Drill Set
11:20 quick water, break for O drill set (different drills for O team and
D team)
11:40 water break, prepare for Carnage
11:45 Scrimmage, full speed, kick each other's asses and make ourselves
better
12:40 Sprint set conditioning
12:45 Offensive Fatigue Drills; fundamental while tired or under pressure
12:55 FULL cooldown, with cooldown plyos, strict stretching routine, core
exercises
1:10pm Done, BagO
Sunday, 9am-12pm
9-945, Physical warmup, quick strike game to 3.
945 water break
950 warm up drills, fundamentals
1010 Offensive Drill Set (split in O and D teams, doing opposite of
Saturday
10:35 water break
10:40 Scrimmage. no holds barred.
11:40 conditioning, fatigue/pressure drills,
11:55 FULL cooldown.
12:10pm done, BagO
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Early Season Weekend Practice Schedule (late July, 2006)
Pre-practice notes:
It is going to be hot. Do what you need to do.
Bring dues ($200).
Bring your Red jersey.
Bring it.
Weekend Goals:
Creation of Sockeye '06 intensity and teamwork
Improve coordination and aggressiveness of individual/team D:
Handler D
Downfield D Fundamentals
Run EndZone offense more efficiently
Strengthen offensive fundamental base:
Clearing & Reaction Cutting
Dump/Swing
Sideline play (facing the middle of the field)
Get 6+ hours of improvement out of 6 hours on the field. Efficiency!
Kick ass and Have fun.
Saturday Schedule:
10AM @ Lake Tye, Monroe: Cleats and sunscreen on and jogging for warmup
1020: Finish warmup, quick water break
1023: Quick footwork drills, warmup throw-run-catch drill(s), new huck drill
1040: Defense: Handler D (D committee's World)
Discussion, fundamental drill, designed handler games
1140: Mandatory Ice, Water, Shade and sunscreen break
1150: Discussion of Offensive fundamentals
2-3 mentally intense drills with live individual OvD
1220: [time and progress dependent] short OvD scrimmage
1230: Endzone offense
quick discussion; Around the Mark throws and Breakmark cutting
Live EndZone scrimmage
1245: Conditioning: Speed Endurance
1255: Recap/Cooldown
Sunday Schedule:
2PM @ Lake Tye, Monroe: CLeats/sunscreen on, jogging
220: finish warmup, quick water break
223: Quick no-disc marking drill, footwork drill, disc skill drill
240: Defensive Focus: Downfield D (D committee's world)
quick discussion, Drills, simulations
340: Mandatory Ice/Water/Shade/Sunscreen
350: Discussion of Flat Stack handling principles:
C-cuts, handler clears, dump and swing, backfield dumps.
3 mentally intense drills
420: [progress depending] Live OvD fullfield scrimmage (no O-team pulls).
450: Conditioning (immediately after final point)
Quickness/Explosiveness focus
5pm: Recap/Cooldown
Defensive Meeting
here are the results from a D-squad meeting...might not be clear at all what some of the issues are, but the general focuses for this past year are there.
Defensive committee discussion:
1. Heads up D
- Need to drill it a bunch. Basic head up drill and 3 versus 3 drill.
- RED = triangle in back
2. Defensive positioning
- Handler cover:
i. In his grill – play physically, pressure enough to challenge the pass and not allow an easy continuation throw or huck
ii. Switch it up – dictate handler’s cutting lanes, offer different lanes and different looks to keep handler off balance
iii. No limbo – poach or don’t poach, sprint through limbo
iv. Dump stunts – no blanket policy, but sideline and field players should know which stunt is in use at any given point of the game. For example, does the marker stop the dump, or pressure the down-field pass? Depends on the opponent or the situation.
- downfield positioning:
i. switching – see above
ii. need to have general downfield positioning discussion at weekend practice with good attendance.
iii. Too much turnstyle
iv. Need to rely on marks more to stop hucks so that comeback cuts can be defended
3. Zone
- need defined positions/zone team
- deeps/wings interchangeable, don’t pass off deep cutter to stationary defender
- deeps may play deep and long more than side to side and should be more conservative than they have been
- wings – own middle of the field, control through major communication with the middle and chasers in the cup. Also, during fast break by offense
(break through cup), wings should not attack an unmarked thrower, but should jump back and to the middle to guard the next receiver.
- trap: communication from trapping mark needs to come early, try to trap on either long swings or those that are angled downfield to allow an easier trap.
- Sideline chatter needs to be more focused
4. Subbing
- As discussed in subbing meeting - Tightening up will allow for better defensive chemistry.
5. Offense
- more defined positions
- call primary cutters
- spread middle cutters
- downfielders stay in lane
- handlers very active, almost constant movement
- bounce quickly and often
6. Vocab
- strike = contest force side
- red = triangle switching in back
- bounce = move the disc
- inside/around = which throw to stop on mark
- attack = cup play man for one throw against spread zone offense
7. FSU
- needs much more practice and explanation
- major purpose: to stop offensive pull plays - containment D
- getting blocks is sweet but secondary
- will add match-up stunts and forcing one way techniques
8. Marking
- more stop continue drill
- need to get to mark more quickly
- attack in close first, but then bounce back to stop step through breaks
- need to practice Force Middle and Straight Up
- attack dump at 6/7 stall count
Defensive committee discussion:
1. Heads up D
- Need to drill it a bunch. Basic head up drill and 3 versus 3 drill.
- RED = triangle in back
2. Defensive positioning
- Handler cover:
i. In his grill – play physically, pressure enough to challenge the pass and not allow an easy continuation throw or huck
ii. Switch it up – dictate handler’s cutting lanes, offer different lanes and different looks to keep handler off balance
iii. No limbo – poach or don’t poach, sprint through limbo
iv. Dump stunts – no blanket policy, but sideline and field players should know which stunt is in use at any given point of the game. For example, does the marker stop the dump, or pressure the down-field pass? Depends on the opponent or the situation.
- downfield positioning:
i. switching – see above
ii. need to have general downfield positioning discussion at weekend practice with good attendance.
iii. Too much turnstyle
iv. Need to rely on marks more to stop hucks so that comeback cuts can be defended
3. Zone
- need defined positions/zone team
- deeps/wings interchangeable, don’t pass off deep cutter to stationary defender
- deeps may play deep and long more than side to side and should be more conservative than they have been
- wings – own middle of the field, control through major communication with the middle and chasers in the cup. Also, during fast break by offense
(break through cup), wings should not attack an unmarked thrower, but should jump back and to the middle to guard the next receiver.
- trap: communication from trapping mark needs to come early, try to trap on either long swings or those that are angled downfield to allow an easier trap.
- Sideline chatter needs to be more focused
4. Subbing
- As discussed in subbing meeting - Tightening up will allow for better defensive chemistry.
5. Offense
- more defined positions
- call primary cutters
- spread middle cutters
- downfielders stay in lane
- handlers very active, almost constant movement
- bounce quickly and often
6. Vocab
- strike = contest force side
- red = triangle switching in back
- bounce = move the disc
- inside/around = which throw to stop on mark
- attack = cup play man for one throw against spread zone offense
7. FSU
- needs much more practice and explanation
- major purpose: to stop offensive pull plays - containment D
- getting blocks is sweet but secondary
- will add match-up stunts and forcing one way techniques
8. Marking
- more stop continue drill
- need to get to mark more quickly
- attack in close first, but then bounce back to stop step through breaks
- need to practice Force Middle and Straight Up
- attack dump at 6/7 stall count
Pod practice examples
Sockeye Pod Practices:
These are several (3) practice schedules for Sockeye practices during the 2006 year. These are specifically for Thursday practices, when we work in small groups (5-10) in a skill-and-conditioning focused way.
Thursday Pod, 8-2-06
Team Goals: Improve offensive flow, continue marking progress
0:00 Jog, 7-8 warmup plyos, stretch
:15 5-6 faster plyos, 2x 40 yard up-and-outs
:20 water
Warm up drills
:22 Dishy drill with a twist
Flare the initial cut slightly to one side. Handler then cuts underneath
the receiver, to the far side, so the dishy will be slighty behind and to the
back side. Handler should be catching the dishy about 2-3 yards lateral and ~1
yard behind receiver. Fake and throw.
:25 2-line marking drill
Markers should alternate between working on low hands and stopping either
forehand or backhand.
:30 Clearing drill
1 line of about 6 players, same clearing drill as on Saturday, with the
disc moving to two cutters and then to a stationary player (or just to the
ground).
Everyone should do this:
2 times through receiving in the middle of the field (clearing
either side)
2 times through backhand side
2 times through forehand side
2 times through with a force middle near a sideline (reading to
see if there is space to clear up the line, using out-of-bounds space?)
:41 Stop huck with pressure drill
Just like Saturday, stop the around huck with your body (not by lunging or
diving arms) and then pressure the middle throw.
Do this 2 times each as normal, and two times with the cutter/defender
coming from a center stack towards the sideline (which should be harder on the
Offense...)
:46 Water break
:49 Quick 3 Man marking drill, alternate between super shifty marks (forcing as
many pivots as possible) and super-physical-intended-to-help-the-offense
marks). If time is running short skip this part, rather than any other.
:55 3v3 EndZone
Similar to last pod: 3v3 in the endzone, starting either with one dump or
two dumps. Endzone should be 25 yards wide and about 4-5 yards deep.
Defensive focus is on stopping handlers using the footwork we have been
practicing, and communication.
Offensive focus is on working together, dumping and scoring using around
throws.
Rotate the D through so that offense has several (4-5) possessions in a row.
1:10 Conditioning
20x 20 yard sprints
about ten seconds rest between each. Do together if possible. start with
different footwork (sideways, backwards, stagger step each leg) when possible.
1:17 Immediately into throwing
1:20 cooldown/stretch
1:28 done
POD PRACTICE, 8-23-06
Team Goal:
Get back up to speed after ECC tournament and ready ourselves for a strong Saturday practice.
Offensive Goals:
Be more comfortable with dump/swing
Sideline cutting
Defensive Goals:
Vision and Defensive Faking
0:00 Jogging/show easy plyos/stretch
0:15 7-8 harder plyos, 2x 40 yard buildups/water break
0:22 3 man mark drill, 3 times through each variation
[build up to game type marks]
no hands
low
throwers trying to draw fouls
stopping either flick or backhand
0:30 Warm up drills
1) Dishy (mix of normal and outside) 2-3 reps each
2) 2v2 2 line drill (marker/thrower and cutter/D for 1 throw)
Throw can be to live or dead side. Win the middle of the
field. 2 reps each.
3) 2v2 2 line drill....this time, the cutter should cut at least 3-4 yards
into the live side (any angle) and then to the dead side. Throwers are
focusing on throwing the around throw into space where possible. 2-3 reps
each.
0:40: Water Break
0:42: Dump Swing drills
1) 4v0
a) flat Stack
start with 2 handlers, 2 cutters. throw to cutter on a sideline
starting with handler attack, hit either the A or B handler
dump, and then swing to a downfielder on the break side, with or without
hitting the other handler.
work each sideline once at each position.
b) vert stack
start with 2 handlers, 2 cutters
throw to a cutter on sideline. handlers should set up at the A and B
(front of stack). same as before, handers attack and we dump swing,
finishing to a stack cutter on the break side.
2) 3v3
Offensive Drill:
Starting with a disc on the sideline of a 30 yard wide field, play
stall-10 until 5 passes.
O: try to work against the force, moving as far downfield and to the far
line as possible.
Defensive drill:
Same set up, but offense should try to use stagnant 'traditional'
offensive look, setting up a stationary dump and using more throws into
space. Make faceguarders pay for it.
0:55 Water Break
0:57 7v0 Vert Stack Run throughs
Do 2-3 each, go for about 50 yards if possible, work on stack
spacing (ie, staying far away from the sideline and handler rotation).
Running at 75% speed, these are for remembering who is supposed to cut and
for spacing away from the line.
Take a little time between these sets and do fewer, but higher focus,
reps.
1:01 Quick Water Break
1:04 3v3 End Zone Plays (on same 22 by 5 yard endzone)
5 second stall on the first throw. Sets of 3 for each O. go 2-3
each person on O, with different people if possible.
1:17 Conditioning
12 x 40yards
sprint 40, walk 40, the walk is the rest
1:22 immediate throwing
1:25 cooldown jog, stretch, done
POD PRACTICE, FIRST WEEK IN SEPTEMBER (after team break)
Overall Pod Goals: Bridge the gap back from the break to the Series
Offensive Goal: Communication and continuation, reconnecting with read
progressions
Defensive Goal: Stop continuation on break side, quickly raise pressure
level, increase defensive intensity
0:00 Jogging/show easy plyos/stretch
0:15 7-8 harder plyos, 2x 40 yard buildups/water break
0:22 3 man mark drill, 3 times through each variation
A change: start each mark by having the thrower and marker close eyes for 1-2
seconds, then both open eyes and start. This is to work on reaction time in a
game situation.
no hands
low
throwers trying to draw fouls
stopping either flick or backhand
0:30 Read Progressions: Quick Reintroduction
a) flat stack, 2 lines. one person gets the disc as the dump sets up...
progression;
[dishy] middle, middle, outside, dump
get 1-2 reps each.
b) vert stack, one line. have someone establish as the stack[master].
progression;
lane, lane, stackmaster, dump
gets 2-3 reps each.
0:40 stop continue cutting drill
like on Saturday, this is an offensive drill to work on timing the
continue cut to the break side.
get 2 throwing reps per person
0:46 water break
0:48 "2.5v2.5 break mark drill" (the extended 2v2 we did on at our last Saturday
practice and our last pod)
the goal of the offense is to get the disc from the line, to the thrower,
to the cutter, to the stationary target. defense needs to contain the disc
on the live side.
use injured guys as stationary targets if possible.
[this drill is slow, but quality. make the reps good, rather than getting a
lot of them.]
1:01 water break
1:04 3v3 End Zone Plays (on same 22 by 5 yard endzone)
5 second stall on the first throw. Sets of 3 for each O. go 2-3
each person on O, with different people if possible.
1:17 Conditioning
10 x 40yards
sprint 40, jog 40
1:20 immediate throwing
1:25 cooldown jog, stretch
1:32 done.
These are several (3) practice schedules for Sockeye practices during the 2006 year. These are specifically for Thursday practices, when we work in small groups (5-10) in a skill-and-conditioning focused way.
Thursday Pod, 8-2-06
Team Goals: Improve offensive flow, continue marking progress
0:00 Jog, 7-8 warmup plyos, stretch
:15 5-6 faster plyos, 2x 40 yard up-and-outs
:20 water
Warm up drills
:22 Dishy drill with a twist
Flare the initial cut slightly to one side. Handler then cuts underneath
the receiver, to the far side, so the dishy will be slighty behind and to the
back side. Handler should be catching the dishy about 2-3 yards lateral and ~1
yard behind receiver. Fake and throw.
:25 2-line marking drill
Markers should alternate between working on low hands and stopping either
forehand or backhand.
:30 Clearing drill
1 line of about 6 players, same clearing drill as on Saturday, with the
disc moving to two cutters and then to a stationary player (or just to the
ground).
Everyone should do this:
2 times through receiving in the middle of the field (clearing
either side)
2 times through backhand side
2 times through forehand side
2 times through with a force middle near a sideline (reading to
see if there is space to clear up the line, using out-of-bounds space?)
:41 Stop huck with pressure drill
Just like Saturday, stop the around huck with your body (not by lunging or
diving arms) and then pressure the middle throw.
Do this 2 times each as normal, and two times with the cutter/defender
coming from a center stack towards the sideline (which should be harder on the
Offense...)
:46 Water break
:49 Quick 3 Man marking drill, alternate between super shifty marks (forcing as
many pivots as possible) and super-physical-intended-to-help-the-offense
marks). If time is running short skip this part, rather than any other.
:55 3v3 EndZone
Similar to last pod: 3v3 in the endzone, starting either with one dump or
two dumps. Endzone should be 25 yards wide and about 4-5 yards deep.
Defensive focus is on stopping handlers using the footwork we have been
practicing, and communication.
Offensive focus is on working together, dumping and scoring using around
throws.
Rotate the D through so that offense has several (4-5) possessions in a row.
1:10 Conditioning
20x 20 yard sprints
about ten seconds rest between each. Do together if possible. start with
different footwork (sideways, backwards, stagger step each leg) when possible.
1:17 Immediately into throwing
1:20 cooldown/stretch
1:28 done
POD PRACTICE, 8-23-06
Team Goal:
Get back up to speed after ECC tournament and ready ourselves for a strong Saturday practice.
Offensive Goals:
Be more comfortable with dump/swing
Sideline cutting
Defensive Goals:
Vision and Defensive Faking
0:00 Jogging/show easy plyos/stretch
0:15 7-8 harder plyos, 2x 40 yard buildups/water break
0:22 3 man mark drill, 3 times through each variation
[build up to game type marks]
no hands
low
throwers trying to draw fouls
stopping either flick or backhand
0:30 Warm up drills
1) Dishy (mix of normal and outside) 2-3 reps each
2) 2v2 2 line drill (marker/thrower and cutter/D for 1 throw)
Throw can be to live or dead side. Win the middle of the
field. 2 reps each.
3) 2v2 2 line drill....this time, the cutter should cut at least 3-4 yards
into the live side (any angle) and then to the dead side. Throwers are
focusing on throwing the around throw into space where possible. 2-3 reps
each.
0:40: Water Break
0:42: Dump Swing drills
1) 4v0
a) flat Stack
start with 2 handlers, 2 cutters. throw to cutter on a sideline
starting with handler attack, hit either the A or B handler
dump, and then swing to a downfielder on the break side, with or without
hitting the other handler.
work each sideline once at each position.
b) vert stack
start with 2 handlers, 2 cutters
throw to a cutter on sideline. handlers should set up at the A and B
(front of stack). same as before, handers attack and we dump swing,
finishing to a stack cutter on the break side.
2) 3v3
Offensive Drill:
Starting with a disc on the sideline of a 30 yard wide field, play
stall-10 until 5 passes.
O: try to work against the force, moving as far downfield and to the far
line as possible.
Defensive drill:
Same set up, but offense should try to use stagnant 'traditional'
offensive look, setting up a stationary dump and using more throws into
space. Make faceguarders pay for it.
0:55 Water Break
0:57 7v0 Vert Stack Run throughs
Do 2-3 each, go for about 50 yards if possible, work on stack
spacing (ie, staying far away from the sideline and handler rotation).
Running at 75% speed, these are for remembering who is supposed to cut and
for spacing away from the line.
Take a little time between these sets and do fewer, but higher focus,
reps.
1:01 Quick Water Break
1:04 3v3 End Zone Plays (on same 22 by 5 yard endzone)
5 second stall on the first throw. Sets of 3 for each O. go 2-3
each person on O, with different people if possible.
1:17 Conditioning
12 x 40yards
sprint 40, walk 40, the walk is the rest
1:22 immediate throwing
1:25 cooldown jog, stretch, done
POD PRACTICE, FIRST WEEK IN SEPTEMBER (after team break)
Overall Pod Goals: Bridge the gap back from the break to the Series
Offensive Goal: Communication and continuation, reconnecting with read
progressions
Defensive Goal: Stop continuation on break side, quickly raise pressure
level, increase defensive intensity
0:00 Jogging/show easy plyos/stretch
0:15 7-8 harder plyos, 2x 40 yard buildups/water break
0:22 3 man mark drill, 3 times through each variation
A change: start each mark by having the thrower and marker close eyes for 1-2
seconds, then both open eyes and start. This is to work on reaction time in a
game situation.
no hands
low
throwers trying to draw fouls
stopping either flick or backhand
0:30 Read Progressions: Quick Reintroduction
a) flat stack, 2 lines. one person gets the disc as the dump sets up...
progression;
[dishy] middle, middle, outside, dump
get 1-2 reps each.
b) vert stack, one line. have someone establish as the stack[master].
progression;
lane, lane, stackmaster, dump
gets 2-3 reps each.
0:40 stop continue cutting drill
like on Saturday, this is an offensive drill to work on timing the
continue cut to the break side.
get 2 throwing reps per person
0:46 water break
0:48 "2.5v2.5 break mark drill" (the extended 2v2 we did on at our last Saturday
practice and our last pod)
the goal of the offense is to get the disc from the line, to the thrower,
to the cutter, to the stationary target. defense needs to contain the disc
on the live side.
use injured guys as stationary targets if possible.
[this drill is slow, but quality. make the reps good, rather than getting a
lot of them.]
1:01 water break
1:04 3v3 End Zone Plays (on same 22 by 5 yard endzone)
5 second stall on the first throw. Sets of 3 for each O. go 2-3
each person on O, with different people if possible.
1:17 Conditioning
10 x 40yards
sprint 40, jog 40
1:20 immediate throwing
1:25 cooldown jog, stretch
1:32 done.
mental prep tips
[from sockeye internal email list]
Hey guys,
Visualization can help. If you are interested, here are 3 small things you can do that might help for Nationals. This is a quick read, and it might help someone (they work for me).
1) Visualize the little things
Daydreaming about Nationals is going to happen. It can either help you or hurt you, depending on how you focus this spare mental energy.
Example: Half awake, I envision catching a D-goal on a huge sky. I rewind this play in my mind, and, using a little willpower, I force myself to envision the same situation, but this time I shut down the cut, preventing the throw and causing a turnover somewhere else. Or a stall. Now, I am doing a reasonable little thing instead of an unlikely big one.
Why it works: At some point, your mental prep will tell you what to do on the field. If you have prepared yourself to do the little things under pressure, you will; your daydreaming will help you in pressure situations. However, if all you have shown your brain is a highlight reel, your instinct will be to jump 8 feet high over 10 people...and since your brain doesn't know how to make that happen reliably, then it can get confused, and freeze.
Visualizing what you do consistently helps you do that even when it is tough. Or you are tired.
2) Visualize responding to mistakes
Your daydreams are only mostly under your control, and sometimes you will visualize adversity, either to yourself or your teammate.
Force yourself to visualize responding positively to this. Either jogging to the sideline and using your voice to help the next point, or help to a defensive stand. You can do the same thing when you visualize a teammates mistake...see yourself respond by playing better on O or D, or helping your team respond on the field, or by saying something useful from the sideline.
Turn daydreaming 'mistakes' into a useful exercise.
3) Mantras
This one is HUGE for me.
Pick a positive, goal-oriented, short statement. For me, last year, it was:
"I will be calm and focused with the disc at Nationals"
It should be simple to say, and achieveable. Avoid saying "I will not" or setting numerical goals.
Say this mantra to yourself 5 times before you go to bed each night. Feel free to say it at other times...I do it when I feel nervous about Natties or when I wake up.
5 times, physically SAY it (thinking it is much less effective, though it can still help).
Why it works: We have a feedback loop in our brains that actually can convince us that a statement is true if we say it enough. Crazy? Maybe. But it works, and can help your body respond better in crunch time by maximizing your instinct for success.
Hey guys,
Visualization can help. If you are interested, here are 3 small things you can do that might help for Nationals. This is a quick read, and it might help someone (they work for me).
1) Visualize the little things
Daydreaming about Nationals is going to happen. It can either help you or hurt you, depending on how you focus this spare mental energy.
Example: Half awake, I envision catching a D-goal on a huge sky. I rewind this play in my mind, and, using a little willpower, I force myself to envision the same situation, but this time I shut down the cut, preventing the throw and causing a turnover somewhere else. Or a stall. Now, I am doing a reasonable little thing instead of an unlikely big one.
Why it works: At some point, your mental prep will tell you what to do on the field. If you have prepared yourself to do the little things under pressure, you will; your daydreaming will help you in pressure situations. However, if all you have shown your brain is a highlight reel, your instinct will be to jump 8 feet high over 10 people...and since your brain doesn't know how to make that happen reliably, then it can get confused, and freeze.
Visualizing what you do consistently helps you do that even when it is tough. Or you are tired.
2) Visualize responding to mistakes
Your daydreams are only mostly under your control, and sometimes you will visualize adversity, either to yourself or your teammate.
Force yourself to visualize responding positively to this. Either jogging to the sideline and using your voice to help the next point, or help to a defensive stand. You can do the same thing when you visualize a teammates mistake...see yourself respond by playing better on O or D, or helping your team respond on the field, or by saying something useful from the sideline.
Turn daydreaming 'mistakes' into a useful exercise.
3) Mantras
This one is HUGE for me.
Pick a positive, goal-oriented, short statement. For me, last year, it was:
"I will be calm and focused with the disc at Nationals"
It should be simple to say, and achieveable. Avoid saying "I will not" or setting numerical goals.
Say this mantra to yourself 5 times before you go to bed each night. Feel free to say it at other times...I do it when I feel nervous about Natties or when I wake up.
5 times, physically SAY it (thinking it is much less effective, though it can still help).
Why it works: We have a feedback loop in our brains that actually can convince us that a statement is true if we say it enough. Crazy? Maybe. But it works, and can help your body respond better in crunch time by maximizing your instinct for success.
end zone offense
[posted to rsd, January 2004}
>someone else wrote"
>scoring in the endzone is easy. just break the mark.
Yes, this will probably work, most of the time. I think that the intrinsic
difficulty in End Zone O is the pressure on the offense to score; the
idea that "most of the time" isn't good enough. If you
throw a huck out the back, you don't sit there and mope, but for some
reason there is a dissapointment in coming away from the goalline without
a point.
We notice end zone turnovers more: this is why End Zone O seems difficult.
About the "Just Break the Mark" strategy:
If I am on D, I WANT you to have to break a mark to score. If I didn't
think my team's mark could stop you, I wouldn't be playing a forcing
strategy. I would be zoning, or playing a straight-up mark, or something
where I didn't have to trust my teammate. But I am forcing for a reason- I
think my team's mark will get a block, or create a bad throw, enough of
the time that my team will score more.
Let's go ahead and make a break-mark score a neutral play- anytime
the offense scores without having to break a mark it is shifting the
percentages in the O's favor, and anytime the D forces a particularly
difficult break mark, or a difficult throw, or (of course) a turnover,
they have won the percentages.
You have to think about the endzone in terms of percentage,
because in such a short distance, good plays can go unrewarded, and bad
plays often work. If your opponent comes out of a goalline timeout, and
all they can get is a stall-9 backline layout- you don't want to change
how you defended to stop that play. Will that work the other 5 times per
game you are in a goalline situation? No, and it probably won't work
more than twice. The defense is winning. If you play a team that makes
that play 6 out of 6 in a game, you can either adjust your defense to
defending a new style of offense that is doing the hardest thing possible,
or you can shake their hands and get ready to beat them next time, when
those lucky plays don't work.
Offensively, you want to score. That means making most of your
plays easy, and making up for your mistakes with some talent. A method of
doing this is to find ways to move the disc a short
distance WITHOUT having to break a full mark. Here are 4 ideas.
1) Establish Doubt in the Downfield Defender
If you could get a downfield defender to bite on a break mark
throw, the result would be a very easy score on the countering live-side
cut. One way to do this is to scare a defender by making the break throw
look easier than normal. Many offenses have "spread" endzone formations,
where most of the players are around the outside of the endzone, drawing
their defenders away to create a large open space behind one featured
offensive player, who is less than 10 yards away from the thrower and
centrally located in the field.
With so much space behind the reciever, the defender gets anxious
about a short hammer or high release. Thrower fakes some such throw, and
the defender bites. Results? easy, live side goal. Without breaking a
mark.
2) Make Break Mark Cuts to the Open Side
Sounds weird. Here's how it works. Disc on the goalline, cutter
goes hard to the cone. Defender is there, but can't stay right on the
cutter as they turn to the dead side. If the thrower waits to
break with a throw into space, they have to beat both the cutter and the
mark. But, if they can throw it to the cutter before they are on the live
side, there is a window that is a live side throw, but a break mark cut,
with the defender out of position. This inside lane allows a score without
having to break a mark. If the defender can shut it down, they have likely
overpursued the cut, and the cutter can simply go back to the cone, where
they will likely be open. Offense wins, without needing to go right at the
strength of the D.
Incidentally, this is usually why "Moses" plays (splitting the
stack and running a cutter up the middle) usually work- the inside lane is
tough to mark without giving up a break, and tough to cover if you are
more worried about the cone cut.
3) Get Away From a Mark
a) Throw into space on the dump.
Moving the disc quickly can get you away from the mark,
opening up break side throws without a defender. A simple one:
throw a leading throw for your dump into the dead side. The dump runs onto it,
and catches it with about 3/4 of a second before the mark gets there. Throw
into space on the dead side. Goal. No mark.
If the mark did get there, they likely have had to overrun
the play, and the inside out lane should be open as they fly by. Goal
(although this has the added requirement that cutters have the patience to
wait for the throw to space to cut.
b) Throw the dump to a cutter moving into space.
Picture it like this: Thrower outside the endzone, forced
forehand, with a straight stack. Dump is 2 yards behind, 5 yards wide in
the live side. Once the disc gets checked in, simply run the dump to the
dead side, flat behind the thrower. Any easy throw to the dump will result
in an open second to the deadside. This is exactly like the thrower had
taken two steps back away from the mark, and thrown the easy backhand.
Goal.
There, your team has scored it's first 4 goals of the game, without
breaking a mark, and without anyone having to really work hard to get
open. At some point, you are going to need a reciever to get open, or a
thrower to make a throw- or you likely will not score the other 11 goals
you need (check out the Parinella article on the same subject for
more fundamental ways to score). But making 3 or 4 plays easy on you might
up your percentages, both on those plays, and on plays where the D has to
adjust to stop something tricky you have already done, and weakens their own ability to
stop 'normal' offensive plays.
Endzone Offense SHOULD be easy, and that is exactly why it seems so difficult.
>someone else wrote"
>scoring in the endzone is easy. just break the mark.
Yes, this will probably work, most of the time. I think that the intrinsic
difficulty in End Zone O is the pressure on the offense to score; the
idea that "most of the time" isn't good enough. If you
throw a huck out the back, you don't sit there and mope, but for some
reason there is a dissapointment in coming away from the goalline without
a point.
We notice end zone turnovers more: this is why End Zone O seems difficult.
About the "Just Break the Mark" strategy:
If I am on D, I WANT you to have to break a mark to score. If I didn't
think my team's mark could stop you, I wouldn't be playing a forcing
strategy. I would be zoning, or playing a straight-up mark, or something
where I didn't have to trust my teammate. But I am forcing for a reason- I
think my team's mark will get a block, or create a bad throw, enough of
the time that my team will score more.
Let's go ahead and make a break-mark score a neutral play- anytime
the offense scores without having to break a mark it is shifting the
percentages in the O's favor, and anytime the D forces a particularly
difficult break mark, or a difficult throw, or (of course) a turnover,
they have won the percentages.
You have to think about the endzone in terms of percentage,
because in such a short distance, good plays can go unrewarded, and bad
plays often work. If your opponent comes out of a goalline timeout, and
all they can get is a stall-9 backline layout- you don't want to change
how you defended to stop that play. Will that work the other 5 times per
game you are in a goalline situation? No, and it probably won't work
more than twice. The defense is winning. If you play a team that makes
that play 6 out of 6 in a game, you can either adjust your defense to
defending a new style of offense that is doing the hardest thing possible,
or you can shake their hands and get ready to beat them next time, when
those lucky plays don't work.
Offensively, you want to score. That means making most of your
plays easy, and making up for your mistakes with some talent. A method of
doing this is to find ways to move the disc a short
distance WITHOUT having to break a full mark. Here are 4 ideas.
1) Establish Doubt in the Downfield Defender
If you could get a downfield defender to bite on a break mark
throw, the result would be a very easy score on the countering live-side
cut. One way to do this is to scare a defender by making the break throw
look easier than normal. Many offenses have "spread" endzone formations,
where most of the players are around the outside of the endzone, drawing
their defenders away to create a large open space behind one featured
offensive player, who is less than 10 yards away from the thrower and
centrally located in the field.
With so much space behind the reciever, the defender gets anxious
about a short hammer or high release. Thrower fakes some such throw, and
the defender bites. Results? easy, live side goal. Without breaking a
mark.
2) Make Break Mark Cuts to the Open Side
Sounds weird. Here's how it works. Disc on the goalline, cutter
goes hard to the cone. Defender is there, but can't stay right on the
cutter as they turn to the dead side. If the thrower waits to
break with a throw into space, they have to beat both the cutter and the
mark. But, if they can throw it to the cutter before they are on the live
side, there is a window that is a live side throw, but a break mark cut,
with the defender out of position. This inside lane allows a score without
having to break a mark. If the defender can shut it down, they have likely
overpursued the cut, and the cutter can simply go back to the cone, where
they will likely be open. Offense wins, without needing to go right at the
strength of the D.
Incidentally, this is usually why "Moses" plays (splitting the
stack and running a cutter up the middle) usually work- the inside lane is
tough to mark without giving up a break, and tough to cover if you are
more worried about the cone cut.
3) Get Away From a Mark
a) Throw into space on the dump.
Moving the disc quickly can get you away from the mark,
opening up break side throws without a defender. A simple one:
throw a leading throw for your dump into the dead side. The dump runs onto it,
and catches it with about 3/4 of a second before the mark gets there. Throw
into space on the dead side. Goal. No mark.
If the mark did get there, they likely have had to overrun
the play, and the inside out lane should be open as they fly by. Goal
(although this has the added requirement that cutters have the patience to
wait for the throw to space to cut.
b) Throw the dump to a cutter moving into space.
Picture it like this: Thrower outside the endzone, forced
forehand, with a straight stack. Dump is 2 yards behind, 5 yards wide in
the live side. Once the disc gets checked in, simply run the dump to the
dead side, flat behind the thrower. Any easy throw to the dump will result
in an open second to the deadside. This is exactly like the thrower had
taken two steps back away from the mark, and thrown the easy backhand.
Goal.
There, your team has scored it's first 4 goals of the game, without
breaking a mark, and without anyone having to really work hard to get
open. At some point, you are going to need a reciever to get open, or a
thrower to make a throw- or you likely will not score the other 11 goals
you need (check out the Parinella article on the same subject for
more fundamental ways to score). But making 3 or 4 plays easy on you might
up your percentages, both on those plays, and on plays where the D has to
adjust to stop something tricky you have already done, and weakens their own ability to
stop 'normal' offensive plays.
Endzone Offense SHOULD be easy, and that is exactly why it seems so difficult.
a couple of ways to work on hucking
[from rsd, posted in May of 2005]
3 thoughts:
1) The difference between hucking and normal throwing is overestimated. A
"huck" should not be treated differently than any other throw, in the same
way that good basketball players shoot 3-pointers with the same form that
they shoot 2-pointer.
This dichotomy tends to draw players to change their form and use much
more power than is probably necessary. The end result is that while a good
throw goes farther, consistency is significantly impaired and more
turnovers occur.
What to work on: Instead of throwing only normal throws and "hucks", start
stretching your normal throws during practice. If you comfortably throw at
30 yards, start working at 35 or 40. Build up your ability to throw solid
away throws at shorter distances, consistently. As you improve, keep
forcing yourself to work at the edge of your range and your range will
improve.
A drill: Long-catch is an adaptation of the long-catch that pitchers use
in baseball. With a partner, throw straight and level throws on either
side of your body that go straight towards the reciever's chest (ie not
floaty). Whenever you and your partner complete 2 in a row, take a step
away. Whenever you throw 2 in a row that do not stay at chest height
accurately, step back in. This should put you at the edge of your
effective range. Focus on a clean delivery with as little wind-up and
vertical arm motion as possible. If this range is much less than where you
feel you are comfortable throwing...well, your effective in-game range
might be less than you originally thought- keep working and your
consistent ability to move the disc long distances will improve.
2) Wind-up tends to destroy balance and make longer throws difficult.
While players with bad balance can overcome this on short throws, it is on
longer throws that balance problems become most obvious, especially when
moving away from a mark.
Weight transfer is the process that gives momentum to the disc, and
demanding that your own weight move in a coordinated way is not easy. Many
players are good about their arm movement, but their back, legs and head
movement hinder improvement.
What to work on: Consistency and versatility is the key. Work on
maintaining one "feel" to your release; a stance and motion that seems
easy and that you can come back to consistently. You should be balanced
and centered, and your eyes should not lose sight of the field you are
throwing to (on backhands, pulling your head to the left [for a
right-handed thrower] WILL give you a longer throw, but at the significant
cost of allowing yourself to lose information for a crucial second before
the release...the loss of this vision, in my opinion, is a bigger problem
than the extra 5 yards of throwing distance.)
A drill: Throwing with a partner from 10-15 yards away, try to throw full
wind-up throws using the same form as your long throws but throw softly to
your partner. You can even exaggerate the motion. If you throw at full
power and can maintain a flat, stable release for 10 yards accurately, you
are likely balanced and can start backing up. Do this for forehands and
backhands.
3) The difference between good leading throws and bad leading throws is
often touch. Anyone of reasonable strength can throw the disc to a far
away point, but doing this in a controlled way to let the disc wait for an
oncoming cutter is difficult. "Touch" is the ability to control the way
the disc ends its flight- and on most long throws, one would like to allow
the disc to wait for a cutter.
Anyone can throw hard, but throwing long and letting the disc end softly
is very difficult, but extremely advantageous. Also, throwers with touch
can burn a throw in hot to a speed receiver if need be, but throwers
without touch can't go the other way. Touch increases the versatility of
throws.
What to work on: Instead of just throwing to a player, we want to focus on
HOW that disc gets to the player. Keep watching your throws to their final
resting point, and pick how you want the disc to be tilted when it is
caught, not just when it is released. Just because a stationary reciever
can catch the throw does not make it successful- again, a dichotomy of
practice habits that does not translate well.
A drill: Again, throwing with a partner, at an distance. Using normal
throwing form, try to land the disc at your partners feet, while still
making the throw catchable. A perfect throw would stop in the air around
head height, and would land directly at the receiver's feet. Throwing with
normal form (and not just throwing little lobs) is important. You will see
once you back up to 20+ yards that you can still demand the control from
the disc, though not if you are simply using a different form to produce
the effect. As always, throw from a variety of positions (extended, IO,
OI, high and low release points, close to the body) while you throw.
When you can throw 20 yards, from any point, with either touch or
fast-and-level, you will find that you can start throwing 50 yards with
the same form. After 50 yards...well, I can't help you there. That is
about as far as I can throw.
3 thoughts:
1) The difference between hucking and normal throwing is overestimated. A
"huck" should not be treated differently than any other throw, in the same
way that good basketball players shoot 3-pointers with the same form that
they shoot 2-pointer.
This dichotomy tends to draw players to change their form and use much
more power than is probably necessary. The end result is that while a good
throw goes farther, consistency is significantly impaired and more
turnovers occur.
What to work on: Instead of throwing only normal throws and "hucks", start
stretching your normal throws during practice. If you comfortably throw at
30 yards, start working at 35 or 40. Build up your ability to throw solid
away throws at shorter distances, consistently. As you improve, keep
forcing yourself to work at the edge of your range and your range will
improve.
A drill: Long-catch is an adaptation of the long-catch that pitchers use
in baseball. With a partner, throw straight and level throws on either
side of your body that go straight towards the reciever's chest (ie not
floaty). Whenever you and your partner complete 2 in a row, take a step
away. Whenever you throw 2 in a row that do not stay at chest height
accurately, step back in. This should put you at the edge of your
effective range. Focus on a clean delivery with as little wind-up and
vertical arm motion as possible. If this range is much less than where you
feel you are comfortable throwing...well, your effective in-game range
might be less than you originally thought- keep working and your
consistent ability to move the disc long distances will improve.
2) Wind-up tends to destroy balance and make longer throws difficult.
While players with bad balance can overcome this on short throws, it is on
longer throws that balance problems become most obvious, especially when
moving away from a mark.
Weight transfer is the process that gives momentum to the disc, and
demanding that your own weight move in a coordinated way is not easy. Many
players are good about their arm movement, but their back, legs and head
movement hinder improvement.
What to work on: Consistency and versatility is the key. Work on
maintaining one "feel" to your release; a stance and motion that seems
easy and that you can come back to consistently. You should be balanced
and centered, and your eyes should not lose sight of the field you are
throwing to (on backhands, pulling your head to the left [for a
right-handed thrower] WILL give you a longer throw, but at the significant
cost of allowing yourself to lose information for a crucial second before
the release...the loss of this vision, in my opinion, is a bigger problem
than the extra 5 yards of throwing distance.)
A drill: Throwing with a partner from 10-15 yards away, try to throw full
wind-up throws using the same form as your long throws but throw softly to
your partner. You can even exaggerate the motion. If you throw at full
power and can maintain a flat, stable release for 10 yards accurately, you
are likely balanced and can start backing up. Do this for forehands and
backhands.
3) The difference between good leading throws and bad leading throws is
often touch. Anyone of reasonable strength can throw the disc to a far
away point, but doing this in a controlled way to let the disc wait for an
oncoming cutter is difficult. "Touch" is the ability to control the way
the disc ends its flight- and on most long throws, one would like to allow
the disc to wait for a cutter.
Anyone can throw hard, but throwing long and letting the disc end softly
is very difficult, but extremely advantageous. Also, throwers with touch
can burn a throw in hot to a speed receiver if need be, but throwers
without touch can't go the other way. Touch increases the versatility of
throws.
What to work on: Instead of just throwing to a player, we want to focus on
HOW that disc gets to the player. Keep watching your throws to their final
resting point, and pick how you want the disc to be tilted when it is
caught, not just when it is released. Just because a stationary reciever
can catch the throw does not make it successful- again, a dichotomy of
practice habits that does not translate well.
A drill: Again, throwing with a partner, at an distance. Using normal
throwing form, try to land the disc at your partners feet, while still
making the throw catchable. A perfect throw would stop in the air around
head height, and would land directly at the receiver's feet. Throwing with
normal form (and not just throwing little lobs) is important. You will see
once you back up to 20+ yards that you can still demand the control from
the disc, though not if you are simply using a different form to produce
the effect. As always, throw from a variety of positions (extended, IO,
OI, high and low release points, close to the body) while you throw.
When you can throw 20 yards, from any point, with either touch or
fast-and-level, you will find that you can start throwing 50 yards with
the same form. After 50 yards...well, I can't help you there. That is
about as far as I can throw.
short ankle injury advice
[from rsd, 2005]
Another PT addition...
Once you can do so without pain, find a patch of grass to throw with a
partner while barefoot. Simple motions without the support of shoes will
tend to re-engage muscles and strengthen connections that can help you get
back to normal.
Once you can comfortably throw around while barefoot, you can try doing
some light, easy plyos (slides, karaokes, highknees, etc) while barefoot
to work the small stabilizers even a bit more.
The vast majority of players stop rehabbing once they can play again. If
you can muster the discipline to continue the strengthening you will get
stronger quicker and for longer. And if you can't, well, at least you will
have company nursing your reinjured ankle.
Another PT addition...
Once you can do so without pain, find a patch of grass to throw with a
partner while barefoot. Simple motions without the support of shoes will
tend to re-engage muscles and strengthen connections that can help you get
back to normal.
Once you can comfortably throw around while barefoot, you can try doing
some light, easy plyos (slides, karaokes, highknees, etc) while barefoot
to work the small stabilizers even a bit more.
The vast majority of players stop rehabbing once they can play again. If
you can muster the discipline to continue the strengthening you will get
stronger quicker and for longer. And if you can't, well, at least you will
have company nursing your reinjured ankle.
re: Co-ed ultimate, and using both genders effectively
[from an RSD discussion, Fall of 2005]
It comes down, I think, to one variable: speed.
The average male player is faster than the average female player. Right?
If you can accept that theory, keep reading.
In a 4/3 game, whenever a woman has the disc, there are 4 males and 2
females running around on D. When a man has the disc, there are 3 males
and 3 females. Purely based on speed, there is going to be better
defensive coverage of the field, on average, when a woman has the disc.
(I am assuming that the male and female mark, which aren't based on speed,
are similar relative to the thrower in terms of field coverage).
Add to this that in any given throw, a man v. woman matchup is tilted
purely based on speed, at least marginally.
Translation: Men in general poach onto women's throws more often/effectively
than women poach onto men's throws.
Conclusion: If everything else is totally equivalent, you are better off
with male players touching the disc relatively more often.
Problems with this logic: Obviously, if only men touch the disc, you are
more predictable, which a D can exploit. This difference in minimized by
good throwing, which tends to exploit poaching. Poaching is also more
difficult if the other team can recognize switches well, and has the
organization to work together to exploit them.
Also, it neglects what I think is a general trend in the differences
between female and male cutters (also based on speed):
[Begin tangent]
Men get 'open' by larger distances, but also give up these separations
often. Women, generally, get less separation from a defender, but give it
back less often. As the players in general get faster, better, and have
better marks, the field starts to effectively shrink. In this case, it
becomes more beneficial to have players that can reliably get open in less
space (See Team USA for an example of a team with so much speed that it
became hard to find open spots on the field until they learned to adapt.
Players that reliably get open in small acreage, like Deb, Dom, Miranda
and Zip, become incrementally more valuable)
[Ok, back from the tangent.]
Why is this difference important at all? I can think of 2 reasons:
1) There is a legitimate reason for why it can be a dominant strategy to
not use women as much or more than men...and why the best teams typically
use their women well. Male touches have a benefit in terms of defensive
field coverage. As the average skill in marking, throwing, cutting
and reading the field increases, the benefit in riding the men decreases,
until it starts to hurt you.
2) The legitimate reason for this strategy is NOT a difference in skill.
Many people have tried to use this "difference in average skill" argument
to explain why there are, in general, more turnovers in women's ultimate
than in coed, and more in coed than in men's. The real reason is that, for
women, the field is effectively larger.
Making up a random number here...but say the average woman is 80% as fast
as the average man (Average Guy runs a 8 second 60-yard-dash, Average
gal runs a 10 second 60-yard-dash? I have no idea.) If this is true, then
to compare skill, the men's field needs to be more like 95 yards long. Add
another 25 yards of playing field and tell me that men will score at a
higher rate than women.
When every 1-2-huck-goal play becomes a
1-2-huck-swing-swing-gainer-dump-gainer-goal...how many men's teams would
keep their high success rates?
While female athletes are not encouraged (in most sports) as well as male
athletes are...if there is a difference in skill due to this...then this
is surely (hopefully) a temporary situation, and will correct itself eventually.
So I conclude; the only real difference in male and female players is
speed. The higher the level of play, the less this advantage makes
men-only offenses a dominant strategy in co-ed. The best way to even out
the genders in terms of touches, In The Long Term, is not to change the
rules, but rather to increase the level of skill in all players.
It comes down, I think, to one variable: speed.
The average male player is faster than the average female player. Right?
If you can accept that theory, keep reading.
In a 4/3 game, whenever a woman has the disc, there are 4 males and 2
females running around on D. When a man has the disc, there are 3 males
and 3 females. Purely based on speed, there is going to be better
defensive coverage of the field, on average, when a woman has the disc.
(I am assuming that the male and female mark, which aren't based on speed,
are similar relative to the thrower in terms of field coverage).
Add to this that in any given throw, a man v. woman matchup is tilted
purely based on speed, at least marginally.
Translation: Men in general poach onto women's throws more often/effectively
than women poach onto men's throws.
Conclusion: If everything else is totally equivalent, you are better off
with male players touching the disc relatively more often.
Problems with this logic: Obviously, if only men touch the disc, you are
more predictable, which a D can exploit. This difference in minimized by
good throwing, which tends to exploit poaching. Poaching is also more
difficult if the other team can recognize switches well, and has the
organization to work together to exploit them.
Also, it neglects what I think is a general trend in the differences
between female and male cutters (also based on speed):
[Begin tangent]
Men get 'open' by larger distances, but also give up these separations
often. Women, generally, get less separation from a defender, but give it
back less often. As the players in general get faster, better, and have
better marks, the field starts to effectively shrink. In this case, it
becomes more beneficial to have players that can reliably get open in less
space (See Team USA for an example of a team with so much speed that it
became hard to find open spots on the field until they learned to adapt.
Players that reliably get open in small acreage, like Deb, Dom, Miranda
and Zip, become incrementally more valuable)
[Ok, back from the tangent.]
Why is this difference important at all? I can think of 2 reasons:
1) There is a legitimate reason for why it can be a dominant strategy to
not use women as much or more than men...and why the best teams typically
use their women well. Male touches have a benefit in terms of defensive
field coverage. As the average skill in marking, throwing, cutting
and reading the field increases, the benefit in riding the men decreases,
until it starts to hurt you.
2) The legitimate reason for this strategy is NOT a difference in skill.
Many people have tried to use this "difference in average skill" argument
to explain why there are, in general, more turnovers in women's ultimate
than in coed, and more in coed than in men's. The real reason is that, for
women, the field is effectively larger.
Making up a random number here...but say the average woman is 80% as fast
as the average man (Average Guy runs a 8 second 60-yard-dash, Average
gal runs a 10 second 60-yard-dash? I have no idea.) If this is true, then
to compare skill, the men's field needs to be more like 95 yards long. Add
another 25 yards of playing field and tell me that men will score at a
higher rate than women.
When every 1-2-huck-goal play becomes a
1-2-huck-swing-swing-gainer-dump-gainer-goal...how many men's teams would
keep their high success rates?
While female athletes are not encouraged (in most sports) as well as male
athletes are...if there is a difference in skill due to this...then this
is surely (hopefully) a temporary situation, and will correct itself eventually.
So I conclude; the only real difference in male and female players is
speed. The higher the level of play, the less this advantage makes
men-only offenses a dominant strategy in co-ed. The best way to even out
the genders in terms of touches, In The Long Term, is not to change the
rules, but rather to increase the level of skill in all players.
marking; when to go for blocks?
[as posted to rsd in December of 2005]
On Tue, 20 Dec 2005, anonymous wrote:
> I feel like new players and a lot of ultimate players in general place
> to much emphasis on getting the point block, at the expense of a
> quality mark. While the point block is definitely one of the sweetest
> plays in ultimate, and maybe the most satisfying, it is more important
> to hold the force and avoid getting broken. You can't jump all over
> fakes trying to force the handblock but then give up an easy around
> throw.
Most defenses are built around holding the force, and to focus on getting
blocks at the expense of the force hurts these defenses; Agreed.
However, the relative value of
a) pressuring all throws (going for blocks) and
b) protecting the force (conservative marking)
changes depending on the offense you are playing against.
A typical stack offense can beat an overly aggressive mark because the
dead side is always vulnerable. In other words, if I am marking you, and I
bite on a live-side throw, you don't really even need much of a cut to
make me pay...in many cases, you can just throw out to the dead side of a
player in the stack, and they can use their position advantage to run it
down. If done well, that advantage can translate into multiple throws down
the breakside. My overly-aggressive mark can translate into your easy
march down the field.
In many flat stack offenses, however, this is not necessarily true. While
a flatstack offense arguably has more varied throw options, it also
does not usually have players waiting for a breakside throw with
an obvious positional advantage.
Example: You are in the middle of the field, and I am forcing you to throw
on the forehand side. Downfield, you have four players spread across the
width of the field, operating in their vertical lanes.
If I jump over on the force side, you can make me pay. But you have to:
use that window of time to
throw to the backhand side,
find someone to throw to moving in the
right direction,
that is uncovered to that side,
make sure that the dump defender doesn't choose that particular moment to
dive back into that throwing lane.
Substantially more difficult than just turning and chucking a touch
throw to the breakside. Continuation is not as straightforward either.
Now, my overly aggressive mark translates into a single non-trivial throw
for probably <20 yards.
In many flat stack offenses, significant advantage is gained because
defenders are not ready for offensive players to NOT need that breakside.
Better defensive teams have found in some cases that putting more pressure
on all throws, even while holding a one-way mark, gives better defensive
coverage without giving up much in the way of an easy option.
Flatstack offenses are great...but they appear greater than they should be
because they take advantage of players defending them using the same basic
principles drilled in vertstack situations, not because they are inherently
superior. Gimmick? Good strategy? Tomato, To-mah-to.
A different comparison: I am contrasting 'pressure' and 'protection' here.
This does not address the value in playing strictly for blocks, using
tricks like baiting a thrower into a blockable throw: tricks that accept
getting broken often for the chance at one big block.
These strategies are USUALLY not good for team defense....unless your
chance of getting a score by this trickery is better than your chance
of getting one by good team D.
In a huge upwind/downwind situation, you might consider setting your
thrower up for a block, even allowing a break throw one point to bait a
block in another point...with the understanding that when you do get a
turn, you want it to be as close to the goal as possible.
Also, if the offenses were so good that few blocks will happen regardless
of team D...it might be worth your while play a high risk/high reward game
with the thrower.
Summary: First approximation is that holding the mark is more important
than playing for blocks. After that, it gets more complicated and
situation/team dependent.
Future?: It seems possible that team could develop a defense which allowed
one or two great markers (or, markers on one or two bad throwers) to adapt
and allow markers freedom to play for blocks, rather than having everyone
play similarly. This is already being done to the other extreme, with
certain great throwers being contained rather than challenged (several
West Coast teams call this "Cram" or "Shank", understandably).
Ability of defenses to adapt the mark in a predictable way (for them) to
take away different options (for the O) based on
stall count,
field position,
score,
or individual thrower's skills
is not something I have seen in a rigorous way.
It is, however, something that good teams have probably been doing for
many years without realizing it, or less formally. I expect
that this kind of development will make defenses more versatile and
effective sometime soon.
On Tue, 20 Dec 2005, anonymous wrote:
> I feel like new players and a lot of ultimate players in general place
> to much emphasis on getting the point block, at the expense of a
> quality mark. While the point block is definitely one of the sweetest
> plays in ultimate, and maybe the most satisfying, it is more important
> to hold the force and avoid getting broken. You can't jump all over
> fakes trying to force the handblock but then give up an easy around
> throw.
Most defenses are built around holding the force, and to focus on getting
blocks at the expense of the force hurts these defenses; Agreed.
However, the relative value of
a) pressuring all throws (going for blocks) and
b) protecting the force (conservative marking)
changes depending on the offense you are playing against.
A typical stack offense can beat an overly aggressive mark because the
dead side is always vulnerable. In other words, if I am marking you, and I
bite on a live-side throw, you don't really even need much of a cut to
make me pay...in many cases, you can just throw out to the dead side of a
player in the stack, and they can use their position advantage to run it
down. If done well, that advantage can translate into multiple throws down
the breakside. My overly-aggressive mark can translate into your easy
march down the field.
In many flat stack offenses, however, this is not necessarily true. While
a flatstack offense arguably has more varied throw options, it also
does not usually have players waiting for a breakside throw with
an obvious positional advantage.
Example: You are in the middle of the field, and I am forcing you to throw
on the forehand side. Downfield, you have four players spread across the
width of the field, operating in their vertical lanes.
If I jump over on the force side, you can make me pay. But you have to:
use that window of time to
throw to the backhand side,
find someone to throw to moving in the
right direction,
that is uncovered to that side,
make sure that the dump defender doesn't choose that particular moment to
dive back into that throwing lane.
Substantially more difficult than just turning and chucking a touch
throw to the breakside. Continuation is not as straightforward either.
Now, my overly aggressive mark translates into a single non-trivial throw
for probably <20 yards.
In many flat stack offenses, significant advantage is gained because
defenders are not ready for offensive players to NOT need that breakside.
Better defensive teams have found in some cases that putting more pressure
on all throws, even while holding a one-way mark, gives better defensive
coverage without giving up much in the way of an easy option.
Flatstack offenses are great...but they appear greater than they should be
because they take advantage of players defending them using the same basic
principles drilled in vertstack situations, not because they are inherently
superior. Gimmick? Good strategy? Tomato, To-mah-to.
A different comparison: I am contrasting 'pressure' and 'protection' here.
This does not address the value in playing strictly for blocks, using
tricks like baiting a thrower into a blockable throw: tricks that accept
getting broken often for the chance at one big block.
These strategies are USUALLY not good for team defense....unless your
chance of getting a score by this trickery is better than your chance
of getting one by good team D.
In a huge upwind/downwind situation, you might consider setting your
thrower up for a block, even allowing a break throw one point to bait a
block in another point...with the understanding that when you do get a
turn, you want it to be as close to the goal as possible.
Also, if the offenses were so good that few blocks will happen regardless
of team D...it might be worth your while play a high risk/high reward game
with the thrower.
Summary: First approximation is that holding the mark is more important
than playing for blocks. After that, it gets more complicated and
situation/team dependent.
Future?: It seems possible that team could develop a defense which allowed
one or two great markers (or, markers on one or two bad throwers) to adapt
and allow markers freedom to play for blocks, rather than having everyone
play similarly. This is already being done to the other extreme, with
certain great throwers being contained rather than challenged (several
West Coast teams call this "Cram" or "Shank", understandably).
Ability of defenses to adapt the mark in a predictable way (for them) to
take away different options (for the O) based on
stall count,
field position,
score,
or individual thrower's skills
is not something I have seen in a rigorous way.
It is, however, something that good teams have probably been doing for
many years without realizing it, or less formally. I expect
that this kind of development will make defenses more versatile and
effective sometime soon.
MLU: referee'd ultimate
[as posted to RSD during July, 2006]
My opinions from the Potlatch/MLU weekend...(please excuse my butchering
of the English language)
1) MLU is a very different sport than Ultimate. And it is awesome.
Biggest Pros:
Game moves much more quickly.
Zero spurious travel/pick/stall calls.
Silent stall makes marking more fun, and high-stall situations
more exciting
2-point line plus strategic fouling makes for a more
strategy-intensive game
Rules are designed for fan-friendly play
Short end zones + longer playing field proper makes for a better
game
Biggest Cons:
If you don't like refs, you obviously won't like MLU
This is NOT a good game for beginning players....the level of
physicality and possibility of being injured goes up in
the course of normal play.
Lack of self-refereeing (and the intrinsic benefits of SOTG)
Cost of good referees is high
I loved the game. Much less downtime, a small percentage of the arguments
(and almost none between players) and more gametime pressure make for what
could be a much more marketable sport....which is exactly what it was
designed to be, so that isn't suprising.
It's a different game, and probably not one that most ultimate players
want to play recreationally. In the same way that most city-league
basketball players don't want to be called for illegal defense, most
ultimate players would probably not like someone like me pulling their
jersey, intentionally fouling them, or being forced to play at a very high
game pace. Ultimate was designed for players, MLU for the spectators, and
there are some big tradeoffs between the two.
MLU is NOT a replacement for Ultimate....I think they are different
sports, and both have a ton of value. Going back and forth between my MLU
team and my Potlatch team was really fun....each time I did I was excited
for aspects of that game.
2) Potlatch and the MLU were a good mix.
It seemed like the two independent events made each other better. MLU
without Potlatch is elitist and probably doesn't have a fan base yet. I
think the MLU added to Potlatch, was hopefully interesting for the fans,
but didn't detract from the scene, IMO. No one skipped their games to
watch MLU. The crowds depended much more on the schedule than on who was
playing (ie the Potlatch final was by far the biggest crowd). I think this
goes to show that people want to watch good ultimate, and maybe co-ed v.
elite men is not that big of a difference....as long as the players are
playing well.
3) 'Allstar teams'
Pros: Really, really fun to play with some guys that I normally play
against. The athleticism and talent on our team was
incredible, and the Furious/Rhino guys were really fun
to play with.
Hopefully fun for the fans to see a lot of the best players in one
place
Athletic matchups were top-notch (Beau vs. Nord, anyone?)
Geometry of the field changes with so many great throwers...it was
more difficult to poach, and teams were not constrained
to rigid offenses that allow the weak-link throwers to
survive.
Cons: Lack of coordination was the biggest downside. Teams with players
from a bunch of different UPA teams had troubles getting flow
going....and flow proved more valuable than just having a bunch
of great players, since athleticism mostly cancelled out. In
other words...DoG would probably have done pretty well in
the MLU tournament as a cohesive team that doesn't turn the
disc over.
MLU won't be an unqualified success until the refereed system
works for cohesive teams at intermediate skill in a
game with something real on the line. It was a success, just
not an unqualified success...I have faith that Ian, Toad, et
all will get it there.
4) Refereeing is the toughest job in sports
The Refs for MLU were much, much better than I think we could have hoped
for, given that this was most people's first time. I would not have had
any faith in first-time basketball refs, and I had faith in these refs.
They deserve a ton of praise for the job they did.
In general, these referees kept the whistle hidden, a set a precedent
early on that they were not going to call very much. I'm going to review a
set of calls (or non-calls) that I was involved in...I feel like very few
players were trying to push the envelope of the rules but I think that I
got a pretty good feel for what would be acceptable in a refereed game
with experienced observers.
I'm not trying to show how smart I am, or how sneaky....but I really felt
like we wouldn't know the limits of the MLU rules unless we tested them,
so pushing the limits was definitely one of my lower-priority goals for
the weekend.
Game 2: NW v NE (I wasn't at game 1 vs. the SE until the very end)
The faster pace of the game was amazing. If you pulled out of bounds, you
still had to run down hard on D, because a new disc came into play
immediately at the brick. Similarly, a new disc came in after
out-of-bounds turnovers....minimizing downtime. Awesome...I have always
thought that pulling was the most boring part of the game for this
reason....it can be up to a minute of downtime. Great change.
Early on, I found myself trying to get my teammates to foul more, since it
seemed like the refs were calling few fouls. Even small fouls on the mark,
especially before the throw is started, made a big difference in the game
(if you could grab an arm, and stop a pivot to an open throw, that
wouldn't be called....but a big advantage for the D). I found out once I
got on the field that fouling is tough...first you have to catch up to the
guy, then you have to know a throw is coming, then you have to do
something about it. Not as easy as I thought.
My first "brilliant" idea was to try and intentional pick play. At this
point, the refs had called maybe 1 pick over 3 games....maybe we could get
an open 2-pointer out of it. Our guy rolled off the back of the stack and
I gave his defender some friction (ok, a lot of friction...kind of a
clumsy attempt). I was immediately called for the pick...good call by the
refs, who were right on top of it. If I had been more subtle, I think they
still would have seen it. Refs 1, blw 0.
(By the way, the new pick rule (D player can't be picked off of another D
player) is sweet for game-play, though the obvious tradeoff is that the
game is slightly more dangerous.)
My next "brilliant" idea was on D. FM caught a swing about 8 yards out of
the end zone, and I could see in his eyes that he had an open hammer...as
he started to cock the hammer I tackled him. Grabbed both arms, wrapped
him up, fell down on top of him.
I was whistled for the foul. Should I have been given a tech? (a Tech = 2
personal fouls). Yeah, probably. The result of the play was that Forch had
the disc at stall 0, looking at essentially the same formation as before
(O can reset on a D foul, but they were already pretty well stacked up).
He didn't have any motion, though....I call this a win for the D. They
scored several throws later...but I think professional fouling will, as
reffed games keep going on...become much more commonplace.
I hope, of course, that I would never do this in an Ultimate game. Like I
said, very different sports, and I felt no guilt at all, since fouling is
a part of MLU. Me tackling FM increases the chance that one of us gets
hurt, for sure.
In general, we (the NW) did not foul as much as we should have. On a
couple of 2-point throws we allowed huckers to throw unimpeded....and in a
serious MLU game, I think that extra point makes it worthwhile to tackle
that hucker.
Last note....If a big guy went deep on me for a 2-pointer, I was resolved
to drag him down. Give them the disc on the goalline for 1 point, prevent
the 2, swallow my pride and make the team-first-play. In the next rule
edition, I would suggest that a technical foul called on a 2-point
receiver should give the receiver the disc on the goalline, with the first
throw being worth 2 points....
Game 3: NW v SW
I spent most of this game as a cup player in our transition zone, designed
to stop the 2 point bomb. As such, I got to know Parker Krug really
well....I fouled him probably 5-6 times that would have gotten called in
an ultimate game, and maybe 4 of those probably should have been called by
the refs, and only two were. The two that were called were called quickly
and I'd say overall good refereeing. Maybe I should have gotten a tech for
the bearhug....but like I said, I really didn't want that 80-yard Krugbomb
coming out.
All in all, the 2-pointer changed on-field strategies more than the
refereeing, it seemed to me...
Al, if you're listening, he did throw that huge thumber on a meaningful
point.
I also threw a turnover in this game...I was the 2 in a 4-person string
play. MN came and put a mark on me, and as I went to throw my backhand, he
grabbed my throwing arm as I pivoted. I tried to pivot through the 'foul'
and get the throw off anyway (Ultimate based instinct) and my throw missed
the receiver. The word foul was on my lips...but there was no whistle, so
I ran back to cover on D.
Missed call? Yeah, but it happens both ways. If you want all the good
things about refs, you have to accept that this play might happen and be
out of your control. Also...no telling that I don't call this foul in and
Ultimate game, MN goes to the observer, and I lose the disc anyways....
At two points in this game, a referee came up to me and gave me a
technical foul warning. Once was for a hard foul (the bearhug) and once
was for 'excessive celebration'. On both occasions, I would not have been
surprised to have been T'd up, and I think the warning told me that I
could get away with that stuff, rather than its intended goal. Gotta
remember, I think, that in the MLU I expect to be reprimanded by a call,
not by my own conscience...blow that whistle. Was my celebration poor
sportsmanship? Yeah, probably....but T'ing me up there would have been a
strong message to everyone else, and as it was, no one heard the warning
but me.
Aside: This excessive celebrating was for a play against a guy I think is
one of the best defenders in the country....it was an outpouring of my own
surprise/elation, and I hope he isn't pissed that I ran around like a damn
fool afterwards. Definitely not premeditated. Looking back, I regret that.
There were several stalls in this game....I LOVE the silent count. First
off, the 7-second count feels like forever, and I would be is longer on
average than the 10-second count in big Ultimate games. When I observed
college Nats one year I was asked to rule on a contested stall...the irate
marker calmed down real quick when I showed him my stopwatch that said
"5.3". wow.
Anyway, the 2 seconds at the end of the count....you can feel both teams
fan's edging toward the field to see whats...gonna....happen....
It's sweet.
Game 4: Final vs. SE
Two big points stand out in this game.
Early in the game, I was guarding TG...he cut breakside for a high
inside-out backhand. He went up with two hands, I went up with 1, and used
my other hand to rake down his right arm. In an Ultimate game he would
definitely call it, here it was a good physical play, evidently. While he
stood and argued I took off for a 2-point bomb from one of our
handlers....just goes to show, if you want to argue, you might get beat
(although, in this case, TG just ran me down and skied me....damn.).
Around halftime, I got locked in on one of the SE dump handlers, CS. I
found that if I waited until stalling 2-3, when I was sure both backfield
referees were looking at the thrower/marker, I could grab CS's jersey and
drag him down. At 4-5 then, when he should have been getting open, he was
trying to regain his balance...their O ground to a halt and they had to
call a TO.
CS complained to the ref during the TO, and had I tried it again right
then I would have likely been called. But, if I were being crafty, I would
have waited to use that trick again later. More coordinated refs might
call this, or they might not (I remember similar stuff going uncalled on
my HS basketball team). Maybe CS would learn to handfight me away, so I
couldn't do this....either way, the game gets more physical. More like
basketball physicality, for sure.
As it was, I subbed off during the TO....another sweet rule that we used
well, bringing in our two subs on every timeout possible.
At the end of the final game...we went up 15-12 with about a minute of
game time left. We concentrated on the 2-pointer, and they scored the 1 in
about 10 seconds. Then we threw a quick turn and they scored again
quickly....now it was 15-14 with 9 seconds left. Had we worked those 9
seconds off of the clock before the turn, it would have been game
over...someone on RSD said that down by 4 with a minute left would be
impossible, and I think that is wrong. Especially with the 2-point line,
you can come back quick against the clock. Still harder to come back vs.
the clock than versus the score, though.
Of the four teams, I think the SE used the MLU strategies the best,
playing the 2-point line particularly well on fastbreaks.
If anyone actually read all this....banana banana banana. Go Cradle
Robbers. A big ThankYou to Gavin Sing, Andy Lovseth, all the refs, Ian
McClellan, the NUA crew, and Sammy CK for putting this one.
blw
My opinions from the Potlatch/MLU weekend...(please excuse my butchering
of the English language)
1) MLU is a very different sport than Ultimate. And it is awesome.
Biggest Pros:
Game moves much more quickly.
Zero spurious travel/pick/stall calls.
Silent stall makes marking more fun, and high-stall situations
more exciting
2-point line plus strategic fouling makes for a more
strategy-intensive game
Rules are designed for fan-friendly play
Short end zones + longer playing field proper makes for a better
game
Biggest Cons:
If you don't like refs, you obviously won't like MLU
This is NOT a good game for beginning players....the level of
physicality and possibility of being injured goes up in
the course of normal play.
Lack of self-refereeing (and the intrinsic benefits of SOTG)
Cost of good referees is high
I loved the game. Much less downtime, a small percentage of the arguments
(and almost none between players) and more gametime pressure make for what
could be a much more marketable sport....which is exactly what it was
designed to be, so that isn't suprising.
It's a different game, and probably not one that most ultimate players
want to play recreationally. In the same way that most city-league
basketball players don't want to be called for illegal defense, most
ultimate players would probably not like someone like me pulling their
jersey, intentionally fouling them, or being forced to play at a very high
game pace. Ultimate was designed for players, MLU for the spectators, and
there are some big tradeoffs between the two.
MLU is NOT a replacement for Ultimate....I think they are different
sports, and both have a ton of value. Going back and forth between my MLU
team and my Potlatch team was really fun....each time I did I was excited
for aspects of that game.
2) Potlatch and the MLU were a good mix.
It seemed like the two independent events made each other better. MLU
without Potlatch is elitist and probably doesn't have a fan base yet. I
think the MLU added to Potlatch, was hopefully interesting for the fans,
but didn't detract from the scene, IMO. No one skipped their games to
watch MLU. The crowds depended much more on the schedule than on who was
playing (ie the Potlatch final was by far the biggest crowd). I think this
goes to show that people want to watch good ultimate, and maybe co-ed v.
elite men is not that big of a difference....as long as the players are
playing well.
3) 'Allstar teams'
Pros: Really, really fun to play with some guys that I normally play
against. The athleticism and talent on our team was
incredible, and the Furious/Rhino guys were really fun
to play with.
Hopefully fun for the fans to see a lot of the best players in one
place
Athletic matchups were top-notch (Beau vs. Nord, anyone?)
Geometry of the field changes with so many great throwers...it was
more difficult to poach, and teams were not constrained
to rigid offenses that allow the weak-link throwers to
survive.
Cons: Lack of coordination was the biggest downside. Teams with players
from a bunch of different UPA teams had troubles getting flow
going....and flow proved more valuable than just having a bunch
of great players, since athleticism mostly cancelled out. In
other words...DoG would probably have done pretty well in
the MLU tournament as a cohesive team that doesn't turn the
disc over.
MLU won't be an unqualified success until the refereed system
works for cohesive teams at intermediate skill in a
game with something real on the line. It was a success, just
not an unqualified success...I have faith that Ian, Toad, et
all will get it there.
4) Refereeing is the toughest job in sports
The Refs for MLU were much, much better than I think we could have hoped
for, given that this was most people's first time. I would not have had
any faith in first-time basketball refs, and I had faith in these refs.
They deserve a ton of praise for the job they did.
In general, these referees kept the whistle hidden, a set a precedent
early on that they were not going to call very much. I'm going to review a
set of calls (or non-calls) that I was involved in...I feel like very few
players were trying to push the envelope of the rules but I think that I
got a pretty good feel for what would be acceptable in a refereed game
with experienced observers.
I'm not trying to show how smart I am, or how sneaky....but I really felt
like we wouldn't know the limits of the MLU rules unless we tested them,
so pushing the limits was definitely one of my lower-priority goals for
the weekend.
Game 2: NW v NE (I wasn't at game 1 vs. the SE until the very end)
The faster pace of the game was amazing. If you pulled out of bounds, you
still had to run down hard on D, because a new disc came into play
immediately at the brick. Similarly, a new disc came in after
out-of-bounds turnovers....minimizing downtime. Awesome...I have always
thought that pulling was the most boring part of the game for this
reason....it can be up to a minute of downtime. Great change.
Early on, I found myself trying to get my teammates to foul more, since it
seemed like the refs were calling few fouls. Even small fouls on the mark,
especially before the throw is started, made a big difference in the game
(if you could grab an arm, and stop a pivot to an open throw, that
wouldn't be called....but a big advantage for the D). I found out once I
got on the field that fouling is tough...first you have to catch up to the
guy, then you have to know a throw is coming, then you have to do
something about it. Not as easy as I thought.
My first "brilliant" idea was to try and intentional pick play. At this
point, the refs had called maybe 1 pick over 3 games....maybe we could get
an open 2-pointer out of it. Our guy rolled off the back of the stack and
I gave his defender some friction (ok, a lot of friction...kind of a
clumsy attempt). I was immediately called for the pick...good call by the
refs, who were right on top of it. If I had been more subtle, I think they
still would have seen it. Refs 1, blw 0.
(By the way, the new pick rule (D player can't be picked off of another D
player) is sweet for game-play, though the obvious tradeoff is that the
game is slightly more dangerous.)
My next "brilliant" idea was on D. FM caught a swing about 8 yards out of
the end zone, and I could see in his eyes that he had an open hammer...as
he started to cock the hammer I tackled him. Grabbed both arms, wrapped
him up, fell down on top of him.
I was whistled for the foul. Should I have been given a tech? (a Tech = 2
personal fouls). Yeah, probably. The result of the play was that Forch had
the disc at stall 0, looking at essentially the same formation as before
(O can reset on a D foul, but they were already pretty well stacked up).
He didn't have any motion, though....I call this a win for the D. They
scored several throws later...but I think professional fouling will, as
reffed games keep going on...become much more commonplace.
I hope, of course, that I would never do this in an Ultimate game. Like I
said, very different sports, and I felt no guilt at all, since fouling is
a part of MLU. Me tackling FM increases the chance that one of us gets
hurt, for sure.
In general, we (the NW) did not foul as much as we should have. On a
couple of 2-point throws we allowed huckers to throw unimpeded....and in a
serious MLU game, I think that extra point makes it worthwhile to tackle
that hucker.
Last note....If a big guy went deep on me for a 2-pointer, I was resolved
to drag him down. Give them the disc on the goalline for 1 point, prevent
the 2, swallow my pride and make the team-first-play. In the next rule
edition, I would suggest that a technical foul called on a 2-point
receiver should give the receiver the disc on the goalline, with the first
throw being worth 2 points....
Game 3: NW v SW
I spent most of this game as a cup player in our transition zone, designed
to stop the 2 point bomb. As such, I got to know Parker Krug really
well....I fouled him probably 5-6 times that would have gotten called in
an ultimate game, and maybe 4 of those probably should have been called by
the refs, and only two were. The two that were called were called quickly
and I'd say overall good refereeing. Maybe I should have gotten a tech for
the bearhug....but like I said, I really didn't want that 80-yard Krugbomb
coming out.
All in all, the 2-pointer changed on-field strategies more than the
refereeing, it seemed to me...
Al, if you're listening, he did throw that huge thumber on a meaningful
point.
I also threw a turnover in this game...I was the 2 in a 4-person string
play. MN came and put a mark on me, and as I went to throw my backhand, he
grabbed my throwing arm as I pivoted. I tried to pivot through the 'foul'
and get the throw off anyway (Ultimate based instinct) and my throw missed
the receiver. The word foul was on my lips...but there was no whistle, so
I ran back to cover on D.
Missed call? Yeah, but it happens both ways. If you want all the good
things about refs, you have to accept that this play might happen and be
out of your control. Also...no telling that I don't call this foul in and
Ultimate game, MN goes to the observer, and I lose the disc anyways....
At two points in this game, a referee came up to me and gave me a
technical foul warning. Once was for a hard foul (the bearhug) and once
was for 'excessive celebration'. On both occasions, I would not have been
surprised to have been T'd up, and I think the warning told me that I
could get away with that stuff, rather than its intended goal. Gotta
remember, I think, that in the MLU I expect to be reprimanded by a call,
not by my own conscience...blow that whistle. Was my celebration poor
sportsmanship? Yeah, probably....but T'ing me up there would have been a
strong message to everyone else, and as it was, no one heard the warning
but me.
Aside: This excessive celebrating was for a play against a guy I think is
one of the best defenders in the country....it was an outpouring of my own
surprise/elation, and I hope he isn't pissed that I ran around like a damn
fool afterwards. Definitely not premeditated. Looking back, I regret that.
There were several stalls in this game....I LOVE the silent count. First
off, the 7-second count feels like forever, and I would be is longer on
average than the 10-second count in big Ultimate games. When I observed
college Nats one year I was asked to rule on a contested stall...the irate
marker calmed down real quick when I showed him my stopwatch that said
"5.3". wow.
Anyway, the 2 seconds at the end of the count....you can feel both teams
fan's edging toward the field to see whats...gonna....happen....
It's sweet.
Game 4: Final vs. SE
Two big points stand out in this game.
Early in the game, I was guarding TG...he cut breakside for a high
inside-out backhand. He went up with two hands, I went up with 1, and used
my other hand to rake down his right arm. In an Ultimate game he would
definitely call it, here it was a good physical play, evidently. While he
stood and argued I took off for a 2-point bomb from one of our
handlers....just goes to show, if you want to argue, you might get beat
(although, in this case, TG just ran me down and skied me....damn.).
Around halftime, I got locked in on one of the SE dump handlers, CS. I
found that if I waited until stalling 2-3, when I was sure both backfield
referees were looking at the thrower/marker, I could grab CS's jersey and
drag him down. At 4-5 then, when he should have been getting open, he was
trying to regain his balance...their O ground to a halt and they had to
call a TO.
CS complained to the ref during the TO, and had I tried it again right
then I would have likely been called. But, if I were being crafty, I would
have waited to use that trick again later. More coordinated refs might
call this, or they might not (I remember similar stuff going uncalled on
my HS basketball team). Maybe CS would learn to handfight me away, so I
couldn't do this....either way, the game gets more physical. More like
basketball physicality, for sure.
As it was, I subbed off during the TO....another sweet rule that we used
well, bringing in our two subs on every timeout possible.
At the end of the final game...we went up 15-12 with about a minute of
game time left. We concentrated on the 2-pointer, and they scored the 1 in
about 10 seconds. Then we threw a quick turn and they scored again
quickly....now it was 15-14 with 9 seconds left. Had we worked those 9
seconds off of the clock before the turn, it would have been game
over...someone on RSD said that down by 4 with a minute left would be
impossible, and I think that is wrong. Especially with the 2-point line,
you can come back quick against the clock. Still harder to come back vs.
the clock than versus the score, though.
Of the four teams, I think the SE used the MLU strategies the best,
playing the 2-point line particularly well on fastbreaks.
If anyone actually read all this....banana banana banana. Go Cradle
Robbers. A big ThankYou to Gavin Sing, Andy Lovseth, all the refs, Ian
McClellan, the NUA crew, and Sammy CK for putting this one.
blw
defending the dump
[as posted in response to a discussion of how to best guard the dump, Nov 2003]
>rsd author wrote:
> Is it true that the dump cut (if done well) is basically impossible to
> defend?
Any cut, with sufficiently skilled throwers, is impossible to defend.
> If so, is it because the D's 1st responsibility is to stop the
> up-field cut (yardage to the open side), and so the
> fake-upfield-cut-back behind the mark will then (almost) always be
> open?
No- first of all, the defender's first responsibility depends on the
situation (place on the field, weather, opponent, etc).
think of it more like any other cut- except the fact that the cut is
usually closer than downfield cuts decreases the amount of thrower skill
needed.
> And if so, is the best-case for defending the dump cut to get the mark
> on to preserve the force (after the dump is off) and prevent the
> swing/strike to the break-side?
The best case is a block- you will rarely be playing against a perfect
thrower/reciever pair. the standard for the dump defender should be
keeping the force on (in a trap D) or containing the disc to the middle
(if a force middle D).
chances for blocks=defender wins
broken mark/swing pass successful=offense wins
> If you've D-ed the dump, tell us how!
Don't be predictable. offense should complete 95% or greater of their
dumps. That means if you can get more than 1 out of 20 dumps D'ed, you are
winning the small battle. One way to do this is to vary the way you play
the dump- some faceguarding, some force backwards, some force forewards,
some facing/reading the thrower, some mark switching. you might be able to
confuse an offense 2 out of 20 times just by refusing to allow a
predictable defense.
The exact ratio and timing of the approaches to dump defense will be
determined by the situations and the individual skills of the defenders.
remember: the dump/thrower are SUPPOSED to win this little
game-within-the-game. Be aggressive and break the status quo.
>rsd author wrote:
> Is it true that the dump cut (if done well) is basically impossible to
> defend?
Any cut, with sufficiently skilled throwers, is impossible to defend.
> If so, is it because the D's 1st responsibility is to stop the
> up-field cut (yardage to the open side), and so the
> fake-upfield-cut-back behind the mark will then (almost) always be
> open?
No- first of all, the defender's first responsibility depends on the
situation (place on the field, weather, opponent, etc).
think of it more like any other cut- except the fact that the cut is
usually closer than downfield cuts decreases the amount of thrower skill
needed.
> And if so, is the best-case for defending the dump cut to get the mark
> on to preserve the force (after the dump is off) and prevent the
> swing/strike to the break-side?
The best case is a block- you will rarely be playing against a perfect
thrower/reciever pair. the standard for the dump defender should be
keeping the force on (in a trap D) or containing the disc to the middle
(if a force middle D).
chances for blocks=defender wins
broken mark/swing pass successful=offense wins
> If you've D-ed the dump, tell us how!
Don't be predictable. offense should complete 95% or greater of their
dumps. That means if you can get more than 1 out of 20 dumps D'ed, you are
winning the small battle. One way to do this is to vary the way you play
the dump- some faceguarding, some force backwards, some force forewards,
some facing/reading the thrower, some mark switching. you might be able to
confuse an offense 2 out of 20 times just by refusing to allow a
predictable defense.
The exact ratio and timing of the approaches to dump defense will be
determined by the situations and the individual skills of the defenders.
remember: the dump/thrower are SUPPOSED to win this little
game-within-the-game. Be aggressive and break the status quo.
Pre-tournament eating
[as posted to rsd, January 2005]
As developed over the years, through a combination of trial-and-error,
professional advice, and scientific literature...
For: A typical 2-day, weekend tournament, and assuming your goals are to
play your best ultima all weekend, and peak on Sunday afternoon. If this is your first time reading this plan, try taking on one or two of the tactics...don't go overboard on the whole intricate plan the first time. Do what makes sense to you.
Monday/Tuesday: Protein Loading
Why: Body cycles protein slower than other food constituents. Protein
loading allows storage of long-term energy.
What to Eat: 3/4 meals per day, with at least one meal being primarily
a main protein source (meat, eggs, tofu). Better if two meals focus on
protein. Avoiding fat is nice, but no more necessary than any other day.
Omelette for breakfast, chicken or fish for dinner will do it, as long as
everything else is balanced.
When this will help: Throughout the weekend, but primarily after
burning through daily reserves. Think "second-wind" on Saturday/Sunday afternoon.
Wednesday/Thursday: Vitamin Loading
Why: Body processes require vitamins to function. These cycle more
quickly than protein, but can still be stockpiled during the week.
What to Eat: At least one large, complex salad each day. Focus here is
on eating balanced meals that will allow intake of excess vitamins and
minerals. Drink a smoothie. Balance the other food groups, make sure you
get some protein (especially because you will likely be recovering from a
practice or workout on 3-4 of these days). Steam, don't boil, your
vegetables...and drink the juice. A Vit C pill isn't a bad idea. Garlic is
amazing.
When this will help: Any injury or illness you pick up over the
weekend needs to be fought off quickly, which your body is fully able to do
given the right materials. Saturday night your body will heal as fast as you
allow it to through what you eat on these days.
Thursday Night/Friday: Carbo Loading
Why: The levels of enzymes that use carbohydrates to make energy can be
raised by intaking large carbohydrate meals, and this will also store
energy in the short term in sugar form.
What to Eat: At least one full meal of a carbohydrate like bread,
pasta, or rice. The more "hippie" it is, the better, meaning go for
whole-grain instead of bleached white. Keep balanced meals. Get more
fluids to help digest (and to hydrate). Keep hydrated, but DO NOT drink
gallons and gallons of water solely. This throws your mineral/water
balance out of whack just as much as losing all of your water. Actually,
pounding salt-water mixes helped a former team of mine. Hyperhydration is
a serious threat in hot temperatures: it manifests as the same symptoms as
dehydration (cause the same water/mineral imbalance is happening) or as
heat exhaustion except without the raised body temperature.
When this will help: Your maximum stored energy will be on Saturday,
and this might give you an extra boost in terms of energy usage.
Saturday Morning: Pre-Game Meal
Why: You are about to play 4 games. You must have fuel.
What to Eat: A mix of carbohydrates, simple sugars, and protein.
Fruits/vegetables will help keep mineral levels high, but right now you
are mostly concerned with energy for the day. Pancakes/waffles make for
good carbohydrate energy. Do not neglect protein, though- fats and
proteins make for longer energy throughout the day. No sense in crashing
after game #1. This is why Sausage Mcmuffins and the like are more than
just a humorous choice- they actually give a pretty good spread of carbs,
protein, and fat.
Those with "weak" stomachs will want to eat at least an hour before you
hit the field to allow digestion and give blood that localizes to the
stomach time to spread back out. This requires, of course, that you get up
earlier.
On-Field Meals: Recovery and Fueling
On the field, you need a mix of fluids and food. Quick energy like
"Goo" is great when you have to have it now, but if you can, try to eat
immediately following games, to maximize digestion. Drink sports drinks or
something similar to keep water/mineral levels high. Get some protein:
sausage or Clif Bars are good for fat/protein intake. A head of lettuce
(green) is basically like eating a cup of water with a vitamin pill in it.
Pickles, a tried and true favorite, are great for salt (minerals) and for
vitamins from the vegetable. Drink more.
Do not allow yourself to EVER feel hungry on the field. Hunger will
lead to your body pulling resources back for safety, leading to lowered
energy availability. Eat before you are hungry.
Saturday Night Meal: Recovery Mode
One day down, one to go. You need to heal all the damage you have done
and maximize your chances of waking up Sunday feeling good.
Eat soon after playing. Cagging at the field is fun, but you have a
90-minute "glycogen window" after exercise in which to replace sugars, or
else the body will start to break itself down to feed metabolism. If
dinner is going to take a while, eat something right then, to stave off
the breakdown.
Eat a balanced meal. You need some of everything to maximize your
recovery: minerals, vitamins, protein, carbs. A big plate of Mexican food
gives a great mix of resources. Indian food is good. Drink water and sports drinks.
With any luck, something in here can help you play better and have more fun this weekend.
As developed over the years, through a combination of trial-and-error,
professional advice, and scientific literature...
For: A typical 2-day, weekend tournament, and assuming your goals are to
play your best ultima all weekend, and peak on Sunday afternoon. If this is your first time reading this plan, try taking on one or two of the tactics...don't go overboard on the whole intricate plan the first time. Do what makes sense to you.
Monday/Tuesday: Protein Loading
Why: Body cycles protein slower than other food constituents. Protein
loading allows storage of long-term energy.
What to Eat: 3/4 meals per day, with at least one meal being primarily
a main protein source (meat, eggs, tofu). Better if two meals focus on
protein. Avoiding fat is nice, but no more necessary than any other day.
Omelette for breakfast, chicken or fish for dinner will do it, as long as
everything else is balanced.
When this will help: Throughout the weekend, but primarily after
burning through daily reserves. Think "second-wind" on Saturday/Sunday afternoon.
Wednesday/Thursday: Vitamin Loading
Why: Body processes require vitamins to function. These cycle more
quickly than protein, but can still be stockpiled during the week.
What to Eat: At least one large, complex salad each day. Focus here is
on eating balanced meals that will allow intake of excess vitamins and
minerals. Drink a smoothie. Balance the other food groups, make sure you
get some protein (especially because you will likely be recovering from a
practice or workout on 3-4 of these days). Steam, don't boil, your
vegetables...and drink the juice. A Vit C pill isn't a bad idea. Garlic is
amazing.
When this will help: Any injury or illness you pick up over the
weekend needs to be fought off quickly, which your body is fully able to do
given the right materials. Saturday night your body will heal as fast as you
allow it to through what you eat on these days.
Thursday Night/Friday: Carbo Loading
Why: The levels of enzymes that use carbohydrates to make energy can be
raised by intaking large carbohydrate meals, and this will also store
energy in the short term in sugar form.
What to Eat: At least one full meal of a carbohydrate like bread,
pasta, or rice. The more "hippie" it is, the better, meaning go for
whole-grain instead of bleached white. Keep balanced meals. Get more
fluids to help digest (and to hydrate). Keep hydrated, but DO NOT drink
gallons and gallons of water solely. This throws your mineral/water
balance out of whack just as much as losing all of your water. Actually,
pounding salt-water mixes helped a former team of mine. Hyperhydration is
a serious threat in hot temperatures: it manifests as the same symptoms as
dehydration (cause the same water/mineral imbalance is happening) or as
heat exhaustion except without the raised body temperature.
When this will help: Your maximum stored energy will be on Saturday,
and this might give you an extra boost in terms of energy usage.
Saturday Morning: Pre-Game Meal
Why: You are about to play 4 games. You must have fuel.
What to Eat: A mix of carbohydrates, simple sugars, and protein.
Fruits/vegetables will help keep mineral levels high, but right now you
are mostly concerned with energy for the day. Pancakes/waffles make for
good carbohydrate energy. Do not neglect protein, though- fats and
proteins make for longer energy throughout the day. No sense in crashing
after game #1. This is why Sausage Mcmuffins and the like are more than
just a humorous choice- they actually give a pretty good spread of carbs,
protein, and fat.
Those with "weak" stomachs will want to eat at least an hour before you
hit the field to allow digestion and give blood that localizes to the
stomach time to spread back out. This requires, of course, that you get up
earlier.
On-Field Meals: Recovery and Fueling
On the field, you need a mix of fluids and food. Quick energy like
"Goo" is great when you have to have it now, but if you can, try to eat
immediately following games, to maximize digestion. Drink sports drinks or
something similar to keep water/mineral levels high. Get some protein:
sausage or Clif Bars are good for fat/protein intake. A head of lettuce
(green) is basically like eating a cup of water with a vitamin pill in it.
Pickles, a tried and true favorite, are great for salt (minerals) and for
vitamins from the vegetable. Drink more.
Do not allow yourself to EVER feel hungry on the field. Hunger will
lead to your body pulling resources back for safety, leading to lowered
energy availability. Eat before you are hungry.
Saturday Night Meal: Recovery Mode
One day down, one to go. You need to heal all the damage you have done
and maximize your chances of waking up Sunday feeling good.
Eat soon after playing. Cagging at the field is fun, but you have a
90-minute "glycogen window" after exercise in which to replace sugars, or
else the body will start to break itself down to feed metabolism. If
dinner is going to take a while, eat something right then, to stave off
the breakdown.
Eat a balanced meal. You need some of everything to maximize your
recovery: minerals, vitamins, protein, carbs. A big plate of Mexican food
gives a great mix of resources. Indian food is good. Drink water and sports drinks.
With any luck, something in here can help you play better and have more fun this weekend.
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