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A copy of the very good website http://www.ultimatehandbook.com/. Please go there for updated version,<br />
videos, simulations and more ! The Website is designed and maintained by David Jez (Vancouver, BC)<br />
davidj@ee.ubc.ca, Photographs by Kim Godwin & Stephen Chiang<br />
Beginners<br />
Ultimate in 10 Simple <strong>Rules</strong> 3<br />
Spirit of the Game 4<br />
The Basics of Ultimate 5<br />
The Physics of Flight 9<br />
Learning to Throw Backhand 10<br />
Learning to Throw Forehand 13<br />
After Your First Week 18<br />
Drills 21<br />
The Cheer 22<br />
Buying Cleats 23<br />
Intermediate<br />
The Stack 25<br />
Cutting 28<br />
Catching 31<br />
Marking the Thrower 33<br />
How To Read The Disc 38<br />
Defense<br />
...Player 39<br />
...Zone 44<br />
Offense<br />
...Flow 51<br />
...Player 55<br />
...Zone 58<br />
...Endzone 59<br />
...Berkeley 60<br />
Set Plays<br />
...Standard Play 61<br />
...Coffee Break 62<br />
...The P Play 62<br />
...The Weave 63<br />
...The Looper 64<br />
...Fast Break 65<br />
...The Pull Play 65<br />
Endzone Plays<br />
...The Basics 66<br />
...Mob 66<br />
...Jailbreak 67<br />
...Foreplay 67<br />
...Endzone Soup 67<br />
Drills<br />
...The Basics 69<br />
...3 Player Weave 69<br />
...Square Drill 70<br />
...Box Drill 70<br />
...Breakaway 71<br />
...Seattle Drill 72<br />
...Second Huck 72<br />
...Basic Weave 73<br />
...D Score 74<br />
...Swank Drill 75<br />
...Go-To Drill 79<br />
...Big Box 81<br />
Advanced<br />
Advanced Throws 83<br />
Trick Throws 84<br />
Pulling the Disc 86<br />
Throwing Speed 90<br />
How to Avoid Choking 92<br />
Lazy Person's Defense 93<br />
The Statistics of Dumping 95<br />
Playing Deep on Offense and Defense 96<br />
The Inner Game of Ultimate 98<br />
Defense<br />
...Player 99<br />
...The Clam 100<br />
...Changing Your Defensive Set 105<br />
Offense<br />
...Offensive Thoughts 107<br />
...Re-Thinking The Stack 111<br />
...Throw in Presence of a Mark 113<br />
1
This word document was assembled by Bernhard Frötschl (Berlin) with<br />
help from Roman Gerlach, Lars Wolter and Max Mönch in May 2001.<br />
Print it double sided, 2 pages on 1, so you get 63 handy pages!<br />
Drills<br />
...Triple Box 117<br />
...Uphill Scrimmage 119<br />
...Fast Break 121<br />
History<br />
Where the Frisbee First Flew 123<br />
The History of Ultimate 125<br />
<strong>Official</strong> <strong>Rules</strong><br />
UPA 132<br />
WFDF 149<br />
Callahan 165<br />
Captains<br />
How to Start a Team 175<br />
Playing In Tournaments 176<br />
Tournament Organization 177<br />
Basic Stretches 195<br />
Active Isolated Stretching 196<br />
Twist & Stretch 197<br />
Mobility Program 199<br />
ACL Prevention 204<br />
Yoga & Athleticism 207<br />
Nutrition<br />
Top 10 Foods 208<br />
Fluid Intake 209<br />
The Role of Meat 212<br />
Vegetable Matter 217<br />
Nutritional Program 219<br />
For Women Only 222<br />
Brain Drain 225<br />
Game Day 227<br />
Training<br />
Strength Training 229<br />
Improving Your Vertical Leap 232<br />
Hot Stuff<br />
The Ten Commandments Of the Disc 185<br />
Top Ten Rule Changes ... 186<br />
Top Ten Reasons Why ... 186<br />
Snap Krackle Pop - No Frisbee 186<br />
Disc Drive 187<br />
More Than a Simple Fling: Ultimate Frisbee 188<br />
Ultimate Frisbee Tests Character, Fitness 190<br />
Ultimate Frisbee Gets Down and Down 191<br />
Injuries<br />
Ankle Advice 239<br />
Injury Prevention 242<br />
R.I.C.E. 244<br />
Shin Splints 245<br />
Down But Not Out 246<br />
Links 250<br />
Stretching<br />
Glossary 251<br />
Warming Up 194<br />
2
Beginners<br />
Ultimate in 10 Simple <strong>Rules</strong><br />
1. The Field — A rectangular shape with endzones at each end. A regulation field is 70 yards by 40 yards, with<br />
endzones 25 yards deep.<br />
2. Initiate Play — Each point begins with both teams lining up on the front of their respective endzone line. The<br />
defense throws („pulls“) the disc to the offense. A regulation game has seven players per team.<br />
3. Scoring — Each time the offense completes a pass in the defense‘s endzone, the offense scores a point.<br />
Play is initiated after each score.<br />
4. Movement of the Disc — The disc may be advanced in any direction by completing a pass to a teammate.<br />
Players may not run with the disc. The person with the disc („thrower“) has ten seconds to throw the disc.<br />
The defender guarding the thrower („marker“) counts out the stall count.<br />
5. Change of possession — When a pass in not completed (e.g. out of bounds, drop, block, interception), the<br />
defense immediately takes possession of the disc and becomes the offense.<br />
6. Substitutions — Players not in the game may replace players in the game after a score and during an injury<br />
timeout.<br />
7. Non-contact — No physical contact is allowed between players. Picks and screens are also prohibited. A<br />
foul occurs when contact is made.<br />
8. Fouls — When a player initiates contact on another player a foul occurs. When a foul disrupts possession,<br />
the play resumes as if the possession was retained. If the player committing the foul disagrees with the foul<br />
call, the play is redone.<br />
9. Self-Refereeing — Players are responsible for their own foul and line calls. Players resolve their own<br />
disputes.<br />
10. Spirit of the Game — Ultimate stresses sportsmanship and fair play. Competitive play is encouraged, but<br />
never at the expense of respect between players, adherence to the rules, and the basic joy of play.<br />
References<br />
http://www.cs.rochester.edu/u/ferguson/ultimate/ultimate-simple.html<br />
3
Spirit of the Game<br />
„Spirit of the Game“, perhaps the central governing principle of ultimate. Ultimate players, by their own<br />
reckoning, are among the more courtly athletes. Respect for one‘s opponent is paramount. In contrast to<br />
crybaby sports like soccer and basketball wherein skilled thespians refine the art of fouling and being fouled, the<br />
official ultimate rules strictly forbid any action—taunting, intentional fouls—that might be construed as bad<br />
sportsmanship. „Often,“ says the introduction to the rules, „a player is in a position where it is clearly to the<br />
player‘s advantage to foul“ or rattle his opponent with taunts, but such tactics are considered „a gross offense<br />
against the spirit of sportsmanship.“ Dennis Rodman, stay right where you are.<br />
The most compelling aspect of ultimate is the absence of penalties. In the preface to the rules, the founding<br />
fathers of the sport, such trusting souls, „assumed that no ultimate player will intentionally violate the rules; thus<br />
there are no harsh penalties for inadvertent infractions.“ (In fact, there really aren‘t any penalties at all.) This<br />
statement is, in its off-hand way, revolutionary. Imagine a country with no way to enforce its laws other than<br />
simply by presuming its citizens would never intentionally violate the law in the first place. Foolish? Naïve? In<br />
ultimate-land, it works.<br />
Should some vicious churl choose to flout the Spirit of the Game, the founding fathers conceived of a simple<br />
safeguard. In place of referees, the players call their own fouls. For instance, if Jane hacks Mary while Mary is<br />
winding up to deliver the huck to end all hucks, Mary simply yells „foul,“ and it‘s a foul. Jane is presumed to have<br />
hacked unintentionally, and play resumes with Mary‘s possession. Since players cannot „foul out,“ a cynic might<br />
think it a toothless sort of foul call, but the Spirit so dominates the sport as to make further disciplinary measures<br />
unnecessary.<br />
In Ultimate, every player is responsible for their own conduct on the field. There‘s no refs to make sure that<br />
everyone acts like grown-ups, so it‘s the responsibility of players to call fouls on themselves if the person they<br />
have fouled does not call the infraction. That‘s right. You can call a foul on yourself. Ultimate relies on the<br />
honour system and the belief that no one will intentionally cheat, much like marriages, the income tax system,<br />
and all-you-can-eat sushi bars. [1]<br />
Ultimate‘s rules, like any sport‘s, can take a while to learn. However, they can, for the most part, be summed up<br />
by the concept of „Spirit.“ Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of mutual respect<br />
between players, adherence to the agreed-upon rules of the game or the basic joy of play. The purpose of the<br />
rules of Ultimate is to provide a guideline which describes the way the game is played. It is assumed that no<br />
Ultimate player will intentionally violate the rules; there are no harsh penalties for inadvertent infractions but,<br />
rather, a method for resuming play in a manner which simulated what would most likely have occurred had there<br />
been no infraction. It couldn‘t be much simpler. Spirit allows the game to be played without refs, without<br />
untoward aggression, and without long stoppages in play. It really can‘t be stressed too much. Spirit is what<br />
makes Ultimate so much fun. If you can‘t relate to the concept of Spirit you might be better off trying a different<br />
activity; such as sitting in a darkened room cleaning your firearms and obsessing over conspiracy theories. [2]<br />
References<br />
[1] Mark Schulte, http://www.virginiadynamics.com/ultimate.htm<br />
[2] Vancouver Ultimate League, http://www.vul.bc.ca/<br />
4
The Basics of Ultimate<br />
Who catches a disc better than anyone? Dogs. And they don‘t even have thumbs. It goes to show, a long<br />
history of taking part in team sports and being a jock isn‘t necessary to be an Ultimate player. As even the<br />
briefest exposure to the game demonstrates, running, throwing, and catching are the key physical skills that<br />
make a good Ultimate player. An understanding of strategy and positioning are the most important mental<br />
aspects of the game.<br />
Both sides of the game can be learned easily with practice. The best way to gain those skills is through<br />
exposure to the game. Taking the opportunity to join pick-up games often means getting to play with some<br />
experienced players. Some cities will even offer skills clinics which is an invaluable way to receive top-notch<br />
coaching.<br />
Running<br />
A disc is like a pair of scissors. You‘re not supposed to run with either. There‘s still a lot of running in Ultimate<br />
however. So, don‘t blame anyone if you start feeling fitter and your clothes are getting baggy.<br />
Offensive players are constantly on the look out for open areas to provide the thrower, known as the „handler“,<br />
with targets. This means sudden changes in direction, speed and angle - „cuts“ - to break away from their check<br />
(i.e. the defensive player covering them). Defensive players are reacting to those cuts and anticipating the next<br />
move. When on offense try and think ahead and plan your cuts. If you find one that works against a particular<br />
check, don‘t be afraid to exploit it a few times until they catch on. When on defense try to anticipate where your<br />
check might go so you can prevent, intercept, or block the throw.<br />
Unlike other sports, particularly basketball, you cannot use any other player on the field to impede the progress<br />
of your check. This is called a „pick“. This rule is designed to prevent injuries. Even an unintentional pick can<br />
result in high-speed collisions between players. It‘s of the utmost importance to make sure that everyone on<br />
your team knows how to spot and avoid picks.<br />
One of the reasons there‘s a lot of running in Ultimate is that „turnovers“ occur. This means that during the<br />
course of uninterupted play you may switch from being on offense to defense a number of times. When a<br />
turnover occurs, yell „Turnover“ or „TO“ nice and loud so that the rest of your team can change from offense to<br />
defense quickly. If you are on offense when the turnover occurs and you are unsure where to go - just stick with<br />
whoever is checking you. Also make sure that there are at least as many players from your team as your<br />
opponents‘ between you and your end zone. If not, fall back and check the unguarded player closest to the<br />
endzone. A simple way to remember this is with the following phrase: „always take the runner“ (unguarded<br />
player).<br />
Throwing<br />
There are more ways to throw a disc than you ever imagined. A general rule of thumb is: the sillier the name of<br />
the throw - the stranger the technique required. Most of the time, however, you will rely on three kinds: the<br />
forehand of „flick“, the backhand, and hammer. The backhand is the throw everybody used since day one to<br />
chuck a disc around on the beach. The hammer is an upside-down forehand. The forehand is the most<br />
improbably combination of physics and goofy body language ever invented. After about a million throws you‘ll<br />
start to feel like you don‘t look somewhat silly when you throw a forehand. Don‘t get your hopes up.<br />
5
However, long before then you‘ll have developed a forehand throw that actually works. Remember that spin is<br />
the most important factor in a disc‘s flight and try a lot of different, subtle variations. Everybody‘s got their<br />
favourite tip or technique which they will be more than happy to share. Ask around and find out what works for<br />
you.<br />
Catching<br />
For most catches below your shoulder and above your knees the „pancake“ catch is your best bet. Simply trap<br />
the disc between your palms when it approaches. For more extreme situations two or one-handed rim catches<br />
are required. Try to practice one-handed and wrong-handed catches when warming up or doing drills so that<br />
you are always improving your hand/eye coordination.<br />
Remember to watch the disc all the way into your hands and make sure you have caught it before turning and<br />
looking for the next receiver. Another important pointer is to never give up on a disc. Catches that seem<br />
improbably are often quite catchable if they start to hand in the air due to wind or flight angle.<br />
However, do not crash into other players in an attempt to perform a leaping catch. A rule called the „principle of<br />
verticality“ stipulated that each player is entitled to the space above his body. Nor can you hipcheck another<br />
player or hold them down to prevent them from jumping up to catch the disc. Anything beyond the most<br />
incedental contact between players is a foul in Ultimate (unless there‘s tickling involved).<br />
What Happens During a Game<br />
Captains from each team flip a disc simultaneously. A captain or third player calls „Same“ or „Different“ before<br />
the discs hit the ground. If the player‘s call is correct then his/her team has the choice to throw or receive the<br />
first „pull“, or to choose which end zone they would like to defend for the first point. Generally speaking,<br />
choosing to receive the pull is the most logical choice. The team which loses the flip takes the remaining option.<br />
Each team lines up seven players on their respective goal line. The pulling team must stay on or behind their<br />
goal line until the pull occurs. The receiving team must stand on the goal line and maintain their positions<br />
relative to each other until the pull is thrown - to make it easier for each member of the pulling team to figure out<br />
who they will check. If you hear the call „Hold your line“ it means that a receiving team is shifting positions on<br />
the line prior to the pull.<br />
6
When the pulling team is ready to begin play, the puller holds the disc above his/her head. When a member of<br />
the receiving team holds their hand above their head to signal readiness, the pull can be thrown.<br />
So, everyboday is in position, smiling, and ready to go. The pull is thrown, the disc sails gracefully towards the<br />
other end zone - a shining miracle of aerodynamics - and the pulling team runs down the field to pick up their<br />
checks and another game of Ultimate is underway. Now the fun really begins.<br />
On the pull, the receiving team does not have to catch the disc to take possession. It can simply be allowed to<br />
land. However, whoever touches the disc first ( either by catching it or picking it up from the ground) must be the<br />
first handler. Usually a receiving team will designate a player to be the handler before the pull, to minimize<br />
confusion. If the disc hits the ground and begins rolling, any player on the receiving team can stop its progress<br />
without having to become the handler.<br />
Because you can‘t run with the disc once caught, players must establish a pivot foot when they are in<br />
possession of the disc. Usually, if you are right-handed it will be your left foot, and vice versa for lefties. You<br />
can‘t drag or lift your foot until you have thrown the disc. If you do so, it‘s a „travelling“ violating.<br />
Unless you are very confident that you‘re going to catch it, let the disc hit the ground. This is very, very<br />
important! If you try and catch the disc, and fail, bobbling the disc and dropping it, then a turnover occurs<br />
(usually just a few meters from your end zone). Which wouldn‘t be so bad if not for the fact that every person<br />
who saw the event will probably mock you mercilessly, your team will be a tad disappointed, and you‘ll have to<br />
think up a lame excuse on short notice. You have been warned!<br />
In the event that the disc flies out of bounds and is caught before touching the ground, the receiving team must<br />
begin on the sideline at the point where the disc went out of bounds.<br />
If the disc flies out of bounds and last the most common choice is invoke the „Middle“ rule. This means that<br />
before the disc hits the ground someone from the receiving team raises his arm and calls „Middle“. This allows<br />
the receiving team to begin play in the middle of the field at the point where the disc crossed the sideline.<br />
If the disc lands in the end zone, then the receiving team can begin play immediately from within the endzone,<br />
or walk the disc to the goal line, touch it to the ground, and begin play from that point. You cannot decide to<br />
begin play from the goal line, and then change your mind and throw the disc prior to reaching the goal line.<br />
If the disc remains airborne and flies out the back of the endzone, it is considered a „Brick“ and play is initiated<br />
in the middle of the field, three meters forward of the goal line.<br />
After the initial pull the receiving team becomes the offense. The offense will usually try to form „stack“. When<br />
you first begin playing, a stack will seem far too pre-meditated and the best option will seem like running willynilly<br />
around the field. The sooner your team can shake themselves of this misapprehension the better. Scrambly<br />
play may seem to work at the beginner level, but it will quickly prove ineffective against more experienced<br />
teams.<br />
When forming a stack the offensive players should get to the stack as quickly as possible, form a straight line<br />
between the thrower and the opponents‘ end zone, and take their rest in the stack rather than jogging to the<br />
stack. This reduces „clogging“. Clogging is a situation where potential receivers are stationary and occupying<br />
the „flat“ (an open area where the thrower could complete a pass to them).<br />
Generally, one side of the field will be open to receivers because the person checking the thrower, the „marker“<br />
is „forcing“ (favouring one side of the thrower to force them to throw to one area of the field) as he/she calls out<br />
the „stall count“. As a rule, try to decide which side your team will force to (usually designated as „home“ or<br />
7
„away“) for the duration of the point so that your players can anticipate where to mark if their player catches the<br />
disc, and what area to guard when their check is cutting for a pass.<br />
The marker counts (at one second intervals) „Stall one, Stall two, ... up to „Stall Ten“. If the marker reached Stall<br />
Ten (as soon as he/she begins to speak the word) before the thrower initiates the pass then a turnover occurs.<br />
A fast count is not only against the rules, it‘s very tacky. And who wants to be tacky? In the event of a fast count<br />
by the thrower, two seconds are deducted from the count and play is continued without interruption. A second<br />
fast count call results in a foul. The disc is checked and the count is reset to zero.<br />
The key points for marking are: the marker must be closer than three meters (before initiating the stall count) but<br />
no less than one disc width from the thrower, they cannot straddle the thrower‘s pivot foot, and they cannot<br />
prevent the thrower from pivoting. Only one person can mark the handler at any one time.<br />
In a perfect world, the handler completes his pass, runs to take his position in the stack, and the process<br />
repeats as many times as necessary to get to the end zone and score. Usually, however, there will be a<br />
turnover before a point is scored and it‘s time to switch from offense to defense, or vice versa. Once a point is<br />
scored, the teams swap ends and the scoring team pulls to restart play.<br />
How to Score<br />
To gain points in an Ultimate game you have to have a member of your team catch the disc in the „end zone“. If<br />
you‘re close to the end zone and you catch the disc... Stop! If your team-mates are yelling at you to „Check<br />
Feet!“ you‘re probably in the end-zone. The reason for their insistence if that if you pass the disc inside the end<br />
zone, and the receiver fails to catch the disc, no points are scored and a turnover occurs.<br />
If you decide that you are outisde the end zone, continue play. If your are in the end zone, stop play and<br />
prepare to smile graciously as everyone compliments you on your skill, luck, timing, good looks, or combination<br />
thereof. If you catch the disc, and your momentum carries you into the end zone, go back to the place where<br />
you caught the disc and resume play. You cannot intentially tip or deflect the disc forward into the end zone (or<br />
any part of the field for that matter) and then catch it, although unintentional bobbling to control and catchthe<br />
disc is allowed.<br />
When a point is scored, it is the only time during the regular play that substitutions can occur, unless the<br />
substitution is to replace an injured player. You can’t change the line on the fly as in hockey or when a time-out<br />
is called.<br />
So that‘s Ultimate in a nutshell. It‘s about fun, friends, and chasing a piece of flying molded plastic around the<br />
sky until your tongue is dragging on the field—just so that you can make up a song about the whole experience.<br />
References<br />
The Vancouver Ultimate League, http://www.vul.bc.ca<br />
8
The Physics of Flight<br />
Forward flight splits rushing air at the disk‘s leading edge: half goes over the Frisbee; half goes under. Because<br />
the edge is tipped up, the disk deflects the lower airstream downward. As the Frisbee pushes down on the air,<br />
the air pushes upward on the Frisbee—a force known as aerodynamic lift. The upper airstream is also deflected<br />
downward. Like all viscous fluids, flowing air tends to follow curving surfaces—even when those surfaces bend<br />
away from the airstream. The inward bend of the upper airstream is accompanied by a substantial drop in air<br />
pressure just above the Frisbee, sucking it upward (Bernoulli effect). These two forces taken together tend to<br />
LIFT the Frisbee against gravity.<br />
Limits to the airstream‘s ability to follow a surface explain why a Frisbee flies so poorly upside down. When the<br />
upper airstream tries to follow the sharp curve of an inverted Frisbee‘s hand grip, its inertia breaks it away from<br />
the surface. A swirling air pocket forms behind the Frisbee and destroys the suction, raising the air resistance.<br />
Once this air resistance has sapped the inverted disk‘s forward momentum, it drops like a rock. Players can<br />
take advantage of this effect in a hard-to-catch throw called the hammer.<br />
Rotation is crucial. Without it, even an upright Frisbee would flutter and tumble like a falling leaf, because the<br />
aerodynamic forces aren‘t perfectly centered. Indeed, the lift is often slightly stronger on the forward half of the<br />
Frisbee, and so that half usually rises, causing the Frisbee to flip over. A spinning Frisbee, though, can maintain<br />
its orientation for a long time because it has angular momentum, which dramatically changes the way it<br />
responds to aerodynamic twists, or torques. The careful design of the Frisbee places its lift almost perfectly at<br />
its center. The disk is thicker at its edges, maximizing its angular momentum when it spins. And the tiny ridges<br />
on the Frisbee‘s top surface introduce microscopic turbulence into the layer of air just above the label. Oddly<br />
enough, this turbulence helps to keep the upper airstream attached to the Frisbee, thereby allowing it to travel<br />
farther.<br />
References<br />
Louis A. Bloomfield Professor of Physics, University of Virginia Author of How Things Work: The Physics of<br />
Everyday Life, http://www.scientificamerican.com/1999/0499issue/0499working.html<br />
9
Learning to Throw Backhand<br />
There are two main factors to consider when throwing a disc; forward momentum and centrifugal force (spin). In<br />
other words, a well-thrown disc will have both sufficient wrist „snap“ AND force behind it. Wrist snap is often<br />
overlooked by novices, but is essential to throwing the disc successfully.<br />
Two additional important considerations are the angle to the ground at which the disc is released, and the point<br />
in the throw at which the disc is released. If this all sounds confusing, don‘t worry too much. With disc in hand,<br />
your physical instincts will kick in and grasp the mechanics fairly quickly.<br />
Just as in tennis, there are two main throws: the forehand (aka flick) and the backhand. If you‘ve thrown around<br />
with your friends, you have probably been throwing backhands. Here is some useful advice on this throw.<br />
The Backhand<br />
...The Basic Grip<br />
Shown are a couple of different versions of this grip. It is characterised by the index finger of the throwing hand<br />
being placed along the outside rim of the disc.<br />
The first version has the middle finger of the throwing hand extended towards the center of the disc. This<br />
version gives a high degree of control and stability, since the index finger along the rim helps with direction and<br />
the middle finger supporting the disc supplies stability.<br />
On the down side, there are only two fingers gripping the rim, and this leads to much less power than most of<br />
the other grips. Most of the power in a grip comes from the ripping of the disc off the end of the index finger.<br />
The second version is one rarely seen. It has the index finger on the rim but not the middle finger support. It<br />
gives a little more power as more fingers are gripping the rim, but the power gain is fairly insignificant compared<br />
to the loss of control. Bigger power gains are obtained by having the index finger gripping the rim.<br />
...The Power Grip<br />
This is the most popular grip among experienced throwers, and is the one used by almost all disc golfers. All<br />
fingers are gripping the rim tightly, and there are no fingers supporting the disc.<br />
This means there is a considerable loss of control, since the release point is much harder to judge. A fair degree<br />
of control can be regained through practice, and the loss is offset in some ways by the large power gain<br />
10
produced by the disc ripping off the end of the index finger. This grip does however make it harder to throw the<br />
high backhand as there is no support for the sharp upward push on the disc just prior to release.<br />
A certain amount of control also depends on the position of the thumb, and how tight the grip is on the disc. In<br />
general, the tighter the grip, the more spin which is able to be imparted to the disc, and hence better control in<br />
the wind. The thumb can also be placed anywhere from along the rim of the disc to pointing towards the center<br />
of the disc.<br />
The best control, particularly with respect to air bounces, is to have the thumb pointing towards the center of the<br />
disc, and this also aids a tight grip. A tight grip also keeps the disc steady and makes high backhands easier to<br />
throw. On the down side, it seems a little harder to get as much distance with the thumb pointing toward the<br />
middle. This is because of the tendency to drag the thumb across the back edge of the disc on release.<br />
...The Hybrid Grip<br />
As its name suggests, this grip is a combination of the two grips shown above. It provides power with the index<br />
finger gripping the rim. It also gives support in an unusual way. The middle finger of the throwing hand is slightly<br />
extended so that the disc is supported by it.<br />
This grip makes it possible to throw all throws easily, including high backhands, without the need to change<br />
grips. The drawback is a slight loss of power in the throw, in the order of 5m over a 60m throw relative to a<br />
power grip. The comments with regard to thumb position apply equally to the hybrid grip as well as the power<br />
grip. [1]<br />
...The Backhand Throw<br />
Our natural tendency is to directly face the person we‘re throwing the disc to. Unfortunately, this often results in<br />
throws that veer wildly off target. So, position yourself accordingly:<br />
- If you‘re right handed, stand with your right shoulder toward your target; left handers should stand with their<br />
left shoulder facing the target.<br />
- Spread your feet about hip width apart, so that you have a more stable platform to throw from. Flex your<br />
knees slightly, so that your body is not rigid.<br />
- Bring your arm backwards, so that the disc is next to your rear leg and you feel your weight shift slightly<br />
back. Your forearm should not be parallel to the ground, but dropped a bit, so that the disc is at about a 45<br />
degree angle.<br />
Remember, the force in this throw comes not only through arm strength, but from your weight (and body mass)<br />
shifting forward as well.<br />
11
- Bring your arm forward with some force. Not a desperate heave, but a smooth, disciplined action. The disc<br />
should remain at an angle to the ground, although that angle may be decreased in a natural, swinging<br />
motion.<br />
- As you bring your arm forward, shift your weight forward and take a slight step ahead with your front foot.<br />
This will add force to the throw, so that your arm doesn‘t have to do all the work.<br />
Here‘s where it all comes together - with the final two components, release point and wrist snap.<br />
- Be aware of where the disc is while your arm is in motion. The point in the motion at which you release the<br />
disc will determine where the disc goes: left, right or straight ahead.<br />
- As you release the disc, snap your wrist forward, so that the disc „jumps“ off the side of your first finger. This<br />
will impart spin to the disc, and stabilize it in flight. The harder you snap the wrist, the more spin the disc<br />
gains and the better the throw will be.<br />
- Be careful to keep your wrist in line with your arm as you snap it. If you allow your thumb to lift upwards,<br />
you‘ll lose control of the disc and it won‘t go anywhere near ist target.<br />
- Continue your arm motion after the disc jumps off your finger. Known as „following through“, this will help<br />
direct the disc towards its target. [2]<br />
...The Backhand Throw - Advanced<br />
In Ultimate, you have to establish a pivot foot and since it is natural for righties to step forward with their left foot<br />
before throwing a baseball, they assume that they should pivot on their right foot. Okay, step back for a moment<br />
and think about how WRONG this is... Try to stand with your right foot stationary and reach as far to your right<br />
as possible, as if you‘re trying to hit a forehand in tennis. Now reach as far to your left as possible (with your<br />
right hand) as if you were trying to hit a backhand.<br />
Not much extension, eh? Alright, now try it with your left as the pivot foot, you can step all the way to one side<br />
with your right foot to hit the forehand, and then step all the way across your body to hit the backhand. MUCH<br />
more extension. In ultimate this is key, because there‘s a big hairy monster standing in front of you trying its<br />
darndest to keep you from throwing around it. The extra extension from pivoting on your left allows you to get<br />
around the monster. Remember, righties pivot on their left foot, lefties on their right.<br />
In the case of the backhand throw, first you step out so that your right foot is in front and to the left of your left<br />
foot (i.e. the line made by your feet is at a 45 degree angle to the direction you want the disc to go). Now put<br />
ALL your weight on your right foot... I‘m serious here, the only reason your left foot is still on the ground is<br />
because it‘s your pivot foot... it‘s good if only the big toe on your left foot is touching the ground. Practice<br />
throwing the backhand in this stance; Always maintain balance!!! [3]<br />
References<br />
[1] Hong Kong Ultimate Players Association, http://www.nunan.com/ultimate/docs/throws.html<br />
[2] Learn2.com, http://www.learn2.com/04/0469/0469.asp<br />
[3] GT Ultimate, http://cyberbuzz.gatech.edu/ultimate/mens/flick.html<br />
12
Learning to Throw Forehand<br />
There are two main factors to consider when throwing a disc; forward momentum and centrifugal force (spin). In<br />
other words, a well-thrown disc will have both sufficient wrist „snap“ AND force behind it. Wrist snap is often<br />
overlooked by novices, but is essential to throwing the disc successfully.<br />
Two additional important considerations are the angle to the ground at which the disc is released, and the point<br />
in the throw at which the disc is released. If this all sounds confusing, don‘t worry too much. With disc in hand,<br />
your physical instincts will kick in and grasp the mechanics fairly quickly.<br />
The Forehand (a.k.a. Flick)<br />
...The Basic Grip<br />
This grip is in principle very similar to the corresponding backhand grip. The middle finger of the throwing hand<br />
is inside the rim and the index finger is extended towards the center of the disc for support.<br />
The advantage of this method is control. The disadvantage is a corresponding loss of power, because the<br />
spreading of the fingers makes it impossible to cock the wrist back as far just before release.<br />
...The Power Grip<br />
There are a couple of different versions of this grip. The first has the index finger next to the middle finger and<br />
hard up against the rim.<br />
This grip increases power since the wrist can now be cocked back further and more snap imparted no the disc.<br />
As expected, there is a loss of control as there is no finger to support the disc. The disc has a tendency to<br />
wobble up and down, and this can reduce distance if the disc and the wrist are not at the same angle at release.<br />
The second is a slight improvement (not pictured), where the index and middle fingers are slightly curled, and<br />
the disc can balance on these two fingers prior to the throw. This grip is more like the hybrid grip below in the<br />
way it provides support. It also makes it easier to throw the high forehand.<br />
Like the backhand, the thumb should be used to grip the disc tightly. This will give better spin and more control<br />
in the wind, since the disc has less tendency to wobble during the wind-up and throw.<br />
13
...The Hybrid Grip<br />
This grip is analogous to the hybrid backhand grip, although it does seem to be more popular and widely used.<br />
Instead of the index finger and middle fingers being parallel, the index finger is slightly bent.<br />
This is exaggerated a little in the diagram. The pad of the index finger is pressed firmly on the rim, as is the pad<br />
of the middle finger. The bend in the index finger can then be used to support the disc, while the wrist can still<br />
be cocked well back for a power throw. The disc can be held out flat and ready to throw, which makes it a good<br />
grip for throwing the high forehand.<br />
...Other Grips<br />
The following grip is an interesting way of helping improve forehand throws in weaker players. Instead of the<br />
pads of the fingers being against the rim, the side of the middle finger is against the rim.<br />
This grip promotes a palm-up follow through, and helps stop people from turning their forehands over on<br />
release. The down side of this grip is that the snap puts lateral pressure on the finger joints, and persistent hard<br />
throws using this grip can damage the joints. It is therefore only recommended as a teaching aid, and not for<br />
use by experienced players. [1]<br />
...The Forehand Throw - Beginner<br />
Your stance here will be quite different from the backhanded throw.<br />
- If you‘re right handed, stand with your left shoulder forward, your torso turned slightly towards your target.<br />
Left handers stand with their right shoulder forward, torso turned slightly towards the target.<br />
- Keep your feet shoulder width apart and your arm behind your rear leg. Flex your knees again, so that your<br />
body‘s not rigid.<br />
- Bring your arm backwards, so that the disc is next to your rear leg and you feel your weight shift slightly<br />
back. Your forearm should not be parallel to the ground, but dropped a bit, so that the disc is at about a 45<br />
degree angle.<br />
In this throw, most of your force will actually come from the wrist snap and weight transfer, as your arm will<br />
move only a short distance.<br />
- Bring your arm forward with considerable force. Your elbow will be the pivot point, and your hand will<br />
actually stop with a jerk before it reaches your front leg.<br />
14
The importance of the release point and wrist snap are magnified with this throw.<br />
- As your arm only travels a short distance, the possible release points are much closer together. Even a<br />
slight variance will greatly affect the flight direction.<br />
- A good starting point is to release the disc just after your wrist crosses your rear leg. The disc angle must be<br />
fairly steep when released.<br />
Snap your wrist quite firmly as you release. This throw will not be successful unless the disc has good spin.<br />
After the disc leaves your hand, your first two fingers should remain firmly extended. Following through is not<br />
necessary or desirable in this instance.<br />
...Common Problems with the Forehand Throw<br />
The single most common fault is that the disc will turn over hitting the ground. This fault is caused by one or<br />
more of the following:<br />
- The angle of release is wrong<br />
- The disc wobbles too much<br />
- Turning the wrist over during the release<br />
- Not enough spin, especially with unstable discs or into the wind<br />
- Using a circular swing rather than „straight“ at the target<br />
- Not enough distance<br />
..Solutions<br />
The angle of release is wrong<br />
Usually the edge furthest away from the thrower is too high. If a beginner thinks he‘s releasing it level it<br />
generally has the outer tip up.<br />
- Lifting a leg and throwing under it. As well as forcing the release to be lower this also tends to keep far edge<br />
lower. It can also help get more flick into the throw. This not only works 75% of the time but also gets<br />
beginners psyched as hell; not only did they learn a new throw, but, in their mind, they learned a „trick“<br />
throw as well.<br />
- Stand closer and downwind so that you don‘t have to throw it harder.<br />
The disc wobbles too much<br />
- Keeping the disc flat during the swing. Avoid wind-ups where the disc is not in the horizontal plane.<br />
- Pull the disc rather than push it onto its flight path. Pulling the disc keeps the flight plate of the disc trailing<br />
behind the axis of the motion.<br />
Turning the wrist over during the release<br />
- Practice a palm facing up follow through. (Not a recommended technique for advanced throwers because it<br />
puts too much sideways force on the finger joints )<br />
The disc does not spin enough<br />
15
- Using a motion similar to flicking a towel<br />
- Start with the disc cocked (or „wound up“) as back as it can go. Check your grip.<br />
- Using more wrist rather than arm<br />
- Focus on the „catapult“ feeling that one gets in the middle finger<br />
- Pulling the disc forward with the fingers on the inside rim<br />
- Using a circular swing rather than „straight“ at the target<br />
- Lead the throw with the elbow<br />
- Follow through by pointing throwing hand at the target<br />
Not enough distance<br />
- Don‘t worry about it if you’re a beginner. Just more practice is required to get those finger muscles<br />
strengthened and the flick automatic. Most beginners try to throw the disc rather than flick it. Thus, if they<br />
concentrate on proper release angle (arm and disk) and imparting spin on the disc, a flick of the wrist, they<br />
tend to get the basics down quickly. Once the basics are there, the distance will<br />
Not enough accuracy<br />
- Check that the grip is not finger tips only and the swing is not circular, but in line to the target.<br />
- Can‘t remember all of the tips at once.<br />
- Return to basics. Remind yourself what it was like to learn, try throwing opposite handed for a while. [2]<br />
The Forehand Throw - Advanced<br />
Remember the pivot foot! First you step out so that your right foot is in front and to the right of your left foot (i.e.<br />
the line made by your feet is at a 45 degree angle to the direction you want the disc to go). Now put ALL your<br />
weight on your right foot... The only reason your left foot is still on the ground is because it‘s your pivot foot... it‘s<br />
good if only the big toe on your left foot is touching the ground.<br />
One mistake that people make is keeping their elbow pinned into their waist and flinging the disc forward. This is<br />
BAD. You want to start with your elbow near shoulder height and the disc into your body.<br />
Differences:<br />
- Notice at the top the elbow is pinched in, while at the bottom the elbow is out away from the body. At the<br />
top, she is leaning back, while at the bottom her weight is far forward and to the side.<br />
- At the bottom, her follow-through is far below the release point. This causes the back of the disc to drop<br />
down slightly, which allows you to throw with more touch. Note that you can actually see a tiny bit of the<br />
underside of the disc... This affects the flight by slowing it down as it travels and causes it to hang. This is<br />
good because you can throw the disc to a part of the field and have it almost stop completely. It will then just<br />
hang there for a second or two for someone to run on to.<br />
- One thing she‘s doing wrong in both pictures is that her arm never fully extends. When you snap down with<br />
your elbow, it whips your hand around, so that with very little effort you can generate a tremendous amount<br />
of speed (like snapping a towel). But you can only take advantage of this by fully extending your arm at the<br />
16
exact moment you flick the disc off your middle finger. Note also that follow-through should be palm-up and<br />
down and across your body.<br />
So when you‘re trying to practice this, these are the main points to remember:<br />
- Righties pivot on their left foot.<br />
- Don‘t step too far out, as you need to get your entire weight over your one leg.<br />
- Lean far forward and to the side.<br />
- Start with your elbow about shoulder height and disc into the body.<br />
- The snap starts with your elbow shooting down, whipping your hand around.<br />
- Your arm should be FULLY extended at the exact moment of release.<br />
- Follow through DOWN, with your palm facing up.<br />
- You should hold the disc so that your wrist is never bent... i.e., so that the back of your hand is in the same<br />
plane as the back of your forearm.[2]<br />
References<br />
[1] Frisbee Australia, http://www.afda.com/skills/grips.htm<br />
[2] Compiled by Maurice Cinquini with input from bo186@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Retsu Takahashi),<br />
markh@sag4.ssl.berkeley.edu (Mark Hurwitz), lind@ils.nwu.edu (Jeff Lind), jims@bnr.ca (Jim Spallin),<br />
mwaa+@andrew.cmu.edu (Matthew S. Weiss), trills@matai.vuw.ac.nz (Judi Lapsley),<br />
pastore@humu.NOSC.Mil (Thomas J. Pastore), ferguson@cs.rochester.edu (George Ferguson),<br />
70540.1522@compuserve.com (Eric Simon), fau@po.CWRU.Edu (Francis A. Uy) donc@ISI.EDU,<br />
http://www.cs.uiowa.edu/~willemsn/ultimate/teaching_forehand<br />
17
After Your First Week<br />
Now that you‘ve got your first week of Ultimate under your belt and you‘ve been completely and utterly<br />
swamped with people trying to help, let‘s talk about what the hell they have been saying to you. Ultimate has<br />
more phrases than a millipede has legs.<br />
The Stall Count<br />
Every player has 10 seconds to throw the disc. If your check (i.e. the player defending you when you have the<br />
disc) is not counting, please remind them to count out loud to 10; often newer players forget. If someone is<br />
counting too fast you may call fast count; at this point they must go back 2 in the stall count. If they continue to<br />
count too fast and you call it again within the same stall count, the play stops and the count goes back to 0.<br />
Picks<br />
If any player on the field impedes the progress of a defensive player trying to check their offensive counterpart,<br />
the defensive player should call pick very loudly so play does not continue. If play continues and the disc is<br />
turned over, the turnover. The defensive player must be within 10 feet (3 meters) of their check to call a pick.<br />
Double Teams<br />
Only one defensive player may be within 10 feet of the thrower unless another offensive player is within a 10<br />
foot radius of the thrower.<br />
Fouls<br />
Fouls are the result of physical contact between opposing players. A catching foul may be called when there is<br />
contact between opposing players in the process of attempting a catch, interception, or knock down. A certain<br />
amount of incidental contact during or immediately after the catching attempt is often unavoidable and is not a<br />
foul. If a player contacts an opponent before the disc arrives and thereby interferes with that opponent‘s attempt<br />
to make a play on the disc, that player has committed a foul. If a player‘s attempt to make a play on the disc<br />
causes significant impact with a legitimately positioned stationary opponent, before or after the disc arrives, it is<br />
considered „harmful endangerment“ and is a foul.<br />
DANGEROUS, AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR OR RECKLESS DISREGARD FOR THE SAFETY OF FELLOW<br />
PLAYERS IS ALWAYS A FOUL.<br />
If a catching foul occurs and is uncontested, the player fouled gains possession at the point of the infraction. If<br />
the call is disputed, the disc goes back to the thrower. If an uncontested foul occurs in the end zone, the player<br />
fouled gains possession at the closest point on the goal line to the infraction.<br />
Throwing fouls are when the thrower‘s passing motion is impeded by a moving marker prior to releasing the<br />
disc. If the marker is stationary the thrower may not step into them to complete a pass.<br />
18
Strips<br />
A defensive player may not knock the disc from the hands of an offensive player.<br />
Traveling<br />
The offensive player may not drag their pivot foot or run with the disc. A player who is running and catching<br />
must try to stop as quickly as possible (3 steps maximum) prior to throwing to a teammate.<br />
These are the most common rules. If someone is constantly breaking a rule, it may not be because they are<br />
unspirited; it may be because they don‘t know the rules.<br />
Transition<br />
I see it every time I watch newer players play Ultimate. They are on offense running down the field and a<br />
turnover occurs. It takes a second or two for them to realize that, „Hey, my team doesn‘t have the disc<br />
anymore,“ and by this time their check has run into the endzone and is wide open for a few seconds.<br />
Ultimate is a very high paced game and turnovers occur quite frequently. If you see the disc hit the ground, you<br />
should immediately find your check because he is going to try and roast you like you have never been roasted<br />
before. The instinct to become a defensive player is not natural. You are going one way, in control of everything,<br />
and then all of the sudden all the control is taken away from your team and given to your opponents. But there is<br />
something you can do about this. Get the disc back by playing some incredibly gnarly, layout, in your face D.<br />
Transition defense may also get some help form the marker. Your team should have picked a direction to force<br />
the disc in the event that you would wind up on defense. If the person who is, or will be marking the disc, sees<br />
someone wide open down field, he should put on what is called a „Straight Up Force“ for a few stall counts in<br />
order for that open person‘s check to catch up to him. By playing a straight up force, the marker is trying to<br />
prevent the thrower from hucking the disc a long distance. The marker should try to get back to the original force<br />
direction before too long or he will get broken, thus giving all the advantage back to the offense.<br />
More experienced players: You should be reading the play as it moves down field and if you see a potential<br />
turnover situation you should be preparing yourself to play defense before the disc even comes close to hitting<br />
the ground. This way you will be prepared to shut down the huck if someone on your team gets roasted by quick<br />
transition. This does not mean „don‘t have faith in your teammates“. You may be surprised how your team can<br />
come out of an adverse situation. As an experienced player you should have two or three strategies planned out<br />
for many different eventualities. If the pass is caught by a teammate you may find yourself wide open because<br />
your defender thought there would be a turnover. [1]<br />
Holding the Force<br />
This is probably one of the most misunderstood phrases in the game for new players. I will try to clarify it for<br />
you. The field has an imaginary line that originates at the disc and runs from end zone to end zone, parallel to<br />
the sideline. Got it!? All your stuff and your teammates‘ stuff and your water bottles and lawn chairs and<br />
umbrellas and your coolers full of beer and ... your ... this is the „Home“ side. The other side is the „Away“ side.<br />
At the beginning of each point your team should decide which way it is going to force your opponents to throw.<br />
For this example say you are forcing the thrower „Home“. This means that you are making a commitment to<br />
your teammates that you will not let the thrower throw to the „Away“ or „Closed“ side of the field. You should<br />
position yourself so that your body and arms are in a plane (not wrapping around the thrower as this is a foul)<br />
and you are at anywhere from a 45 to 90 degree angle to the thrower. (If you are at 90 degrees you would be<br />
facing directly „Home.“) From this position you should be light enough on your feet that if the thrower tries to<br />
step around your force (either forward or backward) you can move quickly to shut down the new angle the<br />
thrower establishes. Maintaining a force is critical as your teammates are depending on you to make the thrower<br />
throw in one particular direction. While you are forcing „Home“ your teammates are trying not to let their checks<br />
get open on the „Home“ of „Open“ side of the field. The figure below illustrates the „Home“ force.<br />
19
Reverse everything for an „Away“ force.<br />
Common phrases you’ll here on the ultimate field are:<br />
„Don‘t get broken“<br />
„Nothing Out“<br />
„No I/O“ or „No Inside/Out.“<br />
„No step around“<br />
All of these translate to HOLD THE FORCE. Have I made it painfully obvious yet that holding the force is<br />
probably the most important concept in defense?<br />
References<br />
[1] Mich‘s Guide to Ultimate (Vancouver Ultimate League), http://www.vul.bc.ca/<br />
[2] Ian „Scott“ Scotland Issue 34, November 1996, Page 11 British Ultimate Federation (BUF) Newsletter<br />
Ultimatum<br />
20
Drills<br />
Throwing in Pairs<br />
Each pair stands a comfortable distance apart and completes passes between each other to practice the basic<br />
techniques of throwing a forehand and backhand. This is used as a basic warm-up and practice at all levels of<br />
play.<br />
Variations:<br />
Get the throwers to throw high, floating passes to practice high catches.<br />
Increase the distance between the throwers to practice longer passes.<br />
Wheel Relay<br />
Forms a well-spaced circle facing inwards and with one person holding a disc. The first person passes the disc<br />
to their right and then runs around the outside of the circle in the opposite direction (clockwise). The disc is<br />
passed around the circle and meets the thrower as they arrive back in place. They pass it on to the next player<br />
(on the right) who then does the same thing. The relay continues until it is the original thrower‘s turn.<br />
Try to get players to throw backhands if right-handed and forehands if left-handed.<br />
Variations:<br />
Change the directions of passing and running so that both forehands and backhands are practiced. [2]<br />
Diamond Drill<br />
Form two stacks of at least three players each, facing each other behind cones about 15m apart. The first player<br />
from one line cuts to their right and is thrown the disc by the first player in the other stack. The thrower then<br />
makes the next cut to the other line, while the receiver continues through to join the end of the opposite line<br />
from which they came. Two extra cones may be used to provide a cutting and throwing target. After a while<br />
change the direction of cuts so that both backhands and forehands are practiced.<br />
Variations:<br />
Challenge the players to get 10 connections in a row.<br />
Have the receivers stop and return the disc to the line before joining the end of the line.<br />
Put a check on the thrower. [2]<br />
Kill Drill<br />
One person stands stationary for the entire drill. Second person starts out only about 4 to 5 meters away. Cuts<br />
from throwers left to right. Stationary person throws forehand (or inside out backhand) to cutting person quickly.<br />
Cutter sets, plants, and returns throw with a backhand and immediately cuts in the opposite direction. Thrower<br />
rewards cutter with a backhand this time. Cutter returns a forehand. Continue this drill for a timed period, then<br />
cutter becomes stationary thrower, and thrower becomes cutter.<br />
Circle Drill<br />
To run this drill properly, you need about 14 players. 11 of the players are on offense and stand in a circle. The<br />
remaining 3 players are on defense and are in the center of the circle. The circle should be at least 30 feet<br />
across. These numbers are all adjustable depending on the number of participants you have.<br />
The goal of the drill is for the offense to keep completing passes between each other while the defense tries to<br />
force turnovers. Each player on the offense can throw to any other player on offense except for the two players<br />
closest to them on both sides. The defense is arranged with one player marking the disc and the other two<br />
playing a loose cup to try to poach passes across the circle.<br />
21
Hammers and bloopers over the heads of the defenders are not allowed. Players on the offense cannot run into<br />
the circle to catch a short throw, but they can run out of the circle to catch a long throw. Each set of defenders<br />
stays in for five minutes. If an incompletion occurs, the guilty party must do a lap around the circle.<br />
The strategy for the offense is to keep moving the disc as fast as possible to tire out the defenders. The defense<br />
must work hard to force incompletions. [1]<br />
Three Player<br />
This is a great warmup drill before practice. It does not involve a great deal of running, but it is non-stop action.<br />
At any given point during the drill there is a thrower, receiver and a marker. After releasing the disc, the roles<br />
change: the receiver has the disc and becomes the thrower, the old thrower becomes the marker and must run<br />
down and mark the disc. The receiver must be stationary. The thrower and the receiver should be about 20 feet<br />
apart. The stall count is 5 seconds and the marker should start stalling at 6 (ie, „Stall 6, 7 8, 9, 10 STALL!“). If<br />
the throw is incomplete, players do not switch roles. Keep trying until you make a completion. [1]<br />
The more pressure the marker puts on the thrower the better the drill is. This is an excellent way to teach new<br />
players how to make a good throw when there is a defender. The thrower should try to break the mark and then,<br />
barring that, take what she or he can get. Hammers are declasse, but anything else is good.<br />
References<br />
[1] Ebb & Flow, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow/drills/BasicWeave.html<br />
[2] AFDA, http://www.afda.com/development/drills/index.html#pivotthrow<br />
The Cheer<br />
The first time you’re at an Ultimate game you might notice a lot of singing going on at the end of a game. That‘s<br />
because a quick Hip-Hip-Hooray to the other team just doesn‘t cut it in Ultimate. At the end of each game each<br />
team creates a customized cheer to salute their opponents.<br />
Usually it consists of taking a song that everybody knows and making up lyrics to commemorate the fun you had<br />
playing with your opponents. Recounting the game‘s highlights is nice, a little friendly slagging doesn‘t hurt, and<br />
naughty lyrics are welcomed.<br />
If you feel you can’t sing or aren‘t very good at coming up with words, don‘t worry. Enthusiasm counts more than<br />
talent when it comes to the cheer. It‘s just another extension of Spirit. No matter how bad or good your team did<br />
on that particular day, it‘s pretty hard to take yourself too seriously when a bunch of people are massacring a<br />
perfectly good pop song with off-key singing and x-rated lyrics.<br />
22
Buying Cleats<br />
Buying the right kind of cleats is an essential skill for any ultimate player. A poor choice could result in severe<br />
blistering, ankle problems, and even injury. Because there have been so many questions posted about this<br />
subject, I decided to take a survey using the rec.sport.disc newsgroup. In total, over 60 people responded,<br />
giving information about their favorite cleats, what they like about them, what they don't like, how they think<br />
cleats should be improved. The results of this survey are shown below.<br />
The biggest challenge I had was organizing the information into a format that people could use effectively. I<br />
decided on choosing the five most popular cleats and outlining their plus and minuses. Keep in mind that all<br />
these comments are based on consensus. There will undoubtedly be players who disagree with some of the<br />
results.<br />
Below are some useful comments made by players:<br />
"I usually get leather cleats big enough to shrink a little, then I soak them down and wear them while they dry.<br />
They get broke in pretty quick and the leather is soft, light, and comfortable. Right now for soft mud I have a pair<br />
with six removable cleats, and for everything else I have one with about thirty-something molded cleats."<br />
"It really comes down to what you feel comfortable with and what gives you the best traction on the type of turf<br />
you are playing on."<br />
"Seems like you need two sets. One for soft flat fields, screw ins, and one for rock hard baylands cement. I've<br />
thought of this a lot and have come to a couple conclusions: Football versus soccer screw-ins. Football design<br />
makes more sense for the type of cutting we do on the field. A good receiver or d-back football style will last<br />
longer than the soccer do. Made for more abuse by the cuts instead of ball control. The toe cleat on a football<br />
cleat is important in cutting. High or mid tops recommended. I see so many ultimate players with these light<br />
soccer shoes wearing those damn ankle braces it makes me sick. You'll get much more protection with<br />
integrated mid or high top support than adding a bulky uncomfortable brace. Getting the shoe that fits your foot<br />
is the main thing. And not a cheap pair either. It's your feet-- take care of them."<br />
"If you get too much traction, knee injuries are knocking at the door."<br />
" The difference in comfort and the process of being broken in is entirely different when there is a nice leather<br />
shoe versus a synthetic shoe. That is one of the reasons I like soccer cleats more than football cleats."<br />
"Keep the distance between your foot and the bottom of the shoe to a minimum - it decreases the chance of<br />
rolling your ankle. The problem this poses is a matter of comfort for the bottom of your feet."<br />
"While some folks will choose one pair for tourneys and one for practice, I prefer to alternate each time I play...<br />
with ultimate five days a week (two practices, two summer league nights, one pick-up) in the Summer, it helps<br />
me to maintain the upkeep of both feet and shoes to switch up cleats"<br />
"Soccer cleats in general work well as long as the ground is soft/gives a little. We've had several seasons in the<br />
past few years where the fields have gotten excessively hard after a drought period. With soccer cleats, this<br />
hard ground can cause a lot of problems from the impact with the ground. I had some trouble with my knees last<br />
year for this very reason. Shorter studs, and more of them, is good because it more evenly distributes the<br />
impact."<br />
GAIA Strike ($ 84.99 USD) (http://www.gaia-ultimate.com)<br />
Positive Comments:<br />
- Pretty durable<br />
- Very comfortable<br />
- No break in needed<br />
- Great ankle support<br />
- Lighter by far than other cleats.<br />
- Good for wet conditions<br />
- Toe is reinforced which is a big deal when you pivot a lot (my old cleats always wore out on the pivot foot<br />
toe)<br />
- I love the super hard base on the gaia, it gives you a very solid surface to push off when cutting on hard<br />
ground.<br />
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Negative Comments:<br />
2nd pair of Gaias don't fit as well as the first pair I bought. Despite being the identical model and size.<br />
- Me and all my teammates have noticed that you need at least a heel cup if not an extra sole with these.<br />
If they can fix the fit a little, they'll be pretty much perfect.<br />
- They are showing wear after a year.<br />
- They take some time to stretch in the toebox. It took me about 2 months before I thought they were<br />
comfortable.<br />
- The only thing that would make them better is for the cleats to be moved closer to the edge of the sole.<br />
Adidas Copa Mundial ($ 99.99 USD) (http://www.adidas.com)<br />
Positive Comments:<br />
- Good for gripping the ground<br />
- Soft kangaroo leather breaks in immediately, lasts forever.<br />
- Lightweight and fast<br />
- I use it because it is a molded cleat that works well on the hard california surfaces where we have most of<br />
our tournaments.<br />
- Flexible<br />
- No blisters ever, light, lasts for years even with a beating<br />
Negative Comments:<br />
- Better insoles. Weren't cushioned enough in the heel.<br />
- Adidas makes narrow shoes and my feet aren't so narrow. I've been leaning towards the Nike's which are<br />
wider.<br />
A little more ankle support would be great<br />
- They expand a little bit too much when it gets wet up here in Oregon.<br />
- Most of the Addidas models have little or no insole, and don't work well with my orthodics.<br />
- Every Addidas I have owned has developed a gaping hole on the toe or on the side near the front.<br />
- With soccer cleats, hard ground can cause a lot of problems from the impact. I had some trouble with my<br />
knees last year for this very reason.<br />
Nike Sharks ($80-120 USD) (http://www.nike.com)<br />
Positive Comments:<br />
- Pretty lightweight and breathable for hightops and grip well<br />
- Provide a lot of ankle support, so much so that I stopped wearing an ankle brace pretty soon after an injury<br />
and have not reinsured it.<br />
- I've been leaning towards the Nike's which are wider.<br />
- I have had them for 3+ years and still wear them regularly.<br />
- solid, available, less ankle rotation than screw-ins.<br />
- They have a little more cushion than the most addidas cleats.<br />
- The assorted "teeth" make them wearable on a variety of surfaces. Good for summer at venues with<br />
variable (grass coverage/drainage) pitch qualities, especially where the ground is hard under the grass.<br />
Negative Comments:<br />
- Partially made of fake suede-like material that rips pretty easily when wet. So, I have gaping holes where<br />
my arch flairs out to couple with my big toe. However, I can still wear them and it doesn't seem to detract<br />
from the comfort or performance<br />
Kelme Turf Shoe ($80 USD) (http://www.kelme.com)<br />
Positive Comments:<br />
- The Kelme Turf shoes rock for hard fields<br />
- They have a wide toebox<br />
- If you have a wide foot get Kelme Turf shoes. They are great on dry ground and your feet will thank you.<br />
Negative Comments<br />
- Turf shoes clog in wet conditions<br />
Nike Speed TDs ($80 USD) (http://www.nike.com)<br />
Positive Comments:<br />
- The shoes are super light, great for traction, and the baseplate curves up on the sides to prevent your foot<br />
from sliding around when making hard cuts.<br />
- They're very very very light; they have an excellent cleat pattern, similar to Slams, but with longer, and<br />
round cleats that are better for really mushy conditions.<br />
24
Intermediate<br />
The Stack<br />
Ultimate is a game of flow. A good offense is characterized by quick passes, one after the other, that quickly<br />
move up the field. One of the most tell-tale signs of a beginner team is the problem of ‚clogging‘. With fourteen<br />
players on the field at any given time, twelve of which are running in order to try and get open for the pass,<br />
things very quickly get chaotic, and disorganized. People begin to find that it is difficult to get open because<br />
someone is always in their way. Because picks are a violation in ultimate, you also find that occasionally you<br />
must stop so that you don‘t inadvertently pick an opponent. The most common strategy for reducing clogging is<br />
called ‚stacking‘.<br />
The idea behind the stack is simply to make room on the field. Essentially, the players line up down the field<br />
from the disc. The first player lines up about 15-20 yards away, and the other players line up behind, with a<br />
separation of about 5-10 yards. Because ultimate is most commonly played using a ‚player-on-player‘ defense,<br />
this draws the opposing team into a similar configuration. The field directly ahead of the disc is now opened up<br />
for pass reception. Generally, players at the head of the stack (closest to the disc) are called ‚handlers‘, players<br />
in the middle are called ‚mids‘, and players towards the end of the stack are ‚longs‘.<br />
Theory<br />
Players can now make running plays to try and get open for the pass. This is usually done in a cascade of ‚cuts‘.<br />
The player at the beginning of the stack runs towards the thrower, and then cuts sharply to the right or the left<br />
(those with knee injuries will want to moderate the severity of the cut to reduce joint stress). This sharp cut<br />
usually gets the player a step or two in front of the defense. It is important to get eye contact with the thrower<br />
just before the cut. This running pattern gives the offense good chances for leading passes (thrown in front of,<br />
not at, the running player).<br />
If the thrower elects not to attempt a pass, the runner will circle back and re-enter the stack (preferably near<br />
where they began). By the time the runner begins to circle back, the second runner in the stack should already<br />
be making her cut. It takes some ‚field sense‘ in order to determine the optimum time for making a cut, but you<br />
want the thrower to have a new pass option immediately after an old one evaporates—this ensures best usage<br />
of the 10 second stall count.<br />
If the pass is received, someone further along in the stack should immediately begin to run. This way, when the<br />
receiver (now thrower) turns around, a pass option opens up right away.<br />
25
Player ‚1‘ has just made a successful pass to Player ‚2‘, and has begun to run up-field in order to re-enter the<br />
stack. Further up the stack, a mid has just started running (#1). By the time ‚2‘ looks up-field, Cut #1 is already<br />
happening—there should be an opportunity for a quick successive pass. If #1 does not look good, another<br />
player in the stack should already be making Cut #2. By the time #1 or #2 receives the pass, Player ‚1‘ may be<br />
ready to receive another pass, or else they can look downfield towards the stack which has now moved back a<br />
few yards.<br />
Finally, as mid-field is reached, players continue to make cuts, but ‚longs‘ can now begin to think about making<br />
a short cut inwards, and then attempting to make runs at the end-zone. This is done while the handlers and<br />
mids continue to attempt this steady cascading ‚weave‘ up the field.<br />
A player has just received the disc. They look down the field, and see that Cut #1 is already happening. It is a<br />
long, who immediately turns down field and breaks for the end-zone. If she is out-distancing her defender, it<br />
may be possible to throw a long bomb for a scoring attempt. If it doesn‘t look good, Cut #2 is already happening,<br />
and provides the opportunity for a short pass. Otherwise, the previous thrower may be getting into position<br />
across the field for a third option.<br />
This cyclical type of play, with the cascade of cutting runners makes a very fast flowing offense possible<br />
because the running patterns do not cross each other chaotically. Instead, the offense attempts to set a tempo<br />
of short quick passes, with the opportunity of surprise long passes to get the disc up the field. When this is<br />
executed well, it is beautiful to watch.<br />
In Practice<br />
There is no question that it takes a great deal of practice to make these kinds of plays smooth. And when you<br />
look at the diagrams that I have drawn, things look very complicated. When should you run, and how? In this<br />
section, I‘ll discuss briefly the tactics at an individual level that will make it possible for the stack to work for the<br />
team.<br />
Guidelines for the Cutter<br />
The key to the stack is order. By order, I mean a nice sequence of running. It requires a sense of timing which<br />
may take some time to develop. The idea is to always have someone cutting towards an open space so that the<br />
thrower has opportunities to move the disc forward. If you are the first cutter, begin running as soon as the disc<br />
is received. Make eye contact with the thrower, then quickly go one way or the other. If the thrower does not<br />
26
pass to you, get out of the way. By getting out of the way quickly, you draw your defender with you. This give<br />
the next cutter an open area to work with. If you are the second cutter, if you see that the disc is not going to be<br />
thrown to the first, then begin running immediately, make eye contact, and then a cut. Every run should be<br />
aimed at providing a new pass opportunity immediately after the last.<br />
As the disc moves down the field, the stack should be slowly backstepping to follow the movement.<br />
Guidelines for the Thrower<br />
Once you‘ve received your pass, turn around quickly and look upfield. If your stack is good, someone should<br />
already be cutting. This is your best chance to make a pass—before someone catches up to you and begins<br />
counting.<br />
If your team is running well, there should be an abundance of passing opportunities. The most important thing in<br />
passing is to ‚lead‘ the receiver by throwing the disc ahead of them, not at them. A throw directly at the receiver<br />
will cause them to try and immediately stop. If they cannot stop, the defender will be right there to intercept the<br />
late pass. If the defender is too close, you might consider waiting for the next cut. Try to meet the eyes of your<br />
receiver just before they make the cut. This will give you an indication of what‘s going to happen.<br />
Finally, once you‘ve released the disc, RUN. A common error is to stand and watch your own pass. Everyone<br />
does it. But people who run right after they‘ve thrown the disc are very hard to cover—they usually end up<br />
ahead of their defender by a couple of steps. Unless you‘re sure that the toss you just made is a real stinker,<br />
just start running down the field. It might mean that you get the pass right back.<br />
Clogging<br />
If your team has developed enough to actually have a stack and after you or anyone else on your team has cut<br />
you may hear people yelling, „Clear Out“ or „Don‘t Clog“.<br />
What is happening and why are people yelling?<br />
The person (let‘s say you) who has cut to the easiest open area of the field is now sort of hanging around<br />
making it next to impossible for anyone else to cut to that area.<br />
Why doesn‘t someone cut somewhere else?<br />
If someone cuts to a spot behind you farther down field then the thrower not only has to make a longer pass, but<br />
they have to throw it around you, around your defender and to a much harder area of the field.<br />
If someone cuts to the other side of the field then the thrower has to try to break the force and the defense will<br />
do everything that they can to not let this happen.<br />
What should I do now?<br />
You should run like crazy to the back of the stack (farthest from the disc), always looking to see if someone is<br />
going to throw you the disc or you should come behind the disc for a dump (more on this later). The main<br />
objective here is to get out of the way, BUT to also run to an area where you may still be effective in the overall<br />
offence. If you run to the back of the stack you may eventually have to come back in to get the disc again or you<br />
may get a pass thrown to you while you are clearing out that scores your team a point. You may also wind up<br />
behind the disc where you are now a second option for the thrower. If no one is getting open down field the<br />
thrower may turn to you and give you the disc (you still have to work to get open).<br />
As a side note for every player, Man, Woman, Experienced or New, there is nothing wrong with throwing a<br />
dump pass. I repeat, there is nothing wrong with throwing a dump pass. The best teams in the world have dump<br />
passes built in to their offense. It changes the position of the disc on the field, thus making the defense change<br />
position (this may allow for a split second of reaction time in favor of the offence) and it gives your team another<br />
10 seconds to throw the disc.<br />
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For those of you who take this to heart, good, now look for the give and go pass—you may catch your defender<br />
napping.<br />
DUMP IT, DON‘T PUMP IT!<br />
If your team has the disc, the other team can‘t score.<br />
References<br />
http://www.nunan.com/ultimate/docs/strategy.html<br />
Cutting<br />
When you cut, you run to an open space on the field to attempt to receive a pass. This is done by some<br />
combination of running as fast as you can and faking to make the defender think you‘re running to a different<br />
area. Cuts should accomplish one of three things:<br />
1. Gain yardage<br />
2. Move the disc to a better position on the field<br />
3. Maintain possession<br />
Most passes should be type 1, where the receiver is relatively far downfield. Type 2 passes will get the frisbee<br />
away from the sideline or else go to an unmarked thrower. Type 3 passes should be for high stall count dumps<br />
or else for weaker throwers. Usually you want a handler making the type 3 cuts. [1]<br />
Know Your Thrower<br />
One of the first things to remember when cutting is who are you cutting for. It is not much use being ten meters<br />
free on the break side if the thrower is a beginner who is not even going to try to break the force. If you have a<br />
thrower who likes to throw the break throw, sometimes an effective cut consists of heading straight for the break<br />
side, assuming your defender will be a few steps behind. This is more effective the more your defender marks<br />
on the open side. Try and know what throws the thrower likes and make your cuts accordingly.<br />
Outsmart your Defender<br />
The next thing to look at is your defender. There will be some times when you can simply run past your<br />
defender. This is not great practice for when you are being marked by a good defender, but hey...open is open.<br />
Other times you may be being marked by someone who is fast, but slow to change direction. A hard run one<br />
way followed by a quick direction change always loses them. In general, though, you will be marked by<br />
someone of roughly your own ability, and the rest of the section will assume that.<br />
Chances are your defender will set up a few meters in front of you, and slightly on the open side. The defender‘s<br />
aim is always to be able to watch you. As a result, an effective cut generally makes the defender have to turn<br />
around. The best way to do this is to run directly at the defender. The defender will back away, but assuming<br />
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you can run faster forwards than they can backwards, they will eventually have to turn. When this happens, put<br />
in a fake or two until the defender, who should be looking in the other direction, goes the wrong way. You should<br />
then be open.<br />
The mistake a lot of cutters make is to start faking sideways while their defender is still able to watch them. The<br />
defender can just stand and watch and when the cutter finally goes one way the defender will follow without any<br />
trouble.<br />
Defender Proximity<br />
The closer you get to the defender the more difficult it is for them to react to your movement. If you make your<br />
cut out in front of them, the defender can see which way you are going and take a step to the side to be right<br />
with you. If you run right up close to the defender and break to one side or the other, then by the time the<br />
defender can start moving you will be past them.<br />
Short or deep?<br />
When you do what your defender expects it makes it a lot harder to get open. Forcing the defender to choose<br />
what cut to cover gives you the advantage. One good way to do this is to start running deep. By running down<br />
the field you force your defender to cover you since they don‘t want you to catch a huck. Once you go deep the<br />
defense will often run past you to cover the deep throw, or will at least be running near you at a high speed.<br />
Either way you can hit the brakes and turn around to cut in towards the disc and usually end up with your<br />
defender behind you. This technique can be especially effective with good timing. Try to run deep at a point<br />
where you could actually get a huck. Then catch the huck if you get it, or wait until the next throw happens. Turn<br />
around right as that throw goes, so you will be open running in towards the disc right when the person with the<br />
disc looks downfield for a receiver.<br />
This can also work in the reverse direction. If you don‘t get open cutting in, turn around and run deep. Again,<br />
with good timing you could be open deep just at the point when the next catch is made and the receiver is<br />
looking downfield.<br />
Distractions everywhere!<br />
Cuts can also be useful in distracting the defense to help other cuts get open. I often make cuts against the<br />
force to give the marker something to worry about. This can make it easier for the thrower to get off a good<br />
throw with the force or up the middle.<br />
Where is the disc?<br />
This is an advanced technique which is one of my favorites because you get to mess with your defender‘s head.<br />
As I mentioned above I usually get front guarded with my defender looking at me. This means that they don‘t<br />
always have firsthand information about where the disc is. Waiting patiently in the stack I look at where the disc<br />
is. After the next throw I don‘t shift my view to where the disc went. If my defender doesn‘t look to see where the<br />
disc went they may get caught out of position (and if they do look, make the cut when they aren‘t looking). Then<br />
I wait for an opening and make my cut.<br />
Always Be a Threat<br />
The best way to improve your cutting skills is to learn a great variety of cuts that go in many directions. Then<br />
based on where your defender is and where the disc and the force is going you can choose a cut with the best<br />
possibility for success. And even better, when your defender knows you can cut in any direction, it makes it<br />
easier to get open even on the simplest of cuts. [2]<br />
29
Various Cutting Techniques<br />
It is important to build up a repertoire of cuts. Everyone has a couple of favorite cuts they make successfully<br />
over and over. But in top competition or against difficult defenses, the old favorites may not work. You need to<br />
be able to adapt your cuts to the game and your particular position and, most importantly, to keep the defense<br />
guessing.<br />
Basic Cut<br />
The basic cut to the disc is a side-to-side variation. The cutter fakes going to one side and then turns hard to cut<br />
to the other side. If you can disguise your direction then the defender will have to react quicker to stay with you.<br />
As you make your cut you can tilt your head and/or shoulders in one direction while planting your feet to cut in<br />
the other.<br />
To turn as rapidly as possible, remember:<br />
Keep your weight low<br />
Make fewer, more powerful steps<br />
Run Fast<br />
Either taking off quickly or running fast can simply get you past your defender.<br />
Shoulder Cut<br />
This involves getting your inside shoulder and leg in front of the defender and then protecting you cut with your<br />
body.<br />
Banana Cut<br />
When the defender is overplaying your forward cut, you can fade out to the open side and away from the disc at<br />
about 45 degrees. The throw is a high, loopy, slow, leading pass which you run down. The defender is stuck in<br />
no-man’s land, and is often unsighted.<br />
Goose Step<br />
This simply involves a rapid change of pace and/or direction, which the defender fails to respond to quickly<br />
enough.<br />
From the Back<br />
From the back of the stack, fake to cut deep (and away from the stack to avoid a pick), and then turn sharply<br />
back to the disc and run parallel with the stack. The throw should be slow enough to make it a simple catch and<br />
allow a larger margin of error.<br />
From the Front<br />
From the front of the stack, fake forward to the open side and then turn sharply to run up the break side of the<br />
stack and then look for the huck down the open sideline. You should be attacking the disc with a good sight of it<br />
coming over the shoulder, not watching it floating over your head.<br />
747 Cut<br />
This is a head fake. Watch the imaginary disc going up-field and past you. As soon as your defender looks<br />
around, make the cut to the disc.<br />
30
Eclipse Cut<br />
This is similar to the cut from behind the disc. Run towards the thrower and end up close and on the break side,<br />
effectively eclipsing the thrower with the marker. Then button-hook around and flare out on the open side to<br />
receive a leading pass.<br />
Fake the Catch<br />
Run to one side, jump and pretend to receive the disc at about head height, then turn and cut in the other<br />
direction.<br />
Isolation cut (Moose)<br />
Start off standing out on the open side of the stack and at least 10m from the stack proper. Make sure you are<br />
reasonably close to the thrower (15m at most). You then have the freedom to make any cut you like to get free.<br />
The most usual cuts are to fake short and cut long, or vice versa. This is EXTREMELY difficult to stop if the<br />
cutter makes hard turns. It is especially useful in a line trap situation, and can make for massive gains with a<br />
good huck down the line.<br />
From Behind the Disc - Break Side (Cooee)<br />
Stand behind and to the break side of the thrower. Fake going for the dump and then run forward and slightly<br />
across to the open side. The throw should be early and slow, so that the receiver can easily run it down.<br />
Alternatively, fake the cut forward and come back for the easy dump. This is a valuable cut for when the thrower<br />
is trapped on the line where it is called the „cooee“ cut. [2]<br />
References<br />
[1] Jim Parinella, http://www.tiac.net/users/parinell/tip4<br />
[2] Tom Brennan and Jonathan Potts, http://www.afda.com/skills/<br />
Catching<br />
Catching is an underrated skill in ultimate. Some very experienced players are lazy and display poor catching<br />
techniques, and this is reflected in frequent drops. A good catcher makes difficult catches look easy and<br />
impossible catches look gettable. It is often said that if you get a hand to a disc you should catch it. More<br />
correctly, if the disc is thrown to you, you should make your best attempt to catch it. Desperation wins games.<br />
On the other hand, poor catching can often lose games.<br />
Two-Handed Catching<br />
Using two hands is essential for catches from just below the knees to just above the top of the head and at least<br />
a foot either side of the body. There are a few different styles of catching, used under different circumstances.<br />
Most straightforward catches will use the pancake style, while harder passes, particularly those when the<br />
receiver is running at speed may use the crocodile style. Only catches that are too high or two low to be caught<br />
safely with palms facing each other should be caught with both hands on the rim.<br />
Pancake Catch<br />
Whenever possible, catches should be attempted two-handed, with the palms facing each other. The pancake<br />
style is close to the body, with hands at right angles to each other. The receiver should attempt to get their body<br />
behind the direction of travel of the disc. It has the advantage that if the catch is mistimed, there is a good<br />
31
chance that the disc will hit the body of the receiver and still be caught between the hands. This is the style that<br />
should be used for the majority of throws as it is least prone to error.<br />
Crocodile Catch<br />
The crocodile style is out in front of the body with arms almost parallel, and often with some of the impact being<br />
absorbed by the fore-arms. As for the pancake catch, the receiver should attempt to get their body behind the<br />
disc. The reason in this case is to get the arms in line with the direction of travel of the disc. The main use for<br />
this type of catch is when the disc is travelling at speed relative to the receiver. The forearms provide a longer<br />
area to decelerate the disc over, and hard throws are less likely to be dropped. The disadvantage is that<br />
because the arms are roughly parallel, the disc has a tendency to flip out sideways if the arms do not move<br />
directly up and down towards each other.<br />
Rim Catch<br />
Catches with both hands on the rim are risky and rarely necessary. They should only be used if the disc is well<br />
above the head or the around ankles, and in the latter case only when it is not possible or reasonable to dive or<br />
slide to catch it. The disc should be caught with both hands on the leading edge, one hand on either side of the<br />
disc. The reason rim catches are risky is that they have a tendency to spin out of the hands sideways, a<br />
tendency which is stopped by catching the disc on top and bottom.<br />
Layout Catch<br />
Often, it is necessary to layout in order to get near enough to the disc to attempt a catch or to get away from<br />
striving defenders. The style should be either a „crocodile“ catch or a rim catch, preferably the former. Twohanded<br />
layout catches may well be more difficult than one-handed because it is harder to cushion the impact<br />
with the ground. This impact often dislodges the disc, and is called a ground strip. To avoid being ground<br />
stripped, the catcher should try to keep the arms from hitting the ground, and use the rest of the body to take the<br />
impact. This is one time when a rim catch has the advantage, because once the disc is in the hands, it is much<br />
harder to dislodge.<br />
One-Handed Catching<br />
A one-handed catch should be attempted anywhere where it is difficult or impossible to catch with two hands.<br />
Having to stretch a bit or avoiding falling on the ground is not an excuse for catching one-handed. Catches<br />
around the ankles, well above the head, or far to either side must necessarily be caught with one hand. When<br />
the disc is skied above receivers and defenders heads in the air it is usually most advantageous to contest it<br />
with one hand. If the disc is above the elbow, it should be caught thumb down, otherwise thumb up: experience<br />
will show the difference.<br />
One-handed catches are attempted on the rim of the disc, but should preferably NOT be on the leading edge.<br />
The „sweet spot“ for catching is to one side of the most leading point on the edge, depending on the direction of<br />
spin. This is because both angular and linear momentum must be absorbed by the catch. Experimentation will<br />
help most in understanding this.<br />
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The One-Handed Layout<br />
One-handed layouts are easier on the body than two-handed layouts, since there is more flexibility in the<br />
position that the receiver can land in. The fingers will be underneath the disc with the thumb on top. A tight grip<br />
is needed once the disc is caught to avoid being ground stripped. As for the two-handed layout, the receiver<br />
should try to keep the arm with the disc, or at least the elbow, off the ground.<br />
Final Comments About Catching<br />
As mentioned above, contested catches are much harder to make than uncontested catches. The receiver has<br />
to actually catch the disc, while the defender usually only has to get a finger to the disc to make the D. As a<br />
result, the defender can often be in a slightly worse position and still be able get the block. For example, a<br />
defender can jump from behind and often get a hand in on the disc, although they would never be able to catch<br />
it from there. To avoid this, the receiver can try and occupy the position that the defender wants to be in while<br />
still preventing the defender from getting the best position for catching (and note that they are not necessarily<br />
the same).<br />
Lastly, be aware of the rules, and what constitutes a foul or a strip. If you have the disc in your possession, and<br />
it is knocked out, either by the defender knocking the disc or any part of your body, that is a strip, and you retain<br />
possession of the disc if the strip is not contested. If you do not have possession of the disc, but you are<br />
prevented from making a play on it by the defender hitting your body, that is a foul. If the foul was in the act of<br />
catching, you get possession of the disc. Otherwise it goes back to the thrower. Also, remember that while most<br />
fouls are against the defense, you can just as easily commit a foul as receiver. You only have the rights to the<br />
space which you occupy, and directly above you, and contact with people outside that space can be called as a<br />
foul. Read the rules for more elaboration, and only call fouls which are actually fouls.<br />
References<br />
[1] Tom Brennan and Jonathan Potts, http://www.afda.com/skills/<br />
Marking The Thrower<br />
In a player-to-player defense, the marker is responsible for preventing the thrower from throwing the disc to a<br />
large area of the field. The team should agree in advance on a significant object or objects on each side of the<br />
field, say a clubhouse on one side and trees on the other, or use generic terms such as „Home“ and „Away“<br />
which can apply to any field. The marker then calls a force, eg „Force clubhouse“, which means that he will only<br />
let the thrower throw to that side of the field. He does this by standing at about 45° to the thrower on the<br />
opposite side to the force. The defenders then assume that throws are far more likely to come to the force side,<br />
and defend accordingly.<br />
It is the marker’s responsibility not to let the thrower throw in the opposite direction to the force. If this happens,<br />
it is called a break of force, and often results in the opposition getting two or three easy passes in a row, as the<br />
defenders are assuming that the force will be held. If a break happens, the marker should call „Break“ loudly<br />
and clearly for the benefit of the defenders.<br />
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Tactics<br />
Which direction to choose to force in the first place is determined by the marker, but influenced by a number of<br />
factors. Often a team will have a plan in advance for which way to force in any given situation. These include:<br />
Force Middle<br />
The thrower is always forced towards the middle of the field. This is quite common, as it stops teams from<br />
stringing a number of passes together down a sideline („Flow“).<br />
Force Line (Trap)<br />
The thrower is always forced towards the nearest sideline. This is used against teams with weaker throwers, as<br />
it leaves only a very small area on the side of the field for the thrower to throw into. The disadvantage is that<br />
with good throwers, it leaves the endzone fairly open, and makes goals off one or two passes much more likely.<br />
Force to a Particular Side<br />
Always force to a particular side eg „Force clubhouse“, regardless of where the thrower is. This is easy for both<br />
marker and defender as they always know how to mark up, but suffers from the same danger as force line.<br />
Force Wind<br />
The thrower is always forced into/against the wind. This is also effective against weak throwers.<br />
Trap For One<br />
The first throw is forced towards the nearest sideline, but after that, the plan reverts to some other force. This is<br />
designed to make the first pass difficult, but removes the disadvantage of always forcing line.<br />
Force Up<br />
Force up, or force straight up, means that the marker stands directly in front of the thrower, and does not force<br />
to a particular side. This is usually only used for a couple of seconds, to prevent the thrower getting a quick pass<br />
away. The marker then reverts to a directional force. It may however be used effectively to stop teams who are<br />
hucking a lot, but places a heavy load on the defenders. It can also be used against weak throwers.<br />
Basic Marking<br />
Marking is an active process, not a passive one. It involves reacting to whatever the thrower is doing to try to<br />
make any throw a more difficult one. The harder the marker works, and the better the mark, the less work<br />
defenders have to do to shut down their receivers.<br />
So how do you put a good mark on a thrower? The following are general tips to improve your marking if you are<br />
not already doing them:<br />
Keep on the Balls of Your Feet<br />
You have to be able to react and move quickly, and this is not possible if you are back on your heels. You have<br />
much better balance if you are leaning slightly forwards.<br />
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Keep Your Weight Low<br />
Crouch down, or at least bend your knees slightly. If you are marking well you should feel the effort in your<br />
quads. This allows you to get your hands low and also gives you much better balance.<br />
Keep Your Hands Low and Arms Spread<br />
This also helps your balance. Obviously though, if you are trying to prevent a high throw, that arm will have to<br />
be up. In general, the arm on the force side should always be as low as possible, since it is much harder to<br />
throw a good throw from higher up.<br />
Learn to Read Fakes<br />
Many throwers make weak fakes without ever intending to throw. If you can pick these up, you will not be<br />
sucked in to following them and leaving an easy throw open.<br />
Don’t Over-commit on the Open Side<br />
It is not your job to block an open side throw. That is the defenders’ responsibility. If you let the thrower break<br />
because you tried too hard to block an open side throw, that is your fault.<br />
Call „UP!“ Loudly When the Thrower Throws<br />
This allows the defenders to glance around to see where the disc is, since they will otherwise be watching the<br />
receivers. If the throw is hucked, call „Up long“, to allow the people marking the opposing deep players time to<br />
see the disc. [4]<br />
Advanced Marking<br />
All of the Basic Marking tips are generalizations. Most of the tips will apply to most players, but for really good<br />
marking, nothing beats knowing the thrower. If you know which throws a thrower prefers, which fakes they use<br />
and how they like to break the force, you can modify your marking style and you are far more likely both to get<br />
hand blocks and mark more effectively.<br />
There are also times in the game when a standard mark is inappropriate, and something different is called for.<br />
Being able to recognize these situations is important, and knowing how to react to them even more so.<br />
Hands High/Low?<br />
Usually it is better to keep both your hands low, since low throws tend to be more dangerous, but this is not<br />
always the case. If you are marking a player who likes hammers or high backhands then it may be wise to keep<br />
your right hand up. This gives you a chance of blocking either of these high release throws.<br />
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Watch Fakes<br />
As mentioned above, try not to fall for obvious or weak fakes. This is easier if you know the thrower, since they<br />
tend to use the same fakes to try to throw you off.<br />
Straight Up Force<br />
There are a few times in a game when a force to one side is inappropriate. Usually this is just after a huck, when<br />
you may be marking the person who has just caught the huck, and there is a man free in the endzone. The<br />
thrower will be trying to hit this man before the rest of the defense catches up. In this case, it is your job to make<br />
it as difficult for the thrower for as long as possible. The best way is to use a straight up force. This means that<br />
instead of standing to one side of the thrower, you stand directly in front and try and block any throw. Usually it<br />
is best to drop back a meter or two to maximize the time you have to see the disc coming. This type of force will<br />
only be used for a few seconds, until the defense has time to regroup.<br />
Preventing the Huck<br />
There are also times in the game when it is obvious that the thrower wants to huck the disc, mostly when<br />
someone is running free long. You need to recognize these situations and make it as difficult as possible for the<br />
thrower to get a good long throw off. This will most often involve a straight up force. Follow all of the fakes,<br />
because it is important to make the huck as difficult as possible, even at the cost of an easy short throw.<br />
Recognize that most players prefer to huck backhand, so overplay the backhand side of the force to stop them.<br />
As with a straight up force, you will only usually need to mark like this for a few seconds.<br />
Where are the receivers?<br />
If you have particularly good game sense or peripheral vision, you may be able to tell where the potential<br />
receivers are. In this case you can overplay that side of the force a little. One way you may be able to tell is by<br />
watching the thrower’s eyes - it is difficult to fake effectively with your eyes. Another way is from communication<br />
from defenders and the sideline. „No break!“ is a call to overplay the break side. „Strike!“ is a call from a<br />
defender to switch the force to the other side for a second, as a receiver is open on the open side.<br />
Marking Off<br />
The marker is allowed to stand one disc width from the thrower, but it is not always best to stand this close.<br />
Against weak throwers, it is fine to pressure them by standing as close as possible. However, against strong<br />
throwers who enjoy throwing inside-out and break passes, it is often best to drop back about a meter. The<br />
advantage of this is that there is an extra fraction of a second after the throw for the marker to get their hand in<br />
position for a block, particularly against the inside-out pass. In theory this may seem insignificant, but in practice<br />
that fraction of a second is often the difference between a throw going under or over the marker‘s hand and the<br />
marker getting the block. The other advantage is that if a block is made, it is much less likely to be called for a<br />
foul because the disc is more likely to have left the thrower‘s hand.<br />
On the down side, there is less pressure on wide throws to the open side, and it is a little easier to break the<br />
force with a wide throw since the marker has moved their body away from blocking the break side. The<br />
advantages appear to outweigh the disadvantages, however.<br />
Strike<br />
A strike occurs when the marker temporarily switches the direction of the force. There are a couple of instances<br />
when this comes in useful.<br />
The first is when there is a high stall count on the thrower already. If the count is at 8 or 9 it is obvious that the<br />
thrower will have to throw almost immediately. The usual throw is a huck on the open side. By employing a<br />
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strike, the marker may be suddenly in a position to block this throw, since they are now standing on what was<br />
previously the open side. There is then a good chance of a stall, throwaway or block.<br />
The second is called by one of the defenders. If the man being defended by one of the defenders gets free on<br />
the open side, the defender may call „Strike“. This tells the marker to switch force for a second or two to stop the<br />
easy pass to this cutter. After a second, the marker will switch back, by which stage hopefully the defender will<br />
be close to their man again, or the pass will no longer look so inviting. This is not a good call to make if there are<br />
also men free on the break side, and it should be used carefully. The marker needs to be listening carefully to<br />
make sure they switch immediately.<br />
Hand Blocks<br />
Along with layouts, hand blocks are one of the big psych-inducing plays in a game of Ultimate. However, hand<br />
blocks are not something that can be generated at will, despite some people’s thoughts to the contrary. They<br />
are a combination of good positioning and balance, support from defenders, quick reactions, the right (wrong??)<br />
throw, and a certain amount of luck. As well, they are not something that should be aimed for. Actively<br />
attempting hand blocks tends to be a sure fire way to let the thrower get an easy break.<br />
The best way to improve your chances of getting hand blocks is simply to improve your general marker defense.<br />
A hard mark should make any kind of break throw a risky proposition at best and a guaranteed turnover at<br />
worst. A hard mark is not much use though unless the defenders are doing their job.<br />
If the thrower always has an easy open side throw, not even the best marker in the world is going to get a hand<br />
block. As a result, hand blocks are as much an effort of the defenders as the marker.<br />
The number one mistake when marking a good player is to mark too close. Marking close is effective against<br />
inexperienced players because they are usually too intimidated to pivot well and get around the force. Most<br />
good players, on the other hand look at a close mark as being a license to break the force. I have found that<br />
standing back about a meter from the thrower has improved my marking a great deal. The distance to stand<br />
back is a personal thing, but it gives you a split second of extra time after the thrower releases the disc. This<br />
allows you to move your arms, and may be the difference between getting the block and having the throw go<br />
over or under your arm. The other reason to stand back is to do with fouls. If you are a meter away and get your<br />
hand on the disc, it is unlikely that the disc is still in the thrower‘s hand. If you are right up close and get your<br />
hand on the disc there is a good chance that it is still in the thrower‘s hand, and you will have a strip or foul<br />
called against you. Standing off a bit reduces the chance of a block being called a foul.<br />
The other things to increase chances of hand blocks are standard things to improve marker defense. Keep your<br />
weight low and between your feet. This improves your balance, and makes it much easier to slide around to<br />
either side to stop a throw. Have your knees bent, and move your whole body and not just your arms when<br />
covering the thrower. It is too easy to keep your feet still and simply reach out with your arms. The further you<br />
try to reach, the less balanced you are and the higher the likelihood that you will not be able to follow the<br />
thrower as effectively when they pivot.<br />
Watch the disc, the eyes of the thrower and their navel. The eyes tell you where the thrower wants to throw. The<br />
navel shows you where the center of mass of the thrower is. They will not be able to pivot without moving it, so it<br />
is better than being faked out by head fakes, body fakes and leg fakes.<br />
The disc should be watched with care. You need to watch the disc to be able to move your hands to get a block,<br />
but you also need to avoid being taken in by disc fakes. Keep your hands low. This is most important for the<br />
hand on the open side. Most break throws on this side go under the hand of the marker. The positioning of the<br />
other hand depends a bit on your knowledge of the thrower. If you think they are likely to throw a hammer or<br />
high backhand, then keeping that hand high is a better idea. Otherwise, keep that hand low also. It tends to take<br />
longer to throw these high throws effectively, so you can always move your hands if the thrower winds up for<br />
one of these.<br />
Finally, if the thrower goes for a hammer, jump for it. Even if it is a fake, it usually takes them almost as much<br />
time to recover as it does for you. Letting a hammer out on the break side is no better for your team than a<br />
forehand or a backhand.<br />
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So, in summary, the main points are:<br />
- Stand back<br />
- Watch disc, eyes, navel<br />
- Keep balanced<br />
- Hands low<br />
- Know your thrower<br />
Above all, remember that marking is an active process, and not a passive one. You are trying to prevent the<br />
thrower from getting an easy pass away - make it hard for him. Keep moving, keep your hands active, but don’t<br />
let them break.[4]<br />
References<br />
[1] Mich’s Guide to Ultimate, http://www.vul.bc.ca/part1.htm<br />
[2] Ultimate Beginner’s Notes, http://www.sunnybrook.utoronto.ca:8080/~liu/ultimate/strategy/stack.html<br />
[3] Jim Parinella, http://www.tiac.net/users/parinell/tip4<br />
[4] Tom Brennan and Jonathan Potts, http://www.afda.com/skills/<br />
[5] Alan Harder, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow/drills/CuttingTips.html<br />
How to Read the Disc<br />
In Ultimate, every position requires catching the disc. Therefore, every Ultimate player needs to be able to judge<br />
where a thrown disc will go. This skill is called „reading the disc“ by people who know how to do it. With the right<br />
technique and lots of practice, you can be one of these attractive, intelligent, and highly successful people! You<br />
can probably already read low, flat throws, but you may have difficulty reading high or curving ones. Here‘s how.<br />
Principles<br />
You cannot outrun a disc, especially near the end of a high throw that tails off to one side.<br />
You don‘t have to run under the disc the whole time.<br />
If you can estimate the disc‘s destination, you can run straight there. Maybe you can even catch it.<br />
Procedure<br />
Look at the disc in the air for a moment.<br />
Is it tilting down to one side? If so, run to that side of the disc.<br />
Is it starting to accelerate to that side? Run even more to that side.<br />
Look at the disc often as you run. Readjust as necessary.<br />
Tips<br />
Never run directly under a curving throw. The disc gains velocity as it curves, and it‘s almost always faster than<br />
you at the end of its flight.<br />
If you’re new at reading, overestimate. Run „too far“ to the side the disc will curve to. Just as it‘s easier for a<br />
38
aseball outfielder to overestimate and run forward for a catch than to underestimate and backpedal, it‘s easier<br />
for you to overestimate and come back to the disc than to underestimate and try to outrun it.<br />
Remember, you want to beat the disc to its destination. If your initial estimate of its path is correct, you’ll run in a<br />
straight line the whole way, giving you a chance to get there first. Also, it‘ll let you position yourself well against<br />
a defender.<br />
Conclusion<br />
It‘s hard to learn to read. You will invariably make a poor estimate and end up in the wrong place. Don‘t worry<br />
about mistakes. Just make your best estimate, then run there with confidence. If you‘re right, you‘ll get a chance<br />
at the disc. If you‘re wrong, you‘ll learn from it. Reading the disc consistently comes only with experience and<br />
repetition.<br />
References<br />
http://www.cwru.edu/orgs/ultimate/tips/read_the_disc.html<br />
Defense<br />
Defense: Player<br />
The simplest approach to defense is player-on-player. At the beginning of a point both teams line up on their<br />
endzone lines. Each player on the team that is pulling will pick an opposing player to mark. With player-onplayer<br />
defense (commonly known – at the risk of being sexist – as a „man“ defense) you stay as close to your<br />
opponent as you can, following them whenever they make a cut, and trying to beat them to the disc. The<br />
problem with this kind of defense is that it is very tiring and there are often „mismatched“ players– for instance, a<br />
tall player being marked by a short one, or a very fast player being marked by a slower player. Introducing some<br />
simple defensive strategies will help your team apply a much more effective player-on-player defense. [1]<br />
Using the Force<br />
The defender marking the player with the disc can limit where the thrower can throw to by positioning<br />
themselves so that they block off one side of the pitch. For instance, if the defender stands on the thrower’s left,<br />
the thrower can then only throw to their right. By doing this, the pitch is effectively divided into two parts: the<br />
„open“ side that the thrower can throw to, and the „closed“ (or „blind“) side which they can’t throw to.<br />
This is called „establishing a force“ on the thrower, because the marker is forcing them to throw in one direction<br />
only. If a good strong force is put on the thrower, the disc should never go to the closed side, so the rest of the<br />
defensive team theoretically now only have half the work to do – they only need to cover their player when he or<br />
she cuts to the open side.<br />
Make sure that you do not get drawn too far towards the open side, as a thrower that is quick at pivoting will turn<br />
and throw around your force before you have time to react. Don’t try to get a block on a pass to the open side,<br />
as they may be faking in order to pull you out of position and break the force.<br />
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Finally, it’s vital that you let your team-mates know which way you are forcing. Call „Home“ or „Away“ when you<br />
start marking the thrower, to indicate the direction in which you are forcing. Your team-mates will then know<br />
which side of the pitch to cover without having to turn and look.<br />
Marking the Receiver<br />
Face Guarding<br />
Face guarding refers to defending by always facing the player you are marking and always trying to stay<br />
between them and the disc. They will usually run directly at you, trying to get you to turn away.<br />
In face-marking, each defender stands about three meters in front of their player, facing them, and slightly to the<br />
forced (open) side. You should try to maintain a position which is in a direct line to where the cutter is trying to<br />
cut. You will need to back-pedal (run backwards) as the cut starts and the offensive player closes the gap<br />
between them.<br />
You should remain facing your player until you hear an „up!“ call, regardless of how many times the cutter<br />
dukes, fakes and baulks. Turning to look away from your player gives them the opportunity to get away from<br />
you. It is also a good idea to focus on the belly-button of the cutter, as this is the center of mass, so that head<br />
fakes and leg fakes can be ignored. You should go for the lay-out block when the disc is thrown.<br />
Side Marking<br />
The problem with face guarding is that a disc can often come close enough to get a block on, but because you<br />
are looking away you miss the chance. Most defenders prefer to watch the disc as well as their player. This has<br />
the advantage that you are more likely to be able to get a block on the disc since you can see when it is thrown,<br />
but the problem is that you are not focussing all of your attention on the player you are marking. This tends to<br />
make it easier for them to get away. There are different levels of this sort of defense, ranging from the<br />
occasional glance toward the disc, to facing the disc and trying to defend by looking over your shoulders.<br />
The most common is side marking, where the defender stands slightly on the open side of their player, the<br />
thrower is almost directly to one side and their player directly on the other side. By turning your head slightly you<br />
can see both the disc and your player. The cutter will usually try and sprint past you on the open side, as this is<br />
the way to make you turn the most. You should be aware of this cut and try and position yourself so that the<br />
cutter has to cut through you to make it.<br />
One of the other possibilities is facing the disc all of the time. This is very difficult to do well, and a good cutter<br />
will usually get free eventually. The aim is to watch the disc, but know where the cutter is all the time. This can<br />
be done by both looking and listening. Without looking at the cutter, it is possible to tell where they are by<br />
listening to footsteps, both rhythm and loudness, as well as breathing and any calls they are making. This<br />
information is combined with other clues, such as shadows (this is easy at night when the ground is lit), where<br />
the thrower is looking, and the occasional glance over the shoulder. If done well this can be very effective,<br />
although it is susceptible to a cut away from the disc, since you may only notice an absence of clues. [2]<br />
Stopping the Flow<br />
No matter how hard you try, your player will sometimes receiver the disc. If this happens your priority is to stop<br />
the flow. The aim of a flow offence is to move the disc quickly down one flank of the pitch. If you were close to<br />
your player when they receive the disc you should be able to quickly get across and block the pass down the<br />
flank, thus forcing them to throw back towards the center of the pitch. It is extremely important not to give up<br />
even if your marker is getting away from you, because you may still be able to stop the flow if you are close<br />
enough.<br />
Bear in mind that if you have stopped the flow by blocking the pass up the line, you have quite possibly also<br />
changed the direction of the force (what was the open side has now become the closed side and vice versa). It’s<br />
important to communicate this to the rest of your team by calling either „home“ or „away“. [1]<br />
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Example 1<br />
Playing player-to-player defense starts with a good force and everyone denying the player that they are<br />
covering to get open on the forced side of the field.<br />
Example 2<br />
Often times when playing person-to-person defense, the disc will begin on the sideline or work its way there. A<br />
team may take advantage of this by forcing the disc up the sideline and allowing one person to play in the<br />
narrow passing lane. This set up is called a sideline trap and is shown below. When a defender sits in the<br />
passing lane guarding no specific player while the other defenders still play person-to-person, this defender is<br />
said to be poaching. [3]<br />
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Advanced Strategy<br />
It is easy to make generalizations about what the defenders should be doing. In reality, it depends a lot on who<br />
they are marking, both in terms of where their receiver is standing and the physical attributes of the receiver.<br />
It should also be kept in mind that ultimate is a team game. Just because you have shut your man down doesn‘t<br />
mean that your team won‘t be scored on. Part of playing good defense is playing good team defense as well.<br />
Defending Short Players<br />
By short here, we mean short as in close to the disc, not vertically challenged!<br />
Generally the best spot to set up is about 3-4m in front of the receiver, slightly towards the open side. The<br />
defender is relying on the marker to stop any throws on the break side, so he allows a small amount of leeway<br />
on that side. It is much more important to make sure the receiver does not get free on the open side. The<br />
receiver will usually run at the defender, fake to throw the defender off, and then run hard in a direction. To<br />
avoid the receiver getting free, the defender needs to be able to stay in front of the receiver, usually by running<br />
backwards so that he can see the receiver. As soon as the defender has to turn around it is much easier for the<br />
receiver to get free.<br />
In Brief:<br />
- Face the receiver<br />
- Try and maintain the distance between you and the receiver as the receiver runs at you<br />
- Avoid turning around<br />
- If the receiver fakes a direction change, follow slightly, but do not commit until you are sure<br />
- You can let the defender get a little further in front on the break side than the open side, as the marker<br />
shouldn‘t be letting the thrower throw that side<br />
Defending Deep Players<br />
Marking deep players is slightly different. To mark the deepest player, the defender should usually stand just<br />
behind the receiver, and on the open side. This is so that if the thrower hucks long, the defender is in a better<br />
position to get the disc, as he is further back. Obviously, it allows the receiver to make easier cuts in for the disc,<br />
but this is much better than having a goal scored.<br />
Disc In The Air<br />
Once the disc is called up, the defenders should glance around to see where the disc is. It is possible that they<br />
could make a play on it. This is more important if the call is „Up long“, as conceivably quite a few players will<br />
have a play on the disc. The defenders need as much time as possible to have a chance to establish good<br />
position early.<br />
Switching<br />
If used correctly, switching is a good method of shutting down a good cut. If used poorly, it is a good way of<br />
leaving a man completely open. Switching requires good timing and understanding. There are two main sorts of<br />
switch.<br />
The first is the lazy switch, where the players are simply switching because the other‘s receiver is closer. As<br />
with all switches, both defenders need to know who their new receiver is. They should also make sure that they<br />
are not causing a defensive mismatch eg a short fast player marking a tall player.<br />
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The second is a switch on to a cutter. The player calling the switch will usually be near the front of the stack and<br />
will see a cutter coming from deep. He should wait as long as possible to call the switch, and at the last minute<br />
change receivers. This allows the other defender time to pick up the free man, without giving the free man too<br />
much time to plan a cut. The switcher needs to talk to the other defender to make sure the free player is picked<br />
up.<br />
Once players have played together for a while, they may be able to switch just by glancing at each other and<br />
nodding, or something similar. Switching is not recommended for beginners, as it teaches bad habits.<br />
Poaching<br />
Poaching is generally looked down upon in ultimate as „a bad thing“, mostly because it is a sign of laziness in<br />
defense. If used wisely and sparingly it can be remarkably effective, but it leaves free men around the field and<br />
can result in large yardage gains for the offensive team if punished. There are a number of different ways of<br />
poaching.<br />
The first is a straight out zone poach, where the poacher takes up a position in the main cutting lane and<br />
basically ignores his own receiver. This is only effective when either the thrower is weak or the receiver is weak,<br />
so that the chance of a pass from one to the other is small.<br />
The second is a temporary switch, where the poacher sees a cutter coming from deep and switches for long<br />
enough to discourage the thrower from throwing to the cutter, before switching back to his own receiver. The<br />
switch can involve actual marking, or just a flaring out into the cutting lane but has the same effect.<br />
A third type of poach is an active attempt to get a block. This involves the poacher seeing somebody else‘s<br />
receiver in a position to receive a pass, but where the pass if thrown could still be intercepted. The poacher<br />
hopes that by not watching the disc, the thrower will think the pass is on, and hence throw it. The poacher has to<br />
guess when the pass will be thrown, and then turn around hoping the disc will be there to intercept. This can be<br />
effective if the timing is right. [2]<br />
Communication<br />
To be a useful team defense, there needs to be more than individuals doing the defending. This is where<br />
communication comes in. There needs to be communication between defenders and markers, between<br />
defenders and other defenders, and between players on the sideline and players on the field.<br />
Defender-marker communication<br />
There are a number of ways defenders and markers can help each other by talking. Already we have seen the<br />
use of „Up“, „Up long“ and „Break“ calls by the marker to let the defender know the disc is in the air or the force<br />
has been broken.<br />
A common call from the defender to the marker is „No out“ or „No break“. This is used when the receiver is open<br />
on the break side and tells the marker to make doubly sure that there is no break of force, even if the open side<br />
throw is much easier. The other one that is often used is the „Strike“ call, which asks the marker to switch the<br />
force for a second or two to shut down an open side cut.<br />
Defender-defender communication<br />
This is most important when switching and poaching, as well as in zone and clam defenses.<br />
Sideline-marker communication<br />
The sideline can see which side cutters are coming in from and where the greatest points of danger are on the<br />
field. They are therefore in the best position to communicate with the marker and tell them what to do. This may<br />
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include telling them which way to force, not to let the thrower break, to switch the force, to get their hands up or<br />
down, etc. It is better to let the defender call strikes since they are better able to judge when they have been<br />
burnt!<br />
Sideline-defender communication<br />
Often it is hard for the marker to make „Up“ and „Break“ calls loudly and quickly. This can be because they are<br />
out of breath or because they are more easily fooled by fakes. The players who are standing on the sideline can<br />
help the other players by making these calls as well. Also, the sideline has a better perspective on the game<br />
than the players on the field, so they can call to specific players, for example if they can make a play on the<br />
disc, but have their back to it.<br />
This is a very important part of communication, and is one reason the sideline is often called the eighth man.[2]<br />
References<br />
[1] Ian „Scott“ Scotland, Issue 34, November 1996, Page 11 British Ultimate Federation (BUF) Newsletter<br />
Ultimatum<br />
[2] Tom Brennan and Jonathan Potts, http://www.afda.com/skills/<br />
[3] Athan Spiros, http://www.iam.ubc.ca/~spiros/playbook/<br />
Defense: Zone<br />
So what is a zone defense? Zone defenses are characterised by one or more players on the defensive team not<br />
marking a player on the opposing team, but an area. In most cases, there is a „cup“ of chasers near the thrower<br />
at all times.<br />
Zone defenses are mostly used when weather conditions are less favourable for passing, or against an offence<br />
with few strong throwers. A zone usually forces many more passes to gain the same amount of ground and<br />
relies on the offence making a weak or reckless throw in that period.<br />
Instead of trying to block passes altogether, a zone tries to block all of the easy and ground-gaining passing<br />
lanes. The zone allows passes backwards and sometimes sideways because they do little harm to the defense.<br />
The zone also allows throws over the top, because these throws are generally high risk and have a good<br />
chance of being dropped or intercepted.<br />
One advantage a zone brings is that in the event of a turnover the opponents will usually find it difficult to mark<br />
up quickly, and set up for their own defense. This can lead to easy scores, as there will be a number of people<br />
open for throws. [1]<br />
Positions<br />
The Cup (LC (Left Cup) and RC (Right Cup) ), together with TC (Top Cup), form a defensive cup around the<br />
thrower. We refer to the Point who is marking the disc as the strong-side Point, and the other Point as the weakside<br />
Point. In the diagram, the RC is marking the disc and so he is the strong-side Point at this time. If the disc<br />
moves to the other side of the field, the LC will probably mark the thrower and hence will become the strongside<br />
Point.<br />
So one Point (strong-side) will mark the thrower, and the other Point (weak-side) and TC will stand on the force<br />
side trying to prevent any throw forward on that side. In theory, this set up will prevent throws through the cup.<br />
MM (Middle-Middle) marks the area just behind the cup. LM (Left Middle) & RM (Right Middle) mark the areas<br />
on either side of the field. D (Deep) marks anywhere behind that.<br />
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The Points<br />
The job of Point requires a fair amount of fitness and good marking skills, as they are the only defensive players<br />
that should ever be marking the thrower. The cup tends to have to do quite a lot of running. The three players in<br />
the cup (LC, TC & RC) have to decide which way the cup is going to force the thrower. This will often be<br />
towards the middle of the field, although there are instances when always forcing to a particular direction (eg<br />
into a cross-wind), or forcing line is good.<br />
The Axis<br />
TC has the task of coordinating the cup, defending against throws through the cup, and marking any receiver<br />
that runs into the cup (known as a popper). Coordination involves telling the points who will mark a particular<br />
thrower, how wide the cup should be spaced and which way to move. TC should also listen to calls from MM as<br />
to where poppers are. The TC can turn around a lot of the time and cover any man who is near the cup. MM<br />
should usually alert TC to warn them when a man is near the cup by saying „coming in“.<br />
The Middle-Middle<br />
MM covers the area directly behind the cup. This usually involves marking man-to-man on anyone that comes<br />
into this area, until they leave it or they run through the cup. Once a receiver enters the cup, they are the job of<br />
the Points or TC, and should be ignored. The other job of MM is to talk to the cup. If a receiver is coming into<br />
the cup, TC needs to be told to close the cup up on that side. The cup may also need to be told if it is too open<br />
or too close together.<br />
The Wings<br />
Conceptually, the Wings RM & LM have the simplest job on the field. They each have one side of the field to<br />
mark, and the aim is to stop passes up either of the sidelines. Usually, if a throw gets around the edge of the<br />
cup, the thrower will be looking upfield for the next pass. The Wing‘s job is to find and stop any cutters to that<br />
thrower. This may involve going man-to-man for a short while. If the player gets the disc, the wing should drop<br />
back (contain!) and let the points mark the thrower. It is not the Wing‘s job to mark the player with the disc.<br />
The Deep<br />
D has the task of intercepting any long throws put up by the offence. The job is usually not hard since if there is<br />
any wind it is difficult to huck accurately, and thus it is not often that the Deep comes into play. As a result, the<br />
main job of the Deep is to talk to the other players, primarily the Middle and Wings, and tell them where to go<br />
and who to cover.<br />
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Types of Zone<br />
Standard 3 Person Cup<br />
The cup will always chase the disc. Only one of the sides of the cup will mark the disc and call out the stall<br />
count. (Nobody else may do this.) The other people in the cup play exactly ten feet off the disc unless there is<br />
an offensive player within ten feet in which case the defender may follow him/her in. When the disc is swung,<br />
the cup tries to contain passes from getting up the field before tightening up again. The middles look to cover<br />
offensive players in their zone paying special attention to the passing lanes through the cup. The deep watches<br />
people behind the middles.<br />
The zone described here is called a 3-3-1 zone because there‘s 3 people in the cup, then 3 people in the<br />
middle, and finally 1 person deep. Another standard zone is a 3-2-2. I‘ll let you figure out that one.<br />
Note: Communication is very important. The top of the cup talks and directs the other people in the cup. The<br />
middle-middle directs the top of the cup. The deep directs the middles. The players sitting off help the hammers<br />
and warn the deep when someone is behind him/her.<br />
Salmon<br />
Non-Trap Set<br />
- The fish is responsible for forcing the disc towards one side of the field. The fish is the only player that<br />
marks the disc. Depending on the situation, the fish might also want to try to take away a backwards pass.<br />
- The short middle is the most important position. This person has to be aware of all cuts through the center<br />
and at the same time break up any give and go opportunities.<br />
- The short on the strong-side of the field can back up a little bit to sucker the disc towards the sideline which<br />
we want to trap. The short on the other side of the field needs to watch out for any I/0 throws and be ready<br />
to prevent any swings if a dump occurs.<br />
- The middles prevent any hammers and pretty much play man defense for people in their zone.<br />
- The deep does the usual barking and minding of deep threats.<br />
Note: strong-side = same side of the field that the disc is on. weak-side = opposite-side of the field that the disc<br />
is on.<br />
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Trap Set<br />
- Once the disc gets on the sideline the fish will move to deny the dump. The short middle will move to cut off<br />
a swing. The short on that side will move up a bit to prevent an easy pass down the line. These three<br />
players are basically like a cup in a standard zone.<br />
- The weak-side middle (the right middle in the case shown in the figure) must hurry over to protect against<br />
any throws through the cup.<br />
- The strong-side middle (the left middle in the case shown in the figure) backs up down the sideline weary of<br />
any big bending throws down the sideline.<br />
- The weak-side short (the short right shown in the figure) has the most ground to cover. However, since<br />
these are long throws, probably into the wind, this person has a bit of time to get to an ambitious swing or<br />
cross field hammer. Depending on the offensive players‘ set up, the deep might be able to help on that long<br />
cross field hammer, too.<br />
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Variations on the Salmon<br />
The main difference is that the person playing the weak-side position has a lot of flexibility and can either play<br />
up or back depending on the situation and how the other team has been beating you. It also puts a permanent<br />
player in the middle of the field, the middle-middle. This person now becomes responsible for positioning and<br />
communicating with the short middle which is also very important.<br />
The final twist is that the short-middle will mark the disc and take away the dump in the trap set. The fish then<br />
cuts off the swing pass. This has the added advantage of giving the fish a bit of a break and making it easier for<br />
the fish to mark the disc once the other team gets out of the trap situation.<br />
Endzone Set<br />
When the disc gets to close to the endzone, the regular salmon set-up is not necessarily the best, because it<br />
does not collapse very nicely in the short space. However, without to much trouble, the zone can be<br />
reconfigured.<br />
It‘s not really important where everyone lines up in the line of four. The important thing is to have the right (or<br />
weak-side player) take one back corner and the deep take the other. This is done because next to the deep, the<br />
weak-side player should be able to cover the most ground and read plays the best. The line of four listens to the<br />
people behind them for directions. The player on the disc will mark the disc back towards the middle of the field.<br />
When the disc gets moved, the marker and the four defenders in a line will rotate. When leaving the wall to mark<br />
the disc, it is important to approach the disc cautiously, trying not to allow the thrower to throw to the space you<br />
just vacated, because the wall will need a few seconds to adjust.<br />
Rabbit<br />
Communication is very important just as in any zone.<br />
- The middle-middle helps to direct the rabbit.<br />
- The deep helps to direct the mids.<br />
- The same-side mids help to direct the same-side shorts.<br />
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Only the short left or short right will mark the disc. If the disc is on the left-side then the short left will mark the<br />
disc back towards the right. If the disc is on the right-side of the field then the short right will mark the disc back<br />
towards the left-side of the field.<br />
The short that isn‘t marking the disc will drop off to the side. This person should be back a bit but not quite lined<br />
up with the mids. They are far enough back so that a dump and swing is allowed, but not a straight swing. This<br />
position is somewhat flexible and can be adjusted as we see what other teams try doing to move the disc. It is<br />
important for this person to get a quick mark (almost straight up) on the disc when it is swung to break up any<br />
continuation plays.<br />
The weak-side middle can drop a bit because the short on that side should have dropped some. This allows the<br />
deep to cheat a bit towards the strong-side of the field, as well.<br />
4-Person Cup<br />
The standard zone uses a 3 person cup. A competent group of handlers can usually move the 3 person cup<br />
around a lot. In order to give a different look and make the handler passes more difficult a 4 person cup can be<br />
used.<br />
4-Person Cup Preventing the Swing<br />
The cup plays fairly loose. The top of the cup almost plays even with the disc, sometimes even cheats towards<br />
the sideline. This makes for a very small opening through the cup towards the sideline and for the middle on that<br />
side to ignore it and instead cover the zone between the top of the cup and the other top. When the thrower<br />
passes the disc back for a dump, the other side of the cup immediately goes to prevent the swing pass and the<br />
other people in the cup converge on the dump. The middles play the zones in the obvious holes. The deep does<br />
a lot of praying. This is best used for only a few passes. After the offense has lost a bit of yardage one of the top<br />
cup players should drop back and play middle middle as the team changes to the standard or rabbit zone<br />
defense.<br />
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4-Person Cup Preventing the Dump<br />
This cup plays fairly tight and forces the disc to the sidelines. The back cup plays person-on-person with the<br />
dump denying the disc towards the center o the field.<br />
When the disc is on the sideline the cup changes formation into a hard trap as shown on the right. The middles<br />
cover the zones through the obvious holes in the cup. The deep does a lot of praying once again.<br />
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Final Notes<br />
Perhaps the most important thing with a zone defense is good communication. Each line of the zone defense<br />
will talk to the previous line letting them know who is behind them. The players who are not playing can also<br />
help a great deal with communication.<br />
(Note: the left middle and right middle are also called the left hammer or left hammer stopper and the right<br />
hammer or right hammer stopper.)<br />
References<br />
[1] Tom Brennan, http://www.afda.com/newsletters/981206thinkaboutyourzone.htm<br />
[2] Athan Spiros, http://www.iam.ubc.ca/~spiros/playbook/<br />
Offense<br />
Offense: Flow<br />
The simplest form of offensive play in Ultimate is called ‘flow offence’. Flow offense revolves around the stack<br />
and a series of well times cuts which have the disk flowing up the pitch in a succession of throws. Almost all<br />
teams use this as the basis of their offensive style.<br />
Stack<br />
Wherever the disk is being played from on the Ultimate pitch, the offensive team forms a line between that<br />
position and the center of the endzone which they are attacking. The position of the stack will change everytime<br />
there is a breakdown in the flow. The players stand at intervals along this line which is effectively a ‘neutral<br />
zone’. This is where players go to rest or to prepare for a cut.<br />
By forming a stack the sides of the field are free to cut into. If a cut is unsuccessful the player should get back to<br />
the stack before making another cut. At the start of each point, players are given „positions“ which they well play<br />
throughout the point. These positions determine the part of the stack that they will occupy. There are three basic<br />
recognized positions in Ultimate: „handler“, „middle“ and „endzone“ (or „long“). In the flow offence there are<br />
three handlers, two middles and two endzones. Depending on the position your are given your role will vary, as<br />
will the type of cut you should be making.<br />
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Handlers<br />
Handlers are usually the more skillful throwers. They will pick up the disc at the beginning of a point or after a<br />
turnover and make the first (usually the most difficult) pass. In a flow offense, handlers set the flow in motion, as<br />
the first pass will normally be from one handler to another handler as he or she make the „first-cut“. As a first-cut<br />
you should position yourself at the bottom of the stack nearest the thrower and no more than ten meters away.<br />
The timing of the first cut is easy, since you make your cut any time after the thrower has taken possession of<br />
the disc (and before the stall count reaches ten!). You don’t have to worry about being in the right place at the<br />
right time, just your ability to lose your marker.<br />
There is a tendency to think that your fastest player should be first-cut so that they can get free easily for the<br />
first pass. However, they will often be more effective as middles or endzones where speed is a definite<br />
advantage. Also, good defensive teams will match up fast defenders on your fast players, so speed alone will<br />
not make a good handler. Much more important for first-cut is confidence and decisiveness. A good decisive cut<br />
will lose your marker ninety percent of the time, whereas hesitant shuffling is easy to mark. Decide before your<br />
cut what you are going to do (e.g. three steps up-field then a hard cut back towards the thrower – Figure below).<br />
Having got free and caught the disc you have started the flow in motion. You should be able to look up-field and<br />
see a middle cutting out to the side in lots of space for you to make a pass to.<br />
Middles<br />
These players play in the middle of the stack and are usually fast and good catchers. They are sometimes<br />
called second-cuts because they are normally one of the second player to cut from the stack. The middles often<br />
have to receive fast throws or make up a lot of ground to catch a throw as they attempt to gain substantial<br />
yardage up field.<br />
The key to this position is timing. You are a crucial link between the handlers and the endzones and if your<br />
timing is out the flow will come to an unceremonious halt. Your cut should be timed so that when the first-cut<br />
receives the disc and looks upfield you are starting to get free and heading for the sideline. If you go too early<br />
you will be running off the side of the pitch before the first-cut has a chance to get into a throwing position. A<br />
general rule should be „better late“. The earliest that a second-cut should be looking to go is when the first-cut is<br />
just about to catch the disc. Again, it is important to be decisive about your cut, otherwise you will easy to mark.<br />
A middle should also be looking to make substantial ground towards the endzone so you either need to position<br />
yourself towards the top of the stack cutting back down field or in the middle of the stack cutting up field (see<br />
Figure below).<br />
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Endzones<br />
These players are usually fast, agile and athletic. Their work is tireless as they are the players you throw to to<br />
score a point in the endzone. Much like forwards in soccer, you do a lot of running for little reward, except the<br />
glory of scoring the points. This is a highly under-rated position; it takes great skill and timing to play this<br />
position well and a team that does not have a quality endzone player will struggle to score.<br />
Again, this position requires timing – you need to be getting free as the second-cut gets into position to throw to<br />
you („better late“). Don’t just hang around in the endzone hoping someone will pass to you, because they won’t.<br />
Don’t just cut straight out to the side as you’ll be easy to cover. As an endzone player you have to be decisive<br />
and cunning in your cutting as players will mark that much tighter in the endzone.<br />
The simplest cut is to head towards the back corner of the endzone then cut back towards the thrower (see<br />
Figure below).<br />
Don’t worry about catching the disc in the endzone – just catch the disc! Perhaps a better cut is to start by<br />
running towards the thrower and then cutting up the field for the corner of the endzone. This way you are<br />
receiving a leading pass taking you into the endzone.<br />
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Flow Offense<br />
Putting it all together gives you the basic flow offense. So in summary, the flow offense starts when one of the<br />
offensive team’s handlers picks up the disc either from the pull or after a turnover. Even before this has<br />
happened, the rest of the team forms a stack. The handler then makes a pass to the „first-cut“ (who is normally<br />
another handler). The first-cut in turn makes a pass to one of the middles (or second-cut). Finally, the middle<br />
makes a throw into the endzone to one of the endzone players, to score a point. The whole flow will normally be<br />
up one flank of the pitch. The Figure below shows the flow offense.<br />
Adding it up, there are four players involved in the basic flow offense, but this doesn’t mean that the other three<br />
have nothing to do. The other three players are safety players who step in if any part of the flow breaks down.<br />
So if the first-cut can’t get free then the safety handler would take over and become the first-cut. Similarly for the<br />
safety middle and safety endzone.<br />
It’s all so simple, isn’t it! The flow offense often doesn’t (flow) and there are some common mistakes that will<br />
always turn into sticky treacle;<br />
Handlers for some reason often think they have to "help out" when the last thing that is needed is their help. If<br />
handlers do not give time and space for the middles to cut you get an effect called (wind) milling, where all you<br />
get is a succession of short passes going nowhere for a lot of effort. The same will happen if the<br />
seconds can’t nail the timing ("better late"), or if they are indecisive about their cuts. Players not clearing out<br />
(returning to the stack after an unsuccessful cut) will block the passing lanes and cause a return to the dreaded<br />
milling.<br />
Get it right though and your flow will be unstoppable.<br />
References<br />
Scott Scotland World Ultimate Magazine Issue 33, April 1996, Pages 10 and 11,<br />
http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/public/ca/ad943925/bufscot1.htm<br />
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Offense: Player<br />
In ultimate, unlike most other sports, the person with the disc can‘t move. This means that the receivers must<br />
work extra hard to get open for the thrower. The best way to work the disc up the field is to create open space<br />
for the disc to be thrown and for people to run. One way of creating lots of space is for everyone to line up in the<br />
center of the field. This is called a stack and is diagrammed below.<br />
The stack is used to create space for people to run and the disc to be thrown. There should be enough room<br />
between players in the stack so that any one of them can run from the stack without risking having their<br />
defender run into anyone (called a pick). Take note of the areas that are shaded. These are the areas that the<br />
receiver should expect the disc.<br />
This creates two open spaces for the disc to be thrown. People may then leave the stack (ideally, one at a time)<br />
and run to one of the open areas. The best throw to the receiver would be one that curves from the outside and<br />
goes in towards the receiver (see the diagram below).<br />
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The thrower wants to make a throw that allows his/her teammate to run in to the disc while making it hard for the<br />
defender to touch the disc. This leads to putting a certain edge on the disc depending on which way the thrower<br />
is being marked.<br />
If the receiver does not quickly get open, he/she must clear the area by either running long down the sideline<br />
(the usual clearing cut) or going behind the thrower (done less often). The entire cutting process is shown<br />
below.<br />
1. One person will make no more than three moves to try and get open.<br />
2. After the player makes his/her fakes, the player will continue to run in a straight line towards the sideline.<br />
3. Usually, the player will then run down the sideline (still aware that a pass may be thrown to him/her) and join<br />
the back of the stack.<br />
4. Some players (usually handlers) may choose to go behind the thrower in case a dump is needed.<br />
One person will leave the stack and try to get open. If they don‘t get open they must clear the area to give room<br />
for another person to cut.<br />
If the defender doesn‘t follow the receiver (i.e. poaches), the receiver should look to get open from everyone for<br />
an easy immediate pass or a later pass (usually by running down the field, keeping to the sideline). This player<br />
will yell, „poach!“ to let the thrower know that there is a defender sitting in a passing lane and to draw attention<br />
to his/herself. To summarize, the role of the receiver is to:<br />
- Get in the middle of the field to be part of the stack and create open space.<br />
- Cut one at a time (with only a few fakes) to try to get open.<br />
- Quickly clear the area if they don‘t get the disc by running on the sideline to eventually get back in the stack.<br />
- (Off of a pass that is about to be completed) set up their defender for an easy continuing pass (this is called<br />
a mirror cut).<br />
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The key is to keep lots of space clear for the disc to be thrown there and for people to run there. The role of the<br />
thrower is to:<br />
- Be patient; 10 seconds is a long time.<br />
- Pivot and fake to create more angles to throw the disc.<br />
- Throw a throw that you know will get to an open receiver.<br />
- (In the case where a defender is poaching) see if a pass may be made to the open receiver or else look to<br />
an area that is not occupied by the poacher.<br />
- Look to make a short backwards pass dump, when the stall count gets to 6.<br />
Throwing a dump is usually easy because the defense is not concerned if the offense moves the disc<br />
backwards. Dumps take place in the region behind the thrower as diagrammed earlier. Once the thrower<br />
decides to throw a dump, he/she will pivot so that his/her endzone is now to his/her back. He/she will take note<br />
of which side of the receiver the defender is positioned and look to throw the disc to the opposite side. He/she<br />
will then make eye contact with the receiver and throw a short pass to the open side of the receiver allowing the<br />
receiver to run to the disc. In most cases, dumps can be used to break the defense‘s force or to initiate a give<br />
and go cut.<br />
The give and go play is simple but dynamic (see above figure) Usually it is run off of a short pass. The cut<br />
begins with the thrower. Once the disc leaves the thrower‘s hand, the thrower is running. The release of the<br />
throw and the beginning of the run happen instantaneously. Since the thrower knows when he/she is going to<br />
throw the disc (unlike his/her defender), he/she will usually be open after his/her first step. The receiver of the<br />
short throw then looks to throw the disc back to the original thrower. (Note: Running right after you throw is a<br />
good idea no matter what the situation.)<br />
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Three players may try to work the disc up the field by themselves if the other players give them room (see figure<br />
above). So as not to tip the play too early, the four remaining players usually stay stacked and within about 25<br />
yards of the disc, moving back as the disc is advanced.<br />
There are other ways to create space besides using a stack. One way is to have four of the seven players run<br />
down field. This leaves lots of room for the remaining three players to run (see above figure). In essence, you<br />
have isolated three players to move the disc up the field and hence this play is called the iso. The players in the<br />
iso are then free to move the disc anyway they can to at least half field. Usually, many give and goes are used<br />
to move the disc.<br />
References<br />
Athan Spiros, http://www.iam.ubc.ca/~spiros/playbook/<br />
Offense: Zone<br />
When running a zone offense, looking for and creating open space is still necessary, but patience becomes<br />
even more important. There are three different roles for players in the standard zone offense: handler, popper,<br />
and long. The handlers work the disc from side to side creating and looking for holes in the defense. The<br />
poppers move in the middle of the field, timing their cuts off of the swings by the handlers, hoping to receive<br />
passes through the holes in the cup. The longs move along the sidelines. They alternate coming in and going<br />
out as the disc leaves and comes towards the sideline that they are on, respectively. (See the figure) Once the<br />
disc is moved up field, the receiver may quickly look for an easy open pass or (in most cases) be patient and<br />
look to dump the disc (the dump is usually available) and the pattern is repeated. (There are other methods as<br />
well that you may discover on your own.)<br />
The set up of the standard zone offense is shown in the top figure. One way for the offense to move is shown on<br />
the bottom. This movement usually begins when the disc is dumped back. If the swings don‘t happen quickly,<br />
the poppers should be moving (usually one following the other through an area) trying to get passes through the<br />
holes of the cup.<br />
References<br />
Athan Spiros, http://www.iam.ubc.ca/~spiros/playbook/<br />
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Offense: Endzone<br />
Almost all non-long goals are scored in the ten-yard quarter circle centered at each cone, unless the defense<br />
poaches well there, so end-zone offenses usually concentrate their energies on getting into the corner. A good<br />
endzone offense should:<br />
1. Have several options from a particular stack.<br />
2. Be able to score either from a stoppage of play or from flow.<br />
3. Know which player is going to score.<br />
4. Be able to counter a defensive move.<br />
The offense should have some basic strategies as well as some specific plays. When you‘re designing for your<br />
team, you should determine your basic strategies. Do you have a lot of fast guys who can beat their man to the<br />
cone? Do you have lots of handlers who work the give and go well? Are you an experienced team that works<br />
the timing play well? Pick a strategy that fits your team.<br />
The real key is being organized. If your endzone offense is simply saying that John will have the first option on<br />
every cut in the endzone, you‘re ahead of the game. You can also specify by position. You could label your<br />
deeps „primary“ and „secondary“, and allow the primary deep to have first cut and secondary second, or you<br />
could say primary gets first cut on forehand side and secondary on backhand side. Another way to specify the<br />
goal scorer is to call him out during play. Depending on how well the other team knows you, you can call his<br />
name, his girlfriend‘s name(s), his dog, his company, his hometown, his nickname, his phone number, etc.<br />
Anyway, the responsibility can rotate around from point to point or even within a point, but if the cutter knows it‘s<br />
his cut, that‘s good. End zone failure usually results from no cuts or too many cuts, not from great defense.<br />
Basic plays<br />
Most end zone plays can be categorized as either „isolation“ or as „two-pass“ plays.<br />
Isolation<br />
The simplest isolation play is just to call a player and give that player 7 seconds or so to get open in the end<br />
zone, then have a designated dump if it‘s not open. If the receiver is close enough to the thrower and he‘s being<br />
face-guarded (the defender‘s back is to the thrower) and no poachers are very near by, the thrower can simply<br />
make eye contact with the receiver and then throw it in any direction, and the defender will be able to do<br />
nothing. This also works well with high stall count dumps. Do this as a drill in practice, either as an end zone<br />
play or as a play to avoid high stall count throwaways. It works, even if the receiver is not being face-guarded.<br />
The goal throw doesn‘t have to be this particular throw, by the way, it‘s just an option.<br />
The next easiest isolation play is to have a specific cutter come out of the stack to one side or the other. This<br />
should be in your playbook. As I said before, though, it can be the nth guy in the stack, the primary deep, or<br />
whoever the thrower calls, but have some way of specifying. As defenses pick up on this play, have alternatives<br />
ready.<br />
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One way is to have the whole stack cut at the same time, then have one guy come out and cut the other way.<br />
Another way is to have a decoy cutter go first, then the real cutter cut in his wake. A third option is for the first 2-<br />
4 guys cut hard to either sideline from the stack, then the next player comes straight up the middle. A warning<br />
on this one: if the thrower has a habit of bulleting his forehands, this pass will be dropped an awful lot, and it<br />
won‘t be the receiver‘s fault. A lot of players will disagree with me on this, but it is the THROWER‘S<br />
RESPONSIBILITY to make an easily catchable throw.<br />
Two-pass plays<br />
The disc is on the sideline. First player in the stack fakes up the line, then cuts to the middle for the dump. As he<br />
catches it, the last guy in the stack breaks for the far front cone for the continuation. Almost all two-pass plays<br />
are some variation on this (second guy in the stack comes out, second pass goes back to the original sideline, a<br />
decoy cut to the cone clears open the area ten yards inside the cone, etc.). This is really just your basic offense.<br />
Middles and deeps time their cuts so that the handlers can catch a pass, turn, and throw. Again, specify the<br />
cutter, and be able to have options on which guys cut and to which sides. For example, you could give the first<br />
cutter the option of continuing up the line into the end zone and the second man in the stack would come back<br />
for the dump/swing to the continuation. The other two-pass play is the give-and-go (A throws to B, who throws<br />
back to A). Make sure everyone else knows it, though, and clears out for A, because B‘s pass will often be a<br />
leading pass that floats.<br />
Discussion<br />
Most of what I‘ve mentioned has been for stoppages of play, but the same principles apply for during the flow.<br />
Realize that you‘re near the end zone (call „ENDZONE“, if that‘s what it takes), take a dump pass perhaps to<br />
reset, and then go. That‘s what happens a lot of times, anyway. The games I play in seem to have a lot of picks,<br />
fouls, etc., near the goal line, so we have more opportunities to run set plays, but our basic strategies apply<br />
even if nothing is called.<br />
Conclusions<br />
- Have a plan. Make sure it includes basic ideas as well as specific plays. DON‘T GET TOO COMPLICATED.<br />
- Have some way to call those plays (e.g., saying any word that starts with ‚A‘ means you‘re running end zone<br />
play A (whatever that is).<br />
- Keep it simple, with only a few basic plays and some variations on them as defenses catch up. Be ready to<br />
adjust. Find out what works for you, and make that your basic strategy.<br />
References<br />
Jim Parinella, http://www.upa.org/upa/totw/endzone.html<br />
Offense: Berkeley<br />
Often times the disc will start on the sideline or be moved to the sideline because of the flow. If the defense is<br />
forcing the disc to be thrown on the sideline (i.e. trapping), the offense does not have a lot of room with which to<br />
work. In this case, a special formation is used to get the disc off the sideline and to break the force. This set up<br />
is called a Berkeley. One player, the Berkeley, will initiate his/her cut about ten yards from the disc, even with<br />
the thrower. Usually, the berkeley looks to cut towards the dump side of the thrower. Once the throw is made, a<br />
person from the stack will cut to the break force side of the field. The Berkeley will receive the disc and proceed<br />
to throw the disc to the cutter from the stack. If a Berkeley is called, the berkeley cut must get open and the<br />
number one priority of the thrower is to get the disc to the Berkeley.<br />
The Berkeley is lined up even with the disc to allow the thrower to throw the disc on either side of the mark. The<br />
Berkeley will primarily try to get open for a dump and swing play, but if the sideline is open and so is the<br />
Berkeley, a pass up the line is also good.<br />
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References<br />
Athan Spiros, http://www.iam.ubc.ca/~spiros/playbook/<br />
Set Plays<br />
Set Plays: Standard Play<br />
The idea is that the first person in the stack cuts to the blocked side of the thrower. The person in the back of<br />
the stack cuts to the open side, and get the throw. The second to last person in the stack makes the second cut.<br />
References<br />
Ebb & Flow, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow/drills.html<br />
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Set Plays: Coffee Break<br />
This play is designed to help break the mark when there has been either a pull or a turnover in your own<br />
endzone. Usually, the opposing team will call out to „trap“. This leaves very little open for the handler. To<br />
combat this setup a second „short stack“ across the endzone. This turns the original mark into a straight up<br />
mark for the second stack. All three players along the endzone are handlers. The first player in the onfield stack<br />
is a deep and the last player in the on field stack is any player with a good deep throw in their bag. The play<br />
runs as follows:<br />
The first handler in the short stack makes a checkmark cut that results in getting a dump against the mark. At<br />
the same time this cut is being made the deep in the onfield stack also checks towards the disc and then starts<br />
his/her deep cut.<br />
When the pass is completed to the first handler the final short stack handler is coming out of his/her own<br />
checkmark and receives the disc fully on the broken side of the field.<br />
As the deep roars past the stack the remaining players must keep their defenders occupied by drifting forward.<br />
The last player in the stack should make his cut towards the disc about the time the deep is cutting past and<br />
when the final handler is making his catch. This prevents the last defender from cheating off to help cover the<br />
deep.<br />
Two passes from the score. Or, at the very least the disc has been worked against the mark and is now off the<br />
cone and in the field of play in good position.<br />
References<br />
Ebb & Flow, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow/drills.html<br />
Set Plays: The P Play<br />
The thrower breaks the mark to the first cutter in the stack. The third person cuts to the open side faking the in<br />
cut. 3 then turns and bolts for the endzone. 5 cuts in for flow on the break mark pass and hucks it to 3 in the<br />
endzone. Others on the field should cheat in as play develops to avoid poching.<br />
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References<br />
Ebb & Flow, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow/drills.html<br />
Set Plays: The Weave<br />
The Weave is a variation on the standard stack offense that puts give&go cuts as the first look. „Weave“ is a bit<br />
of a misnomer since nothing in the offense specifies a weaving pattern, but the large number of give&go cuts<br />
can give an appearance of weaving up the field.<br />
A handler makes the first cut to receive the disc. In a standard stack offense a mid would cut off the handler. In<br />
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the weave the first look is to a give&go cut. The flow of the play then depends on whether or not that cut is<br />
successful. If the give&go works, a mid then makes a cut. In effect the mid waits one throw longer than usual<br />
before making the cut. The advantage here is that the give&go receiver catches the disc facing downfield and<br />
has a good chance of getting off a quick throw. This is also a good opportunity for the deeps to bust. If the<br />
give&go is unsuccessful then the other handler still in the stack comes into the play. As soon as this player sees<br />
that the give&go isn‘t going to happen, they immediately make a cut for a dump or swing, usually to the side left<br />
open after the give&go cut. After this catch the thrower makes a give&go cut to start it all over. The handler who<br />
wasn‘t open for the first give&go needs to clear quickly and be ready for the bailout cut if the next give&go also<br />
fails.<br />
Once the disc reaches a mid the weave is just like a standard stack offense. The mid turns and looks for a deep<br />
on the continuation cut. When the flow is stopped, the disc returns to a handler to restart the weave. This is also<br />
true if the mid doesn‘t get open for the throw down the line.<br />
References<br />
Ebb & Flow, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow/drills.html<br />
Set Plays: The Looper<br />
Picture the situation when the offense gets the disc near the left sideline and looks down the line for the huck.<br />
To stop this, most defenders on the disc will force middle, and the defenders on the deeps will cheat towards<br />
the line. This sets up a great little play I like to call the Looper (which happens to describe both the cut and the<br />
throw). I will describe the situation for a right handed thrower on the left sideline; everything is reversed for a<br />
lefty or ambidextrous person on the right sideline. If the player busting down the line sees this situation, they<br />
should break hard right and loop back towards the other sideline. All the other players are typically out in the<br />
middle of the field, so this cut will go on the other side of everyone. If the defender was cheating towards the<br />
line, the cut should be quite open. When the thrower sees the looping cut, the throw to make is a high, diving<br />
forehand. Not quite a blade, but at a 45 degree angle or so. This throw is high enough to go over everyone in<br />
the middle of the field, and it is fast. It will also be easy to get off because of the force middle. This play also<br />
works well on the opposite sideline using a hammer.<br />
References<br />
Ebb & Flow, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow/drills.html<br />
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Set Plays: Fast Break<br />
1. breaks long on the turnover.<br />
2. sees if 1 is open. If not, leaves disc and 2 cuts downfield.<br />
3. picks up the disc and hits 2 who has created space having cut down field first. 2 then hits 1.<br />
References<br />
Steve Mooney, World Ultimate Magazine, July 1997, Pages 12-14<br />
Set Plays: The Pull Play<br />
Catch the pull, fake to 2, hit 3 who passes to 4 who sees 5 deep.<br />
Short fill cuts only if 3 or 4 are shut down.<br />
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Long fill only cuts for short fill or if 5 gets disk without scoring. 2 follows the disk as the safety.<br />
References<br />
Steve Mooney, World Ultimate Magazine, July 1997, Pages 12-14<br />
Endzone Plays<br />
Endzone Plays: The Basics<br />
A team should eventually be able to work the disc close to the endzone. However, at this point less space is<br />
available with which to work and the defense usually tries to play a little harder. Therefore, having some special<br />
plays set up for when the disc is within 15 yards of the endzone is a good idea. The basic rules of an endzone<br />
play are:<br />
- Set-up: The stack should have plenty of space between players so that picks can be avoided. (This means<br />
that people may be out of the endzone which is ok.)<br />
- 1 st in Stack: The first player in the stack is the safety person. It will be his/her responsibility to go for a dump<br />
if the play doesn’t work.<br />
- Note: Be sure to note the designated passing lanes for each play and if you are not the designated target<br />
try keeping your check (as well as yourself) out of the area.<br />
- Calling: The play will be bellowed out by the thrower. However, no one will move until the thrower says<br />
„go“.<br />
Endzone Plays: The Mob<br />
Someone will be designated to make the cut Everyone will start running to break the force side of the field. The<br />
designated cutter will quickly cut back to the forced side.<br />
References<br />
Athan Spiros, http://www.iam.ubc.ca/~spiros/playbook/index.html<br />
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Endzone Plays: Jail Break<br />
Next to last person will cut to one of the front corners The last person will immediately cut to the other corner<br />
The thrower will choose between the two cuts.<br />
References<br />
Athan Spiros, http://www.iam.ubc.ca/~spiros/playbook/index.html<br />
Endzone Plays: Foreplay<br />
The second person in the stack will cut to either flat As soon as the thrower releases the disc, he/she makes an<br />
immediate 45 to the endzone. The catcher quickly throws a floater to the original thrower.<br />
References<br />
Athan Spiros, http://www.iam.ubc.ca/~spiros/playbook/index.html<br />
Endzone Plays: Endzone Soup<br />
This play is an option that can be used either against teams that mark the stack cuts very well or in situations<br />
when you want only your handlers to be involved. The premise is that a dump to the forced side is an easy<br />
throw. From this throw a good handler can cut away into the forced area. Since the defender is already on the<br />
non-force side (he was marking after all) the path to the endzone for the handler is rather open. The play starts<br />
by the on disc handler either checking the disc in or making a fake to the stack. The dump handler checks into<br />
his defender and then swings back around for the force side dump. As soon as the dump is thrown the first<br />
handler should break hard to the corner. A quick catch and throw and you score.<br />
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If the dump defender is overly active and prevents this throw then we produce two other possible cuts. Notice<br />
that as the dump handler is cutting the offensive player at the front of the stack cuts out and away. This is to<br />
clear out the first defender (who is usually the defender poaching off into the throwing lanes). When the first<br />
option doesn’t present itself the handler fakes with the disc to signal the second option is in play. At that point<br />
both the second player in the stack and the last player make cuts. Against a weak mark the front cut is a quick<br />
strike possibility. Otherwise, the deep cut from the back of the stack will often succeed. Notice that the<br />
remaining two players drift back and away to try and keep their defenders busy and unable to help out. Soup's<br />
on.<br />
References<br />
Athan Spiros, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow<br />
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Drills<br />
Drills: The Basics<br />
Pivot and Throw<br />
This drill combines the pivoting and throwing motions, and gets the players used to using their correct pivot foot.<br />
Throwing in pairs, have the thrower pivot across before throwing. Repeat 10 times on backhand and forehand<br />
sides.[2]<br />
Piggy in the Middle<br />
This drill practices banked throws. Split into groups of three. Have the thrower and receiver stand at cones 10m<br />
apart with the "piggy" in between them. The aim is to connect passes without the piggy getting the disc. The<br />
players are not allowed to move. The thrower must throw inside-out or outside-in throws by altering the outside<br />
angle of the disc.[2]<br />
No Look Catch<br />
Receiver runs away from the thrower, thrower hucks disc over receiver’s shoulder and floats it for a tasty catch.<br />
Player who just threw the disc runs at the new thrower and turns about 10 yards in front of him/her. New thrower<br />
throws a long pass over receiver’s shoulder then runs to the disc for another iteration.[1]<br />
References<br />
[1] Ebb & Flow, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow<br />
[2] AFDA, http://www.afda.com<br />
Drills: 3-Player Weave<br />
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This is nearly straight out of basketball, but it works. It requires the players to turn immediately and pick up a<br />
new target for a quick drop pass. It also trains the third handler to time a give& go-style cut without having<br />
thrown the disc. Three players, 1 2 3, left to right across the field, about 5m apart, 3 has the disc. 1 and 3 are a<br />
couple steps downfield of 2. 1 makes a cross-field cut and gets the disc. 2 then makes a cut to the left of 1 and<br />
gets the immediate drop pass. 3 heads straight downfield and now the set up is mirrored. Repeat.<br />
References<br />
Ebb & Flow, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow<br />
Drills: The Square Drill<br />
THIS DRILL USES TWO DISCS.<br />
In the square drill, three players stand on three corners of a square. One and Three hold discs. One Player with<br />
a disc throws to the player without a disc, who receives at the open corner. (Note, no fake this time.) Thrower<br />
immediately cuts for the corner vacated by that receiver... and receives a pass from the third player. Third player<br />
cuts for the open corner immediately, and receives from the other dude. You get the idea. This is a very fast<br />
moving drill. It drills in the idea of running as soon as you have made a pass and looking to receive a pass<br />
straight away (like a give and go). Unlike a give and go you actually receive the disc straight away, from another<br />
player, quicker than a real give'n'go. Note that you will automatically alternate backhand passes and forehand<br />
passes. You always pass to one player and receive from the other. It may look confusing, but if you remember<br />
to always cut for the just-vacated corner then you should get it working straight away.<br />
References<br />
Ebb & Flow, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow<br />
Drills: Box Drill<br />
This drill works with any number of people from 4 up. Divide your team into four groups, and place one group at<br />
each cone. Give one person the disc, and have them stand between their cone ("cone 1") and the next cone<br />
("cone 2"). The first person in line at cone 2 cuts towards cone 3, and the person with the disc throws it to them.<br />
Just before they catch the disc, the first person in line at cone 3 should cut towards cone 4. Then cone 4 cuts to<br />
cone 1, etc. After you throw, go to the back of the line you cut towards. In the direction shown here, all throws<br />
should be forehand -- you can easily run it in the other direction and throw backhands instead. Also, your<br />
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handlers can practice their inside-outs here if they want. There is also another version where the cuts come<br />
from behind the thrower: when the cone 2 to cone 3 person catches the disc, the next cut comes from cone 1 to<br />
cone 2, then from cone 4 to cone 1, and so on.<br />
References<br />
Ebb & Flow, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow<br />
Drills: Breakaway<br />
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Players on a breakaway will sometimes enter the end zone and stop when they ran out of room - ignoring the<br />
80% of unoccupied end zone. This is an attempt to break that. You run 50% towards one side of the end zone<br />
and turn & sprint as hard as you can to the other side. The thrower is supposed to float it out in front of you. You<br />
can mix it up by putting defenders on the thrower & receiver.<br />
References<br />
Ebb & Flow, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow<br />
Drills: Seattle Drill<br />
Just endless repetition of the dump, swing, score passes on alternating sides of the endzone.<br />
References<br />
Ebb & Flow, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow<br />
Drills: Second Huck<br />
Split up into three lines:<br />
(D) Disc line: On the middle of the endzone line facing downfield. The disc starts in this line.<br />
- First cutters: Standard stack facing back towards the disc.<br />
- Second cutters: Extension of the stack behind the first cutters.<br />
Each repetition of this drill involves the first person in each line. (1) cuts to either side and receives the disc from<br />
(D). (2) makes the second cut back towards the disc on the same sideline as (1). (2) catches the disc and hucks<br />
it to the endzone down the same sideline. Meanwhile, (D) sprints the length of the field right after throwing the<br />
disc to (1) and catches the huck in the endzone. (D) runs down the opposite side of the field from the stack cuts,<br />
and then cuts across the field to make the catch.<br />
(D) clears to the second cutter line, (2) clears to the first cutter line, and (1) clears to the disc line. The first<br />
cutters should alternate sides of the field to keep the drill moving quickly and avoid clogging on either side.<br />
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References<br />
Ebb & Flow, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow<br />
Drills: Basic Weave<br />
The three people represent the three handlers in the Weave.<br />
One handler cuts and receives the disc. The player who threw the disc immediately makes a give&go cut up the<br />
field. This cut can be parallel (stay on the same side of the disc) or crossing (run in front of the disc to the other<br />
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side of the field). If the give&go throw happens, the process repeats and the new thrower makes a give&go cut.<br />
At some point the thrower should look off the give&go. Now the third handler, who has been backing up with the<br />
play, makes a cut to the side left open after the give&go cut. This can be the completely open side for a parallel<br />
give&go (as shown in the second instance in the animated play), or back to the side the give&go cut came from<br />
(as shown in the first instance in the animation).<br />
The players work the disc up the field using a variety of give&go cuts and regularly looking off the give&go and<br />
throwing to the backup handler cut. The throws should range from low release, rising throws to high releases.<br />
Inside-outs can be useful throwing to a give&go that is parallel or out in front of a crossing cut. A looping<br />
outside-in in useful in throwing to a crossing cut after the person has crossed to the other side. The adventurous<br />
may also work in some hammers and scoobers.<br />
This drill can be expanded to include mids, deeps, and/or defenders.<br />
References<br />
Ebb & Flow, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow<br />
Drills: D Score<br />
Skill Level<br />
- All levels<br />
- As close to 14 players as possible<br />
- Full ultimate field<br />
Skills Taught<br />
Offense - full range of offensive skills, especially consistency<br />
Defense - full range of defensive skills, especially intensity<br />
Background<br />
Defense is the focus of this controlled scrimmage. Defense gets to score, and defense dominates the flow of the<br />
action. This drill usually serves to increase intensity at practice, and should be used prior to a scrimmage to<br />
raise the level of play.<br />
<strong>Rules</strong><br />
1. A normal-sized ultimate field should be used, though one of the end-zones will not be needed.<br />
2. Play is 7 v 7. The nature of this exercise makes it counter-productive to substitute players between points.<br />
Try to keep teams to 7 or 8.<br />
3. Play starts with one team pulling to the other and play proceeding as in a normal ultimate game.<br />
4. Every time the offense turns the disc, play stops and the defense gets a point. The O retreats to its goal line<br />
and puts the disc back in play after a check.<br />
5. No points are awarded when the offense scores. It simply becomes the offense's turn to play D. Teams<br />
switch sides and restart after a pull.<br />
6. Games are played to 10 points (or more, depending on skill level). Make sure that at least one of the teams<br />
settles into a groove (offensive or defensive) before the end of the game.<br />
7. If the team that started on defense is the first to 10, the other team is granted one additional defensive<br />
opportunity (this statement may seem confusing, but it will become clear once you play).<br />
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Suggestions<br />
- Create teams of offensive and defensive specialists. Let each squad develop its own strategies for O and D.<br />
- Use this drill to try out new defenses: zones, force-middle, clam, etc. Be patient. Learning a new defense<br />
takes time.<br />
- Practice upwind or downwind offense (both can be tricky) by orienting your field appropriately<br />
Takeaways<br />
- Everyone agrees that achieving tournament-level play at practice is a worthwhile goal. But how can you<br />
make this happen? In my experience, the easiest way to start is to increase the intensity of your defense. By<br />
directly rewarding good D, this drill compells players to work towrd this goal.<br />
- One of the hardest things about ultimate is the mental adjustment necesary to go from offense to defnese,<br />
or vice-versa. This drill can allow you to work on O or D for prolonged periods of time, giving your team the<br />
chance to improve through repitition. Depending on what you think needs most work, alter the drill slightly<br />
so that O or D has an advantage (try 6 on offense versus a 7-man zone, for example).<br />
- This drill can be a bit negative in that one team will usually go into a tailspin and create a bunch of turns in a<br />
row. It is definitely a game of runs. This has two implications for practice:<br />
1. Make sure to do something fun with the entire team afterwards. A scrimmage works well, but you<br />
should mix up the teams so that none of the negativity bleeds over.<br />
2. There is a premium placed on mental toughness. Use this drill to teach your players to rebound from<br />
mistakes.<br />
References<br />
David Young. Has played for over ten years, first at Williams, then UC San Diego, and then with San Diego<br />
Open. Has coached college men, college women, and open men.<br />
Drills: Swank-Drill<br />
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Skill level<br />
- All levels<br />
- 8 or more players<br />
- 1/2 ultimate field or more<br />
Skills taught<br />
Conditioning, throwing, receiving<br />
Background<br />
This drill will allow you to assess and develop consistency in throwing. The repetition involved in this exercise<br />
will allow beginners to practice their throwing motions and learn the feel of a good toss. Intermediate and<br />
advanced players will gain insight into the types of throws that need fine-tuning. Players of all levels will learn to<br />
deal with fatigue.<br />
<strong>Rules</strong><br />
1. Set up cones as shown in Figure 1 with a stack of discs at the blue cone (the drill will still work if you don't<br />
have a blue cone).<br />
2. Select one thrower, one player to feed your thrower with discs, and one disc shagger to start the drill. The<br />
rest of your squad should form two even lines at orange cones. Every player will cycle through all positions,<br />
so order does not mater.<br />
3. There are two components to the drill, throwing and receiving. Both components run simultaneously, but I'll<br />
describe them individually.<br />
A) Throwing The disc feeder stands at the blue cone with the thrower at the opposite point of the diamond. The<br />
feeder makes a soft lead pass as the thrower moves left (Figure 2).<br />
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The thrower catches, turns, fires the disc upfield, and immediately runs back to the middle cone (Figure 3).<br />
The next lead pass is sent to the cone on the right (Figure 4), and the cycle repeats (Figure 5, then Figures 2-5<br />
again).<br />
It is the disc feeder's job to keep the thrower moving by continually making lead passes. Meanwhile, the disc<br />
shagger collects discs and places them at the feet of the disc feeder.<br />
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B) Receiving Players in line at the orange cones alternate cuts across the field, timing their runs for discs from<br />
the thrower (Figure 6).<br />
Timing is critical since the thrower will not have time to wait. After each cut, the receiver should return the disc to<br />
the disc shagger and then proceed to the next cone. A suggested order for cuts is shown in Figures 6-8.<br />
Receivers must re-form lines quickly so that the thrower does not stop until the entire team has cycled through<br />
all of its cuts.<br />
Swap positions and repeat until each player has had a chance to throw.<br />
Suggestions<br />
- Pay attention to the throws that give you trouble on a consistent basis, as well as the throws that give you<br />
difficulty when you're tired<br />
- Provide yourself with motivation on the receiving end; run through all of your catches without slowing down,<br />
and then run a sprint to a distant part of the field before rejoining the receiving line<br />
- Vary the length, direction, and angle of cuts to suit your team's developmental needs<br />
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Takeaways<br />
- In the early stages of a season, captains and coaches will find this drill useful in evaluating throwing skills,<br />
both for individual players and for the team as a whole. Use these observations to create training programs.<br />
Later in the season this can serve as a fun conditioning exercise. Use it instead of wind sprints.<br />
- Just because your team considers itself good doesn't mean that it can't benefit from this type of practice.<br />
Many good players lack the ability to make specific throws, instead relying on good decision-making to<br />
avoid turnovers. Good decision-making is a critical skill, but it can handicap your development as a thrower.<br />
Someday, you'll be glad you practiced that upwind, inside-out huck!<br />
Drills: GoTo-Drill<br />
Skill level<br />
- Beginner to Intermediate<br />
- 6 players or more<br />
- 1/4 field<br />
Skills Taught<br />
Receiving, throwing, conditioning<br />
Background<br />
This is a good warm-up drill. The main focus is catching while running. The structure of this exercise presents<br />
the offense with a clear advantage. Defense should only come into play when the O does not "go to."<br />
<strong>Rules</strong><br />
1. Set up three cones as displayed in Figure 1. Place a stack of discs at the blue cone.<br />
2. Choose a reliable thrower to stand at the blue cone for the length of the drill. This is not a good place to<br />
develop throws or throwers. If you keep your throws simple and accurate, your team will be better able to<br />
focus on receiving.<br />
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3. Form a line at the yellow cone with the rest of your squad, facing the thrower.<br />
4. The first person in line should jog our toward the thrower, plant, and sprint back to the red cone (Figure 2).<br />
5. When that player touches the red cone, he/she becomes a receiver and the first person in line (yellow cone)<br />
becomes an active defender. Both players sprint toward the thrower (Figure 3).<br />
6. The thrower should make a flat pass to the onrushing receiver. If the receiver runs through the pass, the<br />
defender should have no play. Be sure to adjust the spacing of your cones to make the drill fair: your<br />
defenders should only make blocks when the offense slows appreciably while approaching the disc in flight.<br />
7. After the catch (or drop or D), the defender immediately sprints back to the red cone, touches it, and<br />
becomes a receiver.<br />
8. The drill cycles onward.<br />
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Suggestions<br />
- Order your line so that players are next to teammates of comparable speed<br />
- If your thrower is able to do so reliably, you may want to vary the height and angle of incoming throws. It's<br />
much harder for many players to run through a high or arcing pass.<br />
- On offense, try to use your body to shield the defender from the disc.<br />
- On defense, learn to lay out for the disc (without touching the receiver). You'll be surprised how many drops<br />
you can cause simply by creating a distraction.<br />
References<br />
David Young. Has played for over ten years, first at Williams, then UC San Diego, and then with San Diego<br />
Open. Has coached college men, college women, and open men.<br />
Drills: Big Box<br />
Skill level<br />
- All levels<br />
- 6 players or more<br />
- 1/4 field<br />
Skills Taught<br />
Warm-up, catching, decision-making, defensive intensity, conditioning<br />
Background<br />
This is my favourite warm-up drill. Many teams run short sprints to get 'game-ready,' but I've never found this to<br />
work. An ideal warm-up drill should get the competitive juices flowing without causing fatigue. Try this drill for 10<br />
minutes before a game, or in the middle of practice (for a longer period of time) to work on conditioning.<br />
Whatever you do, don't count on Big Box to teach your team good throwing habits! This drill is all about hustle.<br />
<strong>Rules</strong><br />
1. Use four cones to create at 10-yard square. All play occurs inside this square.<br />
2. Divide into two teams of 3. Extra players can rotate in for the guilty party after a turn.<br />
3. Flip for possession. The team with the disc tries to earn a point by completing ten consecutive passes. One<br />
point is awarded per 10 passes.<br />
4. A turnover or out-of-bounds violation resets the pass count to zero and gives the disc to the other team.<br />
Play is continuous (no check or timeout for substitutions) until the end of a gamem which is played to 3.<br />
5. The stall count is 5.<br />
Suggestions<br />
- If you have enough players, run separate drills for short and tall players. Different body types typically have<br />
different ways of playing big box, and you don't want the little guys getting hurt. It's also useful to match up<br />
with players similar to those you'd cover in a tournament.<br />
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- Short, ugly passes are acceptable, and even encouraged in this drill. Force the other team to guard you<br />
tightly and then try to go back-door.<br />
Takeaways<br />
- Although you certainly wouldn't want to base your ultimate team's offense on the throws you learn in this<br />
drill, your defense may stand to learn a thing or two...<br />
References<br />
David Young. Has played for over ten years, first at Williams, then UC San Diego, and then with San Diego<br />
Open. Has coached college men, college women, and open men.<br />
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Advanced<br />
Advanced Throws<br />
Most people put too little spin on their throws. There aren’t many realistic situations where you would want to<br />
minimize spin. Spin is a result of arm speed and wrist flick. By increasing wrist flick you can make your throws a<br />
lot more stable and even add new throws to your repertoire. Practice using more wrist snap on ALL of your<br />
throws.<br />
Quick Release Throws<br />
A by-product of having good wrist-snap is that you will find you are able to release throws with very little arm<br />
motion. The quick release throws are very difficult for a marker to stop.<br />
High Release Throws<br />
Quick release throws and high throws are very similar in technique, basically because you cannot wind up for<br />
high release throws. These allow you to throw over the mark, and often are unblockable because they are<br />
released so far forward.<br />
Outside In (OI) Throw<br />
In the case of a backhand throw, the disc starts to the left and curves to the right. Most OI backhand throws will<br />
be for people cutting from the middle of the field to your left, and you want the disc to curve into them. Also, if<br />
there is a defender halfway between you and your receiver, this is the throw that will get it around that defender.<br />
The disc is released with an inward tilt to achieve the OI curvature. In the forehand case the disc curves from<br />
right to left.<br />
Inside Out (IO) Throw<br />
For a backhand throw, the disc starts to the right and curves to the left. This can be used to throw to the right<br />
side of the field when the marker is trying to force you to the left (i.e. the forced side). Most IO backhand throws<br />
will be for people cutting from the middle of the field to your right (i.e. the break force side). The disc is released<br />
with a downward tilt to achieve the IO curvature. In the forehand case the disc curves from left to right.<br />
Outside In (OI) Huck<br />
When most intermediate players huck they tend to release as an inside-out throw to allow the disc to flatten out<br />
in flight. This is particularly true for forehand hucks. An inside-out is generally a difficult throw to complete<br />
because it needs to be released close to the body (easy to point block) and tends to float at the end of its flight<br />
path.<br />
The outside-in huck, on the other hand has the following advantages:<br />
- Very fast, arcing flight<br />
- Curves around intervening defenders<br />
- Curves in toward the receiver<br />
- Can be released out very wide<br />
- Shorter wind-up<br />
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The outside-in huck requires a lot of upper body energy to be imparted over a short time, it is usually a fairly<br />
stunted motion. It also requires a lot of wrist snap to keep its flight level and counter the natural tendency to turn<br />
over. Accuracy in release is also important because there is little room for error (the disc simply goes to ground<br />
if it misses its mark), and subtle differences in the angle-of-release result in very different flight paths. The only<br />
way to learn is practice!<br />
References<br />
Tom Brennan and Jonathan Potts, http://www.afda.com/skills/<br />
Trick Throws<br />
The Hammer<br />
The grip is essentially the same as for the forehand.<br />
The significant difference is that the hammer throw is released upside-down, so that support underneath the<br />
disc is not as important as for the forehand. A tight grip with the thumb is important, since it is the digit which is<br />
doing the supporting. This makes the power and hybrid grips the better choices for the hammer. The harder the<br />
disc is thrown, or the more wind you throw into, the more vertical the disc should be when released. [2]<br />
Air Bounce<br />
When an airbounce is thrown correctly, the disk leaves your hand, approaches the ground at a point a short<br />
distance in front of you, and then mysteriously rises. When I throw, I keep this in mind. As near as I can figure<br />
one of two things is happening when you make this throw. First, look at it like you are taking a huge trashcan lid<br />
and compressing a whole lot of air, between it and the ground, and this compressed air, then expands, and<br />
propels your disc back upwards.<br />
Second, view your disc as an air plane wing that has it's front edge tipped upwards so that as air passes under<br />
its surface, it has the tendency to get lift and rise.<br />
When you make your throw:<br />
1. Use your thumb to push the rear of the disc down, leaving the front edge slightly higher and allowing for the<br />
airplane wing lift effect. As your arm propels the disc forward, this angle will give it lift.<br />
2. Standing sideways with your Right foot out in front, toward your catcher and maintaining the disc angle with<br />
your thumb, start your (right handed) throw, high up near your left shoulder. Now, using your thumb to keep<br />
the disc angled up, sweep your hand and arm down (diagonal motion) low toward your right knee and out to<br />
an imaginary point about 4 to 7 feet in front of you. (place another disc in front of you as a target if<br />
necessary.) This motion needs to be fast, so that you compress the air, instead of just "fanning" it out of the<br />
way, the way you would fan yourself on a hot day. By moving downward quickly, you will compress the air<br />
you need to get a good "bounce" off it. Hence the term "Air bounce"<br />
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You have been told to push hard with your thumb. You need to push with your thumb to keep the tail of the disc<br />
down as you compress air. I often start with my disc 45 to 65 degrees up from horizontal and often nearing<br />
vertical, This allows me to grab a lot of air and then I flatten out to more like 30 degrees as I release. Your<br />
friends have been trying to tell you to use that thumb to create pressure and air compression as you try to shrink<br />
a square foot column standing air 3 to 4 feet high into a 1' by 1' by 1' layer of air that the Frisbee can ride up on.<br />
A good air bounce can be thrown under a park bench and come out the other side rising. I have heard urban<br />
legends about greats who can put one under a car and have it float back up to catchable height.<br />
Wrist Hammer (Scoober, Scooper)<br />
This throw uses a standard backhand grip. The disc is flipped over so that the dome of the disc is resting on the<br />
wrist and forearm. The throw is from the forehand side. The disc is brought back towards the shoulder and then<br />
thrown forwards at an angle of about 50 degrees. The flight path is the reverse of a normal hammer.<br />
Thumb Hammer (Thumber)<br />
This throw uses a reverse grip. The thumb is inside the lip of the disc, the outside edge of the thumb (the side<br />
away from the fingers) is pushed against the disc and the fingers are supporting the dome, but the grip is fairly<br />
loose. The throw is from the forehand side. The disc is brought back towards the shoulder and then thrown<br />
forwards at an angle of about 50 degrees. There needs to be a good amount of spin to get the disc to fly<br />
properly. The flight path is the reverse of the hammer.<br />
Inverse Thumb Backhand (Snake)<br />
This throw uses a backhand grip with the disc held upside-down. The thumb is inside the disc, with the inside<br />
edge of the thumb (the side closest to the fingers) pushed against the rim, and the fingers are curled against the<br />
dome. The throw is from the backhand side. The disc is brought back towards the shoulder and then thrown<br />
forwards at an angle of about 45 degrees. The flight path is similar to a hammer, although it tends to fly at a low<br />
height, and it will usually fade towards the backhand side at the end of its flight.<br />
Bowler<br />
This throw uses a backhand grip. The throwing motion is similar to bowling a cricket ball. The arm is brought<br />
over the shoulder with the thumb and forefinger leading. The disc is near vertical. A large amount of spin needs<br />
to be given to the disc as it is released, and the throw follows the reverse of a hammer flight path.<br />
Thumb Forehand (Thumber)<br />
There are a couple of different grips for this throw. The disc is the right way up, and the outside edge or pad of<br />
the thumb is against the rim. The palm is facing up and the fingers are curled onto the dome, although one<br />
version has the index finger inside the rim as well. The throw is from the forehand side of the body, and the<br />
action and flight path is identical to that of a forehand. Another variant on this throw starts with the disc held out<br />
in front, fingers facing forwards on top of the dome, and thumb facing forwards underneath. The disc is then<br />
whirled around the thumb (anti-clockwise from top for right-handers) and projected forwards at the right<br />
moment.<br />
Thumb Backhand<br />
The grip for this throw has the pad of the thumb inside the rim and the index finger along the outside edge of the<br />
rim. The throw is from the backhand side of the body. The disc is brought back flat across the chest and then<br />
thrown forwards. Lots of flick is required at the moment of release to get the disc to fly straight.<br />
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This throw can also be thrown from very low, both straight and as an air bounce, and from above shoulder<br />
height. Only the angle of the wrist at release need change.<br />
Overhand Thumb Forehand (Discus)<br />
The grip for this throw has the inside edge of the thumb against the inside of the rim, the index finger along the<br />
outside of the rim, and the remaining fingers flat on the dome of the disc. The throw is from the forehand side,<br />
and is released at or above shoulder height. The disc flies the right way up. The wind-up is again similar to a<br />
bowling action in cricket, with the disc is brought back upside-down at about waist height, the arm looping<br />
around and releasing the disc the right way up above the shoulder. The wrist needs to be cocked in such a way<br />
that the outside edge of the disc stays down, and so that plenty of spin is imparted to the disc on release.<br />
References<br />
Tom Brennan and Jonathan Potts, http://www.afda.com/skills/<br />
Drew Cope, Captain and Webmaster of the 1999 Eastern College Exiles<br />
Pulling The Disc<br />
Trajectory<br />
It may be surprising to see a section on taking the pull, but in a high level game a good pull may be the<br />
difference between the defense shutting down the offence, and the defense getting shredded because it has not<br />
had a chance to set up. This section will look at what styles of throw to use, throwing technique, grips,<br />
positioning of the throw and external factors such as the wind and the sun.<br />
The primary aim of the pull is to have the opposition trapped on their own goal line with the defense already<br />
down there and set up. The key to this is time, either:<br />
- Time that the disc spends in the air<br />
- Time that the opposition has to take to move the disc up to their line<br />
The secondary aim is to have the opposition on a particular side of the field as well, so as to cut down their<br />
options.<br />
For those who do not know, trajectory is the flight path taken by the disc. There are basically three different<br />
trajectories which can achieve the primary aim as stated above, although two do it considerably better than the<br />
third as a rule.<br />
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The three trajectories are shown above:<br />
1. A high throw which slowly descends giving the defense time to get down the field. This is the 'usual' pull, if<br />
such a thing exists. If thrown at the right angle it flies upwards until near the front of the endzone and then<br />
begins to fall slowly. It is easy to catch, but hopefully spends enough time on descent for the defense to get<br />
to the endzone. If the throw is good, there is nothing the offence can do to stop the defense from setting up.<br />
2. A high arcing roller which descends at a speed and angle which makes it very difficult to catch. The idea is<br />
that it lands in the endzone and then rolls out, forcing the offence to walk the disc up to their line before<br />
starting play. This will give the defense plenty of time to set up. The downside is that the throw does not<br />
spend much time in the air, so if the offence is daring, they can either catch the pull or stop it just after it hits<br />
the ground. Then they may be able to start passing before the defense has time to set up.<br />
3. This is a throw which flies fairly low and fast, landing in the back corner of the endzone untouched by the<br />
offence. The drawback is that it is not that hard to catch, and as a result the offence can usually get started<br />
before the defense gets down there. Keep in mind that the offence can start the play from where the disc<br />
lands. This is the weakest of the three trajectories.<br />
The Throw<br />
In general most players cannot throw a forehand anywhere near as well as a backhand, at least where distance<br />
is concerned. The only time when a forehand is definitely the better throw is when you are throwing a roller and<br />
the wind is coming from over your throwing shoulder. In this case the forehand will catch the wind and get<br />
greater airspeed and distance.<br />
Other than this, the backhand is the better throw. It is easier to get distance into the wind because it is easier to<br />
put spin on the disc. It is also less prone to error, as a rule.<br />
Backhand Grip<br />
The only grip to use is the power grip. No other grip gets as much distance. The thumb should be roughly<br />
parallel to the rim of the disc. This loses a little control, but makes sure the thumb does not drag the trailing<br />
edge of the disc on release.<br />
Forehand Grip<br />
Either the power grip or the hybrid grip should be used. The disc should be gripped as tightly as possible to<br />
make sure there is little wobble just before release.<br />
The Run-Up and Release<br />
Most people by instinct have worked out the best way to pull up to this stage. Probably 99% of pulls are<br />
backhand, and most of these are high-flying slow-descending ones, at least as far as people are able. Where<br />
most people lose on distance and power is in the run-up and the release.<br />
There are two different run-ups which will give good distance. The first one, which is easier, is known as the 3-<br />
step run-up. The second is harder, but has the potential to get more distance, and involves a complete 360<br />
degree body turn just before release.<br />
The 3-Step Run Up<br />
The most important element of throwing technique is to forget your arm. Arm strength is not important. A good<br />
throw starts from the legs and hips and moves up your body and down your arm. In ultimate, where you can get<br />
a running start for a pull, the best form involves a full 360 degree spin, but I've never been able to keep my<br />
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alance during the spin, and it's not too useful for disc golf. The trick is to get your body just enough off-balance<br />
that the snap and the disc release pull you back upright.<br />
Start with your right side towards the direction you are pulling. Hold the disc with all four fingers inside the rim<br />
(this is absolutely crucial - do NOT put your forefinger on the rim). Step in that direction with your right leg, then<br />
cross your left leg BEHIND your right leg. This should twist your body so your hips are facing almost directly<br />
AWAY from where you are throwing to. As you bring your right foot forward, start with the disc low and your arm<br />
straight across your chest. Your wrist should be curled and your right shoulder should be as low as is<br />
comfortable. The further you can get the disc behind your body, the more distance you will have to pull on the<br />
disc before it leaves your hand.<br />
As your hips rotate forward (and make sure you lead with your hips), use the muscles in your back and shoulder<br />
to PULL the disc straight across your body. You should really feel this pulling motion and it should be started in<br />
your hips and lower back. The disc should cross your body at approximately constant height (maybe rising<br />
slightly, but not much). The muscles in your arm should be relaxed (except for your grip and your triceps). As<br />
you pull the disc, your arm, which started fully extended, will bend slightly at the elbow until the disc has passed<br />
your body, when your arm will start to straighten out. When your arm has reached its full extension, the disc<br />
should rip itself out of your hand and fly off to the horizon.<br />
The disc should travel in a straight path from start to finish of this motion. Do NOT swing your arm like a<br />
pendulum. Any curvature in the disc path will take distance off of your throw. Your arm should reach its full<br />
extension at precisely the point where that straight line is aimed. The disc should start and be released with an<br />
almost vertical orientation relative to the ground (strong hyzer). If your form was correct, the disc will pull itself<br />
level soon after it leaves your hand. After the release, allow your arm to follow through. It should end up pointing<br />
above and to the right of where you were throwing, in a line with your shoulders.<br />
Start practicing this with a walk through. Even if you develop a running start, you will always end with these<br />
same last three steps. A good throw will feel like all the momentum of your movement got put into the disc and<br />
your body is left at rest. The snap as your arm straightens out is probably the most critical part of the motion, but<br />
using your hips and back is usually more difficult for people to learn.<br />
The motion really starts low and travels up your body. As you are bringing your right foot forward in your last<br />
step, your hips get ahead of your legs and your upper torso. Your right foot should not come down until right<br />
before your arm snaps straight. Well, really, it should come down whenever it is convenient, but you don't want<br />
to slow your forward momentum until the disc leaves your hand. You can practice snapping your arm straight<br />
just standing in place. Start the motion with your hips and butt, and snap your arm out to the right. Your arm<br />
starts straight, curls as it crosses your torso and then snaps straight. Get a good push from your left leg, and<br />
feel your weight shift over to the right during the motion. But most of the push from your left leg should go into<br />
your hip twist and right arm, not your right leg. After the release, your right arm is way up in the air, and your left<br />
big toe is just touching the ground as you drag it forward.<br />
The main points to note are:<br />
- The left foot goes behind the right foot at the start of the run up.<br />
- Your back is facing the target before the arm starts swinging.<br />
- Disc travels in a straight line through the release, not in an arc.<br />
- Disc is pulled across the chest, not the waist. The wrist snap is vital at the time of release. [1]<br />
The 360 Degree Run-Up<br />
What gives distance in your throws, apart from the correct angles in relation to the ground and the wind<br />
direction, is mainly the speed you impart to the disc in the release moment, and the basic idea of this technique<br />
is to add extra speed from the body rotation.<br />
The most common fault people tend to do when going for the 360 is trying to do the spin in four steps, and sort<br />
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of jumping through the last step. This will inevitably leave you out of balance, and far worse, you won't have any<br />
foot in the ground to get a proper kick-off at the moment you initiate the actual throwing swing. As this brief<br />
guide will reveal, there's really only three steps in the pirouette.<br />
The foot placements in this article are valid for a right handed backhand thrower. If you're a lefty, you have to<br />
revert everything. If you use the sidearm throw for distance I'm afraid I can't be of much help. In my 15 years in<br />
the game, I've so far only seen a couple of players who has used a 360 run up for a sidearm throw. It's even<br />
harder than the backhand 360, but of course everything is possible with a lot of practice.<br />
0. Foot positions to start with when beginning the 360 turnaround steps. Keep your upper body straight<br />
forward, and your right hand holding the disc hanging slightly behind your hip, leading edge of the disc<br />
pointing forward. Start here, and do everything slowly. When you feel comfortable with the 360 spin, you<br />
can add speed to the 360. When you've mastered this, try to add some extra speed by taking a few steps<br />
before you start the actual turnaround.<br />
1. The first step of the actual 360 turnaround. Bring your disc arm forward and begin moving your right foot,<br />
turn your right foot almost 90 degrees clockwise before you plant it. Before you plant the foot to the ground<br />
start bringing the arm back to prepare for the swing. At the same time your hips and shoulders should begin<br />
to turn clockwise.<br />
2. Step around with your left foot. The toes should be pointing backwards. At the same time extend your arm<br />
backward (in the same direction as your left toes now are pointing) and raise the arm to about<br />
chest/shoulder level. Your upper body should now be in a position about 90 degrees clockwise from your<br />
initial stance. To further increase the rotation speed to come, your left arm should at this point be slightly<br />
behind your back.<br />
3. Step around with your right foot, but try to keep the hand holding the disc where it is, i.e. extended<br />
backwards. Experiment with different length of the last step. A shorter step will increase the body rotation<br />
speed, a longer step will engage the arm more into the throw. If you have problems with airbounce, i.e. the<br />
disc moves forward with its leading edge higher than its trailing edge, your last step might be too long.<br />
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4. The actual throwing motion is initiated by a push from your left leg. Let the hips lead the body motion, and<br />
follow up with the shoulders and then the throwing arm. At the same time you could help building up rotation<br />
speed by swinging your left arm around with the clockwise turnaround. What gives maximum power and<br />
release speed is when you manage to get all of your body into the throw, not just the right arm.. To time the<br />
arm swing to the turnaround and the body rotation is by far the trickiest part of this distance technique. What<br />
helps is as always a lot of practice. It's also good advice to watch an experienced player perform the<br />
turnaround, and try imitating what he/she does.<br />
5. Practice, Practice, Practice. One thing you could experiment with is the angle of the run up. Most players<br />
come in slightly from the right, some (including me) do their run up almost 80 degrees perpendicular to the<br />
direction you want your throw to go. What you gain by coming in from the right, is the extra power you get<br />
from releasing the disc very late in the throwing motion and still being able to get the throw to go in the<br />
intended direction. [2].<br />
The Forehand Huck<br />
The main problem with using the forehand to pull is that it is very difficult to get the disc to move in a straight line<br />
through the release. Try it and see. Your arm naturally bends one way at the elbow, and this is the right way for<br />
keeping a backhand moving in a straight line, but the wrong way for a forehand. This means the disc will move<br />
in an arc, with the corresponding loss of power and control.<br />
Using some of the ideas from the backhand huck, the most important thing is to get the disc as far behind you<br />
as possible before you throw. For a right-handed forehand huck, the steps are as follows. Set-up sideways with<br />
your left shoulder facing forwards. This allows you to extend your right arm as far back as you are able. For the<br />
throw itself, swing your right arm back shifting your weight to your right foot. Then lead forward with your right<br />
shoulder. This should turn your upper body naturally and start your right arm swinging forwards. Step forward<br />
with your right foot. By this stage your arm should be roughly perpendicular to the direction you are throwing<br />
and your right wrist should be well cocked from the inertia of the disc. Snap your wrist hard to impart good spin<br />
on the disc. To get maximum power, this is the point at which the disc should be released since it is moving in<br />
the direction you want it to go. Try not to let the disc get much in front of your shoulder before release, as this is<br />
where you start to lose control. [1]<br />
References<br />
[1] Tom Brennan and Jonathan Potts, http://www.afda.com/skills/<br />
[2] Peter Henriksson, http://www.algonet.se/~sdgo96/engelska/frisbee/skola/turn.htm<br />
Throwing Speed<br />
You've got your backhand, you've got your forehand, you've got your inside-outs and outside-ins, you've got<br />
your hammer - what more could you want? Well, besides all of those thumb-hammers, scoobers and push<br />
passes, one thing a lot of average to good players are missing is the concept of changing the speed of their<br />
throw.<br />
Imagine the count is on seven, you've just got one cutter and they are heading straight for the sideline with their<br />
defender just two steps behind. What are you going to throw? Basically, you're going to have to drill it, hard. If<br />
you put a soft pass in, either you're going to have to put it so far out in front that they'll be over the sideline by<br />
the time they get it, or they're going to have to slow up and their defender will come through and get the block.<br />
Have you got that throw?<br />
What if the situation is the same, except that the sideline is much further away? The percentage play is to sit the<br />
frisbee up out in front of your cutter and to let them run it down (assuming they are matched for speed with their<br />
defender). That way instead of trying to hit your target in the chest, you are letting your target do the work.<br />
Have you got that throw?<br />
Think about your backhand or forehand. Can you throw it at different speeds? If not, it is something you should<br />
think about to improve your game.<br />
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Backhand<br />
Most people find it easier to throw fast throws than slow throws. The reason for this is probably that people are<br />
brought up on throwing balls, where the main power comes from the arm. To throw a slow throw there is much<br />
more emphasis on the wrist, and much less on the arm.<br />
The trick to throwing a slow throw is the ability to take the arm out of the throwing equation. This is simply a<br />
matter of practice, and of concentrating on using the wrist to provide both the speed (which is minimal) and the<br />
spin. The other thing to remember is that speed provides some of the lift of a frisbee. If you want to throw it<br />
slow, you have to put it a bit higher into the air to compensate for the loss of lift. Usually this means head height<br />
instead of waist or chest height.<br />
There is of course another way of throwing slow backhands, and that is the air bounce. The air bounce is<br />
achieved by dragging the thumb across the back edge of the disc on release. This pushes the back edge down,<br />
the front edge up, and slows the throw a lot while giving it an upward trajectory.<br />
Forehand<br />
If human arms flexed equally both ways, then you could apply the same ideas to throwing slow forehands as to<br />
slow backhands. Unfortunately (unless you are some bizarre case) they don't.<br />
The idea behind the slow forehand is the same as for the slow backhand, but the mechanics are quite different.<br />
The trick is again to be able to take the arm out of the throwing equation. There are at least two different ways of<br />
doing this. One is what I call the "high forehand", and the other is by pulling your arm back just before releasing<br />
the disc.<br />
The high forehand is an unusual but useful throw. The throwing arm is held perpendicularly to the body. By<br />
twisting the throwing shoulder forward, you can start a "ripple" or "wave" down the arm which ends with a sharp<br />
snap of the wrist, releasing the frisbee with plenty of spin but very little speed. The high forehand is particularly<br />
useful for breaking the force, since most defenders do not expect a forehand to be released near shoulder<br />
height.<br />
The other slow forehand involves pulling your arm back just before releasing the disc. The throw starts off<br />
normally, but by pulling your elbow backwards just before letting go you can reduce the speed of the throw<br />
without reducing the spin significantly.<br />
As with the backhands, you have to angle these throws upward slightly to compensate for the loss of lift.<br />
Fast throws<br />
Fast throws tend to magnify throwing mistakes. A slight wobble on release turns into a sharp dive into the<br />
ground, a slight lack of spin causes a rapid turnover. There are two main reasons people have problems with<br />
fast throws - one is spin, and the other is hand angle versus disc angle.<br />
Let's start with spin, since it is the obvious one. Simply put, spin equals stability at high speeds (not necessarily<br />
true at low speeds). The more spin, the better. I've never seen someone throw a high speed throw with too<br />
much spin, and I doubt that it's humanly possible. So concentrate on getting as much spin as possible on both<br />
forehand and backhand. This usually involves cocking your wrist as much as possible before throwing.<br />
The less obvious one is hand angle versus disc angle. Many problems with wobbles result from slight<br />
inconsistency between the angle of the hand and the angle of the disc. At low speed the result is a small<br />
amount of wobble and turnover. At high speed the result is usually a lot of wobble and a vicious outside-in<br />
throw, or even a blade into the ground (particularly on forehand).<br />
The angle your hand is trying to throw the disc at needs to be the same angle that the disc itself is at. There is<br />
no quick fix (that I know of). It is simply a case of adjusting the angle of your wrist, and the way you hold the disc<br />
until you can throw it consistently with no wobble. Slowly work up to longer and longer, and harder and harder<br />
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throws.<br />
References<br />
Tom Brennan and Jonathan Potts, http://www.afda.com/skills/<br />
How to Avoid Choking<br />
Even Michael Jordan makes mistakes. No matter how good an athlete is, "choking" is inevitable. The difference<br />
is that the pros have trained both mentally and physically to reduce its likelihood and to recover from it. Sports<br />
psychologist Robin Vealey of Miami University of Ohio and Daniel Gould of the University of North Carolina at<br />
Greensboro offer some tips:<br />
FOCUS<br />
Choking often occurs when your thoughts are on the past or the future. Focus on the present, and be conscious<br />
of your emotional and physical reactions to a stressful situation.<br />
Practice<br />
Practice in stressful situations in order to get used to physical and mental tension. Mental and muscle memory<br />
interact, and you can train them together to create conditioned responses to tense circumstances.<br />
Relax<br />
Stress makes your mind hurry and your muscles tense up. Use breathing techniques to relax, and consciously<br />
loosen tight muscle groups.<br />
Talk to Yourself<br />
Self-talk can calm, remotivate and remind you of your best technique. Use a "mantra with meaning" - for<br />
example, an ultimate player can remind herself to have "quick feet" so she is moving and ready. And don't<br />
obsess over a mistake; instead replace a negative mental image of yourself with a positive one to bring you<br />
back into the game.<br />
Know Yourself and Your Environment<br />
Perceived pressure from teammates, coaches, and yourself can cause you to freeze up. Remember: it's just a<br />
game. Pick the challenged and competitions you think you can handle.<br />
References<br />
Noami Lubic Scientific American: Building the Elite Athlete<br />
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The Lazy Person's Guide To Defense<br />
To start with, I have a confession to make: I am extremely lazy! In principle, I have nothing against running<br />
around my marker all day, occasionally getting a chance to make a bid on the disk. However, I much prefer to<br />
think a bit more, and run a little less. So over the years, I've developed a couple of little tricks that I use to try to<br />
create a turnover with the minimum amount of effort on my part. Off-man defense (also know as poaching, or<br />
creative standing) is frequently the easiest way of getting a D; if you read the game well and get yourself into the<br />
right positions the offense will sometimes oblige by passing right to you!<br />
Awareness<br />
The key to any kind of off-man D (including zone defense) is to be aware of the passing lanes - where is the<br />
offense looking to move the disc? This obviously depends on many factors, such as the ability and preferences<br />
of the thrower, the style of offense being played, and the position of the disc on the field. Set plays from the<br />
middle of the pitch with a strict stack set-up can be very vulnerable to poaching and switching defense. To be<br />
alert, for all possibilities you need to keep an eye on the disc, another on the player you're marking, and another<br />
on all the cutters. By my calculations that requires more eyes than the average Ultimate player is endowed with!<br />
Be aware of opportunities to help out your fellow defenders. If someone is cutting from deep when you're at the<br />
front of the stack it can be worthwhile to block out the big gain, even though you may allow an easy short pass<br />
to your former marker. Similarly, is a cutter is free, go with them! There's no point slavishly sticking with your<br />
man whilst the offence gets an easy point. Sounds obvious, but it happens all too often.<br />
Loitering With Intent<br />
A typical situation with poaching possibilities is shown in Figure 1a.<br />
If you're marking a handler who has cut short and not been passed to, don't just jog after them as they amble<br />
away, thinking you're done your job; take advantage of the ideal position you're in for off-man D. A defender<br />
innocently wandering away from the disc can easily be overlooked by the thrower as the next comes in, leading<br />
to the situation in Figure 1b, and easy turnover. It is possible to structure an entire defensive strategy around the<br />
technique of swtiching off the front of the stack onto the incoming cutter. This is most effective against an<br />
unimaginative offense who continually cut in rotation from the stack, but this is the type of offense that many<br />
teams revert to in mid-point when they get tired. Against such a style, switching off the front can be<br />
devastatingly successful, as well as being very energy efficient for the defense.<br />
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Sneak Attacks<br />
Another simple trick that can be suprisingly effective takes advantage of the limited cutting space available in<br />
the endzone. Once the offense are within assisting range the handler is often faces with a chaotic mass of cuts<br />
in all directions. To make life even harder for the poor thrower, I like to hand around towards the middle or back<br />
of the stack, usually on the open side (the side being forced towards), looking to poach on any assists.<br />
Nothing unusual there; the sneaky part is to try and position yourself so that people further forward in the stack<br />
are blocking the line of sight between the thrower and you, as in Figure 2a.<br />
Out of sight, out of mind - with half a dozen defenders to keep track of it is very easy for the thrower to overlook<br />
a cunningly placed defender. So when an offensive play breaks free at the back of the stack you're perfectly<br />
positions to move across and cut the disc off (Figure 2b).<br />
Off-Man D In Action<br />
One particular episode that I remember was marking a handler who was jogging up the middle of the pitch after<br />
passing the disc. As I wandered upfield after him I spotted a second cutter tearing up the sideline free of his<br />
marker. I'd already forgotten the rollocking our captain had given us right before that point about poaching, so I<br />
headed off to try and intercept the line pass I guessed was about to be thrown. Neither thrower nor receiver<br />
noticed me, and the pass duly went airborne - a low, fast sidearm. Angling my run to reach the disc just in front<br />
of its target, I arrived in time to lay out past the receiver's shoulder (admittedly he did crouch down to make this<br />
possible!) and get fingertips on the disc – turnover! Then the bad news: I landed on friction burns earlier in the<br />
week: Followed rapidly by the good news: I'd managed to land within six feet of Dr. Paul Marfleet, the physio<br />
and treatment coach - heaven just a short crawl away!<br />
A cautionary Note<br />
Finally. a word of warning: off-man D can seriously annoy your team-mates! When it goes wrong it tends to go<br />
horribly wrong, and can often result in an easy score or a large gain of ground for the opposition. There's only<br />
one solution when you've poached and the person you were marking is running into the endzone completely<br />
free - shout "switch" and try to blame someone else :-)<br />
References<br />
Jeff Jackson, http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/public/ca/ad943925/bufscot1.htm<br />
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The Statistics of Dumping<br />
Method<br />
I estimated throwing percentages (with a high stall count) for three categories of thrower (great, average, and<br />
poor) for four different length passes (40,20,10, and -5, with four different rates for the dump), then estimated<br />
scoring rates for three types of teams (great, average, and poor) from 5 different spots on the field (10,20,40,60,<br />
and 70 yards away from scoring). I thus estimated the team's chances of scoring for each choice of throw. I<br />
included a penalty for short turnovers to reflect the fact that the other team will have less ground to cover to<br />
score.<br />
The Percentages<br />
Chance of scoring from the x yard line<br />
Yard Line 70 60 40 20 10<br />
Great 0.5 0.57 0.71 0.86 0.93<br />
Average 0.3 0.4 0.6 0.8 0.9<br />
Poor 0.07 0.2 0.47 0.73 0.87<br />
Chance of a player completing a y yard pass<br />
Yards 40 20 10 -5 (4 different ones)<br />
Great 0.4 0.75 0.85 0.98,0.95,0.9,0.8<br />
Average 0.3 0.6 0.75 0.98,0.95,0.9,0.8<br />
Poor 0.2 0.45 0.6 0.98,0.95,0.9,0.8<br />
At first glance, these completion rates may appear low. However, they were chosen to reflect the difficulty of<br />
completing a pass at a high stall count, which is when the dump should be used.<br />
Simplifying Assumptions<br />
Scoring rate is 100% at epsilon yards away from the goal line, and decreases linearly with every yard further<br />
away.<br />
Completion rate for a particular throw is independent of location on the field.<br />
Everything is linear.<br />
Other Relevant Data<br />
At Nationals one year, the Open division had a completion rate of 88%, and the Women completed 82.5%. Goal<br />
scoring rate was about 90% once a team crossed the 10, about 35% from their own goal line.<br />
Results<br />
In almost all situations, when the dump completion rate was at least 90%, the better team strategy was to dump.<br />
The primary exception was when the thrower was in a class higher than the team (great thrower on average<br />
team, for example).<br />
A great thrower on a poor team will help the team more by throwing it downfield at 75% or 85% than by taking a<br />
100% dump.<br />
On a great offensive team, even a great thrower will help the team by dumping it. Even if he can complete 85%<br />
of his 10 yard stall 8 throws, which is extremely unlikely, he would only need to complete 95% of his dumps to<br />
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come out ahead. If he is deciding between a 75% 20 yarder and a dump, the break even point is between 91<br />
and 93%.<br />
Poor teams tended to benefit more by dumping near the goal line, and taking the riskier throws away from the<br />
goal line.<br />
Conclusions<br />
Being able to dump will increase a player's value to almost every team. A high percentage dump pass, even<br />
though the team is further away from scoring than before and thus will have a lower likelihood of scoring, is<br />
often the best option available.<br />
In general, if a team is likely to score, a conservative option should be chosen. If a team is unlikely to score, the<br />
higher risk, higher gain pass should be taken.<br />
If you reran the numbers using completion rates at all stall counts, the dump would probably be advantageous<br />
only for poor players on good teams. But this article is looking at the use of the dump as a high stall count<br />
option.<br />
References<br />
Jim Parinella, http://www.upa.org/upa/totw/tip8.html<br />
Playing Deep on Offense and Defense<br />
The deep game should be an important part of any offense, and the defense should consider ways to counter it.<br />
Too many teams misuse it by throwing into crowds or allowing an unfavorable mismatch to occur. Although<br />
there's no substitute for raw talent, you can improve your deep game without getting faster or taller or<br />
developing better throws.<br />
Defensive tip: Poach deep. It is every defensive player's responsibility to prevent the easy long goal. If you are<br />
covering the deepest offensive player on the field, also be aware of any other offensive players cutting deep. If<br />
they are beating their defender, you should drop your man and pick up the long cutter. Additionally, the<br />
defenders near the back of the stack should also be aware, because the "last man back" frequently changes.<br />
Offensive tip: Clear the deep area. A long cut should originate from not more than 20 yards downfield from the<br />
thrower. Every other offensive player has the responsibility to keep their defender from poaching deep.<br />
Obviously, you can't have everybody bunched within 10 yards of the disc. What I mean is that if you are last in<br />
the stack and see a teammate start to cut deep, you should cut in, either away from the disc to get your man out<br />
of the way, or towards the disc to get the open pass as your man poaches deep. In any event, when you are<br />
moving, your defender thinks you are a threat to get the disc and has to pay attention to you, but if you hang out<br />
because it's not your cut, a smart defender will be able to help out his teammate. NYNY always did a<br />
tremendous job with this, at keeping large chunks of the field free from defenders.<br />
Warning: Some of this flies against "conventional wisdom", so do it in moderation. "Switching" is considered evil<br />
in some parts.<br />
Q. Should one yell "switch" on such a deep cut switch play? Is it better to have two people chasing the deep cut<br />
and no one watching the short cut?<br />
A. Well, ideally, it should be automatic. It works best if both defenders are looking for this switch. The "last man<br />
back" also can keep an eye on the disc and can tell whether the long throw is possible and if he needs to<br />
switch. I guess it isn't an automatic switch, then, in that the last man back should determine whether he is<br />
helping the team by preventing the easy goal at the expense of leaving his man temporarily open. At first, then,<br />
he probably should yell "switch". Later, only eye contact will be needed, until eventually everyone is of the same<br />
mind. As I said before, though, many people are vehemently against the idea of switching, because it's<br />
something different and doesn't always work. And yes, it's probably better to have two men deep if it's a viable<br />
throw otherwise, but it's better even still to have the poacher deep and the other defender taking the poacher's<br />
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man. It's a timing thing, and takes a while to develop this skill, so there will be some awkward moments if not<br />
everyone is comfortable with it. But I've caught way too many long goals after running past three defenders who<br />
were stationary in the stack "covering their man".<br />
Q. Should I poach off my man if my man has made an unsuccessful short cut and is now returning to the stack<br />
when I see a second cutter coming near my side of the field (towards the disc, towards me)?<br />
A. This is also a good question. There are two types of poaches, one to prevent a pass and one to make the<br />
defensive play. How you poach depends on your motive.<br />
1. Immediately flare out into his cutting lane, trying to dissuade him from continuing his cut, but with the full<br />
intention of returning to your man after a couple steps. Unless your man might be clearing deep for a huck,<br />
you might want to do this a lot. Guy cuts in, you shut him down, he clears along the sideline, spend a couple<br />
seconds facing the disk while you're backpedaling as he's clearing. It clogs their passing lanes and you<br />
might get an easy block. And, it usually costs you absolutely nothing (but be careful of the deep clear).<br />
2. Wait until the last possible second, face upfield (away from the thrower), then sprint to where you are<br />
anticipating the throw, arriving just before the offensive guy. This is probably more effective against less<br />
experienced throwers, since you learn to avoid throwing into poaches.<br />
Poaching is a timing thing, and it takes practice. It's habit forming, though. In casual games, it's rare when I'm<br />
not covering at least 3 different people over the course of a point (unless, of course, I get a block on the first<br />
pass). It should probably be used in moderation, lest you get labelled "lazy fat ass poacher".<br />
Q. If you poach deep, and the person you're covering has read this, will it still work?<br />
A. If he's read this, he will have cut out of the way as he saw his teammate sprinting deep. If he's a little slow<br />
and forgets that he read this until his man poaches, then he can cut toward the disc on the same side as the<br />
thrower. However, the defender on the long cutter originally has also read this and will be looking to switch to<br />
the poacher's man, or, barring that, a third man on the defense sees the poachee breaking in and takes him,<br />
and someone else takes his guy, who then cuts, is picked up by a different poacher, so on, until stall 10. All this<br />
assumes the thrower hasn't already thrown into a poach or dumped it off because no one is open. A good,<br />
experienced thrower will usually wait an extra second for the receiver to get to the open, unpoachable space.<br />
So, yes, it will still work. The idea behind poaching and switching is that normally, a defender has to chase the<br />
offensive player around the field, but with poaching/switching, the defender has a better chance. You can view a<br />
cut as a race between two players to any spot on the field, but the offensive guy gets to say "go", he determines<br />
where the race is to, and he can change his mind about the location of the finish line for the first half of the race.<br />
Is it any wonder then that it's impossible to cover a good receiver one-on-one? With switching possible, the<br />
defenders can say, "We'll race you, but if you cut to this place, player A will race you. If you cut to that place,<br />
player B will race you. If you cut back there, C will race you." With this option, the defense regains a bit of the<br />
head start. Of course, there are up to 6 races going on simultaneously, so it takes a bit of coordinating to have<br />
an entrant in every important race. As you get more comfortable with the idea of poaching and switching, you<br />
develop a better feel for which races you should jump in and which you should allow your teammate to win or<br />
lose on his own. Some may consider this an individual glory-seeking defense, but I think it's more of a team<br />
defense than any other man on man, requiring timing, cooperation, and heads up play.<br />
Keep in mind, though, that as fun as it may be, poaching every pass probably won't work, and the lazy poach is<br />
just an excuse not to run. But if the proper places are chosen, and you exert the effort, poaching can be<br />
tremendously effective.<br />
References<br />
Jim Parinella, http://www.upa.org/upa/totw/tip1.html<br />
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The Inner Game of Ultimate<br />
In the last couple years, I have become a big believer in the concepts behind sports psychology, and so, as with<br />
any new convert to anything, I will now preach about why you should become one, too. The best team isn’t<br />
necessarily the one that would win a tabletop or computer simulation based on the statistics, but the one that<br />
emerges at the end of the tournament with their heads held high, trophy in hand, and a comfortable feeling that<br />
they did what they had to do.<br />
The basic premise of The Inner Game is that the self is composed of two parts, the Ego and the Body (named<br />
Self 1 and Self 2, respectively). Self 1 is the overbearing parent that barks out orders all the time to Self 2, which<br />
actually has to perform the task. Unfortunately, Self 1’s orders usually take the form of "Now don’t screw this up,<br />
Jim", or "Make sure you spin this one enough, not like last time, you idiot", or "Don’t think of white elephants<br />
with pink polka dots", and sure enough, what Self 2 thinks of is exactly what it shouldn’t, and it’s unable to<br />
perform. This can easily turn into a vicious cycle of self-doubt and underachievement, and if it’s allowed to<br />
continue, Self 2 will believe that it is incapable of doing anything right. Self 2 has to overcome Self 1’s nagging<br />
to achieve.<br />
I noticed a long time ago that there can be some peculiar phenomena in some games. Often times, one team<br />
will jump out to a large lead, and the other team will come back. It is how these teams view the big lead and the<br />
comeback that determine who is going to win in the end, rather than which team is really the more talented.<br />
Let’s look at a couple of the scenarios.<br />
A. Two relatively equal teams, or two teams that aren’t familiar with each other.<br />
In this game, it is not clear that one of the teams should be winning by a lot, either because prior experience has<br />
shown that the two teams are roughly equal, or because the teams don’t know which one is better, but suddenly<br />
Team A is up by a lot. Team B fights back to tie it late in the game, and how the game ends depends on their<br />
attitudes. The first phenomenon that I observed was that often Team B make a big run to tie the game, but will<br />
then fall apart and lose. This could easily be explained by random chance, but I believe there is another<br />
explanation. Team B decides at 8-2 that they will be satisfied if they can just catch up to A. Once this goal has<br />
been accomplished, they feel no need or desire to win the game, and they don’t. They no longer have the<br />
confidence in their throws or defense, and they begin to believe that their run was just luck, and defeat is<br />
inevitable. The other outcome is that Team B continues their comeback and wins. Here, Team A is the culprit.<br />
They get their lead, then become distracted by thoughts about how talented they are and whether they should<br />
incorporate 50 yard hammers because they are so good, and forget to remain involved in the game. As B<br />
catches up, A becomes aware again, but their only memories are of making mistakes that allow B to score, and<br />
each new mistake reinforces the previous ones, until catching the pull becomes a dangerous task. Team B,<br />
meanwhile, trusts themselves and their judgments, and they aren’t second-guessing whether they should throw<br />
the curving forehand, they are just doing it, and successfully.<br />
B. Superteam vs unknown.<br />
For whatever reason, the Unknown team jumps out to an 8-3 lead, might trade goals a little in the second half,<br />
but then crumbles and loses 15-10. Overall, they certainly shouldn’t be expected to win, but neither should they<br />
expect to be outscored 12-2. What happens here? Well, Unknown is in an uncomfortable position at halftime,<br />
and is afraid to take that risk to be good. It’s much easier on the psyche to be average, where no one expects<br />
anything from you. If Unknown wins, then they might have to be playing in the finals in front of people, will have<br />
to train harder, might have to have tryouts and cuts, and will generally have to become more arrogant to live up<br />
to the status of being an elite team. If they lose, though, there is no such worry, and they can console<br />
themselves while drinking nice cold beer during the finals that it could easily have been them out on the field.<br />
They don’t believe they are good enough, and are looking for an easy way to confirm that. Superteam, on the<br />
other hand, believes that it will win, especially if it’s been in that situation before, and never doubts that it is<br />
possible. Sometimes they can overcome Unknown by sheer force of will, and every crumbling act by Unknown<br />
feeds Superteam’s drive. Certainly, Superteam will crumble sometimes, too, but that defeat is driven by Self 1’s<br />
pushiness. Believe me, it makes for a long winter when your season ends because you were afraid to win when<br />
it counted.<br />
The brain needs to keep out of the way of the body. The individuals need to remove judgment about whether<br />
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something is good or bad, and just be aware of it happening. Trust in yourself, and allow the body to perform<br />
actions that it knows how to do. Remember, you learned how to walk pretty well without needing to make<br />
conscious statements about how straight your leg should be or where to position your arms. After enough<br />
practice, your muscles develop memory of how they should be acting. Equally important, the brain needs to<br />
practice winning. Visualize events before they happen. While practicing your throws, visualize the path the disc<br />
takes, see the label spinning as it releases from your hand, and see it going directly to your target, all of this<br />
happening in your mind before it happens. Then execute the throw exactly as you had envisioned it. Similarly,<br />
picture yourself winning a big game, and catching the winning goal, and then going on to win your next contest<br />
against another team that is supposed to be better than you.<br />
The mind is a great tool in ultimate. Winners are separated from the pack as much by how strong they are in<br />
their heads as in their legs and arms. While not everyone will be playing for the National championship, all of us<br />
can strive to be better.<br />
References<br />
Jim Parinella, http://www.upa.org/upa/totw/tip1.html<br />
Defense<br />
Defense: Player<br />
Positioning is the key to successful coverage. Figure out where the receiver wants to cut, then position yourself<br />
so that his task is more difficult.<br />
Consider an extreme static example where the receiver is far away from the thrower and can only cut back at<br />
the thrower on only one side of the field. In this case, simply keep yourself 5 or 10 yards in front of the receiver<br />
(this is called "fronting" or "face-guarding"), and if he ever cuts in, you cut in also, keeping yourself well ahead of<br />
the receiver.<br />
Next consider another extreme but more realistic example. You are covering someone who is considerably taller<br />
and faster, but can't throw well. What to do then? Simply give him a few yard cushion the other way, so you<br />
have a head start on any deep cuts.<br />
The key to both of these situations is to position yourself between the receiver and where he wants to cut to. In<br />
the second example, you'll be making it easy for the comeback cut, but you've decided the receiver is much less<br />
dangerous near the disc, especially if his throws are relatively weak. Similarly, if you're covering a great thrower<br />
who isn't quite so fast, overplay the cutbacks.<br />
In real life, players' abilities lie somewhere in between, and they have a variety of cuts open, not just one or two,<br />
and the available cuts change over the course of a point. In general, the more cuts a receiver has available, the<br />
less you can play for any particular cut, and the closer you have to position yourself to the receiver. So if the<br />
great long cutter is also a decent thrower, perhaps you should position yourself less than a yard behind him, so<br />
if he cuts back, you'll be close enough to be a factor if it's a bad throw, and at the very least you'll be in position<br />
to mark immediately. You may have noted that some great defenders play as close to their opponents as<br />
possible (and sometimes closer), which is good if you can do it. However, it requires more energy, better<br />
anticipation, and leaves you less aware of your surroundings. On the other hand, it makes harder any cuts that<br />
require a few steps to set up. and if the defender has any bulk to him, makes it difficult to run around him.<br />
Let's consider how to cover the first cut from a stack. If you're covering the next to last guy in the stack, you can<br />
position yourself several yards off him and a little bit to the side that you're forcing. If he cuts to the force side,<br />
you have a several yard head start. If he cuts against the force, you'll be far enough in front so that you can still<br />
cut off the angle on that longer throw. If he doesn't cut after several seconds, you should close the gap and<br />
keep an eye on where the frisbee is. If a pass has been completed upfield to the force side, things have<br />
changed a bit. Now, a deep cut is more of an option, but the position of the disc has eliminated any cuts to the<br />
opposite side, so now maybe you will play a couple yards off the receiver, but more to the force side, almost<br />
even with the receiver. Glance around frequently, so that you are constantly aware of the disc's position, both<br />
relative to you and also relative to the field. You must shift your position relative to the receiver so that his most<br />
likely or most dangerous cut has to go through you.<br />
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Consider instead what happens if you are covering the first person in the stack. Now, you can't play several<br />
yards off, because you are no longer able to cut off the angle on an inside-out pass. Additionally, the thrower<br />
can throw a hammer over you or a curving pass around you to an open area. Therefore, position yourself just in<br />
front of the cutter, facing him, with your weight on your toes. If he's just juking around, bounce with him. Avoid<br />
committing for as long as possible. As soon as you cross your legs over or reach full stride, you've committed<br />
and the cutter may be able to change directions without you being able to follow him. One of my favorite cuts is<br />
to begin running deep until my defender has begun sprinting, then stop and come back for an uncontested<br />
throw.<br />
You must constantly be aware of where the disc is and where it may be going next, especially if your team plays<br />
force middle, where the open side of the field changes with each swing. A good defender constantly repositions<br />
hiself, taking into consideration the flow of the disc, his opponent's strengths, where the open areas are, and<br />
even what the stall count is. He is always reevaluating where his opponent wants to cut, and where he can do<br />
the most damage. In a sense, he's invoking game theory. He might think, "Well, there's a 60% chance that he'll<br />
cut back with the force, 20% he'll go against the force, 10% he go long right away, and 10% he'll just stand there<br />
and cut long on the next pass. If I front him by a foot, I'll stop his comeback cut 70% of the time, his break the<br />
mark cut 60%, but he'll be open deep 40%, but the deep throw is only a 60% throw anyway. I could overplay the<br />
comeback so I'll stop him 90% of the time, but then he'd be open deep 75% of the time, but then again, he's<br />
never cut deep on me in the four years I've played against him. Also, the thrower has really good inside out<br />
throws, so I can't just let him have that cut, but then again our marker has very long arms, so ....". No one<br />
actually consciously goes through that process, but you could model it that way. The point is that you can't stop<br />
everything, so you have to choose where you will focus. If you're beaten four times in a row to the force side,<br />
overplay that particular cut. If the thrower can't throw deep, don't worry about covering that cut. Decide where<br />
the cut will be going, and get there first.<br />
References<br />
Jim Parinella, http://www.upa.org/upa/totw/tip7.html<br />
Defense: The Clam<br />
In Ultimate, as the thrower has up to ten seconds to make a pass, most players develop much more slowly. As<br />
the receivers remain open for a longer period of time, most throwing decisions can be well planned. The Clam<br />
attempts to make the Ultimate field look like a crowded football field. Receivers will break open, but only for a<br />
second, thus forcing the thrower to recognize the situation instantly as to whether to throw to the receiver or not.<br />
Theoretically, the are always six potential receivers. At any given moment only one or two are viable threats.<br />
These threatening receivers have a limited number of specific cuts available. The Clam attempts to<br />
systematically shut down the most likely and most threatening cuts, leaving the low percentage and short<br />
yardage passes open. At the heart of the strategy, is a person to person defense, but which defensive player<br />
covers which offensive player isn’t determined until after the cuts have started.<br />
Particular assignments are only valid as long as the offensive player is the most viable receiver in the defender’s<br />
area. It’s not unusual for one defender in the Clam to cover three different offensive positions during a ten<br />
second stall count. It’s also not unusual for a well-positioned defender to not cover anybody (and still be doing<br />
the job), since players often won’t cut into an area where this is already a defender.<br />
Clam Strategies<br />
Many variations of the Clam exist, but all require teamwork to succeed. Conventional person to person defense<br />
means there are seven offensive players matched against seven defenders. Most teams use either middle,<br />
sideline, forehand, or backhand force against the thrower. This is the first step toward reducing the area in<br />
which each defender has to cover.<br />
With two players of comparable abilities, it is virtually impossible for the defense to prevent the offense from<br />
getting open. A cut is a foot race to a particular spot on the field, except that the offensive player doesn’t tell the<br />
defender which spot he or she is racing toward or when the race starts. The offensive player can change his or<br />
her mind anytime during the race.<br />
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When part of the field is blocked by the marker or the sideline, the defense doesn’t have to worry about covering<br />
the whole field. But there is still a lot of space left to cover. Using the Clam, a group of offensive players is<br />
assigned to a group of defensive players; each defender looks for certain cuts to guard. The defensive players<br />
are positioned so that for almost every race offensive players want to run, there is a defender already there who<br />
has a head start.<br />
The simplest form of the Clam is the "two-person Clam". This is illustrated below.<br />
Offensive players A and B are in the stack waiting to cut, they are covered by defenders 1 and 2 respectively.<br />
Imagine the only cuts available to A and B are hard cuts back to the disc (e.g. the disc is on the goal line, the<br />
offensive player never throws deep, the offensive player always starts the flow with a cut from the stack).<br />
Defenders are on each side of a cutter. As soon as either A or B cuts, (A) is picked up by the nearest defender.<br />
The remaining defender picks up the other offensive player (B) while repositioning to take into account the force.<br />
This concept can include three or more players. Each player is responsible for cuts in a particular direction. It is<br />
important that the defenders are "face-guarding" the offense. This means facing the front of whoever is cutting.<br />
The "Basic Clam"<br />
The "Basic Clam" has four defensive players sandwiching the last four offensive players in the stack. The front<br />
players play a more conventional person to person.<br />
- The marker is called 0 and forces forehand.<br />
- 1 and 2 player person to person, covering the first two players in the stack (usually the handlers<br />
- 3 stands on the forehand side of the offensive player.).<br />
- 5 stand directly in front of the offensive player (3/4/5 form a cup of sorts).<br />
- 6 plays deep and is responsible for all long passes.<br />
Note: that forehand really means for a right-handed person’s forehand; force a left-handed person’s backhand.<br />
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Why Force Forehand?<br />
1. The inside out forehand usually has a greater margin for error.<br />
2. Few people can throw a long forehand well.<br />
3. The forehand is a lower percentage throw, in general, than the backhand.<br />
When to Force Backhand?<br />
1. When the thrower truly has a great hammer and uses it to beat the Clam.<br />
2. When the offensive player who starts cutting is left-handed<br />
True mastery of the Clam requires the ability to stay in the Clam for several passes; for the full point, if<br />
necessary. Players must be extremely comfortable with the concept of switching and playing defense.<br />
In the full field Clam, 0/1/2 always cover the three players closest to the disc, and whoever is the closest to the<br />
disc becomes the marker while the other two cover the handlers. If the receiver cuts away from the disc or cuts<br />
long, then 0/1/2 passes the receiver off to 3 or 4 (depending on which side) and picks up the next available<br />
person. This rotation continues as long as the Clam is being played. The Clam will often shut-down five cuts<br />
during eight seconds of the stall count. The offense will find the open receiver when 3 or 5 get caught out of<br />
position, allowing the offense to score. When this happens the defense must accept that occasionally the Clam<br />
will look foolish and easy goals will be scored.<br />
Shown on the next page is an illustration of what might happen during a typical Clam point. The play begins<br />
during a typical Clam point. The play begins with 3/4/5 close to the stack to hide the defense. Remember, one of<br />
the keys to success is surprise. As players cut from the middle or back of the stack, 3 and 4 flare out to pick<br />
them up, and 5 subtly shifts to whichever side needs covering in case another cut immediately follows. Players<br />
have to decide whether or not to cover that cut and leave the middle open. As passes get completed, players<br />
reposition themselves to take into account the new disc locations.<br />
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B is shut down on a handler cut, E cuts to the forehand side but is picked up by 3, and D has just begun to cut<br />
to the backhand side. Note that 5 has moved slightly to the forehand side.<br />
A has just caught a swing pass, G and 0 begin to clear to the middle, B clears long, E returns to the stack, D<br />
cuts to an open area far from the disk, and C and F move up in the stack. 3 Moves between B and the disk, 6<br />
moves to the near side, 2 and 5 pick up C, and 4 keeps and eye on D and F.<br />
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B and G are making handler cuts and are being covered by 0 and 2. E cuts again to the forehand side and 3<br />
picks him up again. D clears long, 5 moves closer to F as the stall gets high, and 4 gets close to C. There are no<br />
passing lanes open, everything is clogged. Note that in all three frames, 3/4/5 have surrounded the last four<br />
offensive players in the stack.<br />
Steps to Learning the Clam<br />
To use the Clam effectively, the team must be comfortable with the concept of switching. Many players thing<br />
poaching is a sign of laziness, but limited, intelligent switching can have devastating effects. Learn the Clam by<br />
practicing the two person Clam in a drill. Have a marker force forehand; place two offensive players in a stack<br />
about 15 yards away from each other; but two defenders in a Clam, and allow only comeback cuts. This will<br />
help defenders learn to watch more than one move at a time.<br />
Choosing the right players is important to the success of the Clam. Defensive handlers 0/1/2 should be tireless<br />
since they will always be near the disc. When playing the "Clam for 1" the 0 position should be played by an<br />
excellent marker. Strong marking is important because a broken mark will often leave all defenders poorly<br />
positioned, which can result in an easy goal. Veteran poachers who know how the offense cuts and who have<br />
experience in switching and poaching should be positions 3/4/5. The biggest and most agile person who can<br />
cover a lot of ground and sky for the desperation huck, should be the number 6 player.<br />
At first it might be easier to institute the "Clam for 1". Later, add the option to play it for 3 to 5 passes or for the<br />
whole point. Teams can make this decision while on the line, before the point, or while on the sideline, to ensure<br />
they have the appropriate players. Once players decide to use the Clam, they will let players on the sideline<br />
know so that they can shout a code word to remind the team to switch to force forehand. In the event of a bad<br />
pull that does not allow for the defense to set up, the Clam should be called off. If this happens, it is important<br />
for players to know who they are matched against on the opposite side of the field.<br />
References<br />
Jim Parinella, The Mystery of the Clam, World Ultimate Magazine, May 1997, Pages 22-26,<br />
http://www.tiac.net/users/parinell/clam2.htm<br />
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Defense: Changing Your Defensive Set<br />
Mixing up different defensive sets can put teams off their game; Unforced errors follow. If your team tries this<br />
strategy, you may later hear statements from your opponent like "we just didn't play that well against them", "our<br />
O didn't click", "we forced it". Quotes like these come after successful defensive strategies are employed. One<br />
thing to remember is that you can't expect a defense to get blocks every point. Using one defense may simply<br />
be a set-up, making the next defense more effective. Remember, tournaments are long, legs are to be saved.<br />
Junk defense saves legs. Here is a brief description of the defenses:<br />
Player on Player, Force Two Finger<br />
(note: Forget straight-up player... you're giving the thrower both throws, not smart! Even force-middle seems like<br />
a gift to a good offensive team.) Force two finger gives more teams trouble than any other player on player D.<br />
Why? Because most players can't throw a two finger more than 30-40 yards, so you've cut the field way down.<br />
In addition, most teams have tunnel vision when trapped against the sideline, always looking to ram throws<br />
directly down field into the teeth of the defense. Strong marking on the throw is critical.<br />
Player on Player Force Backhand<br />
This D augments the force two finger. Break it out after a team has gotten used to your force flick. The BIG risk<br />
of the force backhand is that you leave the backhand huck wide open (last player back has to be aware).<br />
Clam for 3 Passes<br />
Here's a good D to throw in after you've been playing a lot of force two finger (remember that the clam only<br />
works on a force two-finger mark). Your opponent thinks player D, but you're actually in a match-up zone (when<br />
you stop and think about it, the clam is just a high risk match-up zone). I'm always surprised at how teams panic<br />
when their first cutter, open all game so far, is suddenly shut down. Use the clam once the opponent has<br />
established it's offensive rhythm.<br />
Clam to zone is another good D to follow successive points of player on player. It looks like a player D, kind of,<br />
gives you a few shots at a block early and then settles into a zone.<br />
Note: Clam only works off a stoppage of play, so you have to throw the pull OB. Someone may change the<br />
rules to keep teams from doing this, but until they do??? (I think that an OB pull should be heavily penalized for<br />
this reason, say start the O from the back of the end zone... that would keep the discs inbounds.)<br />
Clam After Any Stoppage of Play<br />
This can be a real surprise. You're playing force two-finger and there's a stoppage of play (foul, pick, travel).<br />
Every one on your team KNOWS that it's clam for three passes starting NOW. If the opponent lasts three<br />
passes you're simply back in the force two finger. Use an audible later to call it off; they think clam, you play<br />
player... perfect!<br />
The use of audibles during all aspects of Ultimate is imperative. Even if what your calling is code for stay in the<br />
same D, it helps your team focus and it makes your opponent think that you have many different sets. Learn to<br />
hide your defenses. Don't be lazy, don't telegraph what you're up to.<br />
The risk with the clam in general is that it wreaks havoc on your defensive match-ups, lots-o-switching going on.<br />
Cribber may very well find himself covered by Lenny... not good!<br />
2-3-2 Zone<br />
This is the oldest zone in the game, but played differently depending on who's teaching. In short, it should be<br />
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match-up for the wings and the deeps while the cup forces certain throws. 'Flexing' this zone during a point can<br />
work as well (take away the dump at high stall counts after your opponent gets dependent on that pass).<br />
Note: 'Flex' defenses will be the thing of the future.<br />
1-3-3 Zone<br />
Here's one D that NEVER works -- well, kind of. Why use it then? Sometimes we're not sure. However, because<br />
this zone has but one marking chase, the O can throw all the sort passes it wants, giving them the sense that<br />
they are zone killers. Next time down, you play a tight 2-3-2, taking the dump away at high counts and bingo<br />
they're putting up hail Mary passes.<br />
The 1-3-3 is also great for transitions into clam for one pass (on a stoppage of some kind) followed by force twofinger.<br />
The opposition thinks easy zone, suddenly you front the close passes and the thrower has nothing as his<br />
down field players are standing in their zone O positions.<br />
The 1-3-3 is a good zone to player for stopping plays off the pull since most of the zone stays relatively deep.<br />
2-3-2 Zone to Player D (for a set number of passes, say 3 or 5)<br />
Oldest transition D in the book, but essential to use against teams with strong plays off the pull. Many times,<br />
teams will turn it over before you even change to player. Risk of this D is bad match-ups and your team has to<br />
be able to count. During the transition from zone to player, you are very weak.<br />
Faceguard<br />
This is a force two-finger player D, but with defenders around the thrower fronting their player, and defenders<br />
down field looking to poach. Sideline must talk, calling out 'last player back' as the position will naturally keep<br />
changing. The concept here is to cut off the short pass, forcing the throw up-field to where others and last player<br />
back can poach. An important part of this D is the switching that should occur as a handler heads down field<br />
while another cutter is streaking in. The defenders can easily switch since, ideally the defender near the disc<br />
sees the incoming cutter (remember he's fronting so he ain't even looking at the thrower) and the defender<br />
down field sees the handler coming (since he's set to poach and therefore looking at the thrower). The risk with<br />
this D is that is can become very loose, with too much switching and poaching, leaving everyone open.<br />
Also, in the endzones use localized side-to-side (two defenders 'share' their assignments: "you got left out of the<br />
stack, I got right"). 90% of all goals are thrown to the corners.<br />
Conclusions<br />
1. All of these defenses work best in combinations. Play force two-finger for a while, then come down in<br />
something that looks like force two-finger, but is zone or clam. Play zone for a while and then come down in<br />
zone-to-man or zone-to-clam. DON'T BE PREDICTABLE. Many opponents see only one or two players<br />
deep, thinking that if you are in a player D around the disc, then it mut be player D all the way. Change it!<br />
2. Don't try to RUN with your opposition -- it exhausts you. Tournaments are long endurance battles, not onegame<br />
championships. If you have the best shut-down player defense, use it at key times to break your<br />
opponent's heart and confidence. Many of the defenses described above involve LESS running than a<br />
straight player D. If your opponent scores in two passes, but the second pass is hotly contested by your<br />
deep-deep, then you have done your job. Next time, make the block.<br />
3. Predictably, offense begins with the short pass. You can't shut it down ALL DAY, but you can dictate when<br />
your opponent will complete this pass easily and when it will be difficult. Don't let the O dictate the flow of<br />
the game. It is surprising how FEW teams have offenses that begin with something other than a short pass<br />
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to a handler lined up at the front of the stack. Since you know this fact, dictate that your opponent MUST try<br />
something else. You will find that if they haven't practiced alternatives, turn-overs will be forthcoming.<br />
4. Your entire team must be on the same page. None of these D's are individual, and they suck when people<br />
aren't working together, focused. Call the D on the line before the pull. Have the transition O be VERY<br />
SIMPLE. Don't risk having too much to remember.<br />
5. Your sideline is a HUGE part of all of these strategies (telling defenders where to cover/look/force). As well<br />
as yelling audibles for changes during a point.<br />
6. Move the defense towards more risk taking. Position your players accordingly, with high flying defenders<br />
down field and stingy shut down defenders around the disc. Get your opponent to put up lower percentage<br />
passes. Hey, no need to block bad throws. Force the O to throw marginal passes into areas where your<br />
team is strongest.<br />
7. Have your O capable of playing a few of these junk defenses. Zone off a turnover often works as your<br />
opponent will likely not have good zone O players in the game. Clam on stoppages of play can also be very<br />
effective since defensive teams don't have as many composed handlers.<br />
8. Whether player or zone, great defense begins with an aggressive mark on the thrower. A solid force one<br />
way or the other will allow down field defenders the luxury of only having to cover half the field (down field<br />
defenders can't totally ignore the weak side, but...).<br />
So what does all this mean? Sometimes the object is not just to make sick blocks (though if you're single this<br />
may be your only hope of finding a date), but to make your opponent's offense have to THINK. Thinking and<br />
playing at the same time is very difficult. By the time the final game rolls around, teams want to use the same<br />
strategy that has gotten them into that game. Thinking, changing, adjusting are all difficult, especially without<br />
real coaches.<br />
But, each defense takes time to learn. Showing up at practice and simply playing games to 21 is not enough.<br />
This stuff has to be drilled, 'cause athletes are notoriously dense.'<br />
References<br />
moonee@aol.com<br />
Offense<br />
Offense: Offensive Thoughts<br />
Structure in an offense can come in several ways. The receiver, the spot to cut to, fakes, and even the timing<br />
and route can be specified. On a complex end zone play, all or at least most of them need to be called out (or,<br />
one player is given an option and the others have no choice after that first player chooses). In a typical set play<br />
off the pull, only the cutters and maybe a side of the field are completely specified. Both methods are useful in<br />
their place.<br />
The purpose of this article is to tie together some loose ends from over the years and explain them in the<br />
context of the underlying structure in a free-flow offense.<br />
Basic <strong>Rules</strong><br />
On an extremely simple level, offense can be broken down into five rules:<br />
1. Take what they give you.<br />
2. If you really want something they're not giving you, try to fake them into giving it to you.<br />
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3. If you’re not sure exactly what you want, fake until they give you something, then takeit.<br />
4. Actively get out of the way when someone else is making a better cut.<br />
5. Make smart choices with your throws.<br />
The rest, as they say, is obvious. But since "obvious" is different for different people, I will attempt to specify,<br />
and will attempt to err on the side of "but everybody knows that already".<br />
Let’s suppose I’m the first downfield cutter in a called play, and I’m standing out by myself waiting for the disc to<br />
be walked in. If the defender is 5 yards behind me and I can gain 20+ yards, I will take it and cut in. If the<br />
defender is fronting me by 5 yards and the thrower has the long backhand, I will take it and cut long. If it’s a 2-<br />
or 3-yard cushion in either situation, I might make one hard step right at the defender to get him backpedaling,<br />
then immediately reverse directions. These would all be categorized as #1.<br />
#2 and #3 often appear the same to an onlooker. Sometimes I’ll make several hard steps on a comeback cut,<br />
the defender will overcommit to it and I’ll break deep immediately. Other times, I’ll just juke in and out,<br />
(sometimes a juke will be just one step, and other times it will be three or four). As soon as I see the defender is<br />
off-balance, I’ll make my decision and go. The key I’m looking for is when the defender’s shoulders have<br />
completely turned perpendicular to the direction he is going in. Once he’s there, he can’t stop quickly. If you time<br />
it well, you can have 3 or 4 shots at making the defender err.<br />
#4 is an undervalued skill. Suppose now I’m at the back of the stack as a deep fill and someone is starting a<br />
deep cut. If I stay there, my defender can leave and prevent or intercept the deep pass, so I have to get him out<br />
of there or, failing that, get yardage off the poach. The best way here would be to make what appears to be a<br />
hard cut to the opposite side as soon as I see my teammate breaking deep. If I go too early, I’m simply taking<br />
myself out of the play and possibly cutting off someone’s away cut to that side. It’s important for me to be active<br />
while I’m waiting. I want to prevent the defender from getting comfortable and being able to watch me and the<br />
disc at the same time. Just try to imagine what the defender wants to do to play good defense, and try to<br />
prevent him from doing that. Make him constantly change his position or angle, make him move, whatever.<br />
Anyway, suppose I space for a second and just as I see the break deep, so does my defender. I have to<br />
preempt his poach in this case, and come in on that side (favoring the middle of the field a bit), hopefully forcing<br />
him to react to my motions and come in with me instead of stopping the long play. If I wait, he has the time to<br />
make a decision on what to do, but if I go instantly, then his choice has to be made instantly, too. In general,<br />
during flow, if I’m thinking of making a cut myself, I’ll usually have begun edging toward that side, so I’ll run in<br />
towards the thrower but a little to the sideline so he doesn’t have to throw over me. If I wasn’t preparing to cut,<br />
I’d probably head to the opposite side to avoid the possibility of a pick. Similarly, if someone is cutting in from<br />
behind you in the stack, actively move toward the other side of the field.<br />
#5 should be anticipating which of those things above might happen. The thrower should be aware of the deep<br />
poacher, and if that happens, he should try to find who is now open. If you can see the poacher moving, follow<br />
his trail back to the poachee. Don’t force a pass simply because it’s the play, or because you think the receiver<br />
can outjump two defenders. Be ready to abandon the downfield cutter, turn sideways towards the field, and hit<br />
the dump.<br />
Additional Considerations<br />
Passes accomplish one (or more) of the following items:<br />
1. Gain yards ("yardage cuts").<br />
2. Put the disc in a better position (swing pass, short break mark throws).<br />
3. Maintain possession (most dumps or high stall count throws).<br />
Realize that ANY of these can be useful, and that a 30 yard break pass that sets up the whole flow might be<br />
asking a little too much sometimes.<br />
You should also consider those items from a receiver’s perspective. If you are consistently making cuts but not<br />
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getting thrown to, then you might be cutting to the wrong spot or at a bad angle. Whenever possible, make cuts<br />
that gain yardage, are to the open side of the field, put the disc in a good position on the field, keep the flow<br />
going, and/or prevent a Hail Mary pass at stall 9. Actually, the open/break side is a tricky issue. It’s usually<br />
easier to cut to the break side and you’re more likely to create something big, but it’s a tougher pass to<br />
complete, especially if the mark is competent. I’ll estimate that passes (less than 30 yards) to the force side are<br />
complete 98% of the time (with most of those turnovers coming on poaches), while about 90% of break passes<br />
are complete. A team should be willing to accept this lower completion rate because of the reasons above, plus<br />
any strategist or game theorist will tell you that an assortment of options in a multiple choice game are<br />
necessary. (And, for the record, a long pass completion rate of about 60% (in most games) is enough to make it<br />
a viable choice.)<br />
When you are poached off of, consider it your job to catch or set up an easy goal. Many times it won’t come for<br />
several passes, but it requires an immediate hard cut. Most of the time, you want to head in the opposite northsouth<br />
direction from the poacher. Whether you should head in the same east-west direction depends on the<br />
situation. By these statements, I mean that if he poaches deep, you come in, and if he poaches short, you go<br />
deep. If he poaches on the forehand side, then other things determine whether you should also go to the<br />
forehand side or to the backhand side. The primary factor in this decision is where the field is more open. Do<br />
NOT run towards the defender who is trying to find someone to cover. Even if you think that the thrower can’t<br />
get you the pass, perhaps the next thrower or the one after that will be able to, so move.<br />
Break mark passes should come in to the receiver from the outside or at least straight on. Both players have<br />
control over this. There are two reasons for this. One is that a defender might be able to get the better angle on<br />
a pass coming from the inside. The other is that there is less margin for an errant pass. If it’s completed it can<br />
be quite damaging to the defense, but most of us can’t throw this accurately more than 10 yards, if that. So, the<br />
break mark cut has to start from a position that is not straight downfield from the thrower. (I must point out here,<br />
however, that some very good teams have had great success using this inside out forehand to start the flow.<br />
The throw has to be perfect, but can be devastating if complete.)<br />
Frequently, you can call an audible on the field to make sure the thrower and receiver are on the same page.<br />
What happens is that a thrower or receiver recognizes a special situation and wants to make sure that his<br />
compatriot also recognizes it. At the very least, a team should have code words that indicate a desire to cut<br />
break mark or with the flow, so on a stoppage or even in flow, one word shouted by the thrower tells the receiver<br />
to cut to one area and the rest of the team to stay away from that area. It has been said that the New York New<br />
York team of old would indicate where to cut by calling out one of the bridge names that lead into Manhattan.<br />
Another concept that I think is important to some offenses but that I have rarely seen discussed is temporal<br />
(time) margin vs. spatial margin. A long comeback cut with a defender on the receiver’s tail has lots of temporal<br />
margin but little spatial margin, meaning that the thrower can throw it any time he wants but it has to be on the<br />
proper side of the receiver. A quick break mark cut, in contrast, can work with a poorly placed pass if it’s thrown<br />
at the right time. Most dump cuts, too, have more spatial margin than temporal. (This case is a little different<br />
since the thrower can often direct where and when the cut happens, whereas downfield cuts are almost always<br />
receiver-directed. So, the thrower might have a several second period in which he can throw it, but once that is<br />
decided, the timing relating to the cut and to when the defender reacts are extremely important. A keepaway<br />
game where the defender has to keep his back to the thrower demonstrates this. If the defender knows when<br />
the pass is coming, the temporal margin evaporates.) Another way of looking at it is that some passes are<br />
thrown too late, or that some cuts are made too early. So, there is often a very small time window in which a<br />
pass can be thrown. If it’s thrown in that time, it can be almost anywhere and be caught. If it’s thrown<br />
afterwards, no pass will get there.<br />
On that note, on a swing pass, be prepared to continue the swing immediately, both as a thrower and as a<br />
cutter. If the swing pass gains yardage also, then most likely the next cutter should come from the back of the<br />
stack. If it’s a dump-swing, then most likely the next cutter should be someone from the front of the stack. Even<br />
then, though, the back-cutter should be timing his cut so as to get the next pass after that. Be prepared to throw<br />
when you catch it.<br />
Going back to spatial margins, throw choice can add or subtract. The place this is most often seen is on hard<br />
cutbacks with a defender on the receiver. There is often no margin to miss on the inside, since a defender can<br />
layout or run by for the block (especially if it’s a very fast pass, since the receiver tends to slow down on those to<br />
make it easier to catch, while on a slow pass the receiver can keep on running hard. Wind complicates the<br />
matter, since soft passes are more likely to be adversely affected by the wind.). The simple solution is to throw it<br />
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to the outside edge of the receiver rather than to the center. A better solution is to put more curve on the pass<br />
so that the disc arrives at the receiver from the outside. Curved passes are easier to control and give a better<br />
angle. Pro golfers never hit straight shots deliberately because of this.<br />
Pullers can also achieve better accuracy if they incorporated this idea. The inside-out pull tends to hang longer,<br />
so if there is no significant crosswind that changes this, it’s probably best to throw from the left side of the field<br />
and aim at the right cone (another idea borrowed from golf). Similarly, an outside-in pull should be thrown from<br />
the right side and aimed at the left cone.<br />
I can’t stress enough how big of an advantage it is if you know where the frisbee is and the defender does not.<br />
Defensive positioning is a dynamic process that depends on where the frisbee is, where the stack is, and who<br />
the relevant players are. What is good positioning at the beginning of a point might be an uncontested goal if<br />
there is no adjustment as the point goes on. I try to make the defender watch me all the time. If I see that he<br />
turns to watch the frisbee, I try to move away from him right then. If he reacts to poach, I instantly sprint away.<br />
Mostly I’m watching the frisbee to see where the flow is going, but I am also trying to be aware of what my<br />
defender is doing. Another place this comes into play is on an underthrown pass that goes right by the defender.<br />
Although of course an "UP!" call can alert the defender, the receiver can also let the defender know the pass is<br />
coming by preparing to catch it. Pretending that nothing is happening until the last second can let you prevent a<br />
turnover and also get the defense mad with themselves for not calling "up".<br />
You can also use your eyes to fake. The converse of the above is pretending the disc is in the air so that the<br />
defender turns to block it, only to find that it’s not up and you have run away from him. Most defenders (either<br />
consciously or subconsciously) notice where the receiver is looking and expect that he is looking at the disc.<br />
You can play on this by following some imaginary flow and making it look like you’re setting up to cut past the<br />
defender, all the while you’re watching the real flow out of your peripheral vision. Then, when it’s time to cut, you<br />
first take a step to cut for the imaginary flow, and the (somewhat) alert defender will have anticipated that and<br />
will cut there first to shut you down. Instead, all you do is turn and sprint the other way and you’re open by 5<br />
yards.<br />
Zone O<br />
Take advantage of temporary 2 on 1 or 3 on 2 mismatches. Unless you’re playing against an extremely focused<br />
and practiced defense, you will have many short-lived opportunities to exploit this power play. Anticipation and<br />
immediate reaction, as with man to man offense, are important. It’s a rare defense that will simultaneously have<br />
one player making a bid for a block while another adjusts to cover. For example, if two poppers are on either<br />
side of the middle middle, who bites on a fake left, the other popper is open UNLESS the wing or point adjusts<br />
at the same time. If the offense doesn’t know this, then the defense will be able to recover in time to prevent the<br />
pass. Just about any 2 nearby O players have a potential mismatch situation. The poppers exploit the middle<br />
middle. A popper and a wing work on the side middle. A wing and a deep work on the deep. The off-handler and<br />
a wing or popper split the off-point. A good defense will constantly be making adjustments to prevent someone<br />
from being open for too long, but it takes a great one to make that time window almost non-existent.<br />
I think most downfield O players run too hard when the disc is still in the cup. When the cup gets broken, that is<br />
the time for an all-out fast break. But when the disc is stationary, too much movement merely alerts the<br />
defenders as to their whereabouts.<br />
And use the overhead to spread out the cup and side middles.<br />
Scoring Passes<br />
Most goals (except for long passes) are scored very close to the front cone. A curving pass can really make a<br />
difference, as the defender is more likely to be close to the receiver, since there is no threat that the receiver is<br />
going to stop and cut long. Therefore, the angle that the disc comes in at is more important. If you have a good<br />
fast receiver cutting hard to the cone (especially if he’s big) and he has even a half step, it’s almost impossible<br />
for the defender to make the block, so a soft pass in front of the receiver is a sure goal. Sometimes the away<br />
curving pass is a sure goal, but that pass is tougher to complete in wind or when you’re pumped up and the<br />
adrenaline is flowing.<br />
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Timing cuts from the goal line straight to the cone can be very effective, but they bring with them a significant<br />
potential downside. If done too frequently, then they dissuade players at the back from cutting. Players at the<br />
front who are contemplating the scoring cut should look back to see whether a deeper player is about to cut.<br />
Isolation plays can be great if both players know it’s an isolation play.<br />
Timing cuts (really, any pass that is thrown before or as a cut is being made, rather than after a receiver is<br />
open) can be more effective here, since not much room is needed, the defender has no chance to catch up, and<br />
there is no need to set up the next cut. But I can’t really explain how to know when to make this cut and when to<br />
let the default offense take over. A necessary but not sufficient condition is that both the thrower and receiver<br />
look for it. Other conditions: defender is significantly overplaying the cutback on the force side and/or is not<br />
watching the thrower and/or is extremely anxious to run hard (and can therefore be faked out easily), cutting<br />
area is open, and no one else is close enough to poach.<br />
Hucking<br />
Often a team will specify or encourage the long pass as part of a called play. But if that’s the only time long<br />
passes are thrown, the offense limits itself too much. Smart long passes should be encouraged. Don’t let a good<br />
matchup be the primary reason for a huck. There are three basic situations when a huck in flow can be an easy<br />
goal.<br />
1. If a thrower catches the disc running laterally or downfield (not back to the disc) and his man is behind him,<br />
he is in a "power position" and can catch it and throw it long immediately. Potential deep cutters should be<br />
on the lookout for this anytime there is a leading pass, and should start their long cuts early enough so that<br />
the thrower CAN turn and fire.<br />
2. In an isolation situation (either called or natural) where one side of the field is wide open, the receiver can<br />
make the defender bite on a comeback fake and turn and sprint long. Most throwers don’t have the touch to<br />
throw a long pass straight down the field that goes by the defender but not the receiver, so most of us<br />
should throw it so that it comes in at an angle to the receiver. This can be done by throwing a straight pass<br />
at an angle to the receiver’s path (either the cut or the pass can be made at the angle, so a receiver cutting<br />
from the opposite side of the field from the thrower will provide that angle) or by throwing a curving pass<br />
around the defenders. In either event, a short stack makes it tougher for the defense to provide deep help.<br />
3. A receiver might find himself with his defender several yards away and towards the thrower. There are<br />
actually a few subsets of this. One is when a defender poaches short on a comeback cut. The poachee<br />
must immediately recognize this and cut as the poach is being made. Another is when the disc changes<br />
position and the defender doesn’t realize it (like in #1 above). A third way is by sprinting deep after you<br />
dump it, particularly if the defender makes a bid for a hand block and doesn’t expect you to take off so<br />
quickly.<br />
Closing Thoughts<br />
Set plays and structured offense are good and necessary. Teams should have guidelines about cutting<br />
hierarchy, what types of throws are looked for, what to do when trapped, etc. However, they also need to be<br />
flexible enough to allow players to be able to trust their instincts. If you have enough guidelines, then most<br />
situations will present two (or more!) conflicting guidelines and the player will have to decide which one to follow.<br />
Experienced players can look at two similar situations, recognize the differences, and know how to react to each<br />
of them. Newer players should try to figure out what the general principles are and when they should be applied<br />
and when others are more appropriate, and eventually they’ll become experienced vets who complain about<br />
how fundamentally unsound those young’uns are.<br />
References<br />
Jim Parinella, http://www.tiac.net/users/parinell/disc.htm<br />
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Offense: Rethinking the Stack<br />
The stack is the starting point for most offensive strategies. The prototypical stack begins with a handler 15 to<br />
20 yards away from the disc and spaces the remaining players at five yard intervals, and the order of cuts is<br />
determined by placement in the stack. However, with the proliferation of defenses that do anything but play<br />
straight person to person, more and more teams are finding it in their best interests to shorten their stack length.<br />
The short stack, although requiring a bit more discipline and practice, sets up almost every square foot on the<br />
field as a viable cutting place.<br />
A short stack opens up more options, and a good offense must be able to take what is available. A player 45<br />
yards away at the back of the stop is not a viable threat. If the closest player is still 20 yards away, only<br />
cutbacks are available. If the stack is short, then everybody is starting from about the same point on the field,<br />
and all players are realistic threats. If the stack is long, then the only available cuts are all straight line hard<br />
running cuts with a fake at the beginning, and the offense doesn't really have many options, unless the throwers<br />
are very good and creative and can put the frisbee anywhere on the field with whatever arc is required. My team<br />
Death or Glory uses a short stack, and we are most dangerous when we get a 10-20 yard pass to the sideline,<br />
so that the disc is now even with the stack, so players can go deep easily or come back for another 20 yards if<br />
the deep cut is overplayed (keep in mind that most good deep cuts originate only 10-20 yards from the disc,<br />
since a deeper-starting cut might outrun the throw). Since the disc has moved downfield from its starting point,<br />
the deepest player on the field is now only a few yards further, and there is no defender that is far enough<br />
downfield that can poach deep.<br />
There is even an option to go deep on the first pass, since the last person in the stack is only 20-30 yards away.<br />
If his defender poaches, then the last player moves immediately to the open area and is close enough that the<br />
thrower can get it there right away before the other defenders have time to switch.<br />
If the stack is long and the last defender poaches, then if the poached-off offensive player starts to move to the<br />
open area, the other defenders will have time to see that happening and can react. Now of course this means<br />
that another offensive player is open and can move to the open area, but then maybe someone else is poaching<br />
or else it's no longer clear what the open area is any more or else the thrower has stopped looking for the<br />
yardage pass and is focusing on the dump.<br />
The long stack does have its benefits, though. Because everyone is spread out more, there is less risk of picks<br />
or two people making the same cut at the same time. With a short stack, you need to have a better defined<br />
hierarchy of who cuts first, either by calling a specific play or by having everyone realize that one or two players<br />
are the best cutters and therefore they get to cut first most of the time unless someone else obviously has a<br />
better cut. The other players must be ready to cut if a poach happens or the main cut gets stopped. But if<br />
players are spread out like in a long stack, then typically only one or two players will be in a good position to cut,<br />
and it is easier for each player to determine whether someone else is cutting. If you are in a short stack, then<br />
there are 8 or 10 other players in your immediate peripheral vision, and it's hard to tell what each of them is<br />
doing and whether any are cutting. If there is only one other offensive player and his defender that you can see,<br />
any motion you detect is likely to be a cut.<br />
The long stack is better suited to a rigid or almost rigid sequential offense. Many teams are fairly strict about<br />
having plays go from handler to handler to middle to deep. Also, sometimes teams have "triplets", where a<br />
handler, a middle, and a deep are a unit, and each unit cuts for others in the same unit.<br />
The short stack requires a little more concentration and familiarity and discipline, but is better for an established<br />
team that doesn't change much from year to year. The long stack is easier to learn, it is better for a sequential<br />
offense, and an individual's role is defined pretty much by the position that he is assigned to. In the short stack,<br />
the role for each player depends more on other things like his abilities and the called four person play rather<br />
than where he lines up in the stack.<br />
Experimental section<br />
[short tips relating to beginners, intermediates, and advanced. ]<br />
Beginners<br />
The typical stack with begin with a handler 15-20 yards from the disc, followed by the other handler, the<br />
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middles, and finally the deeps, with everyone four or five yards from the nearest neighbor. Typically, the first<br />
player in the stack cuts first. If this cut is unsuccessful, the second player cuts. If either of these players gets it,<br />
one of the middles cuts to the same side of the field, then the deeps cut from the middle. However, this gets<br />
predictable rapidly, so the beginning team should look at mixing up the order a bit. Try putting the handlers<br />
toward the back of the stack for the first cut. Keep the order in the stack the same, but let a deep or middle<br />
make the first cut, and have a handler cutting away as the second option. Specify a four person play before the<br />
point, and allow the players to set up anywhere that will enable them to get open.<br />
Intermediates<br />
Shorten the stack by placing the first player closer to the disc and by decreasing the space between players.<br />
This opens up the "away" cut from the first player in the disc, either a curving forehand or backhand or a<br />
hammer over the defenders [note to ed: a picture might help here, I could easily make a .gif, put it on my web<br />
page or attach it, or describe it, or fax it. It depends, I guess, on the space available], so the receiver is running<br />
away from the thrower at a 45 degree angle. Specify alternatives to the four person play, so that if a cutter gets<br />
shut down, there is a designated short fill or long fill to continue the flow. Sketch out specific plays designed for<br />
particular players.<br />
Advanced<br />
Experiment with drastically alternative stacks, such as with one player always behind the disc, or two players<br />
even with the disc but to the side. Move the stack toward one side of the field and play one receiver out by<br />
himself and give him plenty of room to maneuver. Introduce the concept of audibles, so that with a simple call by<br />
a player, the play is changed. An example of this would be "two one", which would indicate that the first and<br />
second cutters should exchange roles. Another possible audible would be to have a code word that meant the<br />
cutter should go long.<br />
References<br />
Jim Parinella, http://www.tiac.net/users/parinell/disc.htm<br />
Offense: Throwing in the Presence of a Mark<br />
One of the traits that distinguishes the top players and teams from lesser ones is the ability to throw effectively<br />
in the presence of a mark. Many teams look for a mark-breaking pass as the first option in their stack offense.<br />
Other teams rely on the thrower to be able to put it in the corner regardless of the mark for their endzone<br />
offense. However it is used, the break-the-mark pass should be an important part of any offensive scheme.<br />
When I grew up in this game, breakmark throws were a magical thing, only to be used by the wizards we knew<br />
as handlers. A couple of the guys could throw these wicked backhand airbounces, and one player used a<br />
forehand airbounce almost to the point of throwing nothing else, and a well thrown overhead was a rarity. Now,<br />
breaking passes come in a lot more flavors (scoober, inside out, high release backhand, curving throw around<br />
the mark, step through the marker and call foul, etc.), and a larger percentage of the players can execute them<br />
well. At the club level, being able to throw a ten yard pass against the mark to a wide open receiver should be<br />
considered a basic skill. If a player can’t do this, he is a huge liability on offense, especially against a zone.<br />
How exactly to break the mark depends on what you are comfortable with and what the marker is giving you,<br />
since several options exist. The well-rounded player should be able to use whichever method is most<br />
convenient, but each of us will develop a favorite.<br />
Inside Out (or Invert) Pass<br />
Probably the most popular method is the inside out (or invert) pass, the equivalent of a slice in tennis or golf.<br />
This would be, for example, a forehand throw to the backhand side of the field to a hard cutting receiver when<br />
the force is forehand.<br />
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How to throw it<br />
Good extension is important. Begin by making some sort of fake to get the marker off the forehand (perhaps a<br />
pivot to the backhand side, or a fake overhead, or even a slight lean to the backhand side without actually<br />
stepping will usually open up some room), then step sideways and release the pass flat or with a slight inside<br />
out tilt. You can step forward as long as you make sure that your hand and shoulder goes with you. If it trails<br />
behind, your body is then out of position and a bad throw usually results.<br />
When to throw it<br />
When the marker is close and is really exaggerating the force. When the marker is upright.<br />
Advantages<br />
It’s a quick throw that usually doesn’t require a lot of fakes. It can be thrown under the defender’s arm, or the<br />
thrower can step out and throw it past the defender. It’s a fairly natural throw.<br />
Disadvantages<br />
When thrown to a receiver cutting across the field, this throw has less of a margin of error, since it is usually a<br />
fast moving pass coming from a non-optimal angle. Often, the throw has to go by the defender. When marked<br />
tightly, it is often easier to fake and throw around the mark.<br />
Airbounce or Floating Backhand<br />
It is more difficult to master the technique of throwing around the mark, but once done, this is probably a more<br />
reliable throw than the inside out.<br />
How to throw it<br />
In the above example, this throw would be done by faking the inside out hard so that the marker tries to block it,<br />
then pivoting and stepping around the mark to throw an airbounce or other floating backhand. Again, good<br />
extension is important. On the forehand side, most often you should step backwards a little bit and throw a<br />
curving pass around the marker.<br />
When to throw it<br />
When the marker is playing more straight up. When the marker is very aggressive and bites on the inside out<br />
fake. When the marker is far off (big curving throw required).<br />
Advantages<br />
This throw comes in at a better angle than the inside out. Since it is a floating pass thrown in front of the<br />
receiver, there is more margin on the velocity and placement of the throw. Sometimes a quick release will catch<br />
the marker off guard.<br />
Disadvantages<br />
The throw is often blind, since the marker might be blocking the thrower’s view. The thrower often has to extend<br />
himself a lot, making him off balance. A good marker might not bite on the fakes, making it difficult to get this<br />
throw off. This throw won’t travel very far, so it can be used reliably only for short passes.<br />
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High Release Backhand<br />
The high release backhand is thrown from shoulder or neck height over the market’s shoulder and should travel<br />
flat and float.<br />
How to throw it<br />
1. Set up with a backhand grip with your back to the marker. And the disc in front of you. As the cut is being<br />
made, throw it quickly over the marker’s arm.<br />
2. Face the marker, and then quickly pivot and throw it over the marker while stepping. Extra effort should be<br />
made to put a slight inside out edge to it, to guarantee that the pass doesn’t turn over too much.<br />
When to throw it<br />
When the marker is low, perhaps because of a height mismatch.<br />
Advantages<br />
Difficult to stop, especially for a tall thrower. Great pass on calm days or at altitude since it quickly gets past the<br />
marker and defender.<br />
Disadvantages<br />
Less effective in wind. Hard to throw when the marker plays off the thrower.<br />
The Scoober<br />
The scoober is thrown with the forehand grip over the backhand side shoulder of the marker. It is best used<br />
when on a tight mark to a wide open receiver coming back toward the disc on the break side.<br />
How to throw it<br />
Just throw it out there as flat as possible and let the receiver run to it. Make sure that you turn your shoulder all<br />
the way across your body so that your back is slightly to the marker when you throw.<br />
When to throw it<br />
When the marker is off you. When the most desirable passing lane is directly through the marker and you can’t<br />
get it around him.<br />
Advantages<br />
Cool throw. Quick release, especially for those players who hold the disc with the forehand grip while pivoting.<br />
Disadvantages<br />
Cool throw, so the thrower can easily get infatuated with it and use it too much. Sometimes the disc can stick in<br />
the hand and either go right into the ground or have too much hyzer and not float at all.<br />
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The Hammer<br />
The hammer (normal overhead) can be a great weapon. It is most effective when thrown to a receiver cutting<br />
away from the thrower at a 45 degree angle. Usually, the defender is fronting the cutter, the rest of the defense<br />
is on the force side, and a large area is open. This can be used for anything from a soft 10 yard throw (almost<br />
like pushing a dart) to a huck.<br />
How to throw it<br />
Forehand grip, similar motion to throwing a football. The release point determines the arc of the pass (early<br />
release flies high, late release flies low).<br />
When to throw it<br />
In the zone, to get it over the marker and the cup. When the receiver is cutting away from the disc to the<br />
backhand side.<br />
Advantages<br />
It reaches the receiver quickly, so the defender usually has no chance at it. Since it’s a leading pass, the<br />
receiver will often catch it with his defender several yards behind him and out of the way (if you’re coming back<br />
to the disc and your defender is behind you, he is still in the way of your next throw).<br />
Disadvantages<br />
Often dropped, even if it’s well placed. Less margin for error if the throw never flattens out. Hard for the receiver<br />
to catch in a crowd if it floats. Harder to master.<br />
Conclusion<br />
All of these choices involve either faking the marker out of position or throwing it around a stationary marker.<br />
The latter requires a quick release. Hot box, with its lower stall count and quick short passes, can help a player<br />
develop quicker throws. The former requires believable fakes. A good fake will look like a normal throwing<br />
motion up until the time of release. Indeed, often my "fakes" are just throwing attempts that are aborted because<br />
of good marking. This means that a fake involves more motion than just the arm, that it is done at normal speed,<br />
and that it sets up something else. Faking just for the sake of faking is usually counterproductive. (Often while<br />
faking, some cut might open up suddenly, and the faker will be out of position.) Usually, the fake will be of the<br />
"fake right, throw left" variety. Fake the inside out forehand, the marker steps over to block it, then pivot quickly<br />
to the backhand before the marker can adjust. One way to set up the backhand huck is to throw a quick<br />
backhand fake, step around as if you’re throwing the forehand around the mark, then take the full step across<br />
for the long backhand. Sometimes you might have to do this several times before the throw is open.<br />
Even when you are planning on throwing around the marker, a quick misdirection move will open up the<br />
throwing area more. Before an inside out forehand, sometimes a quick overhead fake will get the marker<br />
standing more upright, so you can then throw under his arm more easily.<br />
Finally, develop confidence in these throws. Feel comfortable enough with these throws so that you know will be<br />
able to get it past any marker that doesn’t tackle you. When you have assembled the full repertoire of these<br />
throws, you know that however the marker chooses to force you, he will not be able to prevent everything.<br />
References<br />
Jim Parinella, http://www.tiac.net/users/parinell/disc.htm<br />
116
Drills: Triple Box<br />
Skill Level<br />
- Intermediate to advanced<br />
- 8 to 14 players<br />
- 1/2 ultimate field or more<br />
Skills Taught<br />
Offense - timing of cuts, breaking the mark, hucking, end zone offense<br />
Defense - holding the mark, switching/sandwiching<br />
Background<br />
This drill is really more of a modified scrimmage than a conventional drill. Use it when you don't quite have<br />
enough players for a 7 v 7 game or when you want to focus on the skills listed above.<br />
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<strong>Rules</strong><br />
1. The field of play is shown in the figure below.<br />
2. The game works best 5 v 5. Designate 3 handlers and 2 cutters per team. These designations can change<br />
over the course of a game, but not in the middle of a point. The remaining players act as substitutes,<br />
entering the game after a turn (replacing the guilty thrower or receiver) or score (replacing the charred<br />
defender or marker). Substitutes must enter as handlers or cutters, depending on the player they replace.<br />
3. The field is made up of a single handling zone (shaded yellow) and three socring pods (shaded blue). There<br />
is no out of bounds, and players are not retricted to any part of the field. In order to score, an offensive<br />
handler mist complete a pass from the handling zone to a cutter teammates in one of the three socring<br />
pods.<br />
4. Both teams use the same handling zone and scoring pods, alternating offense and defense on each turn.<br />
After a turn, one pass is required before a scoring throw.<br />
5. The stall count is 5. WIth this single exception, the drill uses standard ultimate rules.<br />
6. Each score is worth one point.<br />
7. Play is continuous until the end of a game (first team to 5).<br />
Suggestions<br />
- Adjust the field to suit the ability level of your group. The distance between the handling zone and scoring<br />
pods is the key variable. I would not recommend increasing the size of the throwing pods. Accuracy should<br />
be the emphasis at all skill levels.<br />
- Try setting up the field so that all scoring throws are upwind.<br />
- Experiment with different forces. Good defense is possible with force-midlle or force-side, but the upfield<br />
defenders will need to adjust.<br />
- Allow each defense to experiement with strict man-to-man and help defenses. In a help situation with 2<br />
defenders and 3 scoring areas, the weak-side defender will need to cover lots of ground.<br />
Takeaways:<br />
This drill is an excellent proxy for endzone offense because:<br />
1. spacing, timing, and hard running are essential to offensive execution<br />
2. cross-field throws are extremely difficult (perhaps you should rethink that cross-field hammer)<br />
Triple box provides a forum for you to work on throws you might not have the courage to try in practice of a<br />
game. In triple box, scoring is difficutl. Once the defense adjusts to the drill, it will take a great deep throw or a<br />
split-second force-break to produce a score. To be a great thrower, you will need to develop the abilitiy and<br />
confidence to make these plays with regularity. But how can you learn these skills? Far too often, 'serious'<br />
ultimate teams and their captains dicourage risk-taking at practice. Nobody wants to lose a scrimmage, and<br />
captains don't want loose cannons on their roster. Triple box was designed to allow players to extend their<br />
offensive talents without instilling bad Ultiamte habits.<br />
References:<br />
David Young. Has played for over ten years, first at Williams, then UC San Diego, and then with San Diego<br />
Open. Has coached college men, college women, and open men.<br />
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Drills: Uphill Scrimmage<br />
Skill level<br />
- Intermediate to advanced<br />
- 14 or more players<br />
- full ultimate field<br />
Skills Taught<br />
Playing with and against a defensive side force<br />
Background<br />
This controlled scrimmage illustrates the key strategies of the sideline force, both on O and D. By using this<br />
format, your team will learn what makes a force successful and what it takes to beat it. Note that it is not<br />
necessary to explain thes factors prior to the scrimmage. You may want to consider a discussion of 'lessons<br />
learned' after you're done.<br />
119
<strong>Rules</strong><br />
1. Set up a standard ultimate field with an additional line (painted, if possible) as shown in Fgure 1. The area<br />
between the extra line and the sideline is known as the hilltop.<br />
2. Scrimmage using all standard ultimate rules, with the following exceptions:<br />
- any pass completed to a player on the hiiltop is worth one point (and the offensive player should feel<br />
free to cry out with glee)<br />
- Each team keeps a running total of points for hilltop passes until a goal is scored. The goal-scoring<br />
team is then awarded 5 points for the goal, plus all of its accumulated hilltop points. The other team gets<br />
no points, and both teams reset hilltop points to zero.<br />
- Games are played to 25 points.<br />
Suggestions<br />
- Although you don't need to make this explicit, both teams should employ a defensive force away from the<br />
hilltop.<br />
- It is legal to score points immediately after catching the pull. Do so until the opposing puller makes an<br />
adjustment.<br />
- This drill can be used for zone practice if you run a trap with a strong side force.<br />
- If one team does not even try to complete hilltop passes, ajust your scoring system to de-emphasize goals.<br />
Takeaways<br />
- When playing against a side force, many teams find it helpful to pretned that they are playing on a sloped<br />
field. Uphill is against the mark, and the hilltop is the best lace to be since it allows for easy (downhill)<br />
throws. Anytime a thrower is unmarked (or the mark is weak), he/she should try to complete an uphill pass<br />
in order to place the disc in a better offensive position. Weaker throwers usually complete only downhill<br />
throws. That's OK as long as someone eventually get the disc back uphill.<br />
- Defenses should do everything they can to encourage downhill passes; force in the direction of the wind (to<br />
make the break throw difficult), overplay the mark, and allow short passes to the open side. The defense is<br />
in the strongest position once the offense is pinned against the force sideline.<br />
- To run a successful side force, each player on the defensive side of the disc must:<br />
1. stop the disc; every time the disc moves, the defense must adjust to cut off new angles.<br />
2. hold the mark; this is especially difficult immediately after a catch (see 1), but it also becomes crucial at<br />
high stall when clogging reduces the available number of open-side offensive options<br />
3. trust his/her teammates; a defense is designed to work if the team plays together, with each player<br />
shutting off a limited number of options.<br />
- To be successful against a side force, an offense must:<br />
1. keep open space for cuts (and throws) on both sides of the stack<br />
2. time break-makr cuts to give your throwers an easy option immediately after the catch<br />
3. occasionally break the mark at a high stall count, just to keep the D honest.<br />
References<br />
David Young. Has played for over ten years, first at Williams, then UC San Diego, and then with San Diego<br />
Open. Has coached college men, college women, and open men.<br />
120
Drills: Fast Break<br />
Skill level<br />
- Intermediate to advanced<br />
- 7 players or more<br />
- 1/2 field<br />
Skills Taught<br />
Offensive creativity and aggressiveness, help defense, conditioning<br />
Background<br />
For most people, learning to play ultimate means learning to play within a structure. Players move from beginner<br />
to intermediate as they learn to position themselves and time their movements as part of a particular team's<br />
structure. At an advanced stage, players learn to react to opponents and interact with teammates in the<br />
absence of structure. This drill forces players to push their offensive skills into new areas while simultaneously<br />
providing an intense workout.<br />
121
<strong>Rules</strong><br />
1. Set up a narrow field as shown in Figure 1. Offense will start at the red cones and score in the area<br />
delineated by orange cones.<br />
2. All players will rotate through all positions over the course of the drill. Start with three on offense and four on<br />
defense.<br />
3. Offense starts with the disc and can arrange its players anywhere along the end line between the red<br />
cones. Defense must choose two players to start out of the play, behind the red cones. The other two<br />
defenders can position themselves anywhere on the playing field.<br />
4. When play starts (hand check or disc check) the offense has a 3 v 2 advantage. The defenders behind the<br />
red cone must complete ten push-ups (or sit-ups, or whatever) before joining the action. Offense attempts to<br />
score as quickly as possible to avoid the 3 v 4 situation.<br />
5. Use standard ultimate rules, with play ending and the drill resetting after a turn.<br />
6. Keep individual scores, with each offensive player receiving a point per soce. Rotate players through both<br />
O and D. Play games until someone reaches 10.<br />
Suggestions<br />
- Vary your defensive strategy. Try marking the disc or leaving it systematically unmarked. Try face guarding<br />
to force the huck, or play 'prevent' defense. Experiment with force-middle and force-side.<br />
- Experiment with throws you might not use in regular game situations. Practice throwing to space, rather<br />
than to a man.<br />
Takeaways:<br />
- In ultimate, an offense can cut down on turnovers by making fewer mistakes or by reducting the number of<br />
passes needed for a score. Most teams focus only on the former, forgetting that lack of aggression can lead<br />
to many (indirect) turnovers. If you don't take advantage of a defensive mistake, another opening might not<br />
come along, and your team could eventually be forced into a turnover. This drill simulates a situation where<br />
the offense has a clear advantage. Learn to pounce.<br />
- Although the defense in this drill is on its heels, it is by no means helpless. Look out for things that can buy<br />
you time: positioning, fakes, marks, unpredictability. You should also be able to bait the O into unforced<br />
errors.<br />
References<br />
David Young. Has played for over ten years, first at Williams, then UC San Diego, and then with San Diego<br />
Open. Has coached college men, college women, and open men.<br />
122
History<br />
Where the Frisbee First Flew<br />
The Untold Story of the Flying Disc's Origin 50 Years Ago in SLO<br />
Two men held a circle of plastic over a heater in a San Luis Obispo garage in 1948, trying to mold a lip onto the<br />
disc's down-turned edge. One of those men would be hailed as the inventor of the Frisbee. The other would die<br />
unknown, just as he began to fight for a share of the credit and millions in royalties the Frisbee generated.<br />
The First to Fly<br />
Walter Frederick Morrison came to Warren Franscioni in 1947, looking for work. Both men had been Army Air<br />
Corps pilots in World War II. Maj. Franscioni served with the Air Transport Service in India and China; Lt.<br />
Morrison flew a fighter in 58 missions over Italy before being shot down and held in Stalag 13, Germany's<br />
infamous prison camp.<br />
Franscioni's parents lived in Paso Robles, where his father had been mayor, so he settled after the war in San<br />
Luis Obispo. He founded a butane company as his father had done in Paso. He built a home on Conejo<br />
Avenue, in a neighborhood developing near San Luis High School, and he opened the Franscioni and Davis<br />
Butane Co. Office at 884 Broad St., across Broad from Mission College Prep.<br />
"I first met Fred Morrison in late 1947," Franscioni wrote in a 1973 letter. "He was a struggling World War II<br />
veteran trying to build a home for his family at Baywood Park, a developing residential area just outside San<br />
Luis Obispo, California.<br />
"At that time, I was attempting to establish a bottle gas business with a partner, George Davis, in San Luis<br />
Obispo. We needed someone to assist in the installation of home heating appliances, and Fred went to work for<br />
us."<br />
The bottled gas business moved too slowly in postwar SLO to sustain three men and their families. So<br />
Franscioni and Morrison dreamed up an enterprise on the side.<br />
For decades kids had played catch with metal pie tins. The sport grew in popularity during the Depression, and<br />
soldiers spread it across the country during the war.<br />
The game had a few drawbacks. The tins made a shrill noise, and if you didn't catch them just right, they stung.<br />
After a few crash landings they could crack or develop sharp edges that cut fingers.<br />
Morrison and Franscioni thought of casting them in plastic, a material proliferated by wartime industry. Morrison<br />
took credit for the idea in later interviews, but Franscioni said they thought of it together.<br />
"I do know that when we compared some of our past experiences at sailing things, it came out plastics,"<br />
Franscioni wrote.<br />
It seems like a simple idea today, but Morrison and Franscioni broke new ground. And after 49 years of<br />
improvements, the Frisbee has diverged little from their first plastic interpretation of a pie tin.<br />
"People were throwing paint can lids and paper plates and pie pans throughout history, since they were<br />
invented," said Victor Malafronte, a Frisbee historian in Alameda. "The first plastic disc was that Flyin' Saucer in<br />
1948."<br />
Morrison and Franscioni used a lathe to carve their first model out of Tenite, a hard cellulose material now used<br />
in toothbrush handles and eyeglass frames. That disc confirmed the aerodynamics of the toy, but it shattered on<br />
landing.<br />
"I tackled the job of working up a design that would transform the pie-tin shape into what we believed would be<br />
the best configuration of an injection-molded Flyin' Saucer," Franscioni wrote.<br />
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Franscioni's daughter, Coszette Eneix, remembers her father and Morrison working in the basement of their<br />
Conejo Avenue home.<br />
"I remember one time--I was like 5--I remember standing in the basement downstairs, and I remember over the<br />
water heater they were trying to mold this plastic thing to try to get a lip on it," Eneix said.<br />
Newspapers had coined the term "flying saucer" less than a year earlier when a pilot reported seeing discshaped<br />
objects skipping through the air above the Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest. The Roswell<br />
incident in June 1947 fueled the flying saucer craze. Witnesses in Roswell, N.M., reported seeing the bodies of<br />
aliens at a UFO crash site.<br />
Franscioni and Morrison named the new toy to capitalize on the publicity.<br />
"Hundreds of flying saucers are scheduled to invade San Luis Obispo in the near future," the Telegram-Tribune<br />
reported in 1948. "Two local men, pooling resources after the words 'flying saucers' shocked the world a year<br />
ago, have invented a new, patented plastic toy shaped like the originally reported saucer."<br />
The Saucer Crash<br />
People have purchased more than 200 million Frisbees in the last 50 years, Malafronte estimates, more than<br />
baseballs, footballs, and basketballs combined. Those booming sales, however, began with a whimper. In 1948,<br />
people didn't know what to make of the Flyin' Saucer.<br />
Morrison and Franscioni formed a company called Partners in Plastic, or Pipco, based in SLO. They contracted<br />
with Southern California Plastic Co. in Glendale to manufacture Flyin' Saucers for about 25 cents each. They<br />
sold them for $1 through outlets like Woolworth and Disneyland.<br />
"We soon found the item was a dead issue on the counter," Franscioni wrote, "which prompted our offer to<br />
demonstrate in the store. Woolworth put Fred and me in a cage to protect the customers. It worked, but not for<br />
long. We soon realized the only place to demonstrate was outdoors."<br />
Morrison and his wife traveled to county fairs to hawk the flying disc. Franscioni sometimes joined them, Eneix<br />
said, but he usually remained in SLO, handling national sales and keeping Pipco's books.<br />
The demonstrations won people's attention. They hadn't seen anything fly like the disc, which remained aloft<br />
long after gravity would have pulled a ball back to earth.<br />
Some observers thought the disc followed an invisible wire, and Morrison capitalized on that notion. He offered<br />
the disc for free if customers paid $1 for the invisible wire.<br />
Teaching people how to throw the disc became another challenge. Americans seem born to the art of Frisbee<br />
throwing today, but it required a new skill in 1948.<br />
"By running through the instructions you will see that we repeatedly point out that an easy smooth snap of the<br />
wrist is all that is necessary," Franscioni wrote.<br />
Flyin' Saucers came with directions urging people not to throw the discs too hard or hold them too tight, and to<br />
launch them "in exactly the same manner as sailing your hat onto a hook."<br />
Franscioni and Morrison's early marketing efforts occasionally backfired. A Disneyland employee demonstrating<br />
the Flyin' Saucer accidentally overshot a fence and hit a woman in the head. She sued, and Disney halted its<br />
demonstrations.<br />
Then Morrison and Franscioni struck a deal with Al Capp, who agreed to include the Flyin' Saucer in his "Li'l<br />
Abner" cartoon strip. That strip appeared in national newspapers sometime around 1950. Franscioni and<br />
Morrison printed "Li'l Abner" inserts and packaged them with their Flyin' Saucers to capitalize on the publicity.<br />
The inserts infuriated Capp, who felt they exceeded the terms of their agreement. Capp threatened to sue and<br />
demanded $5,000 in compensation.<br />
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"I was really hurt. How could Li'l Abner do this to my daddy?" Eneix said. "That was a hunk of change that put<br />
them down. That was quite a bit of money back then."<br />
Franscioni and Morrison were already struggling to meet the cost of casting the original dies for the Flyin'<br />
Saucer. The Capp payoff devastated Pipco.<br />
Franscioni borrowed $2,500 from his mother and $2,500 from his mother-in-law, Eneix said, and the demise of<br />
the Flyin' Saucer began. Eneix and her sister went door to door in SLO selling the discs for 25 cents. Today,<br />
collectors will pay $500 for an original Pipco Flyin' Saucer.<br />
The Plot Thickens<br />
The Franscioni and Davis Butane Co. crashed at about the same time as Pipco. In 1950, Walter Franscioni had<br />
to sell the Conejo Avenue home where the Frisbee was born. He moved to Greenville, worked as a trucker, and<br />
applied for reactivation in the Air Force.<br />
"I remember us losing our home and how hard that was," Eneix said. "Korea was happening then, and my father<br />
then applied for being recalled back into the service, but he continued trying to get the Flyin' Saucer thing to go."<br />
The Air Force moved the Franscionis to South Dakota in 1952. Morrison moved to Los Angeles, where he<br />
worked as a building inspector, and the inventors of the Flyin' Saucer drifted apart. Southern California Plastic<br />
Co. continued to produce the discs, and Morrison continued to sell them.<br />
Eneix keeps folders full of yellowing letters and old business records to document what happened next. Some of<br />
those records show that Morrison began manufacturing his own flying disc on the side.<br />
Morrison set up a new company, American Trends, redesigned the disc to make it look more like a flying<br />
saucer, and called it the Pluto Platter. Morrison began selling the Pluto Platter while still accepting sales<br />
commissions on the Flyin' Saucer, according to Ed Kennedy, the president of Southern California Plastic Co.<br />
"We had just found out that Fred Morrison had another die built on the Flyin' Saucer and was merchandising the<br />
product under the name of Pluto's Platter," Kennedy wrote in a 1957 letter to Franscioni. "During the time that<br />
he was having the saucer made, he was also accepting sales commissions from the company here."<br />
Kennedy accused Morrison of trying to steal Flyin' Saucer accounts by offering Pluto Platters at a lower cost.<br />
"In my opinion, Fred acted completely unfairly on this entire thing," Kennedy wrote, "and we certainly will never<br />
do business with him again."<br />
Southern California Plastic Co. severed its relationship with Morrison and contacted a patent attorney. The<br />
question of patent violations never went to court, however, and has never been resolved.<br />
The Wham-O Frisbee<br />
Morrison was demonstrating his Pluto Platter in a Los Angeles parking lot in 1955 when Rich Knerr and Spud<br />
Melin spotted the unusual flying object.<br />
Knerr and Melin had founded their own toy company back in 1948, the year Franscioni and Morrison were<br />
developing the Flyin' Saucer. Knerr and Melin had one product, a wooden slingshot. They named their company<br />
for the sound the slingshot's pellets made on impact--Wham-O.<br />
Morrison signed a contract with Wham-O, and Knerr and Melin sold the Pluto Platter with a marketing expertise<br />
Morrison and Franscioni never showed. Knerr came up with the new name for the disc.<br />
Knerr was visiting East Coast college campuses in the mid-1950s, giving away Pluto Platters to seed market<br />
demand. At Yale he encountered students tossing metal pie tins and yelling "Frisbie!" the way golfers yell<br />
"Fore!"<br />
125
Historians have traced that tradition to a Bridgeport, Conn., baker named William Russell Frisbie. In 1871<br />
Frisbie moved to Bridgeport to manage the local branch of the Olds Baking Co. He eventually bought the bakery<br />
and renamed it Frisbie Pie Co.<br />
Frisbee historian Malafronte believes truck drivers for the company were the first to toss Frisbie Pie tins on the<br />
loading docks during idle times. The tins bore the words "Frisbie's Pies" and had six small holes in the center, in<br />
a star pattern, that hummed when the tin flew.<br />
The sport moved to Eastern colleges, where students shouted "Frisbie!" to warn people of incoming pie tins. A<br />
sport developed and took on the name "Frisbie-ing." Knerr took the word home to Wham-O, misspelled it<br />
"Frisbee," and registered it as a trademark. In 1958, Morrison's Pluto Platter became the Wham-O Frisbee.<br />
Southern California Plastic Co. continued to make Flyin' Saucers for Disneyland and a few other outlets. It<br />
handled sales and mailed royalty checks to Franscioni until the mid-1960s, when he headed to Vietnam.<br />
The Bitter Toy<br />
Many American homes have housed a Frisbee, but Coszette Eneix's home is not among them.<br />
"Every time I see a Frisbee I just want to cringe," she said. "I get angry inside. It shouldn't be called Frisbee. It<br />
isn't Frisbee. How come they're calling it Frisbee? That's not right. It's Flyin' Saucer."<br />
Eneix hasn't decided whether to use her files of yellowing papers in a lawsuit or in a book, but she wants justice<br />
for her father.<br />
"I want it in the history books, as it comes down, that my father was there, not Fred Morrison alone," she said.<br />
"When you read about the history of the Frisbee, you always hear Fred Morrison. Fred Morrison did this. Fred<br />
Morrison did that. Bullshit. Excuse my language. Bullshit. It was Warren Franscioni and Fred Morrison. It was a<br />
partnership. I think they should have equal billing."<br />
The International Frisbee Hall of Fame in Lake Linden, Mich., reserves its primary listing for Morrison.<br />
"Fred Morrison, Inventor of the Frisbee," it says. "Walter F. (Fred) Morrison has provided pleasure to millions of<br />
people throughout the world. He was the first person to envision the creation of a plastic disc to be used as a<br />
substitute for a ball in a game of catch."<br />
Wham-O went on to market the Hula-Hoop, the Super Ball, the Water Wiggle, and other toys, but Frisbee<br />
remained its most profitable product. In 1977, 20 years after Wham-O began selling Frisbees, it generated up to<br />
50 percent of the company's annual sales. At the time, Wham-O estimated it had sold 100 million flying discs.<br />
Morrison told the Los Angeles Times in 1977 he had made about $1 million in royalties.<br />
Nearly all written histories of the Frisbee attribute its invention to Morrison. Stancil E.D. Johnson, a Pacific<br />
Grove psychiatrist, may have been the first to mention Warren Franscioni in a footnote in his 1975 book,<br />
"Frisbee."<br />
Johnson heard about Franscioni from Ed Kennedy, the president of the Southern California Plastic Co. In 1973,<br />
Johnson contacted Franscioni, who was then an Air Force colonel stationed in Oslo, Norway. He asked<br />
Franscioni to write down his memories of the flying disc's origin.<br />
Franscioni sent Johnson one letter in August 1973.<br />
"I have had time to evaluate my initial concern about whether your book might interfere in any future legal<br />
proceedings about the subject," Franscioni wrote. "I have come to the conclusion that your book, if based upon<br />
the facts, would not."<br />
Franscioni argues that he designed the first Flyin' Saucer, not Morrison, that he paid for the initial mold with his<br />
own money, and that the two men jointly developed the idea of casting it in plastic.<br />
126
Franscioni began a second letter to Johnson in 1974, but he never completed it. He died of a heart attack at age<br />
57.<br />
"Fred Morrison never wanted to admit this," Johnson said. "Franscioni died and never was able to come back<br />
and get his share of the profits."<br />
Franscioni might have acted earlier. Ed Kennedy urged him to take legal action against Morrison as early as<br />
1957.<br />
"Other people were asking my father to do something--stop him, sue him, stop him," Eneix said, "but we were in<br />
South Dakota. My father was getting his career going again as an officer in the Air Force, and that was taking a<br />
lot of his time. And I think my mom was leery of putting more money into this thing."<br />
In 1957, the Frisbee had not yet made its millions. The rights to the toy hardly seemed worth the cost of a<br />
lawsuit.<br />
"There was a lot of disappointment in the '50s, and they were hurt, really hurt," Eneix said.<br />
"So we all started quieting down and not talking about it. That's what we do in my family. We don't talk about it.<br />
Then we didn't fly the Flyin' Saucer much anymore on picnics. It was too painful to keep remembering it<br />
because we were losing it."<br />
The Silent Inventor<br />
Morrison, 77, now calls himself "Walt" and lives near Monroe, Utah, a town of 1,700 people in the Sevier River<br />
valley. He owned a motel there and operated it with his third wife until he retired three years ago. Morrison has<br />
an old pickup truck, but he rarely drives it into town.<br />
"He lives in a house in the country and seems to enjoy life," said Mark Fullenbaugh, publisher of the Richfield<br />
Reaper. "I haven't seen him in person in about six months. You don't see him out much, so I can't tell you much<br />
more than that about him."<br />
Morrison declined to be interviewed for this story.<br />
"Well, I'd like to be a nice guy and say yes, but I'm so tired of this shit," Morrison said.<br />
"It's been done so many times, so many ways, that I just don't do it anymore. I'm an old man now and I just<br />
haven't got time for this. I want to just sit back in my chair and sleep."<br />
Morrison has always been "cagey" about the facts of the Frisbee's birth, according to Malafronte, who met<br />
Morrison at Frisbee tournaments.<br />
"I had asked Fred about his partner, and he owns up to it," Malafronte said. "The problem is, I think Fred has a<br />
lot of stuff he can lose and nothing to gain by talking."<br />
Meanwhile, Mattel Corp. is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Frisbee this year, even though the plastic<br />
flying disc turns 50 next year.<br />
Mattel, the world's largest toy company, bought Wham-O in 1994. It dates the Frisbee's official birth as 1957,<br />
when Wham-O first marketed Morrison's Pluto Platter.<br />
Mattel has no knowledge of plastic flying discs that may have existed before 1957, said Mattel spokeswoman<br />
Sara Rosales, nor of their inventors.<br />
References<br />
Jeff McMAHON<br />
127
The History of Ultimate<br />
David Leiwant stood in the Columbia High School parking lot watching the younger players throw, chase, and<br />
catch the disc under the bright white lights and the cover of a summer night. "If you squint your eyes, it’s almost<br />
like 25 years ago," said the 42-year-old Leiwant, a 1973 alumnus of Columbia, located in Maplewood, N.J. "Just<br />
a rag-tag bunch of guys running around with a Frisbee."<br />
Leiwant was a 13-year-old seventh-grader in 1968, a tumultuous year for America and the world. Martin Luther<br />
King, Jr., and then Bobby Kennedy were assassinated, a war raged in Vietnam and the country was coming to<br />
grips with the civil rights and women’s rights revolutions. But, in one corner of the country, in Maplewood, things<br />
were changing for the better. That year, staff members of the school’s newspaper, The Colombian, and its<br />
Student Council developed an entirely new sport as a gag and an activity for their high school nights. Led by<br />
Joel Silver — the willful, if somewhat arrogant, member of the Council and the newspaper — the students<br />
adapted the rules of Frisbee Football and ultimately invented the fast-moving team sport we know today. The<br />
sport of Ultimate.<br />
"Joel Silver said it was the ‘ultimate sports experience,’" Leiwant said. "He said, ‘Someday people all over the<br />
world will be playing this game,’ and we all said, ‘Yeah, Joel, right.’<br />
Thirty years after Silver’s prophetic words, Ultimate is played in 42 countries, with programs in Sweden, Norway,<br />
and Japan receiving government funding. It is estimated that at least 100,000 people play the sport worldwide,<br />
about half in the United States. Ultimate will be a medal sport in the 2001 World Games in Japan.<br />
Silver, who is now the head of Hollywood’s Silver Pictures and was unavailable for comment because he was<br />
working on the filming of Lethal Weapon 4, had played Frisbee Football at a camp in Mount Hermon,<br />
Massachusetts in the summer of 1967. When he returned home to Maplewood, he continued to throw with his<br />
friends, including Bernard "Buzzy" Hellring, the editor of The Colombian, and Jonny Hines, the newspaper’s<br />
sports editor. Although Frisbee was not quite as big a fad as the hula hoop in the 1950s and ’60s, discs were<br />
beginning to seep into the American consciousness.<br />
"I started throwing a Frisbee in 1961 with my two sisters," said Ed Summers, who graduated Columbia High in<br />
1972. "It was a big fad. We threw mostly backhands. The other big throw was the overhand wrist flip."<br />
A Brave New World<br />
In the fall of 1967, Silver proposed that the Student Council form a Frisbee team. Suggested as a joke, the<br />
motion was seconded and then passed. Discussion of Frisbee continued in the Council throughout the year and<br />
into the spring, but it remained tongue-in-cheek.<br />
"It was not a serious thing at all, it was a lark of Council," Silver later said. Yet by the end of the school year,<br />
Silver and other members of the Council began to organize a game during their lunch period. Members of The<br />
Colombian had already been tossing a disc -- a black 150-gram Wham-O, Master Tournament Model -- during<br />
lunch on the east lawn of the school. That spring, members of both the newspaper and the Council began to<br />
play Frisbee Football. The first games were played on a small field that was later torn up and replaced with the<br />
school’s B-wing.<br />
"It was a chance for The Colombian core -- the intelligentsia (sic) and non-athletes of the school -- to play a<br />
sport," Silver has said. Many of the original players were in the upper ranks of the school academically, future<br />
Ivy Leaguers who weren’t exactly your Bo Jacksons and Kobe Bryants. "The core of us were largely among the<br />
better students," Summers said. "There were also some druggie types. We were about evenly split between the<br />
better students and the half who smoked dope."<br />
The game was freeform early on, with no limits as to how many players should be on each side. As many as 20<br />
to 30 players were allowed per team. The original game allowed running with the disc and included lines of<br />
scrimmage and a series of downs, but as they played, Silver, Hellring, and Hines began to modify the rules.<br />
Conceptualizing basketball, hockey, and soccer, they experimented, gradually eliminating running with the disc<br />
and the system of downs, and establishing rules for the defense. Unable to satisfactorily define a foul, one<br />
player came up with the phrase that a foul constituted "any action sufficient to arouse the ire of your opponent."<br />
There was no specific provision made for what is today called "Spirit of the Game" because it was viewed by<br />
128
those at Columbia as a "gentleman’s sport, a collegial game,’’ said Hines, who went on to found the Princeton<br />
team and is now a New York City-based attorney. "Even my Princeton jock-ringers of the time (football recruits<br />
from Texas and Missouri) were gentlemen, relatively speaking, on the Frisbee field. Hines, the most athletic of<br />
the trio of founding fathers, said the players liked the game’s athleticism. "There was very graceful running and<br />
jumping," he said. Graceful by some, not so graceful by others. "There was a mix of athletes and some<br />
uncoordinated, overweight people playing," he said. "The former could run and jump like gazelles; the latter<br />
evoked other analogies." Some players came in sneakers and sweats, others in stiff jeans and walking shoes.<br />
"If there weren’t enough people, you’d grab somebody, some kid going by," Leiwant said. "Originally we would<br />
play as long as we felt like it -- till the sun went down, till people got tired and had to leave."<br />
In 1968 Hellring decided to turn The Colombian from a weekly into a daily, but needed more articles to justify<br />
the change. When Frisbee play during lunch grew, he figured it would give him something to write about. When<br />
Silver was ejected from the newspaper’s staff, a mock rivalry developed between The Colombian and the<br />
Council. The newspaper had also been critical of the Council, which fed the rivalry.<br />
In the fall of 1968, the newspaper challenged the Council to a game of Frisbee to settle their differences. In a<br />
matchup, that featured two large co-ed teams, The Colombian won the first game in front of the high school,11-7.<br />
My Girlfriend is a Frisbee<br />
By the summer of 1969, the now famous Columbia parking lot had been built. Down the hill from the school, the<br />
lot is bounded on the east by a 12-foot drop that descends into the Rahway River and on the west by a railroad<br />
embankment. Because the lot was lit by mercury vapor lights, the students could play there at night, after the<br />
day’s activities. Games at the parking lot included teams of 20 or more per side, but that was eventually whittled<br />
to seven because "that was the most you could fit in the parking lot," Leiwant said. Soon, it became known that<br />
a regular game could be found on the "field" almost every weekend night and during vacations. "I used to spend<br />
so many weekend nights at the Frisbee field during my junior and senior high school years that my parents<br />
would kid and lament that my ‘only girlfriend was a Frisbee’ or that I would ‘marry a Frisbee,’" Hines said.<br />
The sport was first publicized in a June 1969 Newark Evening News article, written by Silver, entitled "Frisbee<br />
Flippers Form Teams" and appearing above a story called "John and Yoko Croon Again." On the first day of<br />
school that fall, the Frisbee squad played its first game on the school’s new parking lot.<br />
As the weeks and months passed, everything was not rosy in the lot, however. Local toughs and troublemakers<br />
would sometimes drive through the lot at high speeds — hassling the players and forcing them to scatter.<br />
Summers recalled one night when a "real big bruiser" — about 6-foot-2, 240-pounds — and a smaller guy got<br />
out of their car and attacked the No. 2 student in the class. "He was a very gentle, unassuming guy who<br />
wouldn’t have hurt a fly," Summers said. "I went over to them and the smaller guy took a swing at me. I knew I<br />
could’ve decked him, but the big guy was standing right there." (It is believed by some that the attackers went<br />
on to found Ultimate in North Carolina.)<br />
Despite receiving abuse for their anti-establishment, countercultural game, the Frisbee players carried on. In<br />
February, 1970, the players adopted the name The Columbia High School Varsity Frisbee Squad, a tongue-incheek<br />
reference because the team had no official connection with the school. One player designed "CHS<br />
Varsity Frisbee" sweatshirts, Silver’s mother paid to have them made up and the players proudly wore them in<br />
the first team photo. In the picture of the "Original Ultimate squad," a school custodian appeared as "Head<br />
Coach," the school security director was the "General Manager" and a fictitious player, Arnold Tzoltic, was listed<br />
as a member.<br />
According to Hellring’s sister, Heidi, Hellring got Wham-O to send the team a box of Frisbees because the discs<br />
kept cracking in the 15-25 degree Fahrenheit air; one green 120-gram "moonlighter" was lost in the brook by the<br />
lot, The Colombian reported. Silver and Hellring also took the International Frisbee Association’s test, passing it<br />
as masters. The IFA was then the sport’s governing body.<br />
Hellring continued to write tongue-in-cheek Frisbee stories and place ads for the team in the paper. In one, the<br />
paper reported that "the rise of Frisbee in Columbia high school is merely indicative of a world-wide trend,<br />
according to major national periodicals." The story went on to cite a Time magazine article which recommended<br />
that the U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. take their cue and henceforth "settle all disputes between the two with Frisbees<br />
instead of missiles."<br />
129
Ultimate Grows Up<br />
Before going off to college in 1970, Silver, Hellring, and Hines decided to print the rules and bring them up to<br />
date. Though many of the original rules are still in place today, some have changed dramatically. The only limit<br />
to the size of the field was that "The two goal lines must be parallel and should be somewhere between 40 and<br />
60 yards apart, depending on the number of players." Games continued to be played with as many as 20 or 30<br />
players per side. And the end zones were unlimited. A player standing a foot from the goal line could score with<br />
a fifty yard bomb. The booklet was entitled "<strong>Official</strong> <strong>Rules</strong> of Ultimate Frisbee" and cost 10 cents.<br />
In the summer of 1970, a group of younger Columbia students – including Summers, Larry Schindel, Irv Kalb,<br />
and others known as the Richmond Avenue Gang or RAG – challenged the CHS team to a game. RAG lost 47-<br />
28 but played with the varsity for the rest of the summer, and Kalb was selected as new varsity captain when<br />
the original players went on to college. An annual Thanksgiving match between the Columbia team and the<br />
alumnus was established – a tradition that still exists today.<br />
The RAG members sent the rules to many other high schools in northern New Jersey, asking them to form<br />
Ultimate Frisbee teams. Millburn High School responded and on Nov. 7, 1970, the first interscholastic game<br />
pitted Millburn against the more experienced Columbia varsity. CHS won 43-10 in the Columbia parking lot. The<br />
game was covered by the Newark Evening News, and copies of the rules were subsequently requested by other<br />
schools. When the New Jersey Frisbee Conference was formed in the spring of 1971, it had five teams:<br />
Columbia, Dumont, Millburn, Mountain (now West Orange), and Nutley. "We wanted to spread it throughout the<br />
world," said Summers, who recalled a 24-hour road trip to the International Frisbee Tournament in Upper<br />
Peninsula, Mich. "We were really spreading the gospel." Summers and his cohorts were the forerunners to<br />
generations of high school and college kids who load up for road trips – poor, smelly, and hungover – every<br />
weekend.<br />
Meanwhile, Columbia graduates were organizing teams at their colleges and universities. In addition to Hines’<br />
efforts at Princeton, Leiwant co-founded the Yale squad, and Summers the Tufts team. Hellring died in a tragic<br />
car accident during his freshman year, 1971, at Princeton.<br />
Twenty-five people showed up for the first practice at Rutgers University, seven of them former New Jersey high<br />
school players. The first intercollegiate competition was held between Rutgers and Princeton on Nov. 6, 1972,<br />
the 103rd anniversary of the first intercollegiate football game, and at the same site on the Rutgers New<br />
Brunswick campus. That game and the rematch a year later were the only two intercollegiate games Hines<br />
played his entire career.<br />
Hines arranged for the game to be videotaped by a national network and for former Yankees pitcher and sports<br />
commentator Jim Bouton to cover it. "It was a thrill and a half," Hines said. "I felt nervous and dead serious<br />
about winning. It was an incredibly close game, from beginning to end, and Bouton was very surprised at what a<br />
good game Ultimate was."<br />
CHS Varsity Frisbee Squad: (Top row from left to right) Captain Joel Silver, Head Coach Cono Pavone, Bob<br />
Mittlesdorf, Jonny Hines, Buzzy Hellring, Arnold Tzoltic, Joe Staker, Paul Brenner, Tom Carr, Mark Epstein,<br />
General Manager Alexander Osinski, (Second row) Tom Corwin, Frisbee (Pro Model), David Medinets, David<br />
Leiwant, (Third row) Fred Appelgate, Howard Straubing, Steve German, Vincent, (Laying down) Steve<br />
Schwartz, Frisbee (Master Model).<br />
Note: Eric Halpern’s research contributed greatly to the writing of this article.<br />
130
The Original <strong>Rules</strong> of Ultimate<br />
1. Under equipment, the founding fathers wrote that "individual players may wear almost any aids they wish,<br />
including hats, helmets, or gloves as long as they do not endanger the safety of another player." Also, no<br />
player was allowed to "carry any sort of stick, bat or racket."<br />
2. Because the game was developed in a parking lot, the playing field was said to have "no lateral boundaries;<br />
however it is best to choose a field with natural boundaries created by a hill, a river or a wall."<br />
3. Despite the perception that Ultimate was created as an anti-authoritarian alternative to mainstream<br />
70sports, the first set of rules stated that "a referee or referees may officiate, and if so their decision must be<br />
final.<br />
4. In the section on "Scoring," they wrote, "A team is awarded one point for each goal legally scored, and there<br />
is no other way to gain points."<br />
5. "A Note on Team Size" suggested that while "7 is the optimum number for each team, this sport can be<br />
played with as many as 20 or 30 for each team."<br />
6. The founding fathers also suggested that "As proficiency with Ultimate Frisbee increases, a ’one-hand only’<br />
version of the game can be tried." Any player who used two hands to catch or trap the Frisbee would<br />
"forfeit" possession to the opposing team.<br />
References<br />
Adam Zagoria. All Photos by Ed Summers, http://www.upa.org/upa/30anniv/30.html<br />
131
<strong>Official</strong> <strong>Rules</strong><br />
Table of Contents<br />
• About this Document<br />
• Preface<br />
• I. Introduction<br />
UPA <strong>Rules</strong> of Ultimate, Ninth Edition<br />
Incorporating 1991, 1992, and 1995 Clarifications and Amendments<br />
Copyright 1970 CHS<br />
Copyright 1982, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1995 The Ultimate Players Association<br />
Online version of 4 Mar 1996<br />
No set of rules can replace player's respect for one another and for good spirit.<br />
• II. Clarifying Statements<br />
• III. Field of Play<br />
• IV. Equipment<br />
• V. Length of Game<br />
• VI. Time-Outs<br />
• VII. Substitutions<br />
• VIII. Starting and Restarting Play<br />
• IX. Out-of-Bounds<br />
• X. Endzones<br />
• XI. Scoring<br />
• XII. Turnovers<br />
• XIII. The Thrower<br />
• XIV. The Marker<br />
• XV. The Receiver<br />
• XVI. Fouls<br />
• XVII. Violations<br />
• XVIII. Positioning<br />
• XIX. Clarifying Statements on Fouls, Violations and Picks<br />
• A. Observers<br />
• B. Etiquette<br />
• C. Historical Record of Clarifications and Amendments ([1995], [1992])<br />
132
About this Document<br />
This document reflects the current rules of Ultimate. Passages whose meaning has changed over the years are<br />
marked with a link indicating the year of the change, as in ``[1992]''. Follow the link to see the wording of the<br />
change, the prior wording, and additional commentary that explains the rationale of the change (when<br />
available).<br />
Thanks to Eric Simon, Kathy Pufahl, Scott Gurst, Frank Revi, Mark Licata, Scott Gurst, Troy Frever, and Juha<br />
Jalovaara for compiling the amendments and changes.<br />
Originally posted by Eric Simon, , 10 Jun 1991.<br />
Subsequently edited and re-formatted by Joseph A. Barcio II, . This included<br />
addition of the 1991 Amendments and Changes after Section XIV.<br />
Complete 1991 Amendments and Changes added by George Ferguson, . 1992<br />
Amendments and Changes added by George Ferguson with the help of Troy Frever,<br />
.<br />
HTML version by George Ferguson, 3 Dec 1993.<br />
1995 Clarifications and Amendments by Eric Simon. Added to HTML document by George Ferguson, 8-11 Sep<br />
1995. Contributions by Hilarie Orman , 18 Sep 1995.<br />
Preface<br />
The purpose of the rules of Ultimate is to provide a guideline which describes the way the game is played. It<br />
assumed that no Ultimate player will intentionally violate the rules; thus there are no harsh penalties for<br />
inadvertent infractions, but rather a method for resuming play in a manner which simulates what would most<br />
likely have occurred had there been no infraction.<br />
In Ultimate, an intentional foul would be considered cheating and a gross offense against the spirit of<br />
sportsmanship. Often a player is in a position where it is clearly to the player's advantage to foul or commit<br />
some violation, but that player is morally bound to abide by the rules. The integrity of Ultimate depends on each<br />
player's responsibility to uphold the spirit of the game, and this responsibility should not be taken lightly.<br />
I. Introduction<br />
1. Description Ultimate is a non-contact sport played by two seven player teams. The object of the game<br />
is to score goals. The disc may only be moved by passing as the thrower is not allowed to take any<br />
steps. Any time a pass is incomplete, intercepted, knocked-down, or contacts an out-of-bounds area, a<br />
turnover occurs, resulting in an immediate change of possession of the disc. A goal is scored when a<br />
player successfully passes the disc to a teammate in the endzone which that team is attacking.<br />
2. Spirit of the Game Ultimate has traditionally relied upon a spirit of sportsmanship which places the<br />
responsibility for fair play on the player. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense<br />
of the bond of mutual respect between players, adherence to the agreed upon rules of the game, or the<br />
basic joy of play. Protection of these vital elements serves to eliminate adverse conduct from the<br />
Ultimate field. Such actions as taunting of opposing players, dangerous aggression, intentional fouling,<br />
or other "win-at-all-costs" behavior are contrary to the spirit of the game and must be avoided by all<br />
players.<br />
3. Captain's Clause A game may be played under any variations of the rules agreed upon by the captains<br />
of the two teams. In tournament play, such variations are subject to the approval of the tournament<br />
director. Such things as length of game, dimensions of the field, and stalling count can easily be altered<br />
to suit the level of play.<br />
133
II. Clarifying Statements<br />
1. Phrases:<br />
A. A player is any of the fourteen (14) persons who are actually participating in the game at any<br />
one time.<br />
B. To put the disc into play means that the thrower establishes a pivot foot and is ready to throw.<br />
To put the disc into play at a particular point on the field means to place the pivot foot at that<br />
point on the field. [1992]<br />
C. Where the disc stops refers to the location where the disc is caught, comes to rest naturally,<br />
or where it is stopped from rolling or sliding.<br />
D. Throw-off position is the particular arrangement of positions (which end zone each team is<br />
defending) and possession (which team is to throw-off) in effect before a throw-off. [1992]<br />
E. Ground Contact: All player contact with the ground directly related to a specific event or<br />
maneuver, including landing or recovery after being off-balance, e.g., jumping, diving, leaning,<br />
or falling. [1995]<br />
F. Possession of the disc: Sustained contact with, and control of, the non-spinning disc. [1995]<br />
a. To catch a pass is equivalent to establishing possession of that pass.<br />
b. Loss of control due to ground contact related to a pass reception negates that<br />
receiver's possession up to that point.<br />
2. There are no scrimmage lines or off-sides (except on throw-offs) in Ultimate.<br />
3. The disc may be passed in any direction.<br />
4. A rolling or sliding disc may be stopped by any player, but it may not be purposefully advanced in any<br />
direction. Possession is gained where the disc stops.<br />
5. No defensive player may ever pick up the disc.<br />
III. Field of Play<br />
1. The field of play is a rectangular area with dimensions as shown on the accompanying diagram.<br />
+-------+---------------+---------------+-------+<br />
^ | | | |<br />
| | | | |<br />
| |Endzone| Playing Field |Endzone|<br />
40yds| /Goal | . Proper . | /Goal |<br />
| | Area | | Area |<br />
| | | | |<br />
v | | | |<br />
+-------+---------------+---------------+-------+<br />
<br />
The period (.) marks the Brick Rule Mark, 10 yds from Goal line. The plus sign (+) indicates the location<br />
of cones to be placed ON the boundary lines.<br />
A variation of this basic structure may be used to accomodate special competitions, number of players,<br />
age of players, available space, etc. Lined fields are not necessary for the purposes of practice or other<br />
non-formal games of Ultimate.<br />
2. The playing field may have any surface (although well trimmed grass is suggested) which is essentially<br />
flat, free of obstructions and holes, and affords reasonable player safety.<br />
3. The playing field proper is the playing field excluding the endzones.<br />
134
4. The goal lines are the lines which separate the playing field proper from the endzones and are part of<br />
the playing field proper.<br />
5. The perimeter lines (sidelines and endlines) are not part of the playing fields.<br />
6. The corners of the playing field proper and the endzones are marked by cones made of a brightly<br />
colored, flexible material.<br />
7. An additional restraining line is established five (5) meters away from the entire field to ensure that the<br />
sidelines remain clear during play.<br />
8. All lines are marked with a non-caustic material and are between two and four inches wide (2"-4").<br />
IV. Equipment<br />
1. Any flying disc may be used as long as it is acceptable to both team captains. If the captains cannot<br />
agree, the current <strong>Official</strong> Disc of the Ultimate Players Association shall be used.<br />
2. Individual players may wear any soft protective clothing as long as it does not endanger the safety of<br />
any other player.<br />
3. Cleats which have any metal exposed are not allowed.<br />
4. Each player must wear a uniform or other clothing that distinguishes that player from the players on the<br />
other team.<br />
V. Length of Game<br />
1. Time<br />
2. Points<br />
A. Each half lasts for twenty-four (24) minutes of stopped time.<br />
B. Each overtime period lasts for five (5) minutes of stopped time.<br />
C. The clock starts when:<br />
1. An offensive player gains possession of a throw-off and establishes a pivot foot;<br />
2. The marker touches the disc after a check;<br />
3. The thrower puts the disc into play after it has been out of bounds.<br />
D. The clock stops:<br />
1. After a goal;<br />
2. At the end of a period of play;<br />
3. For time-outs;<br />
4. For injuries;<br />
5. For fouls and violations;<br />
6. When the disc contacts an out-of-bounds area.<br />
A. A goal is worth one (1) point.<br />
B. A game to points lasts until one team scores twenty-one (21) goals with a margin of victory of at<br />
least two (2) goals.<br />
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C. A game with a score of twenty-to-twenty (20-20) goes into overtime, and play continues until a<br />
two-goal margin is achieved or one team scores twenty-five (25) goals.<br />
D. Halftime occurs when one team reaches eleven (11) goals.<br />
3. Halftime lasts for ten (10) minutes.<br />
4. At the end of the game, the team with the most goals is declared the winner.<br />
VI. Time-Outs<br />
1. Time-Out<br />
A. Each team is permitted two (2) time-outs per half in games to 17 or less, and three (3) time-outs<br />
per half in games to 18 or more. Each team is permitted exactly one (1) time-out in overtime.<br />
Overtime occurs when the score is tied at one point less than the number of points for which the<br />
game was originally scheduled. (Example: In a game to 19 points, overtime occurs when the<br />
score reaches 18-18.)<br />
B. Each time-out lasts up to two (2) minutes.<br />
C. The player calling the time-out must form a "T" with his/her hands and call "time-out" loudly.<br />
D. A time-out may be called by either team after a goal and before the ensuing accepted throw-off.<br />
E. During play, only a player who has established a pivot foot and who has possession of the disc<br />
can call a time-out. [1995]<br />
F. When play resumes after a time-out: [1995]<br />
1. The player who had possession puts the disc into play.<br />
2. The disc is put into play at the location where the disc was when the time-out was<br />
called.<br />
3. Play is resumed through the use of a check and all other players may set up in any<br />
position on the field.<br />
G. It is a turnover if a player calls a time-out when his/her team no time-outs remaining. There is a<br />
check on the disc.<br />
2. Injury Time-Out<br />
A. Injury time-out can be called by any member of the injured player's team. The time-out call is in<br />
effect at the time of the injury. In other words, the call is retroactive to the time that the injury<br />
occurred. If the disc is in the air during the time-out call, the play is completed.<br />
B. Injury time-out results in a team time-out if the injured player does not leave the game. A "spirit<br />
of the game" exception is made when the injury is caused by an opposing player.<br />
C. When play resumes after an injury time-out:<br />
1. The player who had possession of the disc when the injury occurred puts the disc into<br />
play. If that player leaves the field due to injury, the replacing player puts the disc into<br />
play.<br />
2. If the disc was in the air at the time of the injury, play continues until the disc is caught<br />
or it contacts the ground. If the disc is caught, the player who caught the disc puts the<br />
disc into play after the injury time-out.<br />
3. The disc is put into play at the location where the disc was when play was stopped.<br />
136
4. The play is resumed through the use of a check and all players must assume their<br />
respective positions on the field when the time-out was called. Players may not set up<br />
when restarting play after an injury time-out, unless it is also a team time-out.<br />
VII. Substitutions<br />
1. Substitutions can be made only:<br />
A. After a goal and before the ensuing accepted throw-off.<br />
B. Before the beginning of a period of play;<br />
C. To replace an injured player(s).<br />
2. If a team replaces an injured player(s), the opposing team has the option of substituting a like number<br />
of, or fewer players.<br />
3. Substitutions other than injury substitutions cannot be made during a time-out taken during play.<br />
VIII. Starting and Restarting Play<br />
1. Before a game starts, each team designates one captain to represent that team in disagreements and<br />
arbitration.<br />
2. Start of periods of play:<br />
3. Throw Off<br />
A. Representatives of the two teams each flip a disc. The representative of one team calls "same"<br />
or "different" while the discs are in the air. The team winning the flip has the choice of:<br />
1. Receiving or throwing the initial throw-off; or<br />
2. Selecting which goal they wish to defend initially.<br />
B. The team losing the flip is given the remaining choice. [1992]<br />
C. The second half begins with an automatic reversal of the initial throw-off position. [1992]<br />
D. In a game to time, if overtime periods are needed, the disc flipping procedure is repeated for the<br />
first overtime period. The initial throw-off position of subsequent overtime periods is the reverse<br />
of the throw-off position that started the previous overtime period. [1992]<br />
A. Play starts at the beginning of each period of play and after each goal with a throw-off.<br />
B. Each time a goal is scored, the teams switch the direction of their attack and the team which<br />
scored throws off.<br />
C. Positioning prior to the throw-off:<br />
1. The players on the throwing team are free to move anywhere in their defending<br />
endzone, but may not cross the goal line until the disc is released.<br />
2. The players on the receiving team must stand with one foot on their defending goal line<br />
without changing position relative to one another.<br />
D. The throw-off may be made only after the thrower and a player on the receiving team raise a<br />
hand to signal that team's readiness to begin play.<br />
E. The throw-off consists of one player on the throwing team throwing the disc toward the opposite<br />
goal line to begin play.<br />
137
4. The Check<br />
F. As soon as the disc is released, all players may move in any direction.<br />
G. No player on the throwing team may touch the throw-off in the air before it is touched by a<br />
member of the receiving team.<br />
H. If a member of the receiving team catches the throw-off on the playing field proper, that player<br />
must put the disc into play from the spot. If the throw-off is caught in either endzone, the player<br />
takes possession at that point, and puts the disc in play as described in Section X<br />
(ENDZONES). If the throw-off is caught out-of-bounds, it is put into play as described in Section<br />
IX.7 (OUT-OF-BOUNDS). [1995]<br />
I. If a member of the receiving team touches the disc during flight of the throw-off (whether in- or<br />
out-of-bounds) and the receiving team fails to catch it, the team which threw-off gains<br />
possession of the disc at the nearest point on the playing field proper. If a player drops the disc<br />
while carrying it to the point where the disc will be put into play, the team which threw-off gains<br />
possession of the disc at the nearest point on the playing field proper.<br />
J. If the receiving team allows the throw-off to fall untouched to the ground, and the disc initially<br />
lands in-bounds, the receiving team gains possession of the disc where it stops. If the disc<br />
initially lands in-bounds, then goes out-of-bounds, the receiving team gains possession at the<br />
point on the playing field proper nearest to where the disc first went out-of-bounds.<br />
K. If the throw-off lands out-of-bounds, the receiving team, before touching the disc, makes a<br />
choice of:<br />
1. Putting the disc into play at the nearest point on the playing field proper to where the<br />
disc crossed the perimeter line.<br />
2. Requesting a re-throw. To request a re-throw, any member of the receiving team must<br />
fully extend one hand above the head and call "Over." Once this re-throw signal is<br />
given, that throw-off can no longer be put into play.<br />
3. Invoking the Middle/Brick Rule. If the throw-off lands outside the field of play, the<br />
receiving team may choose to put the disc into play at the halfway between the two<br />
sidelines either at the point where the disc went out-of-bounds or at a point 10 yards<br />
upfield from the goal line they are defending. To invoke the "middle/brick rule," the<br />
member of the receiving team who is going to receive the throw-off shall fully extend<br />
one hand above his/her head and call "middle" or "brick". The player must let the disc<br />
hit the ground. On such a call, the offensive player may use a "self check," meaning<br />
he/she picks up the disc and the nearest defensive player says "in play." If the nearest<br />
player does not immediately say "in play," the offensive player may touch the disc to the<br />
ground and yell "disc in play." [1992]<br />
A. When play stops, the player who was in possession retains possession.<br />
B. All players must come to a stop as quickly as possible when play is halted, and remain in their<br />
respective locations until play is restarted.<br />
C. The marker restarts play by touching the disc in possession of the thrower. If the thrower<br />
attempts a pass before the marker touches the disc, the pass does not count regardless of<br />
whether it is complete or incomplete, and possession reverts back to the thrower.<br />
IX. Out-of-Bounds<br />
1. Any area not on the playing field is out-of-bounds. The perimeter lines themselves are out-of-bounds.<br />
2. A disc is out-of-bounds when it first contacts an out-of-bounds area or contacts anything out-of-bounds.<br />
3. The disc may fly outside a perimeter line and return to the playing field, and defensive players may go<br />
out-of-bounds in order to make a play on the disc.<br />
138
4. A player is out-of-bounds when s/he is contacting an out-of-bounds area. When a player is in the air,<br />
his/her in or out-of-bounds is determined by where the ground was last contacted by the player.<br />
5. For a receiver to be considered in bounds after gaining possession of the disc, the first point of contact<br />
with the ground must be completely in-bounds. If any portion of the first point of contact is out-ofbounds,<br />
the player is considered out-of-bounds.<br />
6. Should the momentum of a player carry him/her out-of-bounds after making a catch and landing inbounds,<br />
the player is considered in-bounds. The player carries the disc to the point where s/he went<br />
out-of-bounds and puts the disc into play at that point.<br />
7. To start or restart play after the disc has gone out-of-bounds, a member of the team gaining possession<br />
of the disc must carry the disc to the point of the playing field proper nearest where the disc last crossed<br />
the perimeter line, and put the disc into play at that point. [1995]<br />
8. The thrower may pivot in- and out-of-bounds, providing that some part of the pivot foot contacts the<br />
playing field.<br />
9. If a pass does not come in bounds the opposing team gains possession of the disc where it left the field<br />
of play only if the defense did not contact the disc. If the defense contacted the disc, the disc must be<br />
put into play at the point on the playing field proper closest to where the contact occurred.<br />
X. Endzones<br />
1. If a team gains possession in the endzone which it is defending:<br />
A. The player taking possession must make the immediate decision to either:<br />
1. Put the disc into play from that spot, or<br />
2. Carry it directly to the closest point on the goal line and put it into play from there. If this<br />
option is chosen, the player taking possession commits the player to put the disc into<br />
play at that point.<br />
B. To fake or pause after gaining possession commits the player to put the disc into play at that<br />
point.<br />
2. If, as a result of a pass from a teammate, a player receives the disc in the endzone which they are<br />
defending, that player does not have a choice of advancing the disc to the goal line.<br />
3. If a team gains possession in the endzone which it is attacking, the player taking possession must carry<br />
the disc directly to the closest point on the goal line and put the disc into play from there.<br />
XI. Scoring<br />
1. A goal is scored when an offensive player completes a pass to a teammate in the endzone which<br />
his/her team is attacking.<br />
2. In order for the receiver to be considered in the endzone after gaining possession of the disc, his/her<br />
first point of contact with the ground must be completely in the endzone.<br />
3. A player cannot score by running into the endzone with the disc. Should a receiver's momentum carry<br />
him/her into the endzone after gaining possession, the receiver must carry the disc back to the closest<br />
point on the goal line and put the disc into play from there.<br />
4. A player must be completely in the endzone and acknowledge that s/he has scored a goal. If that player<br />
plays the disc unknowingly into a turnover, then no goal is awarded.<br />
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XII. Turnovers<br />
1. An incomplete, intercepted, knocked down, or out-of-bounds pass results in a loss of possession.<br />
2. A pass is considered intercepted if a defensive player catches a pass. If a defensive player catches a<br />
pass and accidentally loses possession of it before or during ground contact related to that catch<br />
(II.1.F.b), the defender is considered to have blocked rather than intercepted the pass. [1995]<br />
3. The following actions result in a loss of possession and a check:<br />
A. If the marker's count reaches the maximum number;<br />
B. If the disc is handed from player to player;<br />
C. If the thrower intentionally deflects a pass to him/herself off another player;<br />
D. If the thrower catches his/her own throw. However, if the disc is touched by another player<br />
during its flight it is considered a complete pass and is not a turnover.<br />
XIII. The Thrower<br />
1. The thrower is the offensive player in possession of the disc, or the player who has just released the<br />
disc.<br />
2. If the disc is on the ground, whether in- or out-of-bounds, any member of the team becoming offense<br />
may take possession of the disc. Once an offensive player has picked up the disc, that player is<br />
required to put the disc into play.<br />
3. The thrower must establish a pivot foot and may not change that pivot foot until the throw is released<br />
except in the case where the thrower has just received a pass and is throwing before the third ground<br />
contact in accordance with XV.5. [1995]<br />
4. The thrower has the right to pivot in any direction. However, once the marker has established a legal<br />
defensive position, the thrower may not pivot into the marker.<br />
5. If the disc is dropped by the thrower without defensive interference, it is considered an incomplete pass.<br />
6. The thrower may throw the disc in any way s/he wishes.<br />
7. A defensive player who establishes possession of the disc becomes the thrower, but may not throw the<br />
disc before s/he establishes a legal pivot foot. To do so is a travelling violation. [1995]<br />
XIV. The Marker<br />
1. Only one defensive player may guard the thrower at any one time; that player is the marker.<br />
2. The marker may not straddle (i.e., place his/her foot on either side of) the pivot foot of the thrower.<br />
3. There must be at least one disc's diameter between the upper bodies of the thrower and the marker at<br />
all times. It is the mutual responsibility of both players to respect each other's position and not encroach<br />
into this area once it is established.<br />
4. The marker cannot position his/her arms in such a manner as to restrict the thrower from pivoting.<br />
5. Stalling:<br />
A. A defensive player within three (3) meters of the pivot foot of the thrower may initiate a stall<br />
count. If an offensive player moving into the throwing position "stands over the disc" (i.e., within<br />
three meters) without putting the disc into play, the marker may issue a "Delay of Game"<br />
warning. If the disc is not picked up, the marker may initiate a stall count.<br />
140
B. The count consists of the marker calling "Stalling" or "Counting" and counting at one second<br />
intervals from one to ten (1, 10) loudly enough for the thrower to hear.<br />
C. If the thrower has not released the disc at the first utterance of the word "ten" ("10"), a turnover<br />
and a check result.<br />
D. If the defense decides to switch markers; and if the new marker wishes to initiate a stalling<br />
count, s/he must start again from "one" ("1").<br />
E. In the event of a stall, the once marker, now offensive player, does not have to take the disc<br />
after the check. The once thrower, now marker, checks the disc to the new thrower, if s/he does<br />
not want the disc, the marker "checks" the disc by placing it on the ground and calling "in play."<br />
F. The thrower may contest a stall call if s/he feels that s/he had released the disc before the first<br />
utterance of the word "ten".<br />
1. In the event of a contested stall, if the pass is completed, play stops, and possession<br />
reverts back to the thrower. After a check, the marker starts the stall count at eight (8).<br />
2. In the event of a contested stall, if the pass is incomplete, it is a turnover, and play<br />
continues without interruption.<br />
XV. The Receiver<br />
1. The receiver is any offensive player either in the act of catching the disc, or not in possession of the<br />
disc.<br />
2. Bobbling to gain control of the disc is permitted, but purposeful, controlled bobbling to oneself (i.e.,<br />
tipping, delaying, guiding, or brushing) in order to advance the disc is considered travelling and is not<br />
allowed.<br />
3. There is NO rule XV.3! (With apologies to Monty Python, it was deleted in 1995.) [1995]<br />
4. After catching a pass, the receiver is only allowed the fewest number of steps required to come to a<br />
stop and establish a pivot foot.<br />
5. If the receiver is running or jumping as s/he catches the disc, the receiver may throw a pass before the<br />
third ground contact after catching the disc without coming to a complete stop; however, change in<br />
direction or increase in speed while in possession of the disc is a travelling violation. [1995]<br />
6. If the disc is caught simultaneously by offensive and defensive players, the offense retains possession.<br />
7. If a pass arrives in such a manner that it is unclear whether a catch was made before the disc contacted<br />
the ground (grass is considered part of the ground), the player(s) with the best perspective makes the<br />
call (usually the receiver).<br />
8. If it is ever unclear where a receiver was in- or out-of-bounds at the point of making a catch, the<br />
player(s) with the best perspective makes the call.<br />
9. Force-Out Foul: If an airborne receiver catches the disc, and is contacted by a defensive player before<br />
landing, and that contact caused the receiver to land out-of-bounds instead of landing in-bounds, the<br />
receiver must either call him/herself out-of-bounds, or call a force-out foul on the defensive player. If this<br />
foul occurs in the end zone and it is uncontested, a goal is awarded.<br />
10. There is NO rule XV.10 either! (It was also deleted in 1995.) [1995]<br />
XVI. Fouls<br />
1. Fouls are the result of physical contact between opposing players. A foul can only be called by the<br />
player who has been fouled and must be announced by calling out the word "Foul!" loudly immediately<br />
after the foul has occurred.<br />
141
2. The player initiating contact is guilty of a foul.<br />
3. Throwing Fouls:<br />
A. A throwing foul may be called when there is contact between the thrower and the marker.<br />
B. Contact occurring during the follow through (after the disc has been released) is not sufficient<br />
grounds for a foul, but should still be avoided whenever possible.<br />
C. When a foul is committed by a thrower or the marker, play stops and possession reverts back to<br />
the thrower after a check.<br />
D. If the thrower is fouled in the act of throwing and the pass is completed, the foul is automatically<br />
declined and play continues without interruption.<br />
E. If the marker is fouled in the act of throwing and the pass is not completed, play continues<br />
without interruption.<br />
4. Catching Fouls:<br />
A. A catching foul may be called when there is contact between opposing players in the process of<br />
attempting a catch, interception, or knock down. A certain amount of incidental contact during or<br />
immediately after the catching attempt is often unavoidable and is not a foul.<br />
B. If a player contacts an opponent before the disc arrives and thereby interferes with that<br />
opponent's attempt to make a play on the disc, that player has committed a foul.<br />
C. If a player's attempt to make a play on the disc causes significant impact with a legitimately<br />
positioned stationary opponent, before or after the disc arrives, it is considered "harmful<br />
endangerment" and is a foul.<br />
D. Dangerous, aggressive behavior or reckless disregard for the safety of fellow players is always<br />
a foul.<br />
E. If a catching foul occurs and is uncontested, the player fouled gains possession at the point of<br />
the infraction. If the call is disputed, the disc goes back to the thrower. If an uncontested foul<br />
(with the exception of a force-out foul [XV.9]) occurs in the end zone, the player fouled gains<br />
possession at the closest point on the goal line to the infraction.<br />
XVII. Violations<br />
1. A violation occurs when a player violates the rules in a manner which does not result in physical<br />
contact. (e.g. illegal guarding position by the marker, not establishing a pivot foot on the sideline after<br />
carrying the disc in from out-of-bounds, etc.)<br />
2. A violation may be called by any player who recognizes that a violation has occurred. The player must<br />
immediately call "violation" or the name of the specific violation loudly.<br />
3. Travelling:<br />
A. The thrower must keep all or part of the pivot foot in contact with a single spot on the field.<br />
Should the thrower lose contact with that spot, the thrower has traveled.<br />
B. If the receiver obviously takes more steps than are required to stop after catching a pass, that<br />
player has traveled.<br />
C. If a receiver, after receiving a pass on the run, releases a pass after the third ground contact<br />
and before coming to a complete stop, that receiver has traveled.<br />
142
4. Strip:<br />
A. No defensive player may touch the disc while it is in possession of the thrower or receiver. If a<br />
defensive player does so, the player in possession calls "Strip."<br />
B. The player in possession then picks up the disc and play continues unhalted from the point<br />
where s/he regained possession.<br />
C. If a count was in progress as the disc was stripped, the count is halted, and when the player in<br />
possession regains possession, the count restarts at zero (0).<br />
D. A contested strip of the receiver is treated the same as a contested foul; an uncontested strip in<br />
the end zone is a goal.<br />
5. Double-Team:<br />
A. Only one marker is permitted to guard the thrower.<br />
B. No other defensive player may establish a position within three(3) meters of the pivot foot of the<br />
thrower, unless s/he is guarding another offensive player in that area.<br />
C. Should the thrower recognize a double-team situation, s/he first calls "Double-Team" as a<br />
warning. On the first "Double-Team" call, the marker must subtract 2 from the stall count. If<br />
"double-team" is called again within the same 10 seconds, play stops and is resumed after a<br />
check with the count reset to zero (0).<br />
XVIII. Positioning<br />
1. It is the responsibility of all players to avoid contact in any way possible. Violent impact with legitimately<br />
positioned opponents constitutes harmful endangerment, a foul, and must be strictly avoided.<br />
2. Every player (excluding the thrower) is entitled to occupy any position on the field not occupied by any<br />
opposing player, provided that s/he does not cause personal contact in taking such a position.<br />
3. Picks:<br />
A. No player may establish a position, or move in such a manner, so as to obstruct the movement<br />
of any player on the opposing team; to do so is a "pick".<br />
B. In the event of a pick, the obstructed player must immediately call "Pick" loudly; play stops and<br />
is resumed after a check, unless the continuation rule [XIX.2] applies.<br />
4. When the disc is in the air, players must play the disc, not the opponent.<br />
5. The Principle of Verticality: All players have the right to the space immediately above them. Thus, a<br />
player cannot prevent an opponent from making an attempt on a pass by placing his/her arms above an<br />
opponent. Should contact occur, the player restricting the vertical area is responsible.<br />
6. A player who jumped is entitled to land at the same spot without hindrance by opponents. S/he may<br />
also land at the another spot provided the landing spot was not already occupied at the time of take-off<br />
and that the direct path between the take-off and landing spot was not already occupied.<br />
XIX. Clarifying Statements on Fouls, Violations and Picks<br />
1. Cardinal Rule:<br />
Whenever an infringement of the rules or a time out occur, play is halted and the disc is put back into<br />
play at the point of the last possession before play was stopped. (Note exceptions under Turnovers<br />
(XII.4) and Catching Fouls (XVI.4).<br />
143
2. Continuation Rule:<br />
A. Disc In the Air<br />
1. If a foul, violation, or pick is called while the disc is in the air, the play is always<br />
completed.<br />
2. If the team which called the foul, violation, or pick gains possession as a result of that<br />
pass (e.g., an incomplete pass following a travelling violation, or offensive foul), play<br />
continues unhalted. In this situation, players should call "play on."<br />
3. If the pass is completed, but the defensive effort on the pass was affected by the<br />
violation (e.g. picks), the pass does not count and possession reverts back to the<br />
thrower.<br />
B. Disc Not in the Air<br />
1. If a foul, violation, or pick is called while the disc is not in the air, and a player attempts<br />
a pass before play has stopped, and the pass is incomplete, it is a turnover.<br />
2. If a foul, violation, or pick is called while the disc is not in the air, and a player attempts<br />
a pass before play has stopped, and the pass is completed, the pass does not count,<br />
and possession reverts back to the original thrower.<br />
C. It is the responsibility of the player who made the call to call out "Play on" to indicate that this<br />
rule has been invoked.<br />
3. If there is ever a failure to come to an agreement over any call, the disc reverts back to the thrower after<br />
a check.<br />
4. If offsetting catching fouls are called by offensive and defensive players on the same play, the disc<br />
reverts back to the thrower after a check.<br />
5. Any time the marker's count is interrupted by the call of a foul, violation, pick, or time-out, the count is<br />
resumed as follows:<br />
Defensive Foul Uncontested . . . 0<br />
Defensive Foul Contested . . . . same or 5 if over 5<br />
Offensive Foul . . . . . . . . . same<br />
Travel or Pick . . . . . . . . . same or 5 if over 5<br />
Strip. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0<br />
Fast Count / Double Team<br />
- First Call . . . . . . . . . subtract 2; no check<br />
- Second Call . . . . . . . . . 0<br />
Time Out . . . . . . . . . . . . same<br />
Contested Stall. . . . . . . . . 8<br />
6. When play resumes after a time-out, the stall count is continued from where it was when time-out was<br />
called. The marker must initiate the count by calling "Stalling" or "Counting".<br />
7. If the marker counts too fast, the thrower may call "fast count."<br />
A. The first "fast count" call is a warning. On the first "fast count" call, the marker must subtract 2<br />
from the stall count.<br />
B. If "fast count" is called again within the same 10 seconds, play stops and is resumed after a<br />
check with the count reset to zero (0).<br />
C. The continuation rule [XIX.2] applies to fast counts.<br />
144
D. If the fast count occurs in such a manner that the thrower does not have a reasonable<br />
opportunity to call "fast count" before the utterance of the word "ten," the play is treated the<br />
same as a contested stall [XIV.5(F)].<br />
8. Should a foul or violation result in possession reverting to a thrower who was airborne while releasing<br />
the disc, play shall be restarted at the point on the playing field proper closest to the location from which<br />
the throw was made. [1995]<br />
A. Observers<br />
1. Before the game, the captains may decide to select up to six (6) experienced non-players to act as<br />
Observers. In this role, their job is to carefully watch the action of the game. They do not actively call<br />
any fouls, violations, picks, or line calls.<br />
2. When a dispute arises concerning a foul, violation, pick, line call, or an interpretation of the rules which<br />
cannot be resolved by the captains to make the call,<br />
A. The observer with the best view of the play makes the call. If the observers so choose, they<br />
may discuss the play among themselves before rendering a decision.<br />
B. By calling in the observers, the teams agree to abide by the observers decision.<br />
B. Etiquette<br />
1. If a foul is committed and not called, the player who commits the foul should inform the infracted player<br />
of the foul.<br />
2. It is the responsibility of both teams to minimize the time taken between each goal and the ensuing<br />
throw-off.<br />
3. If the receiving team wishes to have an out-of-bounds throw-off re-thrown, they should give the re-throw<br />
signal as soon as possible.<br />
4. It is a violation against the spirit of the game for a defensive player to call for a pass from the thrower.<br />
5. Should a dispute or confusion arise on the field, it should be common practice to stop play, and resume<br />
play with a check when the matter is resolved.<br />
6. In the case where a novice player commits a violation out of sincere ignorance of rules, it is common<br />
practice to stop play and explain the violation.<br />
C. Historical Record of Clarifications and Amendments<br />
This section describes the various Clarifications and Amendments that have been made to the rules over the<br />
years. Note that these changes have already been included in the rules as presented in this document. They<br />
are listed here together with clarifying commentary for those who are interested in how and why the rules have<br />
changed. Additions are shown in bold, deletions are marked with [square brackets], and clarifying comments<br />
are in italics. Follow the [GO] link to jump to the affected rule.<br />
1995 Clarifications and Amendments<br />
II. CLARIFYING STATEMENTS<br />
1. Phrases:<br />
E. Ground Contact: All player contact with the ground directly related to a specific event or<br />
maneuver, including landing or recovery after being off-balance, e.g., jumping, diving,<br />
leaning,or falling. [GO]<br />
F. Possession of the disc: Sustained contact with, and control of, the non-spinning disc.<br />
145
a. To catch a pass is equivalent to establishing possession of that pass<br />
b. Loss of control due to ground contact related to a pass reception negates that<br />
receiver's possession up to that point. [GO]<br />
(These added definitions add a great deal of clarity within the rules, much of which will be explained below.<br />
Among other things, it enables us to get rid of XV.10, see below. It also defines a "catch" for the first time, and<br />
makes that definition (by adding the worlds "and control of") closer to the ordinary usage of the word. Without<br />
this clause, a person on the ground who is unaware of the disc resting on his/her back, to cite an extreme<br />
example, would be in possession of the disc. No longer.)<br />
VI. TIME-OUTS<br />
1. Time-out<br />
E. During play, only [the person with] a player who has established a pivot foot and who has<br />
possession of the disc can call a time-out. [GO]<br />
(This makes it clear that a person executing "the greatest," i.e., a person who jumps up catches the disc, and<br />
throws it before s/he lands, can not call a time out while in mid-air.)<br />
F. When play resumes after a time-out:<br />
1. The player who had possession puts the disc into play.<br />
2. The disc is put into play at the location where the disc was when the time-out was<br />
called. [If the disc was out-of-bounds when the time-out was called, the disc is put into<br />
play at the point on the playing field proper nearest to where the disc went out-ofbounds.<br />
If the disc was in the end zone when the time-out was called, the disc is put<br />
into play at the point in the end zone where the time out was called.] [GO]<br />
(Between the new clarification that you need a new pivot foot to put the disc into play, and a clarification in<br />
section XIX, this rule is not needed. In any event, a player now needs to have a pivot foot when s/he calls a<br />
time-out, and so it can not be called from out of bounds.)<br />
VIII. STARTING AND RESTARTING PLAY<br />
3. Throw-offs:<br />
H. If a member of the receiving team catches the throw-off on the playing field proper, that player<br />
must put the disc into play from that spot. If the throw-off is caught in either endzone, the<br />
player takes possession at that point, and puts the disc in play as described in section X<br />
(ENDZONES). If the throw-off is caught out-of-bounds, it is put into play as described in<br />
section IX.7 (OUT-OF-BOUNDS). [GO]<br />
(The rules do not currently state what happens when a player, who is not standing on the playing field proper,<br />
catches the throw-off. This addition codifies the way we all already play.)<br />
IX. OUT-OF-BOUNDS<br />
7. To start or restart play after the disc has gone out-of-bounds, a member of the team gaining<br />
possession of the disc must carry the disc to the point on the playing field proper nearest where the<br />
disc [went out of bounds] last crossed the perimeter line, and put the disc into play at that point. [GO]<br />
(This amendment is technical in nature, and makes the wording more accurate as to how the game is currently<br />
played.)<br />
XII. TURNOVERS<br />
2. A pass is considered intercepted if a defensive player catches a pass. If a defensive player<br />
catches a pass and accidentally loses possession of it before or during ground contact related<br />
146
to that catch (II.1.F.b), the defender is considered to have blocked rather than intercepted the<br />
pass. [GO]<br />
(This change clarifies what happens when a player intercepts the disc and accidentally drops it when (or before)<br />
s/he hits the ground. In such an instance, the disc goes to the defender's team, and the play is considered as<br />
though it were a block. This is the way we already play, although the rules were not clear. The definitions added<br />
in section II also come into play here.)<br />
XIII. THE THROWER<br />
3. The thrower must establish a pivot foot and may not change that pivot foot until the throw is released,<br />
except in the case where the thrower has just received a pass and is throwing before the third<br />
ground contact in accordance with XV.5. [GO]<br />
(This FINALLY clears up the long standing contradiction between XV.5 -- the third ground contact rule -- and the<br />
fact that this rule requires a pivot foot in order to throw. We simply make an explicit exception in that case. It<br />
also makes clear that "the greatest" is legal.)<br />
7. A defensive player who establishes possession of the disc becomes the thrower, but may not<br />
throw the disc before s/he establishes a legal pivot foot. To do so is a travelling violation. [GO]<br />
(And this section finally defines when a defensive person becomes an offensive person. It also makes clear that<br />
the "third ground contact rule" does not apply to a defensive person--s/he must have a pivot foot. Additionally, a<br />
"defensive greatest" would be a travelling violation.)<br />
XV. THE RECEIVER<br />
3. [The receiver gains possession by demonstrating sustained contact with a non-spinning disc.] [GO]<br />
(This section is not needed anymore, because of our new definitions in section II.)<br />
5. If the receiver is running or jumping as s/he catches the disc, the receiver may throw a pass before the<br />
third ground contact after catching the disc without coming to a complete stop; however, change in<br />
direction or increase in speed while in possession of the disc is a travelling violation. [GO]<br />
(This makes more clear the conditions under which an offensive player does not have to establish a pivot foot<br />
without travelling, and also makes it clear that "the greatest" is a legal play.)<br />
10. [First ground contact determines possession. The ground can cause an incomplete pass, resulting in a<br />
turnover.] [GO]<br />
(We have finally deleted what is probably the worst written rule in Ultimate. The problem is not only that no one<br />
plays that way, but the two sentences themselves contradict each other. Suppose a receiver lays out in the<br />
endzone, catches the disc, smashes to the ground, and drops it. Everyone plays that as a turnover. And, in fact,<br />
the second sentence in this clause says it's a turnover, but the first sentence above says that receiver has<br />
possession. Not only that, but the first sentence contradicts the old XV.3 rule which says that possession is<br />
determined by sustained contact with a non-spinning disc. With our new definitions in section II, we can get rid<br />
of this.)<br />
XIX. CLARIFYING STATEMENTS ON FOULS, VIOLATIONS AND PICKS<br />
8. Should a foul or violation result in possession reverting to a thrower who was airborne while<br />
releasing the disc, play shall be restarted at the point on the playing field proper closest to the<br />
location from which the throw was made. [GO]<br />
(This answers the question of where to start play when a player making "the greatest", leaps out of bounds, and<br />
because of a foul, gets the disc back and must restart play.)<br />
147
1992 Amendments and Changes<br />
II. CLARIFYING STATEMENTS<br />
1. Phrases:<br />
B. To "put the disc into play" means that the thrower establishes a pivot foot and is ready to throw.<br />
To put the disc into play at a particular point on the field means to place the pivot foot at<br />
that point on the field. [GO]<br />
D. "Throw-off position" is the particular arrangement of positions (which end zone each<br />
team is defending) and possession (which team is to throw-off) in effect before a throwoff.<br />
[GO]<br />
VIII. Starting and Restarting Play<br />
2. Start of periods of play:<br />
3. Throw Off<br />
A. Representatives of the two teams each flip a disc. The representative of one team calls<br />
"same" or "different" while the discs are in the air. The team winning the flip has the choice of:<br />
[GO]<br />
C. The second half begins with an automatic reversal of the initial throw-off position. [GO]<br />
D. In a game to time, if overtime periods are needed, the disc flipping procedure is repeated for the<br />
first overtime period. The initial throw-off position of subsequent overtime periods is the<br />
reverse of the throw-off position that started the previous overtime period. [GO]<br />
K. If the throw-off lands out-of-bounds, the receiving team, before touching the disc, makes a<br />
choice of:<br />
3. Invoking the Middle/Brick Rule. If the throw-off lands outside the field of play, the<br />
receiving team may choose to put the disc into play at the halfway between the two<br />
sidelines either at the point where the disc went out-of-bounds or at a point 10<br />
yards upfield from the goal line they are defending. To invoke the "middle/brick<br />
rule," the member of the receiving team who is going to receive the throw-off shall fully<br />
extend one hand above his/her head and call "middle" or "brick". The player must let<br />
the disc hit the ground. On such a call, the offensive player may use a "self check,"<br />
meaning he/she picks up the disc and the nearest defensive player says "in play." If the<br />
nearest player does not immediately say "in play," the offensive player may touch the<br />
disc to the ground and yell "disc in play." [GO]<br />
George Ferguson, http://www.cs.rochester.edu/u/ferguson/<br />
148
WFDF Ultimate <strong>Rules</strong> for play beginning April 1, 2000<br />
ARTICLE IV - ULTIMATE<br />
Comment: Ultimate is a team sport in which the team with the higher point total at the end of the game wins. It is<br />
played with two teams of seven players on a rectangular field with an endzone at each end. A goal, worth 1<br />
point, is scored when a player/thrower passes the disc to a teammate and it is successfully caught within the<br />
confines of the endzone his or her team is attacking. The disc may be advanced solely by passing the disc from<br />
one player to another. A player may not run while in possession of the disc. While the team in possession of the<br />
disc seeks to advance the disc toward the endzone it is attacking, the opposing team seeks to thwart<br />
advancement and obtain possession by forcing a turnover. A turnover results whenever a pass is incomplete,<br />
caught or knocked down by an opposing player, touches the ground at any point or is caught by a player out-ofbounds.<br />
No overt contact or tackling is allowed. The sport is played on a self-officiated basis, with no referees.<br />
All line violation, possession and foul calls are made by the players on the playing field.<br />
Outline of contents<br />
• 401 Spirit of the Game<br />
• 402 Field of Play<br />
o 402.01 Dimensions<br />
o 402.02 Surface<br />
o 402.03 Goal Lines<br />
o 402.04 Perimeter Lines<br />
o 402.05 Markers<br />
o 402.06 Restraining Line<br />
o 402.07 Line Markings<br />
• 403 Equipment<br />
o 403.01 Disc<br />
o 403.02 Protective Clothing<br />
o 403.03 Uniform<br />
o 403.04 Cleats<br />
• 404 <strong>Rules</strong> of Play<br />
o 404.01 Rule Variations<br />
o 404.02 Length of Game<br />
o 404.03 Time-outs<br />
• A. Non-Injury<br />
• B. Injury Time -out<br />
o 404.04 Substitution of Players<br />
• A. Goals<br />
• B. Time-outs<br />
149
• C. Injury<br />
o 404.05 Starting and Restarting Play<br />
• A. Captain<br />
• B. Determining Possession<br />
• C. Start of Second Half<br />
• D. Throw-off<br />
• E. The Check<br />
o 404.06 Out-Of-Bounds<br />
• A. Definition - Disc<br />
• B. Defensive Players<br />
• C. Receiving Players<br />
• D. Definition - Players<br />
• E. Momentum<br />
• F. Resumption of Play When Disc Goes Out-Of-Bounds<br />
• G. Thrower Out-Of-Bounds<br />
o 404.07 Endzone Possession<br />
• A. Defending Endzone<br />
• B. Endzone of Attack<br />
o 404.08 Scoring<br />
o 404.09 Turnovers<br />
o 404.10 The Thrower<br />
o 404.11 The Marker<br />
• A. Guarding<br />
• B. Stalling<br />
• C. Resumption of Count After Foul<br />
• D. Resumption of Count After Time- out<br />
• E. Fast Count<br />
• F. Contested Stall<br />
o 404.12 The Receiver<br />
• A. Possession<br />
• B. Bobbling<br />
• C. Traveling<br />
• D. Simultaneous Catch<br />
150
• E. Interception<br />
• F. Judging<br />
• G. Force-Out Foul<br />
o 404.13 Fouls<br />
• A. Definition<br />
• B. Responsibility<br />
• C. Throwing Fouls<br />
• D. Catching Fouls<br />
• E. Aggressive Behavior<br />
• F. Player Positioning<br />
o 404.14 Positioning<br />
• A. Right to Position<br />
• B. Avoiding Contact<br />
• C. Picks<br />
• D. Principal of Verticality<br />
• E. Playing the Disc<br />
• F. Rights of Players Off the Ground<br />
o 404.15 <strong>Official</strong>s<br />
• A. Definition<br />
• B. Time-keeper<br />
• C. Score-keeper<br />
• D. Observers<br />
• E. Sanctioned Events<br />
o 404.16 Violations<br />
• A. General<br />
• B. Calling the Violation<br />
• C. Traveling<br />
• D. Strip<br />
o 404.17 Stoppage of Play<br />
• A. General<br />
• B. Play Continuation Rule<br />
• C. Disputes<br />
• D. Offsetting Fouls<br />
151
o 404.18 Etiquette<br />
• A. Uncalled Fouls<br />
• B. Time Between Goals and Pulls<br />
• B. Rethrow Signal<br />
• C. Disputes<br />
• D. Novice Consideration<br />
• 405 Glossary<br />
• 401 Spirit of the Game: Ultimate has traditionally relied upon a spirit of sportsmanship which places the<br />
responsibility for fair play on the individual player himself. Highly competitive play is encouraged but<br />
never at the expense of mutual respect between players, adherence to the agreed-upon rules of the<br />
game or the basic joy of play. The purpose of the rules of ultimate is to provide a guideline which<br />
describes the way the game is played. It is assumed that no ultimate player will intentionally violate the<br />
rules; there are no harsh penalties for inadvertent infractions but, rather, a method for resuming play in<br />
a manner which simulates what would most likely have occurred had there been no infraction.<br />
• 402 Field of Play<br />
o 402.01 Dimensions: The field of play consists of a 70 yd by 40 yd rectangle (approximately 64<br />
m x 37 m) called the playing field, with a 25 yd by 40 yd rectangle (approximately 23 m x 37 m)<br />
called an endzone aligned along each of the 40 yd (37 m) sides. See figure 4.1.<br />
o 402.02 Surface: The playing field may have any surface, although well trimmed grass is<br />
suggested, which is essentially flat, free of obstructions and holes, and affords reasonable<br />
player safety.<br />
o 402.03 Goal Lines: Goal lines are lines which separate the playing field proper from the<br />
endzones and are part of the playing field proper.<br />
o 402.04 Perimeter Lines: Perimeter lines (sidelines and endlines) are lines separating the<br />
playing field from the out-of-bounds area and are not part of the playing field.<br />
o 402.05 Markers: The corners of the playing field proper and the endzones are marked by cones<br />
made of a brightly colored, flexible material.<br />
o 402.06 Restraining Line: A restraining line shall be established 5 m from the playing field to<br />
ensure that the sidelines remain clear during play.<br />
152
o 402.07 Line Markings: All lines shall be marked with a non-caustic material and shall be<br />
between 2 in and 4 in (approximately 5 cm and 10 cm) wide.<br />
• 403 Equipment<br />
o 403.01 Disc: Any flying disc may be used as long as it is acceptable to both team captains and<br />
meets the requirements set forth in Article I of the WFDF rules. If the captains cannot agree, a<br />
disc designated by the WFDF Ultimate Committee as an official disc for the event shall be used.<br />
If no such disc has been designated, any disc designated by the WFDF Ultimate Committee as<br />
an approved disc for ultimate play shall be used. If the teams cannot agree upon a specific<br />
approved disc for play, two options are available:<br />
1. each team shall supply the approved disc(s) for one half of the game using the disc<br />
flipping method (104.03) to determine the order of use; or;<br />
2. if that solution is not acceptable to both teams they shall resolve the disagreement<br />
through the disc flipping method. The team winning the flip shall then supply the<br />
approved disc(s) for the entire game.<br />
3. Additional spare discs (approved in accordance with this section) may be held by any<br />
officials to be used by the offense to replace an out-of-bounds or damaged disc at the<br />
offense's discretion. This rule is limited to the following situations: out-of-bounds pull<br />
receptions, between points, during time-outs, or during stoppages of play due to fouls<br />
or violations.<br />
o 403.02 Protective Clothing: Players may wear any soft protective clothing so long as it does not<br />
endanger the safety of any other player.<br />
o 403.03 Uniform: The players of each team shall wear a uniform or other clothing that<br />
distinguishes them from the players of the other team.<br />
o 403.04 Cleats: Cleats are permitted; however, players may not use any cleats which have any<br />
metal exposed.<br />
• 404 <strong>Rules</strong> of Play<br />
o 404.01 Rule Variations: Any of these rules may be changed by mutual agreement of the<br />
captains of the two teams, subject to the approval of the tournament director.<br />
o 404.02 Length of Game: A full-length game lasts until one team reaches a score of at least 19<br />
goals with a lead of at least two goals, or until a team scores 21 goals. There is to be a 10-<br />
minute halftime when one team reaches 10 goals. When tournament schedules or other<br />
circumstances make it necessary, games can be shorter. Guidelines on shorter game formats<br />
and how to cap games constricted by time can be found in the Tournament Directors' Manual<br />
published by the WFDF Ultimate Committee.<br />
o 404.03 Time Outs:<br />
• A. Non-Injury: Each team is permitted two non-injury time-outs per half in games to 17<br />
or less, and three non-injury time outs per half in games to 18 or more. Each team is<br />
permitted exactly one time-out in overtime. Overtime occurs when the score is tied at<br />
one point less than the number of points for which the game was originally scheduled.<br />
1. Time to Call: A time-out may be called by either team, after a goal and prior to<br />
the ensuing throw-off, or may be called by the player in possession of the disc<br />
during play.<br />
2. Duration: Time-outs shall not exceed 2 minutes in length.<br />
3. Signal: A player or captain calling time-out must form a "T" with his or her<br />
hands and call, "Time-out," loudly enough to permit the other players to hear<br />
the request.<br />
153
4. Resumption of Play: When play resumes after a time-out, the player who had<br />
possession prior to the time-out puts the disc into play. If the player who had<br />
possession is no longer on the field, the player replacing him puts the disc into<br />
play. If the disc was out-of-bounds when the time-out was called, the disc is put<br />
into play at the point on the playing field proper nearest to where the disc went<br />
out-of-bounds. Play shall be resumed through the use of a check and all other<br />
players may set up in any position on the field.<br />
5. When a timekeeper is available, the 2-minute time limit for time-outs shall be<br />
enforced in the following manner:<br />
• (a) Between points: Each time-out between points extends the time<br />
between goals by 2 minutes. Play is restarted as described in<br />
404.05.D. However, when a time-out between points has occurred, the<br />
timekeeper gives an additional warning signal 30 seconds before the<br />
offense must be ready to receive the throw-off.<br />
• (b) During points: The timekeeper shall signal when thirty (30) seconds<br />
are remaining and when fifteen (15) seconds are remaining. At the end<br />
of 2 minutes all offensive players must have established stationary<br />
positions and the thrower must signal readiness. If the offense is not<br />
ready at the end of 2 minutes then the timekeeper shall signal that the<br />
time-out has expired and the marker may initiate or resume the stall<br />
count immediately. Otherwise, the defense has an additional fifteen<br />
(15) seconds to establish positions, during which time the offense must<br />
remain stationary. The timekeeper shall give a final signal when these<br />
15 seconds have elapsed at which time the offense may begin play<br />
immediately. If both teams are ready at any time before the final signal<br />
is given then play is restarted with a check as in 404.03.A.4 and all<br />
remaining timekeeper signals are dispensed with.<br />
o B. Injury Time-out: An injury time-out may be called by any player, and shall not count as one of<br />
the time outs allotted in section 404.03(A). An injury time-out results in a team time-out if the<br />
injured player does not leave the game unless the injury is the result of a foul.<br />
1. Disc in Play: If the disc was in the air at the time an injury occurred and a time-out is<br />
called, play continues until possession of the disc is gained by a player.<br />
2. Resumption of Play: When play resumes after an injury time-out, the player who had<br />
possession when the time-out came into effect puts the disc into play through the use of<br />
a check at the same location the disc was when play stopped. All other players must<br />
assume their respective positions on the field when play was stopped. Players may not<br />
set up when restarting play after an injury time-out, unless it is also a team time-out.<br />
3. Bleeding wounds: If any player has an open or bleeding wound, that player shall take<br />
an immediate injury substitution and may not rejoin the game until the wound is treated<br />
and sealed.<br />
• 404.04 Substitution of Players:<br />
o A. Goals: Substitution of players may be made only after a goal and before the ensuing throwoff,<br />
before the beginning of a period of play, or to replace an injured player.<br />
o B. Time-Outs: Substitutions may not be made during a time-out taken during play other than for<br />
an injury.<br />
o C. Injury: If a team substitutes a player or players for an injured player or players, the opposing<br />
team may also make an equal or lesser number of substitutions at that time.<br />
154
• 404.05 Starting and Restarting Play:<br />
o A. Captain: Before a game starts, each team designates one captain to represent that team in<br />
disagreements and arbitration.<br />
o B. Determining Possession: To determine possession at the start, the disc-flipping method shall<br />
be used. The captains of the two teams each flip a disc. The captain of the team so designated<br />
calls "Same," or "Different," while the discs are in the air. The winner of the flip shall choose to<br />
throw or receive the initial throw-off or select a goal to defend. The loser shall be given the<br />
remaining choice.<br />
o C. Start of Second Half: The first point of the second half shall begin with a reversal of the first<br />
point of the first half. Each team shall defend the goal they attacked, and the team that received<br />
should pull and vice versa.<br />
o D. Throw-off: Play starts at the beginning of each half or overtime period and after each goal<br />
with a throw-off.<br />
1. Each time a goal is scored, the team switches the direction of their attack and the team<br />
which scored throws-off.<br />
2. Positioning Prior to the Throw-off:<br />
• (a) Throwing Team - The players on the throwing team shall remain inside the<br />
endzone they are defending prior to the disc being released on the throw-off,<br />
but may move anywhere within said endzone.<br />
• (b) Receiving Team - The players on the receiving team must, prior to the<br />
release of the disc, stand with one foot on the goal line adjoining the endzone<br />
they are defending, and may not change position relative to one another.<br />
3. Signal: The throw-off shall be made only after the thrower and a player on the receiving<br />
team raise a hand to signal their team's readiness to begin play.<br />
4. Commencement of Play: As soon as the disc is released by the thrower, all players<br />
may move in any direction.<br />
5. Interference: No player on the throwing team may touch the throw-off in the air before it<br />
is touched by a member of the receiving team.<br />
6. Reception Within the Playing Field: Whenever a member of the receiving team gains<br />
possession of the throw-off within the playing field (including the endzone), that player<br />
must put the disc into play from the point at which he or she gained possession.<br />
7. Failure to Catch After Touching: Whenever a member of the receiving team touches the<br />
disc during its flight (whether in or out-of bounds) and the receiving team subsequently<br />
fails to catch the disc prior to its touching the ground, the team throwing-off regains<br />
possession of the disc where it stops.<br />
8. Landing Untouched: Whenever the receiving team permits the disc to fall untouched to<br />
the ground and the disc lands and remains in-bounds, the receiving team gains<br />
possession of the disc where it stops. If the disc lands in-bounds and subsequently<br />
touches an out-of-bounds area, the receiving team gains possession in the playing field<br />
proper nearest where the disc first went out-of-bounds.<br />
9. Out-of-Bounds: If the throw-off is caught out-of-bounds, the receiver must carry the disc<br />
to the point on the playing field proper nearest where the disc last crossed the<br />
perimeter line and put the disc into play at that point. Whenever an untouched throw-off<br />
lands out-of-bounds, the receiving team may make the choice of putting the disc into<br />
play at the at the nearest point on the playing field proper to where the disc crossed the<br />
perimeter line, requesting a rethrow, invoking the "middle rule", or invoking the "brick<br />
rule".<br />
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• (a) Rethrow: To request a rethrow, any member of the receiving team shall fully<br />
extend one hand above his or her head and call, "Over." Once the rethrow<br />
signal is given, the original throw-off can no longer be put into play.<br />
• (b) Middle Rule: The receiving team may choose to put the disc in play halfway<br />
between the two side lines perpendicular to the point on the perimeter line<br />
where the disc went out-of-bounds. The receiver of the pull must indicate this<br />
by extending one hand over his or her head and calling "Middle," before picking<br />
the disc up. The player may then carry the disc to the appropriate place, touch<br />
it to the ground, call "Disc in play," and put the disc in play. If the disc crossed<br />
the perimeter line of the endzone that the receiving team is defending, the<br />
player invoking the "middle rule" must put the disc into play on the goal line.<br />
• (c) Brick Rule: The receiving team may choose to put the disc in play halfway<br />
between the two side lines at a point 20 yd (approximately 18 m) upfield from<br />
the goal line which they are defending. The receiver of the pull must indicate<br />
this by extending one hand over his or her head and calling "Brick," before<br />
picking the disc up. The player may then carry the disc to the appropriate place,<br />
touch it to the ground, call, "Disc in play,", and put the disc in play.<br />
10. The time limit between the scoring of a goal and the ensuing throw-off is sixty (60)<br />
seconds for the receiving team, and seventy-five (75) seconds for the throwing team.<br />
When a timekeeper is available, the following rules for enforcing these limits shall also<br />
apply:<br />
• (a) As soon as a goal is scored (in the event of a discussion, as soon as the<br />
goal is acknowledged by the defending team), the timekeeper starts a clock.<br />
After forty-five (45) seconds, the timekeeper signals the receiving team that it<br />
has fifteen seconds before the minute runs out.<br />
• (b) If after sixty seconds the receiving team has acknowledged that it is ready,<br />
the timekeeper signals the throwing team that it has fifteen seconds before the<br />
seventy-five seconds run out.<br />
• (c) If the receiving team does not acknowledge that it is ready before the sixtysecond<br />
signal, that team loses a time-out if it has any time-outs remaining. The<br />
timekeeper then signals that a time-out has been assessed, and a regular timeout<br />
for that team takes place. If the receiving team has no time-outs remaining<br />
then a time-out does not occur, there is no pull, and the receiving team takes<br />
possession of the disc 15 yards behind their own goal line, midway between<br />
the two sidelines. Play is restarted with a check.<br />
• (d) If the throwing team does not throw before the seventy-five second signal,<br />
that team loses a time-out if it has any time-outs remaining. The timekeeper<br />
then signals that a time-out has been assessed, and a regular time-out for that<br />
team takes place. If the throwing team has no time-outs remaining then a timeout<br />
does not occur, there is no pull, and the receiving team takes possession of<br />
the disc at the brick mark nearest the goal it is attacking. Play is restarted with<br />
a check.<br />
• (e) The receiving team must signal its readiness in accordance with rule<br />
404.05.D.3. Note that players must establish and hold their positions in<br />
accordance with rule 404.05.D.2.b prior to signaling readiness.<br />
• (f) The rules in this section (404.05.D.11) shall also apply at the beginning of<br />
each half of play, except that the timekeeper shall give warning signals at 30<br />
seconds before the receiving team must acknowledge readiness, 15 seconds<br />
before the receiving team must acknowledge readiness, and 15 seconds before<br />
the throwing team must throw.<br />
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o E. The Check:<br />
• 404.06 Out-of-Bounds:<br />
• (g) The preferred method of signaling by a timekeeper shall be the use of a<br />
whistle, following procedures outlined in the WFDF Tournament Director's<br />
Guide.<br />
1. Stopped Play: Whenever play stops, other than by the scoring of a goal, play shall<br />
resume with the marker touching the disc held by the thrower. If the thrower attempts a<br />
pass before the marker touches the disc, the pass does not count regardless of<br />
whether it is complete or incomplete, and possession reverts back to the thrower.<br />
2. Player's Movement to Stop: Whenever play is halted other than after a goal or at the<br />
end of a period of play, the movement of all players must quickly stop so that the<br />
relative positions of the players at the time of the stoppage is preserved as closely as<br />
possible. The players shall remain in their respective locations until the marker restarts<br />
play by touching the disc held by the thrower. During the check, the players shall<br />
ascertain the proper positioning of all the players and the players' readiness to<br />
continue.<br />
o A. Definition - Disc: A disc is out-of-bounds when it first contacts an out-of-bounds area or<br />
contacts anything which is out-of-bounds. The disc in flight may pass over an out-of-bounds<br />
area and return to the playing field without being declared out-of-bounds so long as it does not<br />
contact an out-of-bounds area or anything which is out-of-bounds.<br />
o B. Defensive Players: Defensive players may go out-of-bounds to make a play on the disc.<br />
o C. Receiving Players: Receiving players may not go out-of-bounds to make a play on the disc.<br />
For a receiver to be considered in-bounds at the time of gaining possession of the disc, the<br />
player's first point of contact with the ground must be completely in-bounds. If any portion of the<br />
first point of contact is out-of-bounds, the player is considered out-of-bounds.<br />
o D. Definition - Player: A player is out-of-bounds whenever he or she is contacting an out-ofbounds<br />
area. When a player is in the air, whether he or she is in or out-of-bounds is determined<br />
by where he or she last contacted the ground.<br />
o E. Momentum: In the event the momentum of a player carries him out-of-bounds after making<br />
an in-bounds reception, the player is considered in-bounds. The player shall resume play at the<br />
point he or she went out-of-bounds.<br />
o F. Resumption of Play When Disc Goes Out-of-Bounds: To restart play after the disc has gone<br />
out-of-bounds, a player of the team gaining possession of the disc shall carry the disc to the<br />
point on the playing field proper closest to the point where the disc went over the perimeter line,<br />
and establish a pivot foot at that point, not within the perimeter line, before putting the disc into<br />
play. The opposing team gains possession of the disc where it left the field of play only if the<br />
defense did not subsequently contact the disc. If the defense contacted the disc, the disc must<br />
be put into play at the point on the playing field proper closest to where the contact occurred.<br />
o G. Thrower Out-of-Bounds: The thrower may pivot in and out-of bounds without being declared<br />
out-of-bounds, providing that some point of his or her pivot foot is in contact with the playing<br />
field.<br />
• 404.07 Endzone Possession:<br />
o A. Defending Endzone: If a team obtains possession in the endzone which it is defending, the<br />
player taking possession must make the immediate decision to either put the disc into play from<br />
the point he or she took possession or carry it directly to the closest point on the goal line from<br />
the point he or she took possession and put it into play from there. If the latter option is chosen,<br />
the player taking possession may not throw a pass until he or she is at the proper point at the<br />
goal line.<br />
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1. Faking or Pausing: If a player fakes or pauses after gaining possession within his or her<br />
endzone, said fake or pause shall be a commitment by the player that he or she will be<br />
putting the disc into play at the point he or she initially received possession.<br />
2. Pass From Teammate: If, as a result of a pass from a teammate, a player receives a<br />
disc in the endzone which his or her team is defending, that player may not carry the<br />
disc to the goal line, but shall put the disc into play from the point of possession.<br />
o B. Endzone of Attack: If a team gains possession by interception in the endzone which it is<br />
attacking, the player taking possession shall carry the disc directly to the closest point on the<br />
goal line, from the point of possession, and put the disc into play from there.<br />
• 404.08 Scoring:<br />
o A. Requirement: A goal is scored when a thrower completes a pass to a receiver while the<br />
receiver is within the endzone which his or her team is attacking.<br />
o B. In order for the receiver to be considered in the endzone at the time he or she gains<br />
possession, his or her first point of contact with the ground after the catch must be completely in<br />
the endzone.<br />
o C. In the event a receiver's momentum carries him into the endzone after establishing<br />
possession in the playing field proper, he or she shall carry the disc back to the closest point on<br />
the goal line from the initial point of possession, and put the disc into play from that point.<br />
o D. A player must be completely in the endzone and acknowledge that he or she has scored a<br />
goal. If that player plays the disc unknowingly into a turnover, then no goal is awarded.<br />
• 404.09 Turnovers:<br />
o A. A change of possession shall result whenever a turnover occurs.<br />
o B. A change of possession with a check shall occur; whenever the marker's stalling count<br />
reaches the maximum number, as set forth in section 404.11(B) herein, the disc is handed from<br />
player to player, a thrower intentionally deflects a pass to himself off another player, a thrower<br />
catches his or her own throw, or a player calls time out when his or her team has no time outs<br />
left. However, the thrower catching his or her own throw shall not result in a turnover if the disc<br />
is touched by another player during its flight.<br />
• 404.10 The Thrower:<br />
o A. A player may become "the thrower" by fielding a pull, receiving the disc from a teammate,<br />
intercepting a pass from an opponent, or by picking up the disc after a turnover. Whenever the<br />
disc is on the ground following a turnover, whether in or out-of-bounds, any player becoming<br />
offense may take possession of the disc and become the thrower. A defensive player who<br />
establishes possession of the disc becomes the thrower, but may not throw the disc before he<br />
or she establishes a legal pivot foot. To do so is a travelling violation.<br />
o B. Prior to releasing a throw, the thrower must establish a pivot foot and may not change that<br />
pivot foot until the throw is released except in the case of an offensive player who has just<br />
received a pass and is throwing before the third ground contact in accordance with 404.12(C).<br />
The thrower has the right to pivot off the pivot foot in any direction. However, once the marker<br />
has established a legal position, the thrower may not pivot into him. The thrower may throw the<br />
disc in any manner and in any direction he or she chooses.<br />
o C. In the event the disc is dropped by the thrower without defensive interference, it is<br />
considered an incomplete pass.<br />
• 404.11 The Marker:<br />
o A. Guarding: At any time, only one defensive player may guard the thrower. A player is said to<br />
be guarding the thrower if he or she is within 3 m of the thrower's pivot foot and is not within 3 m<br />
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of any other member of the offensive team. A thrower guarded by more than one defender shall<br />
call, "Double team." The first time this occurs during any one count, the marker should<br />
immediately subtract 2 seconds from the count and continue without interruption. The second<br />
time this occurs is a foul and the count shall be reset to zero with a check.<br />
1. When guarding the thrower, the marker may not straddle the pivot foot of the thrower.<br />
2. When guarding the thrower, the upper body of the marker must be at least one disc's<br />
diameter from the upper body of the thrower at all times. It is the mutual responsibility of<br />
both players to respect each other's position and not encroach into the other's area<br />
once it is established.<br />
3. When guarding the thrower, the marker cannot position his or her arms in such a<br />
manner as to restrict the thrower from pivoting.<br />
o B. Stalling: Once a marker is within 3 m of the thrower, he or she may initiate a count. This<br />
consists of the marker calling, "Stalling," and then counting at one second intervals to ten. If the<br />
thrower has not released the disc by the first sound of the word "ten," then a change of<br />
possession with a check shall result. If during the stall count, the defense switches markers, the<br />
new marker must begin a new count at zero. In the event of a stall, the once-marker, now<br />
offensive player, does not have to take the disc after the check. The once-thrower, now marker,<br />
checks the disc to the new thrower. If he or she does not want the disc, the marker "checks" the<br />
disc by placing it on the ground and calling "In play."<br />
o C. Resumption of Count After Foul: If a marker's stalling count is interrupted by a call being<br />
made, after the call is resolved the stalling count shall be resumed in the following manner:<br />
1. If the call was against the defense, the count shall be reset to zero, unless contested<br />
and over five, in which case it resumes at five ("Stalling, six...").<br />
2. If the call was against the offense, the count continues from the point of interruption.<br />
o D. Resumption of Count After Time-out: When play resumes after a time-out, the stall count<br />
shall continue from the point of interruption<br />
o E. Fast Count: If the marker counts too fast, the thrower may call, "Fast count." The first time<br />
this occurs during any one count, the marker should immediately subtract two seconds from the<br />
count and continue without interruption. The second time this occurs is a foul and the count<br />
shall reset to zero with a check.<br />
o F. Contested Stall: The thrower may contest a stall call if he or she believes that he or she had<br />
released the disc before the first utterance of the word "ten."<br />
• 404.12 The Receiver:<br />
1. In the event of a contested stall, if the pass is completed, play stops and possession<br />
reverts back to the thrower. After a check, the marker starts the stall count at eight.<br />
2. In the event of a contested stall, if the pass is incomplete, it is a turnover and play<br />
continues without interruption.<br />
o A. Possession: A receiver gains possession by demonstrating sustained contact and control of<br />
a non-spinning disc while the receiver is on the ground and in-bounds. Loss of control due to<br />
ground contact related to a pass reception negates that receiver1s possession up to that point.<br />
o B. Bobbling: Bobbling to gain control of the disc is permitted, but purposeful, controlled bobbling<br />
to oneself in order to advance the disc is considered traveling and is not allowed. For purposes<br />
of this section, bobbling shall include tipping, delaying, guiding or brushing the disc.<br />
o C. Traveling: If the receiver is moving when he or she catches a pass, he or she shall be<br />
permitted the fewest number of steps required to come to a stop and establish a pivot foot.<br />
Further, a receiver who catches the disc while running or jumping may continue to run and<br />
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throw a pass so long as the throw is released prior to the receiver making three contacts with<br />
the ground and that he or she makes no change in direction or increase in speed during his or<br />
her tenure of possession. Violation of this section shall constitute traveling (see 404.16(C)).<br />
o D. Simultaneous Catch: If the disc is caught simultaneously by offensive and defensive players,<br />
the offense retains possession.<br />
o E. Interception: A pass is considered intercepted if a defensive player catches a pass. If a<br />
defensive player catches a pass and accidentally loses possession of it before or during ground<br />
contact related to that catch, the defender is considered to have blocked rather than intercepted<br />
the pass.<br />
o F. Judging: If a pass arrives in such a manner that it is unclear whether a catch was made<br />
before the disc made contact with the ground (grass is considered part of the ground), the<br />
player with the best perspective shall decide whether a good catch was made. Further, if it is<br />
unclear whether a receiver was in or out-of-bounds at the point of making a catch, the player or<br />
players with the best perspective makes the call.<br />
o G. Force-Out Foul: If a receiver is airborne at the time he or she takes possession of the disc,<br />
and prior to landing is contacted by a defensive player, and said contact causes the receiver to<br />
land out-of-bounds, the receiver shall either call himself out-of-bounds or call a force-out foul on<br />
the defensive player. If this foul occurs in the end zone and it is uncontested, a goal is awarded.<br />
• 404.13 Fouls:<br />
o A. Definition: Fouls are the result of physical contact between opposing players. A foul may be<br />
called by the player who has been fouled and must be announced by calling out the word, "foul"<br />
loudly and immediately after the foul has occurred.<br />
o B. Responsibility: The player initiating contact shall be the player guilty of the foul.<br />
o C. Throwing Fouls: A throwing foul may be called when there is contact between the thrower<br />
and the marker, prior to the release of the disc by the thrower. Contact occurring during the<br />
thrower's follow through is not sufficient grounds for a foul, but should still be avoided whenever<br />
possible.<br />
1. When a foul is committed by the thrower or the marker, play stops and possession<br />
reverts back to the thrower, after a check.<br />
2. If the thrower is fouled in the act of throwing and the pass is completed, the foul is<br />
automatically declined and play continues without interruption.<br />
3. If the marker is fouled during the thrower's act of throwing and the pass is not<br />
completed, play continues without interruption. If the pass is completed, the disc is<br />
returned to the thrower after a check and the stall count is resumed from the point of<br />
interruption.<br />
4. Should a foul or violation result in possession reverting to a thrower who was airborne<br />
while releasing the disc, play shall be restarted at the point on the playing field proper<br />
closest to the location from which the throw was made.<br />
o D. Catching Fouls: A catching foul may be called when there is contact between opposing<br />
players in the process of attempting a catch, interception or knock down. A certain amount of<br />
incidental contact during or immediately after the catching attempt is often unavoidable and<br />
shall not constitute a foul.<br />
1. Interference: If a player makes contact with an opponent before the disc arrives and<br />
therefore interferes with that opponent's attempt to make a play on the disc, that player<br />
has committed a foul.<br />
160
2. If a player's attempt to make a play on the disc causes contact with a legitimatelypositioned,<br />
stationary opponent, either before or after the disc arrives, that player has<br />
committed a foul.<br />
3. If a catching foul occurs and is uncontested, the player fouled gains possession at the<br />
point of the infraction. If the call is disputed, possession of the disc reverts back to the<br />
thrower. If an uncontested foul, with the exception of a force-out foul (see 404.12 (F)),<br />
occurs in the end zone the offensive team is attacking, the player fouled gains<br />
possession at the closest point on the goal line to the infraction.<br />
o E. Aggressive Behavior: Dangerously aggressive behavior or reckless disregard for the safety<br />
of fellow players shall constitute a foul.<br />
o F. Player Positioning: After a foul is called, all players shall remain in the position they held at<br />
the time of the foul until play is resumed.<br />
• 404.14 Positioning:<br />
o A. Right to Position: Every player, with the exception of the thrower as set forth in section<br />
404.10(B), is entitled to occupy any position on the field not occupied by any opposing player,<br />
provided that he or she does not cause personal contact in taking such a position.<br />
o B. Avoiding Contact: It is always the responsibility of all players to avoid contact in any way<br />
possible. Violent impact with legitimately-positioned opponents constitutes harmful<br />
endangerment, is a foul and must be strictly avoided.<br />
o C. Picks: No player may establish a position, or move in such a manner, so as to obstruct the<br />
movement of any player on the opposing team. In the event of a pick, the obstructed player<br />
shall immediately call "Pick," loudly. Play shall then be stopped and be resumed only after a<br />
check, with the stall count resuming from the point of interruption or to five if the count is over<br />
five.<br />
o D. Principal of Verticality: All players shall have the right to the space immediately above them.<br />
Accordingly, a player cannot prevent an opponent from attempting to catch a pass by placing<br />
his or her arms above an opponent. If a player so places his or her arms, and contact occurs, a<br />
foul may be called.<br />
o E. Playing the Disc: Whenever the disc is in the air, all players shall play the disc in lieu of the<br />
opponent.<br />
o F. Rights of Players Off the Ground: A player who has jumped is entitled to land at the same<br />
point without hindrance by opponents. He or she may also land at another point provided the<br />
landing point was not already occupied at the time of his or her takeoff and if the direct path<br />
between the takeoff and landing point was not already occupied at the time of takeoff.<br />
• 404.15 <strong>Official</strong>s<br />
o (A) Definition: A number of non-playing officials may be involved in a game of ultimate. Such<br />
officials include time-keepers, score-keepers and observers. Their role is to assist the teams,<br />
not to enforce the rules. A single person may perform multiple official duties.<br />
o (B) Time-keeper. A single time-keeper may be appointed to signal time elapsed between points,<br />
during time-outs and to signal the start or end of a playing period.<br />
o (C) Score-keeper. A single score-keeper may be appointed to keep score and indicate to the<br />
captains the completion of a half, the game, the number of time-outs used or remaining, or the<br />
fact that the game has gone into overtime.<br />
o (D) Observers.<br />
1. At their discretion, the captains may agree upon up to six experienced individuals, who<br />
are not participating in the game, to act as observers. The duty of the observer is to<br />
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carefully watch the action of the game for the sole purpose of rendering a decision in<br />
the event of a dispute that cannot be resolved. Observers shall remain passive and<br />
shall not make any calls on their own initiative.<br />
2. When a dispute arises which cannot be resolved by the players involved or their<br />
captains, the observers may be called upon by the captains to make the call. The<br />
observer with the best view of the play makes the call. If the observers so choose, they<br />
may discuss the play among themselves before rendering a decision.<br />
3. By calling in the observers, the teams agree to abide by the observers' decision.<br />
o (E) Sanctioned Events: Score-keepers and time-keepers shall be mandatory at all WFDFsanctioned<br />
events.<br />
• 404.16 Violations:<br />
o A. General: A violation occurs when a player violates any of the rules in this article, other than<br />
the rules relating to physical contact, in any manner.<br />
o B. Calling the Violation: A violation may be called by any player who recognizes that a violation<br />
has occurred. The player should immediately call, "Violation," or the name of the specific<br />
violation, loudly.<br />
o C. Traveling: Any journey by a player while in possession of the disc which is in violation of<br />
these rules constitutes a travel and is not permitted.<br />
1. At all times a thrower must keep all or part of the pivot foot in contact with the single<br />
point on the field established as the pivot point. Whenever the thrower loses contact<br />
with that point, he or she has traveled.<br />
2. Whenever a receiver takes more steps than he or she requires to stop after catching a<br />
pass, that receiver has traveled.<br />
3. If a receiver, after receiving a pass on the run, releases a pass after making three<br />
ground contacts and before coming to a complete stop, that receiver has traveled.<br />
4. If a stall count is in progress and traveling is called, the stall count shall resume from<br />
the point of interruption or at "five" ("Stall, six..."), whichever is lower.<br />
5. If the thrower releases a pass after being called for traveling and the pass is<br />
incomplete, the pass counts and results in a turnover.<br />
o D. Strip: No defensive player may touch the disc while it is in the possession of the thrower or<br />
receiver. If a defensive player does so, causing the thrower or receiver to drop the disc, the<br />
player who was in possession of the disc calls, "Strip."<br />
• 404.17 Stoppage of Play:<br />
1. The player formerly in possession of the disc regains possession at the point where the<br />
strip occurred and play shall resume via a check.<br />
2. If a stall count was in progress as the disc was stripped, the count is reset to zero.<br />
3. A contested strip of the receiver is treated the same as a contested catching foul; an<br />
uncontested strip in the end zone is a goal.<br />
o A. General: Whenever an infringement of the rules or a time-out occurs, play is halted and the<br />
disc is put back into play with a check at the point of the last possession before play was<br />
stopped, except as otherwise provided by these rules.<br />
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o B. Play Continuation Rule:<br />
1. If a foul, violation or pick is called while the disc is in the air, play continues until<br />
possession of the disc is gained.<br />
2. If the team who would receive the benefit of the call gains possession as a result of a<br />
pass committed prior or during the time the call was made, play shall continue unhalted.<br />
It is the responsibility of the player who made the call to call out, "Play on," to indicate<br />
that this rule has been invoked.<br />
3. If the pass is completed and the foul, violation or pick was called against the offense,<br />
the pass does not count and possession reverts back to the thrower, except as<br />
provided in 404.13 D (3). However, if the violation did not affect the defensive effort on<br />
the pass (e.g. a pick unrelated to the play), the defense should acknowledge this and<br />
play is resumed with a check where the pass was caught.<br />
o C. Disputes:<br />
1. Principle: Whenever there is a failure to come to an agreement over any call, the disc<br />
shall be returned to the last thrower prior to the dispute via a check.<br />
2. Time-limit: After a dispute has gone on for thirty seconds, the official (if available) shall<br />
instruct the players involved to resolve the issue as rapidly as possible or return the<br />
disc to the last thrower, according to 404.17 C (1).<br />
o D. Offsetting Fouls: If offsetting catching fouls are called by offensive and defensive players on<br />
the same play, the disc shall be returned to the last thrower at his or her point of possession via<br />
a check.<br />
• 404.18 Etiquette:<br />
o A. Uncalled Foul: If a foul is committed and not called, the player who commits the foul should<br />
inform the infracted player of the foul.<br />
o B. Time Between Goals and Pulls: It is the responsibility of both teams to minimize the time<br />
used between each goal and the ensuing throw off.<br />
o C. Rethrow Signal: If the receiving team wishes to have a throw off which traveled out-ofbounds<br />
rethrown, said team should give the rethrow signal as soon as possible.<br />
o D. Disputes: In the event a dispute or confusion arises on the field, play should be stopped and<br />
subsequently resumed via a check after the matter is resolved.<br />
o E. Novice Consideration: In non-tournament play, where a novice player commits a violation<br />
due to ignorance of the rules, it shall be common practice to stop play and explain the violation<br />
and the rule to the player.<br />
• 405 Glossary<br />
o Check: Temporary possession of the disc by the marker, immediately prior to resumption of<br />
play to insure proper positioning and readiness of the players.<br />
o Contact: The touching of players on opposite teams with a degree of force.<br />
o Defensive Team: Team without possession.<br />
o Endzone: Area of the playing field where scores are made.<br />
o Goal Line: The line separating the playing field proper from the endzone and not part of the<br />
endzone.<br />
o Marker: Defensive player guarding the thrower.<br />
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o Offensive Team: Team with possession.<br />
o Out-of-Bounds: Any area not on the playing field, including the perimeter lines.<br />
o Perimeter Lines: Lines separating playing field proper or endzone from out-of-bounds area and<br />
not part of the playing field.<br />
o Pick: A player using his or her body or movements in such a manner so as to obstruct the<br />
movement of a player on the opposing team.<br />
o Pivot Foot: The foot used by a player to establish position on the field after gaining possession<br />
of the disc.<br />
o Player: One of the 14 persons who are actually participating in the game at any one time.<br />
o Playing Field Proper: Playing field exclusive of the endzones.<br />
o Point of Contact: Location on playing field where player contact was made.<br />
o Put the Disc in Play: Occurs when the thrower establishes a pivot foot and is ready to throw, or<br />
in throw-off situations has given the legal signal to throw-off.<br />
o Receivers: All offensive players other than the thrower.<br />
o Thrower: An offensive player in possession of the disc or who has just released the disc.<br />
o Throw-off: Procedure used to start play or resume play after a goal is scored. The throw-off is<br />
accomplished by a player on the team relinquishing possession by throwing the disc from the<br />
goal line his or her team shall be defending to a player on the receiving team.<br />
o Where the Disc Stops: Refers to the location where a disc is caught, comes to rest naturally, or<br />
where it is stopped from rolling or sliding.<br />
The World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) has full copyright to this rulebook. Copies of the book are sold to<br />
cover the cost of producing it. Member associations of WFDF are allowed to translate the rules into their own<br />
language and to add national supplements as long as the WFDF rules are not altered or contradicted. The<br />
WFDF board must be notified of all such translations and receive a copy afterward.<br />
164
Callahan <strong>Rules</strong> To College Ultimate<br />
Version 3.0<br />
11/7/99<br />
Introduction<br />
[Version 1.0 of the UPA Experimental <strong>Rules</strong> were based on version 2.5 of the Callahan <strong>Rules</strong>. Version 3.0 of<br />
the Callahan <strong>Rules</strong> returns the favor and is based on version 1.0 of the UPA Experimental <strong>Rules</strong>. CR 3.0<br />
changes the following X-<strong>Rules</strong> 1.0:<br />
1.4 Observer can explicitly provide additional time to replace, or for a player to retrieve, a disc<br />
2.1 Times before the pull have been modified [experimental for the CCC]<br />
2.1, 2.3 & 2.6 Observer countdowns notifying teams of the time remaining have been updated to reflect current<br />
practice<br />
2.3 Clarification that teams receive only one time out after the time cap goes into effect<br />
2.5 Points per game have been changed to 15, win by 2, with a hard cap at 17<br />
2.7 "Quick time out" time for team to match up changed from 30 seconds to 20 seconds<br />
4.2 Team Misconduct Fouls: Observer has the option to remove a player for the remainder of the half<br />
5.1 Clarification to set up times and pull on a re-pull.<br />
6.4 Return of the "interception in the endzone is a goal" rule<br />
The Callahan <strong>Rules</strong> are a series of modifications and additions to the current rules of ultimate. The Callahan<br />
<strong>Rules</strong> build upon the current rules, the 9th Edition with Clarifications (1995) and are an attempt to speed up play<br />
and to make ultimate even more fun for players to play and spectators to watch.<br />
Wherever possible, the Callahan <strong>Rules</strong> adhere to ultimate's underlying principle of assuming players will never<br />
deliberately foul and to recreate what would have happened had a foul not taken place. However, since many of<br />
the suggested rule changes involve "dead disc" fouls where there is no situation to recreate, or situations where<br />
a player has clearly overstepped the bounds of good sportsmanship, penalties in the form of inferior field<br />
position and/or the awarding of additional time-outs are included. Finally, the Callahan <strong>Rules</strong> include<br />
mechanisms (sections 4.1 Game Misconduct Foul, 4.2 Team Misconduct Foul and 4.3 Automatic Ejection for<br />
Fighting) that allow for the removal of players from a half, game or tournament.<br />
Under the Callahan <strong>Rules</strong>, virtually all foul calls remain in the hands of the players, however, select calls (for<br />
example, time violations, misconduct penalties, line calls) are made by a neutral Observer or Linesman. In<br />
addition, the Observer makes an immediate ruling on all fouls calls that cannot be immediately resolved by the<br />
players.<br />
This document is divided into 7 sections:<br />
• The Observer and Linesmen<br />
• Time violations<br />
• Contested calls<br />
• Misconduct fouls<br />
• The pull<br />
• Miscellaneous changes and additions<br />
• Appendix<br />
The Callahan <strong>Rules</strong> are based on the 9th Edition rules to ultimate with clarifications (1995). Except where<br />
superseded by the rules outlined below, the 9th Edition rules remain the controlling document.<br />
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1.0 The Observer And Linesmen<br />
1.1 Observer Responsibilities<br />
Under the Callahan <strong>Rules</strong>, each game will have one neutral observer ("the Observer") that will be charged with<br />
the following duties:<br />
• Make sure games start on time<br />
• Assess penalties for various time violations (time before the pull, time outs, turnovers)<br />
• Rule on contested calls<br />
• Assess and track Game and Team Misconduct fouls for unsportsmanlike conduct<br />
• Keep score<br />
• Remind players at the beginning of the game of various key rules and concepts<br />
• Make rulings on line calls (in the event the game is played without Linesmen, and the players involved<br />
disagree)<br />
• Determine if players are off-sides on the pull (in the event the game is played without Linesmen)<br />
• Resolve disputes on whether a caught disc was "up or down"<br />
• Announce the time cap (except in situations where the time cap is determined by the tournament<br />
director)<br />
• Provide game discs when required<br />
• Notes the name of any player displaying exceptionally good sportsmanship<br />
The players on the field make all foul calls, with the exception of those listed above, however the Observer will<br />
rule in the case of a contested foul. In addition to the one Observer, it is strongly recommended that each game<br />
have two Linesmen to make active line calls and to assist the Observer on contested foul calls.<br />
1.2 Line Calls<br />
In games using Linesmen, the Linesmen will make all calls regarding whether a receiver is in or out of the<br />
playing field proper or end zones after catching the disc. Should an offensive player have perspective, and<br />
realize the Linesmen has erroneously called a player in-bounds, or in the endzone, they are expected to<br />
overrule the call. Conversely, should a defensive player have perspective, and realize that the Linesmen has<br />
erroneously called the offensive player out of bounds, or out of the endzone, the defender is expected to<br />
overrule the call.<br />
For games without Linesmen, the player with the best perspective (i.e. closest to the line in question and with a<br />
simultaneous view of the receiver and the playing field boundary) will determine whether the receiver was in or<br />
out of bounds. If the players involved cannot quickly make a call, only then is the Observer asked to make a call.<br />
If the Linesmen or Observer can't determine whether a player is in-bounds, the call is made in favor of the<br />
defense.<br />
1.3 Disc Up or Down<br />
The Observer rules on whether a disc has been caught or is a "up or down" should there be a controversy<br />
between the players. The Observer makes this call only if the players disagree - this is not an active call. In the<br />
situation where an Observer is unable to make a call, the call is made in favor of the defense.<br />
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1.4 Warped Disc or Unable to Retrieve Disc<br />
The Observer will carry or have ready access to, a spare disc that can be substituted for a game disc that has<br />
become warped or is difficult to retrieve (for example, in a crowd of spectators) in under 20 seconds (see 2.2). In<br />
either of these situations, the Observer will supply a new disc only if the team on offense requests one.<br />
Should the Offense request a disc from the Observer, time required for the Observer to provide a spare disc<br />
does not count against the above time limits. Any initiated stall count will resume where it was halted when the<br />
request was made.<br />
If an offensive player does not request a disc from the observer, an offensive player must retrieve the game disc<br />
from OB<br />
1.5 Rule Review<br />
At the beginning of each game, the Observer will read a brief summary of select rules to the players. This<br />
summary will begin with a reminder that ultimate is unique in that it holds players to a higher level of<br />
sportsmanship than other sports and that it is a player's responsibility to maintain composure during play.<br />
Additionally, players will be reminded that deliberate fouls are, by definition, bad sportsmanship and are subject<br />
to a Team Misconduct penalty. Players should also be reminded that dangerous play is to be avoided at all<br />
costs. Finally, players will listen to a brief review regarding specific rules:<br />
• Throwing before three ground contacts is not necessarily a travel<br />
• Loud swearing will result in a misconduct foul against a team and that a third (or more) misconduct foul<br />
results in a penalty against your team (see section 4.4)<br />
• That the line is out<br />
• Not to cross the line before the pull<br />
• That the Observer will make best efforts to do his or her job and that excessively arguing with the<br />
Observer can result in a misconduct foul<br />
• Other reminders as needed<br />
1.6 Observers Are Treated As Neutral Players<br />
In order to get the best possible view of any possible fouls, the Observer will typically be on the field of play.<br />
Should a thrown disc strike the Observer during play, the disc remains live until it touches the ground or an out<br />
of bounds obstacle.<br />
An offensive player cannot call a pick, or blocking foul on the Observer. However, a defensive player can call a<br />
pick due to interference by the Observer.<br />
1.7 Observer and Time Cap<br />
If a tournament director is keeping track of a time cap for individual rounds, the time cap warning can be<br />
provided by the director, not the Observer.<br />
2.0 Time Issues & Violations<br />
In an effort to speed up the game, the Observer uses a stopwatch or hand counts to time various dead disc<br />
situations and makes sure play restarts in a reasonable time.<br />
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Whenever the disc must be put into play within a certain time limit using a check, failure by either team to meet<br />
the time limit supersedes the check, and allows the other team to immediately initiate play, as described in<br />
sections 2.2 and 2.3.<br />
2.1 Time Before Pull<br />
The receiving team must have 7 players on the line within 70 seconds. The pulling team then receives 20<br />
seconds for final match-ups. The Observer will notify each team before they must be ready ("20 seconds", "10<br />
seconds", "5 seconds", "Play"). Failure to have be set in the allotted time results in the following penalties:<br />
• Receiving team fails to have 7 players set on the line within 70 seconds: Receiving team puts the disc in<br />
play with a check at the "endzone" mark within 20 seconds<br />
• Pulling team fails to have 7 players set on the line and pull within 90 seconds: Receiving team puts the<br />
disc in play with a check at the "mid-field" mark within 20 seconds<br />
See the Appendix for revised field layout with the following center-of-field markers: 15 yards in to each end zone<br />
(the "end zone" mark, 20 yards out from each endzone (the "brick mark") and at 35 yards from the endzone<br />
("mid-field" mark).<br />
Play can begin before the full 90 seconds has elapsed. After a minimum of 40 seconds has elapsed since the<br />
previous score, either team may give a signal (traditionally a raised hand) indicating that they are ready. If the<br />
receiving team gives the initial signal, the pulling team then has 20 seconds to match up and pull the disc. If the<br />
pulling team initially signals that it is ready to begin play the receiving team has 20 seconds to get 7 players on<br />
the line and indicate that they are ready. Following the ready signal from the receiving team, the pulling team<br />
then has an additional 20 seconds to match up and pull.<br />
To avoid a delay penalty on the pull, a team that intends to play a point with fewer than 7 players must notify the<br />
Observer before the pull.<br />
2.2 Time Between Turnovers<br />
If the disc remains on the playing field proper after a turnover (not out of bounds and not in the endzone), the<br />
offense gets 10 seconds to put the disc in play. If the disc lands outside the playing field proper, or is dropped<br />
on the pull, the offense gets 20 seconds to put the disc in play. A disc that rolls or skips out of bounds, or into<br />
the endzone, is considered to have landed outside the playing field proper, and the offense gets up to 20<br />
seconds to put it back in play.<br />
The Observer will provide a warning at 5 seconds (and in the case of a disc that has gone out of bounds, 10<br />
seconds) before the disc has to be put in play. Should the offense fail to begin play (by establishing a pivot foot)<br />
within the allotted time, the defense can begin the stall count.<br />
However, if an offensive player is standing within two meters of the disc or if the thrower is in possession of the<br />
disc and standing near the location the disc will be put into play, the marker may issue a delay of game warning,<br />
initiate a stall count, and continue regardless of the offense's actions.<br />
2.3 Time and Number of Time-outs<br />
Each team gets 2 time-outs per half and each team is permitted exactly one (1) time-out in overtime (i.e. 14-14<br />
in a game to 15) or after the time cap has gone into effect. Time-outs will be 70 seconds in length and the<br />
Observer will provide warnings ("20 seconds", "10 seconds", "5 seconds", "Play"). After 70 seconds, the offense<br />
must have established stationary positions. The defense then has 20 seconds to match up. Should the offense<br />
fail to set up within 70 seconds, the defense may begin the stall count. Should the defense fail to put the disc in<br />
play within 20 seconds after the offense is set, the observer will announce "play" and the offense can<br />
immediately put the disc into play.<br />
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Play can resume before the full 90 seconds has expired. If the team taking the time-out has established<br />
stationary positions and announces they are ready to resume play, the defense has 20 seconds to check the<br />
disc.<br />
In the situation where an Observer (for example, in the situation of a Team Misconduct foul) has awarded a<br />
time-out to a team, the time-out is reduced from 70 seconds to 30 seconds.<br />
2.4 Assessing Points for Late Arrival<br />
Should one (or both) teams fail to have players on the line ready to begin play at the scheduled start time, the<br />
Observer will automatically assess a point for every 2 minutes of delay. The first point will be assessed 2<br />
minutes after the scheduled start time.<br />
2.5 Points Per Game<br />
Under the Callahan <strong>Rules</strong>, all games will be played to 15 points, win by 2, with a hard cap at 17 points. There is<br />
a time cap at two hours and if the time cap is reached the hard cap is reduced to 2 points above the current high<br />
score, or 17 whichever is lower. If, at the discretion of the tournament director, games are capped before two<br />
hours, they are still played to 15 points.<br />
2.6 Half-time<br />
In games with a two-hour cap, each team is given 10 minutes for half time .If, at the discretion of the tournament<br />
director, games are capped before two hours, halftime is reduced to five minutes. The Observer will announce<br />
warnings with 20, 10 and 5 seconds remaining before the beginning of the second half. The offense must have<br />
7 players on the line with 20 seconds remaining. The defensive team then receives 20 seconds for final matchups.<br />
Failure to have 7 players on the line within the time limits results in the same penalties as in 2.1 Time<br />
Before Pull.<br />
To give the Observer, Linesmen and spectators a brief break, the full time allotted to half-time must be taken,<br />
there are no short half-times<br />
2.7 Time-out During the Pull<br />
After a score, either team may take a time out at any point before the pull. However, the total time allowed<br />
before the pull is capped at 2 and a half minutes. After a time-out, the receiving team must have 7 on the line<br />
ready to receive the pull in no more than 2 minutes and 10 seconds, with the pulling team getting an additional<br />
20 seconds to match up.<br />
The team taking a time-out before the pull can still take an abbreviated time-out by indicating they are ready to<br />
resume play, giving the other team 20 seconds to get ready. This 20 second "get ready" time does not extend<br />
the cap maximum.<br />
In the event that multiple time-outs are taken before a pull, the pull cap maximum of 2 and a half minutes is<br />
extended by 30 seconds for each additional time-out.<br />
2.8 Observer Hand Signals<br />
To assist in communicating to players the amount of time remaining (before a pull, near the end of halftime,<br />
time-outs, etc.) before play is to resume, Observers will both verbally announce the remaining time and use a<br />
series of hand signals. When indicating the time remaining, Observers can use a closed fist to indicate<br />
increments of 10 seconds and an open hand for 5 second increments.<br />
169
For example, in the case of time before the pull, an Observer can raise a closed fist twice in rapid succession to<br />
indicate 20 seconds remaining before the pull. Once to indicate 20 seconds remain, etc.<br />
It is up to the players on the field to keep track of the time before play is to resume. The Observer's hand signals<br />
are intended as a convenience for players and spectators - failure by the Observer to display a hand signal does<br />
not absolve a team from being assessed a penalty.<br />
3.0 Contested Calls<br />
3.1 Observer Decides Contested Calls<br />
Should a discussion arise over a contested call, the Observer will ask if the players can resolve the dispute. If<br />
the initial call and contest can't be quickly resolved by player agreement, the Observer has the following options:<br />
• Agree with the original call<br />
• Agree with the contest<br />
• If the situation warrants such a call, the observer can indicate the disc goes back to the thrower<br />
• Announce they didn't see the play and declare the disc goes back to the thrower<br />
An Observer may, at his or her discretion, ask a Linesman's opinion on a call, or even let the Linesman make<br />
the call. However, this is on a case by case basis and is up to the Observer - the Observer is the controlling<br />
authority.<br />
Upon resolution of the contested call, the Observer may elect to assess a Team Misconduct foul if they feel the<br />
initial foul was a deliberate violation of the rules, or if the player making the foul call or contest showed bad<br />
sportsmanship.<br />
4.0 Misconduct Fouls<br />
4.1 Game Misconduct Foul<br />
At the end of a game the Observer will record on the score sheet the names of up to 3 players from each team<br />
named by the opposing captains as deserving of game misconduct fouls. Any players listed that the Observer<br />
also feels should be awarded a Game Misconduct foul will be ejected from the tournament.<br />
In the case of a fight, this foul is automatic - the Observer must assess a Game Misconduct foul against the<br />
player they feel initiated the fight.<br />
Observers and captains should reserve assessment of a Game Misconduct penalty to those players that initiate<br />
fights, repeatedly commit flagrant fouls (even after warnings), repeatedly are involved in dangerous play, swear<br />
at or otherwise repeatedly engage spectators in a negative fashion, etc. In short, this foul should be assessed<br />
only in the situation where, for the good of the sport, a player must be removed from play.<br />
4.2 Team Misconduct<br />
A Team Misconduct foul is assessed by the Observer during the game. The first two Team Misconduct fouls<br />
issued by the Observer are warnings ("Misconduct Warnings") and are noted on the score card by the<br />
Observer. Upon assessing a third (or more) Team Misconduct foul(s) the following penalties ("Misconduct<br />
Penalties") are enforced:<br />
• Misconduct Penalty assessed on defense: offense gets a free 30 second time-out and the disc at the<br />
"brick" mark closest to the endzone they are attempting to score in. If the offense has possession of the<br />
170
disc closer to the endzone than the "brick" mark, they receive a free 30 second time-out and the disc is<br />
placed at center-line at the point of possession.<br />
• Misconduct Penalty assessed on offense: offense keeps possession of the disc, but has to start at the<br />
"endzone" mark of the end zone they are defending. If the infraction occurs when the disc is deeper in<br />
the endzone than 15 yards, play restarts from the current location of the disc.<br />
Under no circumstance can a team's field position be improved due to a Misconduct Penalty. Upon the calling of<br />
a Team Misconduct foul, play stops for 5 seconds while the player and team are warned and the Observer<br />
notes the infraction on a score card.<br />
If a Team Misconduct Penalty is assessed after a score, but before the next pull, the penalty is assessed<br />
immediately - there is no pull. However, both teams are allowed to substitute players and the offensive team<br />
receives the same amount of time to set up as they would under section 2.1 Time Before Pull. This rule also<br />
applies to a Team Misconduct incurred during half-time, or before the game begins.<br />
Two examples: (1) after a score, the offensive player taunts the defender and then spikes the disc at the<br />
defender's feet. If this results in a Team Misconduct Penalty (as opposed to a warning), there is no pull. After<br />
substitutions, the team now on offense gets the disc at the brick mark closest to the endzone they are attacking.<br />
They receive 70 seconds to line-up, with the defense receiving 20 seconds for final match ups. (2) a defender<br />
calls a "travel violation" on a throw that results in a score. If the call is contested and the Observer overrules the<br />
foul call and then assesses a Team Misconduct Penalty, there is no pull. Instead, after substitutions, the team<br />
now on offense automatically starts with the disc 15 yards deep in their own endzone.<br />
Should both teams simultaneously receive misconduct penalties, the fouls offset and play continues after the<br />
offending players and teams receive warnings.<br />
A Team Misconduct foul is to be assessed against a team for unsportsmanlike conduct by one of its players.<br />
Unsportsmanlike conduct includes actions such as deliberate fouls, dangerous play, taunting, fighting, swearing,<br />
repeated marking fouls, unwarranted and unsportsman-like fouls or contest calls, etc.<br />
In the event of severe violations, the observer may at his discretion, eject a player for the remainder of the half<br />
or the remainder of the game when issuing any Team Misconduct Foul regardless of whether it results in a<br />
Warning or Penalty.<br />
4.3 Automatic Ejection for Fighting<br />
Should a player intentionally strike another player, the Observer must immediately eject that player from the<br />
game. If the other player retaliates, both players are ejected. At the end of the game, a Game Misconduct foul is<br />
automatically awarded by the Observer against the player he or she deems to be the aggressor in the<br />
altercation.<br />
4.4 Swearing<br />
At the discretion of the Observer, swearing, especially if directed at a player, coach, or spectator, can be<br />
assessed with a Team Misconduct foul.<br />
4.5 Taunting<br />
A player aggressively taunting another player (spiking the disc at an opponent's feet, etc.) will result in a Team<br />
Misconduct foul and will be treated in the same fashion as swearing.<br />
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4.6 Poor Sportsmanship<br />
Should a player make bad foul calls or contests, or in some other manner not live up the high level of<br />
sportsmanship expected of ultimate players, the Observer, may at his or her discretion, assess a Team<br />
Misconduct foul against the team of the player exhibiting poor sportsmanship.<br />
5.0 The Pull<br />
5.1 Offsides on the Pull<br />
If an offense or defense player crosses the goal line on the pull before the disc has left the thrower's hand, that<br />
player's team is offsides. Each team receives one offsides warning each game with the warning resulting in a repull.<br />
Upon the second or more offsides call, the following penalties apply:<br />
• Penalty on the receiving team: receiving team starts with the disc at the spot 15 yards deep in the<br />
endzone within 20 seconds. The pulling team checks the disc in before play begins.<br />
• Penalty on the pulling team: receiving team starts with the disc at mid-field within 20 seconds. The<br />
pulling team checks the disc in before play begins.<br />
• Simultaneous penalties on both teams: re-pull.<br />
The Linesmen actively make the offsides call. In games without Linesmen, the Observer makes the call. An<br />
offsides call cannot be contested. On any re-pull, the receiving team has 20 seconds to get set, with the pulling<br />
team receiving an additional 20 seconds to match up. With the exception of any injury, no substitutions can be<br />
made before a re-pull.<br />
5.2 Starting play after the pull<br />
The brick marks are located in the middle of the field, 20 yards from each endzone. If the pull is allowed to land<br />
(i.e. not caught) it is played as follows:<br />
• If the pull lands out-of-bounds, the receiving team has the option of putting the disc into play: - at the<br />
brick mark; or, - at the point on the playing field proper nearest where the disc went out-of-bounds; or, -<br />
halfway between the two sidelines at the point on the playing field proper nearest where the disc went<br />
out-of-bounds.<br />
• If the pull lands in-bounds, then rolls out-of-bounds, the disc is put into play at the point on the playing<br />
field proper nearest where the disc went out-of-bounds.<br />
• If the pull lands in-bounds and does not roll out-of-bounds, the disc must be put into play at the point<br />
where the disc comes to rest. (Note: existing rules allowing players to stop a rolling disc still apply.)<br />
If the pull is caught, the disc must be put into play at the point on the playing field nearest where the disc was<br />
caught. Regardless of how the offense decides to handle a pull that ends up out-of-bounds they have a<br />
maximum of 20 seconds to establish a pivot foot and begin play.<br />
5.3 Dropped Pull<br />
A dropped pull is a change in possession with the pulling team (now the offense) starting with the disc at brick<br />
mark (the 20-yard line) nearest the endzone the offense is attacking. The pull does not have to be dropped in<br />
the endzone - a pull dropped outside of the endzone, but between the brick mark and the goal line, is brought<br />
out to the brick mark. A player from the team now on offense has 20 seconds to establish a pivot foot and put<br />
the disc back in play.<br />
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A pull that is dropped more than 20 yards outside the goal the receiving team is defending is played under the<br />
current 9th Edition rules.<br />
6.0 Miscellaneous Changes and Additions<br />
6.1 Player Can Throw Before Third Ground Contact<br />
Under current 9th Edition rules, it is ambiguous as to what happens should a player make three ground contacts<br />
but could have stopped earlier and established a pivot foot before throwing. Under the Callahan <strong>Rules</strong>, the rules<br />
governing traveling remain the same as the 9 th Edition rules (three ground contacts, player must attempt to slow<br />
down, no change in direction), however, players will be reminded before the game that a receiver can throw the<br />
disc before the third ground contact.<br />
A spurious traveling call made by a defender, that in the eyes of the Observer was made to stop a "give-and-go"<br />
run by the offense, is, by definition, bad sportsmanship and is subject to a Team Misconduct foul.<br />
Under the Callahan <strong>Rules</strong>, a receiver / thrower can contest a travel, allowing an Observer to make a ruling.<br />
6.2 Blocking Thrower's Line Of Sight<br />
Deliberately blocking a thrower's eyes is a violation on the marker.<br />
6.3 Equipment Time-Outs<br />
Equipment time-outs aren't explicitly included in the 9th Edition <strong>Rules</strong> but are a convention adhered to by many<br />
players. Under the Callahan <strong>Rules</strong>, equipment time-outs will only be recognized for a dangerous condition (lost<br />
contact lens, broken glasses, etc.) or a damaged (or warped) disc. Two specific situations will no longer be<br />
recognized as valid reasons for an equipment time-out: untied shoes or mud on the disc.<br />
6.4 Pass Intercepted in Defensive Endzone<br />
A pass intercepted by the defense in the endzone they are attempting to score in (if they were on offense) is a<br />
score. To count as a score, a player’s first point of contact with the ground after intercepting the disc must be in<br />
the endzone.<br />
Appendix<br />
Revised Field<br />
A Callahan <strong>Rules</strong> field has the same dimensions as the current field 40 x 70 yards with 25 yard deep endzones,<br />
but includes center-line field marks at the following yardage marks: "mid-field" (35 yard line), "brick" (20 yards<br />
from each endzone), and "endzone" (15 yards deep in each endzone). These marks are used to identify where<br />
play resumes after various situations (dropped pull, failure to line up 7 offensive or defensive players in the<br />
allotted time, bricks, etc.)<br />
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[Callahan Field Layout]<br />
Observers<br />
At the beginning of each game Observers should have the following items<br />
• Whistle<br />
• Backup Disc<br />
• Clipboard with Callahan score sheet<br />
• Stopwatch<br />
Observer Tracking Sheet<br />
• Each Observer has a form for tracking the following events:<br />
• Number of offside fouls assessed against each team<br />
• Number of Team Misconduct fouls assessed against each team<br />
• Score for each team<br />
• Time-outs used by each team<br />
• Final score and running time<br />
• Game Misconduct penalties assessed against players by the Observer and captains<br />
• Sportsmanship citation for one player on each team<br />
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Captains<br />
How To Start A Team<br />
No matter what your situation is, there are some things that are pretty much universal about starting a new<br />
team, where there was no team before.<br />
You will have to be an ultimate frisbee fanatic. The easiest way to get people interested in playing ultimate<br />
(listening to what you have to say) is for you to come across as being extremely enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is<br />
infectious. You will discuss ultimate in just about every friendly conversation you have. It will permeate your very<br />
existence, at least as long as it takes you to recruit enough people for consistently attended practices. People<br />
look up to someone who is enthusiastic about what they do, ultimate is no different.<br />
Be positive. You will have to be positive in every aspect of recruiting, practicing, and teaching. Be absolutely<br />
sure to point out the good points in everyone's skills. People don't like to feel inadequate. Every single person,<br />
from the first time they come out, have at least one trait that can be seen as positive. That can be harder to<br />
determine with some people, but there is always SOMETHING that you can compliment a person about. Follow<br />
any improvement, and try to remark about these improvements often.<br />
Ultimate is as much a social outing as it is a physical fitness outing. Always try and meet somewhere after<br />
practice on a regular basis. You will find that some people who can't always make ultimate due to schedule<br />
conflicts, will often show up to the social outings afterwards as long as there is some regularity to the outings.<br />
Ultimate people, are COOL to hang out with, whether at a pub or a BBQ, just do it. You will find that once you<br />
have recruited people, the social aspect of the sport will keep people coming out to practice as much as the<br />
sport itself.<br />
Along those lines, Scrimmage another beginners or intermediate team as soon as possible. Call your Regional<br />
Coordinator to locate the closest team. It may even be a Juniors Team, but they are always keen to play and<br />
help promote the sport. This means that they will meet others like them, and will feel less intimidated. It also<br />
adds a certain degree of legitimacy to the sport. If it is an intermediate team, mix the teams up for the<br />
scrimmage, and ask for help in sharing teaching the fundamentals to the beginners.<br />
And further, Get your team to a beginners or fun tournament as EARLY as possible. Nothing lights a fire under a<br />
beginner's butt like traveling to a tournament and playing an intense match against other people just like them.<br />
Most new players come back from tournaments enlightened as to the true extent of the possibilities of being a<br />
member of the ultimate community.<br />
BE ORGANIZED. The more organized you are, the more comfortable people are and the more likely they are to<br />
join, and the less they think it's just some rogue sport that isn't played anywhere. Have a typewritten description<br />
of the game to hand out in your possession at all times during recruitment. Have a phone list/contact sheet<br />
drawn up immediately and passed out to the members. Pass out strategy sheets as time passes and<br />
experience levels improve. You will notice that particularly after tournaments, teams will be hungry for such<br />
information.<br />
Advice to the Captain<br />
Be prepared to be the only person willing to take ANY responsibility.<br />
At least early on. Be willing to delegate responsibility and workload (phone calls, posting notices, etc.) to anyone<br />
who offers to help, or even to someone who you think holds promise in this area, otherwise you will end up<br />
doing it all yourself, forever.<br />
You WILL get frustrated!!<br />
Don't ever let your team see it. You would be surprised how quickly a bad attitude can spread around a team,<br />
and how quickly it will run people off.<br />
Be prepared to lose up to 1/2 of your team to the transition from indoor ultimate to outdoor ultimate.<br />
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The weather (wind, rain, mud) can totally ruin the confidence built up by beginners indoors. Try to stay in touch<br />
with players who stop coming out, and get them to come to at least 3 outdoor practices to try and build their<br />
confidence up. Invite them outside for a throw around on off days.<br />
Don't Expect to Win a Game in your first season.<br />
There have been teams that don't even score a point in their first season. This shouldn't be the case, as there<br />
are always a multitude of beginners teams to play against, but make sure your team is mentally prepared.<br />
Remind your team that Everyone is a beginner.<br />
Remember to let them know that there is no reason to be intimidated because everyone is in the exact same<br />
position. Also let them know that within about 6 weeks of practice, they will be completing the forehand throw (if<br />
they continue to practice) up to 15 meters with accuracy (especially indoors).<br />
Emphasize the greater importance of Judgment as compared to Skill.<br />
It isn't too difficult to convince a beginner that they can contribute to the game if they just play within their ability.<br />
While this is true of any player, for most beginners, it is crucial, for them to be able to contribute. At this stage of<br />
their playing career, they lack the knowledge of the sport to make up for it in other areas. Few beginners are<br />
capable of throwing full pitch hammers for the score. A player who repeatedly tries this in a game situation when<br />
they still can't even throw it in warm up is exercising BAD judgment!<br />
References<br />
Sue Wallace and Eric Simon, ftp://ftp.upa.org/pub/ultimate/articles/start.html<br />
Aaron's Tips on Starting or Improving Ultimate Teams,<br />
http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/public/ca/ad943925/ultimbg.htm#start<br />
Playing In Tournaments<br />
Tournaments are the best way for your team to develop its style of play and character and to improve.<br />
Practice is of course useful, but playing at tournaments is the best way to help your team grow. During<br />
practices, especially weekday practices, time is short and players are not far enough removed from the rest of<br />
their lives to relax, enjoy, and concentrate on the game. Weekday practices should probably have a minimum of<br />
instruction and drills and instead should be mostly playing and conditioning. Longer weekend practices can<br />
focus a little more on strategy and philosophy and situational offense and defense. For example, to practice<br />
zone defense, have the zone D pull ten times in a row, and the offense gets one chance to score.<br />
Tournaments, however, are where you learn the game and get accustomed to your teammates. Even if you only<br />
have 8 or 9 players at a tournament, it's worth your while to go (most of the time).<br />
First off, you'll play as many as 6 or 7 games at a tournament. That's a lot of practice time. Second, you learn to<br />
work with the same players game after game. In practice, teams are mixed up, and continuity is lost. Third, you<br />
can work on things, get immediate feedback, and adjust the next game (or at halftime). In practice, there's not<br />
enough time for that. There is no opportunity for strategizing (or resting, even), unless you have 20 people on<br />
your team. Fourth, you get a realistic appraisal of your team's ability, and you know what you have to do. Even if<br />
you get spanked at a tournament, you can see neat little things other teams do, as well as trying out your own<br />
things and seeing how teams react.<br />
And last, but not least, tournaments are fun. You bond, you learn your teammates' idiosyncrasies, you meet<br />
your opponents, and all that stuff. Decide one game that no matter what happens, you're going to play zone. In<br />
another game, have the first cut come from the back of the stack, or try a different type of stack. Look to huck<br />
more frequently one game. Treat the tournament as a learning experience in addition to its value as a<br />
competition. If you go to more tournaments, then each one isn't quite as crucial, so your whole roster will be<br />
able to play all the time, instead of "having to win this one". In the long run, it's a winning strategy.<br />
References<br />
Jim Parinella, http://www.tiac.net/users/parinell/tip3<br />
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Tournament Organization<br />
Introduction<br />
Ultimate Frisbee as a small amateur sport means that organising usually gets done by the players themselves,<br />
often with little professional experience at organising a biggish occasion. Thankfully, Ultimate tournaments don't<br />
require as many external people, facilities or other crap as professional sports (we don't even need referees! All<br />
right!)...BUT...Do not underestimate the job at hand! If you hold a crappy tournament then you'll need a good<br />
reason why people should come back. A smooth, well-oiled weekend will put everyone in a happy-joy-joy mood,<br />
and this is the best and biggest thing you will get out of all the hard work you put in - just hearing someone say<br />
"Hey, thanks for the tournament, I had a great time", is payment enough.<br />
The prime directive is to start EARLY and enlist help. Delegate specific jobs such as trophy making to friends -<br />
there is just too much work for one or two people to do by themselves.<br />
Each sub-heading below is in order of priority. Time frame in brackets after heading is the maximum/minimum<br />
time you should aim to tackle the job before the tournament. Obviously, the further in advance things are<br />
planned the better.<br />
Mostly, this is written for a weekend tournament, but much of it applies to both shorter and longer tournaments<br />
as well.<br />
(1) Money (Start of the year)<br />
(2) Fields/Venues (6 months to 1 month)<br />
(3) Party (6 months to 1 month)<br />
(4) Massage (3 months to 2 weeks)<br />
(5) First Aid (3 months to 2 weeks)<br />
(6) Media (6 months to 1 month)<br />
(7) Flyers and other handouts (6 months to 1 week)<br />
(8) Trophies (6 months to 2 weeks)<br />
(9) Music/PA system (1 month to 1 week)<br />
(10) Marquee/Shelter (1 month to 1 week)<br />
(11) Helpers (1 month to 1 week)<br />
(12) Food/Drink/Eskies with ice (1 week to the night before)<br />
(13) Cameras / Publicity (1 month to 1 week)<br />
(14) Table/Chairs/Cones/etc<br />
1. $$$$$$$$<br />
Start of the financial year or at the AGM.<br />
- Make sure you have enough capital from your association or rich uncle to meet the costs. What are the<br />
consequences of a financial loss?<br />
- When collecting fees, try to keep party money separate from the rest, and hand out tickets.<br />
- Charge more than you think you will need to. It is always easier to give people more than their money's<br />
worth AFTER the fact. Free food and drink is easy to supply. You will almost always get less people than<br />
you expected.<br />
- It is much easier to charge on a team basis than on an individual basis. You are far more likely to get all of<br />
your fees this way, and the responsibility of registration is delegated.<br />
- During the tournament, try and keep team/player fees separate from food and drink money separate from<br />
sales of discs and t-shirts. This is a bit harder to do during the tournament, but it makes doing financial<br />
statements a lot easier after the fact.<br />
- Since Nationals 1997, I have tried to go through and put rough prices on all of the items. Obviously these<br />
are only approximate, but it should help anyone who has never organised a tournament before. The links to<br />
the Tournament Costs page are marked in the relevant sections by $$$$$<br />
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2. Fields/Venues<br />
6 months to 1 month $$$$$<br />
- Have an idea how many teams you are catering for. This may take some ringing around. Don't GUESS.<br />
Often there will be less participants than you optimistically (and even sometimes pessimistically) planned<br />
for. A good delegation move is to ring league organisers and/or team captains and get them to organise<br />
teams. Make them feel guilty.<br />
- Look for fields well in advance, particularly for the Saturday of a two day tourney. Cricket, soccer and rugby<br />
can easily stuff up the best plans.<br />
- Make sure you have a contingency plan for extreme weather. Will your shelter and rego table blow away in<br />
the wind? Will everyone cook in the sun without any shelter? Will they close the fields on you if it starts<br />
sprinkling?<br />
- Check fields out visually. Make sure you know exactly what areas you are getting, and when.<br />
- Some sort of permanent shelter and change-rooms at the fields is desirable. If this is not possible, then a<br />
marquee is essential. Toilets are a must.<br />
- Get lines marked, if it's possible and cheap.<br />
- A venue with a grandstand is a great idea for the final.<br />
3. Party<br />
6 months to 1 month $$$$$<br />
- Organise well beforehand. Venues are not always easy to get.<br />
- Collect money separately and issue tickets. This makes sure that the tournament does not subsidise the<br />
party. Of course, you can always choose to make the party part of the tournament fee. Even if this is the<br />
case, you should still issue tickets for most parties.<br />
- Bring CDs, tapes of any music you want played.<br />
4. Massage<br />
3 months to 2 weeks $$$$$<br />
- This may take a number of phone calls, so allow time.<br />
- A good karma item. Problem is that masseur(s) will often be sitting around for a while during games,<br />
and get overwhelmed between games. This is not such a problem at tournaments such as Nationals<br />
where games are staggered.<br />
- Best to hit friends in the business first, then look to physio students. The Australian Massage Therapists<br />
Association is also worth talking to. If this falls through, contact private masseurs.<br />
- The actual number of masseurs required is unpredictable, depending on weather, alignment of planets,<br />
etc., but for a ten team tourney you should try getting three at least.<br />
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5. First Aid<br />
3 months to 2 weeks $$$$$<br />
- Ring St John Ambulance or Red Cross - this should only take one or two phone calls, but should still be<br />
done early - then you can forget about it (although a final check ensures peace of mind).<br />
- They will usually send someone to sporting tournaments, however they will expect lunch and drinks,<br />
and a donation box on the rego table is karmic. It may even be worth adding a bit into the tournament<br />
fee to donate to them.<br />
- Make sure you have the answers to the following questions before you phone:<br />
o Location of tournament<br />
o Times that they are required<br />
o Dates of the tournament<br />
o Number of competitors (approx)<br />
o The contact details of the organisation running the event<br />
o Is a covered area or tent available? (Yes/No)<br />
o Is power available? (Yes/No)<br />
o Are you making refreshments/meals available to the officers? (Yes/No)<br />
o The contact details of at least two of the people running the event, including both home and work phone<br />
numbers<br />
- Make sure plenty of ice is always available on the days of the tournament.<br />
6. Media<br />
6 months to 1 months $$$$$<br />
- Don't send the letters until 1-2 weeks away.<br />
- This is actually a big job if you don't already have contact addresses and a press release stored on<br />
someone's computer. Jonathan Potts has all the media conatacts for Sydney, while John Greenfield has a<br />
general press release on the game and its history.<br />
- Send out press releases early in the week, and earlier for TV. Apparently Thursday or Friday is not<br />
enough notice. Chances are that only the local rag will come, but you never know.<br />
- Remember you will probably need to send out scores and a summary of the tourney so access to a fax is<br />
needed.<br />
7. Flyers and other handouts<br />
6 months to 1 week $$$$$<br />
- This is the reason everything else should be organised early. Generally you will need two flyers - one to<br />
hand out to everyone (flyer), and one to hand out to participants (program).<br />
- Flyer should include:<br />
o Cost<br />
o Friday night info - Pub and golf<br />
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o Saturday - Field location and time (at least an hour earlier than when the games are scheduled to<br />
begin)<br />
o Saturday - Party location and cost<br />
o Sunday - Field location and time<br />
o FREE fruit<br />
o Emphasis that EVERYONE can participate, not just experienced players.<br />
- Program should include a copy of the flyer plus:<br />
o Map of field locations and party spots.<br />
o Food info<br />
o Golf links map and score sheets<br />
o Registration sheets<br />
8. Trophies<br />
6 months to 2 weeks $$$$$<br />
This may or may not be a big deal, depending on how much effort you want to put in and whether there is<br />
already a perpetual trophy or not. An example of the types of awards are:<br />
- Tournament winners (perpetual trophy plus small individual trophies)<br />
- Player of the final<br />
- Male and female rookie of the tournament<br />
- Spirit of the game<br />
- Square disc award<br />
- Disc Golf<br />
9. Music/P.A.<br />
1 month to 1 week $$$$$<br />
- Hiring or borrowing a P.A. for the weekend is a good move. Play your own funky music to the games,<br />
and plug in a mike to make announcements.<br />
- Don't make the music too loud! Also, some tapes sound like distorted mud no matter how much fiddling<br />
with the E.Q. you do. Get someone on the field to help you mix the sound. The style of chosen music<br />
will affect how you play. Funk, blues and acoustic rhythms seem to go down well (techno makes me<br />
play like a robot!). Turning off the music at the end of each game is also nice so that you can think of a<br />
cheer with a clear head!<br />
- The P.A. also has the advantage of being able to be used for the party on Saturday night.<br />
10. Marquee/Shelter<br />
1 month to 1 week $$$$$<br />
- Get one if possible. It gives you somewhere to store food, have massages, etc. out of the sun.<br />
- Make sure it is well pegged and staked. Wind can play havoc with poorly pitched marquees.<br />
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11. Helpers<br />
1 month to 1 week $$$$$<br />
You will need at least one person to be permanently at the rego table and who is not playing. Remember, they<br />
have to handle late arrivals, media, photos, recording scores, time caps, defusing bombs, delivering babies, not<br />
to mention drinking all the beer in the eskies. Basically it's a full time job.<br />
12. Food/Drink/Eskies with ice<br />
1 week to night before.<br />
Food<br />
Try to make sure there is always food and drink available. Don't budget on it being a money spinner either. We<br />
mostly sold on an honour system, and even allowing liberal quantities for helpers, lost about $290. Well, actually<br />
we lost $130 when we should have made a profit of $160. Luckily we had overbudgeted elsewhere!<br />
Making rolls takes a long time, but is good karma. A possible alternative is to supply all the ingredients, but let<br />
people put together their own. The rolls cost about $120 for 120 rolls, about $1 per roll, and we sold them at<br />
$1.50 each. They would have sold better if we had had a lunch break. The rolls had cheese, carrot, lettuce,<br />
tomato, mayonnaise, and optional slice of meat (ham or chicken) and mustard.<br />
The most recent fad has been to try and include as much as possible in the cost of the tournament. As a result,<br />
we've taken to buying trays of rolls from Subway and supplying them 'free'. This makes life easier for the<br />
players, as they don't have to find extra money for lunch, it's served up to them almost on a plate, and it makes<br />
life easier for the organisers as we don't have to make 200 rolls, or find people to sell them!<br />
Chocolate bars (Mars, Snickers, Milky Way, etc) will sell as well. They are hard to find in bulk - possibly try<br />
Campbells Cash and Carry if you can get a Campbells card. They cost about 70c-80c each and sell for $1. We<br />
had:<br />
- 42 Mars Bars<br />
- 18 Snickers<br />
- 24 Picnic<br />
- 30 Kit Kat<br />
That's only just over 1 per person per 2 days. We could have sold more, particularly Mars Bars. Another 20 or<br />
30 chockies would have gone, I think.<br />
Fruit<br />
Ideally buy fruit on Friday arvo or Saturday morning. Go to a smaller fruit shop on Wednesday or Thursday and<br />
tell them what you need - they can give you a good deal on bulk fruit which the supermarket can't, and they will<br />
have it ripe and ready to pick up on Friday afternoon or even Saturday morning.<br />
Even better, for large tournaments make a trip to the local markets. The prices are less (sometimes half as<br />
much), and you can bargain all you like. You can also pick your quality. In Sydney, remember that the<br />
Flemington markets tend to start packing up at 9am, and are mostly deserted by 10am. Also remember that 20<br />
cases of bananas usually requires a trailer!<br />
181
With regard to quantities, it depends a lot on the tournament (how long, how many games a day etc), but for 100<br />
people, we went through:<br />
- 5 boxes of bananas<br />
- 1.5 boxes of oranges<br />
- 1 box of mixed apples<br />
The total cost for fruit was around $150, or 75c per person per day from a local fruit shop. For 200 people and a<br />
4-day tournament we spent $250 at the markets, or around 30c per person per day. At that price you can<br />
sometimes afford to splurge and buy some exotic stuff like watermelon, pineapples and even mangoes.<br />
Saturday Night Party<br />
We had a sort of party on Saturday Night at the field. We provided beer and pizza (and some soft drink, for the<br />
non-beer drinkers), and told people where to meet later on in the evening if they wanted to keep partying.<br />
Seemed to work well.<br />
We supplied 40 large Pizza Hut pizzas and 8 cases of beer (4 VB, 2 Tooheys Red, 1 Carlton Cold, 1 Reschs),<br />
total cost about $500 for 100 people. Actual cost was a little more because of soft drinks. We probably should<br />
have ordered another 5 or so pizzas, but numbers worked out pretty well.<br />
As a general rule, 1 pizza between 2 results in very few complaints. Just make sure you get the right distribution<br />
(vege, Supreme, hawaiian, BBQ chicken, meat lovers). BBQ chicken always seems to be popular, but no-one<br />
seems to like hawaiian.<br />
BBQ<br />
Usually rolls, fruit and chocky bars are fine filling food for the first day, but a BBQ on the Sunday is a good idea.<br />
Here's a grocery list for a BBQ to feed 80 hungry mouths:<br />
- 2L Tomato Sauce<br />
- 2L BBQ Sauce<br />
- 30 eggs<br />
- 95 small choc bars<br />
- 10 plastic knives<br />
- 100 paper plates<br />
- 1 kg plain flour<br />
- 160 cheese slices<br />
- 4 kg tomatoes<br />
- 5 lettuces<br />
- 1 kg margarine<br />
- 124 burger buns<br />
- 3 pineapples<br />
- 3 watermelons<br />
- 60 thin sausages<br />
- 26 chicken kebabs<br />
- 10 kg mince<br />
- 40 onions<br />
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Don't forget big knives, tongs, trays, turners etc. This should come to around $200 (Oct '95 prices). Charging<br />
$3/head should cover costs and is very reasonable.<br />
If you've got the time, make up a big batch of vegetable patty mix the night before - I don't think you can buy<br />
vege patties in bulk.<br />
This time round we tried the same thing. For the same stuff for 120 people, we paid $185 (Apr '96 prices).<br />
Things didn't go quite as smoothly at the other end however. Problems with the BBQ meant big difficulties<br />
preparing the food. The burgers in particular took quite a while to cook, and a fair bit of space on the grill. They<br />
also took time to get on the grill, even though the mixture was pre-made. Likewise, the onions also took too long<br />
to cook.<br />
Next time, I propose:<br />
- Ditching the burgers and doing all sausages.<br />
- Par-boiling the sausages and pre-cooking the onions. This means we will only need to brown and<br />
reheat the sausages and the onions<br />
- If we really want burgers, maybe use No Frills self-greasing patties which cook real quick and nasty!<br />
- Have salad and coleslaw available<br />
- Not sure what to do about vege burgers<br />
- Have more rolls/bread - we ran out too quickly.<br />
For a big tournament, hire a pro. That way, there's no organising, no mess, no fuss. It costs a bit more, but<br />
when all your volunteers are elsewhere it's a blessing.<br />
Drink<br />
Buy drinks early in the week and ice on the way to the tourney. If you look around, you can usually get cans for<br />
under 60c. Get name brand cola and orange drinks(Coke, Pepsi, Fanta, Sunkist) but cheaper lemon squash<br />
and lemonade will usually sell just as well. Lemon drinks are generally more popular than the others. Sports<br />
drinks are now also very popular. We never really had enough of them. Get the cheapest ones - they all sell<br />
equally well. We had :<br />
- 97 * Lemon Solo<br />
- 24 * Lemon/Lime Solo<br />
- 72 * Coke<br />
- 34 * Sprite<br />
- 24 * Pepsi/Mountain Dew/7-Up<br />
- 24 * Sunkist<br />
- ...and 98 Sports Drinks<br />
Sports drinks cost about $1.30 each and sell for $2. We could have sold 150 to 200 of them, I think. The other<br />
drinks averaged about 75c to buy and sold for $1. We could have had 2-3 cases more lemon drinks, and a case<br />
less of Coke/Pepsi.<br />
For big tournaments, talk to the local distributor of your favourite soft drink. At $14 a case for soft drinks and<br />
sports drinks, you can probably save a bit. And it's much easier to buy by the case than at the supermarket.<br />
Eskies With Ice<br />
Getting enough eskies (coolers, chilly bins, whatever else you call them) is always a problem. One solution -<br />
buy large cheap recycling bins from your local council, tape up the holes in the bottom and fill them with ice. Our<br />
council sells them for $5 each. Maybe you can even get something cheaper/better from your hardware or Big W<br />
183
store. The big styrofoam fruit boxes also work well. You can never have too many of them. Beer, soft drinks,<br />
sports drinks, chockies, BBQ stuff all needs to be kept cool.<br />
Ice is a must. Don't expect St John's to have any. Having ice with the drinks plus a separate esky with ice only is<br />
desirable, the latter for injuries (throw in some plastic bags) and to replace melted ice in the drinks esky.<br />
Remember to pick up ice each day on the way to the tourney.<br />
For big tournies, consider hiring a refrigerator trailer. We went through about $400 and a lot of hassle with ice<br />
one year. The next year we spent $200 and hardly any hassle on the trailer. When you can walk inside, keep 50<br />
cases of drinks cold at a time, and you're not elbow deep in ice cold water fishing around in bins for the last can<br />
of Coke, you've got to be a bit happy! Plus it doubles as overnight storage since you can lock it.<br />
13. Cameras / Publicity<br />
1 month to 1 week $$$$$<br />
- A video camera and B&W photos are not essential but are a nice touch.<br />
- You may also need to send out photos to lazy journalists who didn't make it to the tourney but want to<br />
do a story. Photos provide a good break for the helpers, but a video camera requires an extra hand.<br />
14. Table/Chairs/Cones/etc<br />
Things to brings $$$$$<br />
- Rego table<br />
- Chairs<br />
- Cones<br />
- Hooter - to start and finish the games<br />
- Bins - to keep drinks in<br />
- A sealable money container, preferably something better than an ice-cream container.<br />
- Whiteboard or blackboard<br />
- Whiteboard pens or chalk<br />
- Banners<br />
References<br />
http://www.afda.com/<br />
184
Hot Stuff<br />
Ten Commandments<br />
These Commandments were first published in Flying Disc World Vol II No. 1 in February, 1975. Although put<br />
together by Stork, Gary and Flash, the concepts were so universal, the article was by-lined as being written by<br />
"everyone who plays". The article was reprinted in the July 1976 issue of Frisbee World magazine and then<br />
picked up later in some glossy publication (Esquire, Forbes - Stork isn't sure which one). Anyway, here is the<br />
original - and, even though the sport has changed over the years, I think you will all agree that these original<br />
Ten Commandments still hold true today.<br />
Gary Seubert – WCFM #60086<br />
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF THE DISC<br />
By everyone who plays<br />
There are those who claim that the flying disc represents not a game, but rather a way of life. Below are the<br />
rules by which that life is controlled. Together they form a concept of prediscentation upon which the<br />
Frisbyterian religion is based.<br />
The rules have been widely recognized for many years but only now have they been codefied. We have listed<br />
them so that we might better understand the forces that control our play. Hopefully, it will allow players to quickly<br />
identify situations in which they are inexorably in- volved and communicate that fact to other players through the<br />
use of rule numbers only. A shout of "rule four!" floating across the playing field should now be sufficient to<br />
produce an empathetic reaction from all players within earshot. Is it not true that:<br />
1. The most powerful force in the world is that of a disc straining to land directly under a car, just beyond<br />
reach. (This force is technically termed "car suck")<br />
2. The higher the quality of a catch or the comment it receives the greater the probability of a crummy rethrow.<br />
(good catch - bad throw)<br />
3. One must never precede any maneuver by a comment more predictive than, "watch this!" (Keep 'em<br />
guessing)<br />
4. The higher the costs of hitting any object, the greater the certainty it will be struck. (Remember - the disc<br />
is positive - both cops and old ladies are clearly negative)<br />
5. The best catches are never seen. (Did you see that? – See what?)<br />
6. The greatest single aid to distance is for the disc to be going in a direction you did not want. (Goes the<br />
wrong way - goes a long way)<br />
7. The most powerful hex words in the sport are - "I really have this down - watch." (Know it? Blow it!)<br />
8. In any crowd of spectators at least one will suggest that razor blades could be attached to the disc.<br />
("You could maim and kill with that thing.")<br />
9. The greater your need to make a good catch the greater the probability your partner will deliver his<br />
worst throw. (If you can't touch it, you can't trick it)<br />
10. The single most difficult move with a disc is to put it down. (Just one more)<br />
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Top Ten Rule Changes I Would Like to See in Summer League.<br />
Thomas Taylor, Marc Vandra, Mark McKay, Eric Gingold, Daniel Spicer, John Vassalo, Tim Bonn, Christian<br />
Hoyt, Amy Mendelsohn, and me.<br />
(1) Handicap fast players by forcing them to carry slow players.<br />
(2) Each player is allowed one bounce pass per half as long as he/she yells 'skipsies' before throwing.<br />
(3) Allow women to carry BB pistols to get the attention of male teammates who repeatedly look them off.<br />
(4) During lightning storms one player per team will be picked at random to wear a large metal antenna on<br />
his head so that the rest of the players can continue playing without fear.<br />
(5) To get the games started by 7 PM schedule the games for 4 PM.<br />
(6) Beer relays @ Halftime.<br />
(7) The team that is late getting 7 on the line must surrender their beer to the team that's been waiting to<br />
start.<br />
(8) Strip" Ultimate is allowed.<br />
(9) To help get the games started on time, hire a bunch of sheep dogs to herd people.<br />
(10) Sheep dogs who do the best job get free bagels<br />
References<br />
Mark Mittins Mildly Amusing Home Page, http://members.aol.com/mittin/index.html<br />
Top Ten Reasons Why Ultimate is Better Than Sex<br />
(1) When playing ultimate you are expected to finish up in under ten seconds.<br />
(2) You can wear a skirt when you play ultimate and nobody thinks your a pervert.<br />
(3) You don't get slapped for saying, "What a beautiful stack!"<br />
(4) Much tougher to get a sexually transmitted disease keeping a disc's distance from your defender!<br />
(hopefully)<br />
(5) It's OK to play a few points and rest until YOU feel ready to go again!<br />
(6) Unlike sex, ONE Powerbar is usually enough to get through an Ultimate game!<br />
(7) You drink the beer AFTER performing!<br />
(8) The deeper you go, the less likely you are to be looked off.<br />
(9) Grass stains beat rug burns.<br />
(10) Ultimate is to 15; herpes is forever.<br />
References<br />
http://mm.isu.edu/pipermail/ultimate/2000-March/000194.html<br />
Snap Krackle Pop - No Frisbee<br />
I'm sitting here wondering how to get over my fear of laying out. I don't know, maybe I should let the bones knit<br />
first. I had a hard time explaining to the doctors in the emergency room how I broke my color bone catching a<br />
Frisbee. The only doctor that asked a sensible question was my cousin Rich. "Did you catch it?" I told him I was<br />
open for an easy flick. The guy threw the flick but the wind caught it. It was coming down like a blade 4 feet out<br />
of bounds, the only way to catch it was to lay out with my feet in bounds. I laid out, got my hands on it as I hit<br />
the ground, it popped up, I extended a few inches further to grab it, that's when I heard my color bone snap like<br />
a chicken bone.<br />
That was Sunday at the beach. I went down to Edgley Monday Night to tell my summer league team I was out<br />
for the season. My captain, Dave Dillon, was the second person to ask me if I caught the disk. I cheered our<br />
team on from the sideline. When the game was over I jumped up, out of habit, to congratulate the other team<br />
on a good game. I sat back down, I hadn't played.<br />
References<br />
http://members.aol.com/mittin/ultidx.htm<br />
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Disc Drive<br />
Forbes Magazine, Dec 13/1999<br />
By Ann Marsh<br />
ULTIMATE FRISBEE HAS BEEN VERY VERY GOOD to Steve T. Jurvetson. In 1995 Jurvetson, then a 28-<br />
year-old partner in the Palo Alto venture capital firm of Draper Fisher Jurvetson, was wondering whether to fund<br />
a small e-mail directory outfit called Four11.com. It turned out that Jurvetson and two of Four11's founders<br />
shared a passion for ultimate frisbee, or "disc."<br />
That's what devotees call the game of ultimate frisbee, and these fans are a devoted bunch indeed. If you plan<br />
to make your fortune in the dot.com world but you don't know a scoober from a blade, you'd better learn.<br />
Ultimate is the high-tech community's version of golf, but with a lot more heart-attack potential.<br />
Jurvetson liked Four11's business plan just fine, but more important, he liked the style Michael Santullo and<br />
Larry Drebes displayed during the lunchtime pickup games the three played regularly. It wasn't just their skill, it<br />
was also their teamwork and the code of honor that count for as much as athleticism in the sport's New Agey<br />
ethos. Vince Lombardi has left the building.<br />
Says Jurvetson, "If someone cheats or constantly criticizes, they may not be someone you want to hire."<br />
After a particularly sweaty ultimate frisbee face-off, the Four11 founders and the Draper Fisher Jurvetson<br />
partners signed paperwork for $825,000 in seed funding on the hood of a car. Two years later Yahoo acquired<br />
Four11. Today DFJ's investment is worth around $345 million in Yahoo stock. As they say in discland, that's hot!<br />
Ultimate hasn't quite reached golf's critical mass--yet. It's pretty hard to count noses, but supposedly there are<br />
at least 100,000 people nationwide who play it regularly. In the Bay Area are some of the country's busiest<br />
ultimate leagues--teams have names like Spastic Plastic, Saucy Jack and Feral Cows--but most of Silicon<br />
Valley can't commit to a regularly scheduled anything. Games tend to get arranged ad hoc, say, when everyone<br />
finishes inventing the latest Web browser. Browse over to www.upa.org for pickup game listings worldwide.<br />
"Without sounding melodramatic, this is a game that mirrors a lot of the values of the Valley," says Peter Nieh,<br />
33, a venture capitalist with Weiss, Peck & Greer in San Francisco. Nieh recently invested in Clip2.com after a<br />
referral from an angel investor he met on the field (if you happen to run into him there, just call him "Nee"). "It's<br />
fast-paced, intense, very dynamic. You never have time to set up. Unlike football, it just goes and goes and<br />
goes."<br />
In fact, ultimate frisbee came about as an antidote to the oppressive, hierarchical vibes in sports like football.<br />
The first game was played in 1968 in Maplewood, N.J. Among the inventors: Joel Silver, who went on to<br />
produce such humongous Hollywood hits as the Die Hard and Lethal Weapon series and The Matrix. "I moved<br />
in the student council that we investigate getting frisbee onto the high school curriculum," recalls Silver. Silver<br />
and his friends spent the next two years in the high school parking lot--the grass field was a later refinement--<br />
devising the rules. "At the end of my obit, they'll say, 'He also invented ultimate frisbee,'" Silver predicts proudly.<br />
"Without sounding melodramatic, this is a game that mirrors a lot of the values of the Valley."<br />
Today's game is played on a football-length field with two teams of seven players each. Players throw the disc<br />
past defenders to a teammate who scores by catching it in one of two end-zones at either end of the field. There<br />
are no "downs" or requirements for yardage gains, as in football. The team on offense keeps advancing until the<br />
defending team can wrest possession of the frisbee by knocking down or intercepting a pass. Play continues<br />
nonstop.<br />
Players can score by throwing short, crisp passes up the field or by heaving long, dramatic "hucks" that are far<br />
more difficult to catch because of the frisbee's varying flight patterns in changing winds. The result is intense<br />
sprinting, leaping and volleyball-like "lay outs" for the disc. It's taxing, to put it mildly.<br />
Just as important to its partisans is how ultimate departs from the underlying spirit of football, which is probably<br />
the reigning corporate sports metaphor. Unlike football, ultimate is the ideal flat-management sport. There are<br />
no fixed positions, no highly-specialized roles; everyone is a quarterback and everyone is a receiver. There are<br />
no men in gray flannel shoulder pads on an ultimate field.<br />
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The founding nerds also enshrined the spirit of tolerance for spazzes and other athletically challenged players.<br />
They had felt the sting of rejection often enough themselves. Silver recalls, "The jocks were a clique. In ultimate,<br />
everybody played. It was a nonpolarizing game that didn't hold to caste lines."<br />
It's not unusual to attend a pickup game where talented athletes share the field with first-timers dropping the<br />
disc right and left. Sarah Anderson, 33, the new vice president of marketing at Egreetings.com in San<br />
Francisco, just started playing the sport this past summer. You can see her running around Golden Gate Park<br />
like a maniac on Saturdays with husband Dante Anderson, 37, a former captain of the Canadian national<br />
ultimate team.<br />
Turnabout is fair play. In October Dante got a job as director of Web content at Everdream.com, which gives<br />
away free PCs while charging steep monthly service fees to technophobes. He went into his Everdream<br />
interview expecting to talk about his résumé. "They said, 'Yeah, yeah, but tell me more about frisbee,'" he<br />
recalls.<br />
"Ultimate embraces the idea of people being many things instead of being a specialized cog in some<br />
moneymaking machine," says William (Willie) Herndon, a schoolteacher from Venice, Calif. who's been playing<br />
ultimate frisbee almost as long as Joel Silver has. Herndon recently finished his own worshipful documentary on<br />
the sport, called Spirit of the Game, which gets shown privately in ultimate circles.<br />
Spirit of the Game takes its title from the game's revered code of sportsmanship, painstakingly written by the<br />
frisbee founding fathers in the early 1970s. This is a hallowed document; laugh only if don't give a hoot whether<br />
or not your startup gets funding.<br />
According to Spirit "Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of the bond of mutual<br />
respect between players. And never with an intention to abuse the agreed-upon rules of the game or destroy<br />
the pure joy of play." Bill Gates, you are hereby sentenced to remedial gym class.<br />
Players resolve foul calls themselves on the field according to agreed-upon protocols and, ideally, they<br />
acknowledge their own transgressions. The sport is set to make its debut at the World Games in Japan in 2001.<br />
Without referees.<br />
More Than a Simple Fling: Ultimate Frisbee<br />
New York Times, November 20, 1998<br />
By JERRY BEILINSON<br />
My wife doesn't stroke my ego the way she did before we were married. I told her I was going to play ultimate<br />
Frisbee, for the first time since college 10 years ago. She said, "Wait, I wanna buy more life insurance first."<br />
Then she felt bad and offered to help me find my moldy old cleats, which hadn't been worn in more than a<br />
decade. "I don't need cleats," I said. "This is a mellow game. They even said beginners are welcome." Fran<br />
looked at me with what I'm pretty sure was pity and told me to drink plenty of water.<br />
Two hours later, I'm in Prospect Park in Brooklyn. I'm not quite wheezing yet but my legs feel like lead and my<br />
man is running away from me with ease. He crosses into the end zone and catches the disk with the relaxed air<br />
of Michael Jordan shooting over, say, a boiled chicken. This guy I'm failing to guard is named John, I think. And<br />
I'm not sure, but there may be two Johns here. Either that or all this panting is making me see double.<br />
Ultimate is sometimes called Frisbee football, but it's really more like soccer, especially from a cardiovascular<br />
perspective. It was invented by some New Jersey high-school students in 1968 and went on to spread through<br />
the country and to some extent through the world.<br />
<strong>Official</strong> games have seven players on each side on a field that is 40 by 70 yards, not counting two end zones<br />
that are each 25 yards deep. The teams line up on opposite goal lines and one throws off to the other, as with<br />
the kickoff in football.<br />
But there the similarity to that game ends. Action is continuous. You can't run while holding the Frisbee, but you<br />
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do run around like crazy trying to get open so your teammate can throw it to you. If you catch a pass, you stop<br />
short, pivot on your heel and pass the Frisbee in turn to another player, one who is preferably further up the<br />
field.<br />
Drop the disk (slang for Frisbee) or throw an interception and the game continues in reverse: while the other<br />
team goes on the attack you switch to defense. To score, a team has to pass the Frisbee across the goal line.<br />
Then finally play stops, and the teams return to opposite ends of the field to start another point. This is usually a<br />
good time for the paramedics to come in and tidy up the likes of me.<br />
Like other team athletes, ultimate players scream. In Prospect Park, one guy is shouting: "Stack! Stack! Stack!"<br />
Then, it's: "Force home! Force is home!" and other jargon I don't understand. But when my side is on offense, I<br />
cut straight at the defender, pivot and run full speed back at my teammate holding the disk. He gets off a pass<br />
and I snag it. Someone calls, "Good cut!"<br />
My defender is a few inches from me, shouting the stall count: "Stall one! Stall two! Stall three!" If I don't get a<br />
pass off by the time he reaches 10, the Frisbee turns over. I fake right, pass left and bury the disk in the grass.<br />
"Don't air bounce!" someone screams. I was trying to throw under the arm of the defender and then make the<br />
disk curve sharply up into the hands of my teammate. It used to work in college. Back then, in the days when<br />
my friends and I ruled intramural ultimate at our Midwest university. Out on the meadow in front of the old<br />
library, we'd spend afternoons tossing the disk around. It was translucent, and it traced long arcs in the sky,<br />
pure as mathematics, or blistering straight lines. No football or javelin ever had the beauty in flight of a 175-gram<br />
ultimate Frisbee.<br />
There were a lot of ponytail and earring wearers, late sleepers and guitar players in that group. On game day<br />
we'd show up late, warm up with cigarettes and maybe a beer, and win. And we took pleasure in beating the<br />
likes of the football fraternity. That team would arrive wearing identical white T-shirts and prepare with lock-step<br />
calisthenics. It was skill over strength, physics over physicality, the triumph of the soul over mere substance.<br />
But the fit inherit the world. In Prospect Park, my head feels as heavy as my legs and I've retreated to the grass<br />
under a shade tree to drink water and watch the game. This is a pretty spot. The field is called the Nethermead,<br />
and it's a short walk from the Third Street entrance on Prospect Park West. The lawn is thick and trees are<br />
scattered idyllically around the edges. If I do go back in the game and the worst does occur, this might do nicely<br />
as my final resting place.<br />
After a couple of hours about 30 players have shown up. The game has been going on every Saturday morning,<br />
rain, shine or snow, for years. They even played in the big blizzard of 1996, says Scott Bolden, who is not only<br />
tireless on the field but also has a sort of world-culture cool going on. He's wearing a striped soccerlike jersey,<br />
green shorts and wraparound sunglasses. While this is a pickup game – beginners welcome and all that – he<br />
explains to me that many of these players also compete on club teams.<br />
Competitive ultimate is governed by a somewhat anarchic group called the Ultimate Players Association. There<br />
are men's and women's divisions, with a recently begun coed division. College and club leagues are separate;<br />
the clubs are better. There's no professional play in ultimate and neither sponsorships nor any officiating. Just a<br />
lot of players who can't kick the habit. This is what I love about the game: its classic sporting attitude. Baseball<br />
was maybe this cool in the 1880s.<br />
Sean Castellino, chatting on the sidelines, tells me that a couple of Prospect Park regulars have been on<br />
national championship teams. His own club, F Train, is a "scrub Brooklyn team," he says. I saw the team earlier<br />
in the day practicing on another field. It's a hefty notch below New York's best team, the name of which seems<br />
to morph from year to year. Right now, it's called the Westchester Summer League All-Stars.<br />
I go back into the game. The problem with my regular have-another-doughnut conditioning program is that I can<br />
really only play one point before I get too tired to run very hard. After that, I resort to a lazy sort of ultimateplaying<br />
defense off my man, mainly staying far from the disk on offense. I retreat to the sidelines again after<br />
three points.<br />
On the other end of the spectrum is Irina Konvickova, who plays hard for 90 straight minutes, it seems to me,<br />
before reluctantly taking a break and letting someone else go in for her. A native of what is now the Czech<br />
Republic, she hadn't played the game before moving to the United States. The sport was played only in Prague<br />
189
and she had spent her time competing at the national level in judo. Now, at 28, she has been playing three<br />
years. She happens to be the only woman playing on the field today.<br />
She lives in Manhattan and used to play at a long-running pickup game in Central Park, but gave it up in favor<br />
of the games at Prospect Park. She says she finds the level of play lower in Central Park, and because more<br />
people would show up she didn't get to play as much. "I don't like to sit down," she says. "I like to play the whole<br />
time." A lower level of play? Less time on the field? I'm there.<br />
The next afternoon, Sunday, I'm in Central Park on a field aptly called the Dust Bowl, on the Fifth Avenue side<br />
just north of 97th Street. So far, the regeneration of the lawn in Central Park has missed this spot. Instead of<br />
being the worst player on the field here I'm just in the bottom 30 percent.<br />
Enough players have shown up to make three six-person teams. It works like the pool table at a bar: you win,<br />
you keep the field, except that one team never plays more than two games in a row. I play better than I did in<br />
Prospect Park. I get in on a couple of plays on offense. And on defense, I manage to stay close enough to the<br />
player I'm guarding to preserve my dignity. Once I even jump over him in the end zone to swat away the Frisbee<br />
and prevent a score. There's some question as to whether the play is broken up by me or some low-hanging<br />
branches, but heck, we get the disc.<br />
For me, Central Park will do nicely for now. Still, there's got to be a game out there where I can excel. If not, I'm<br />
going to start my own pickup game. Maybe I'll recruit my daughter's friends. They're all in nursery school and<br />
some of them are really short.<br />
It's a week after Central Park and I'm checking out a higher level of play, but this time there's not a chance I'll<br />
get in a game. I've come to the regional club championships of the Ultimate Players Association held at the<br />
State University College at Purchase, N.Y.<br />
The Westchester All-Stars are playing today; eventually the team will place fourth nationally. So is D.O.G. (for<br />
Death or Glory), the Boston team that has won the national championship for four years running, and will go on<br />
to do it again this year. They rose to the pinnacle of the game after the breakup of a New York dynasty team,<br />
New York, New York, which had won five years in a row. Lady Godiva, the best women's team in the region and<br />
the eventual winner at the nationals, is here, too, and steamrollering the competition.<br />
A lot of players and some spectators have come to Purchase. A lot of dogs are running around, too, chasing<br />
Frisbees and one another. I sort of feel as if I'm at a Grateful Dead concert: the mood is welcoming and<br />
unpretentious. This makes sense because a critical part of ultimate is the spirit of the game. Players make their<br />
own calls, and they do it honestly. Picks and body contact are not only illegal but also rare and genuinely<br />
accidental.<br />
If these guys had played us in college, they would have won easily. Yet no matter how loud the players scream,<br />
how hard they train or how often they make bruising diving catches it's still recognizably the same game I<br />
played back on the meadow all those years ago. In those days, it seemed as if grace was at my fingertips. I<br />
launched the disk into space, and there it was: glory.<br />
Out on the field in Purchase someone from D.O.G. throws a long bomb into the end zone and the players sprint<br />
toward it. On the sidelines, we all watch as the disk floats for long seconds against the sky. It's beautiful.<br />
Ultimate Frisbee Tests Character, Fitness<br />
By Alexandra Robbins Special for USA TODAY. April 2, 1999<br />
When Ultimate Frisbee makes its debut as a medal sport in the 2001 World Games in Japan, it's a safe bet that<br />
not one referee's call will be disputed. There won't be any refs. As the only self-officiated team sport in the<br />
Games, ultimate frisbee is quickly becoming a popular option for less traditional-minded athletes. Ultimate<br />
attracts "an eclectic bunch," says Michael Guiietz, Ultimate Players Association (UPA) managing director. "The<br />
people are different a little bit alternative, but they really are athletes."<br />
Many ultimate players are drawn to the sport because of its underlying principle: the "spirit of the game," which<br />
players use to refer to the fact that they must call their own fouls and boundaries, even in national and<br />
190
international competition. If a player accused of a foul disagrees with the call, the team with possession keeps it.<br />
If players cannot resolve a dispute, occasionally they ask an observer to make the call. "There's a saying that<br />
ultimate doesn't build character; it reveals character," says Jim Parinella, a five-time open national champion<br />
with his Boston based team DoG. "It gives individuals the opportunity to display their personalities on the field,<br />
whether they're going to be fair in their dealings with people or weasel their way out of things."During the 1995<br />
World Ultimate Club Championships in England, the DoG squad was losing 19-18 when the opposing, San-<br />
Francisco -based team passed into the end zone. When Parinella dived for a block, the receiver cried foul. "The<br />
other team asked me if I had blocked the pass, but I couldn't say for sure," Parinelia recalls. "So I said I didn't<br />
the other team scored and won the game 20-18. If I had said I had blocked the shot, my team would have<br />
gotten possession instead."<br />
The players' responsibility to govern their own actions leads to fewer physical altercations than in other sports,<br />
says Kate Coyne, a member of four-time defending national women's champions Lady Godiva. "You're not<br />
policed; you police yourselves," she said. "In sports with refs, people try to get away with as much as they can.<br />
In ultimate you're accountable to everyone."<br />
Guiietz estimates that about 150,000 Americans participate in ultimate, which has counted former and current<br />
NFL players Shannon and Sterling Sharpe and Olympians Picabo Street and Eric Heiden among its club<br />
players. Ultimate, a high-endurance sport with few basic rules, combines the nonstop movement of soccer, the<br />
defensive strategies of basketball and the passing of football, former US. masters team captain Andy Borinstein<br />
says. The sport revolves around passing a plastic disc. On a rectangular area shaped similarly to a football field,<br />
seven-player squads must complete a pass in the opposite end zone to score. To advance the disc, the player<br />
with possession has 10 seconds to pass in any direction. Athletes may not move with the disc or initiate physical<br />
contact with another player.<br />
Despite its lack of publicity, ultimate is quickly gaining popularity with high school students, says Amherst<br />
(Mass.) Regional High School coach Tiina Booth, who oversees one of only a few boys varsity ultimate teams in<br />
the country "One of my players made a good analogy. You know when someone shoots a jumper and there's a<br />
crackle in the net? He said every time you throw or catch the disc you get that crisp snap, and that's why he<br />
found it so addictive," Booth says. Because of the simple rules and the low cost of the sport ultimate requires<br />
only a disc and cones or other boundary markers - AmeriCorps, the Boy Scouts and the Boys and Girls clubs of<br />
America have incorporated it into their programs, "Ultimate is a team-building exercise we can teach elementary<br />
and middle school kids easily without a lot of rules," says Karen Labat of AmeriCorps. "It's something that is<br />
low-cost, no-contact, builds self-esteem and encourages physical fitness."<br />
Ultimate Frisbee Gets Down and Dirty, And Some Cry Foul ---- Shouting,<br />
Spitting, Spiking And Swearing Bring Calls For Referees With Teeth<br />
By Ross Kerber - Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal<br />
After a score by the Port City Slickers in a big ultimate-frisbee game against the Seattle Sockeye team two<br />
seasons ago, an exultant Slicker spiked the disk, prompting angry protests from Sockeye defender Ed Avery.<br />
What happened then made frisbee history. After players including Slickers veteran Mike Gerics joined the<br />
argument, Mr. Avery emerged from the crowd wiping his forehead.<br />
"He spit on me!" a disbelieving Mr. Avery shouted, putting the finger on Mr. Gerics. Mr. Gerics later received a<br />
one-year suspension that began last summer. It was the first such ban, and to many of the sport's devotees, a<br />
disturbing sign of the times.<br />
ATHLETICISM OF YORE<br />
"In the old days, teams . . . would just throw it deep and beat you with their athleticism," says Kevin Givens, an<br />
organizer at the University of California at Santa Cruz. "Now, they'll intentionally foul you, cussing the other<br />
players. That's not in the spirit of the game."<br />
191
Mike O'Dowd, a veteran of San Francisco's powerful Double Happiness team, says he may retire rather than<br />
play with new teammates who fight and talk trash. "The team I started with was a kinder, gentler team," says Mr.<br />
O'Dowd. These days, he says, "any big game becomes a matter of ill will."<br />
Founded in the antiauthoritarian 1960s, ultimate frisbee is having an identity crisis. Once played by a few<br />
iconoclasts at New Jersey high schools, the disk-hurling game patterned loosely after touch football has grown<br />
into a sport of about 65,000 competitors, with amateur leagues, a national tournament and a governing body --<br />
the Ultimate Players Association -- that dreams of TV contracts and Olympic recognition.<br />
But to purists, the growth has attracted too many people who cheat, argue and hack, leading to proposals for<br />
something the sport has never had -- full-fledged referees. Until now, officiating has generally been limited to top<br />
tournament games -- and only when both sides agree to it. Even then, the officials usually have no power to<br />
intervene on their own and can make calls only when asked by a player. It's time to stop "sociopathic behavior"<br />
on the playing field, says Jim Parinella, who plays for the national-champion Death or Glory team in Boston and<br />
who leads the call for more referee power. Full-on refereeing faces an uphill battle in a sport where breaks for<br />
beer are still common and teams favor names like We Smoke Weed, Lady Godiva and Bovine Intervention. The<br />
ultimate mainstream isn't ready for prime time -- and proud of it. Most people who play the game can't even<br />
bring themselves to use the word "referee." They prefer "observer."<br />
The antiref crowd also notes that the level of bad behavior is still far from that in sports where players choke<br />
coaches and bite off bits of ear. They also worry that more officiating would destroy the game's tradition of<br />
sportsmanship, which includes a strong honor code whereby players are encouraged to rat on themselves, and<br />
a rule book that officially decries a "win at all cost" mentality.<br />
But self-regulation doesn't always work. At last year's world-championship tournament in Vancouver, Canada,<br />
Kenny Dobyns of the Westchester County (N.Y.) Summer League All-Stars body-slammed Sockeye star Jon<br />
Gewirtz -- supposedly in retaliation for obscene taunts. With Mr. Gewirtz pinned, Mr. Dobyns whispered in his<br />
ear, "Don't let this get out of hand."<br />
At the women's national championship in Sarasota, Fla., last October, two players were benched by their<br />
captains to curtail their cursing and pushing. A year earlier, as coach for East Carolina University at the<br />
Women's Collegiate Championships, Mr. Gerics, the spitter, alleged that Sarah Savage, coach of the University<br />
of California team, was instructing her players to make illegal throws. Ms. Savage says that Mr. Gerics circled<br />
her team's huddle, hurling obscenities.<br />
"He says, `No wonder you only have eight players, you're a hag and you chase everyone away,'" recalls Ms.<br />
Savage. She also says the ECU players were abusive on the field. "The women were literally screaming, blood<br />
vessels rupturing in their faces," Ms. Savage says. Mr. Gerics denies he used obscenities or behaved<br />
inappropriately.<br />
'INTENT TO MAIM?'<br />
UPA head observer Vic Kahmi says more-powerful judges also might deter recklessness. Mr. Kahmi says he<br />
recently witnessed a game in Princeton, N.J., where a North Carolina college player dived for a flying disk he<br />
had no chance of catching and crashed into the intended receiver, dislocating the poor fellow's shoulder. "Was<br />
there intent to maim? I don't think so, but he wasn't playing under control," says Mr. Kahmi.<br />
When played as designed, ultimate frisbee combines speed, grace and powerful hurling with a grueling pace.<br />
Seven-player teams try to pass the frisbee down the 70-yard field and across the opponent's goal line.<br />
Possession switches when the disk is intercepted, thrown out of bounds or touches the ground. Tackling,<br />
running with the disk or stripping it away aren't allowed during matches, which typically are played to a score of<br />
15 or 21 and last about 90 minutes. Receivers try to break free for the overhand toss known as the "hammer" or<br />
the Hail Mary bomb called the "huck." Hurlers must pass the disk within 10 seconds according to a "stall count"<br />
called out loud by defenders.<br />
Leagues are springing up in such places as Denver and Los Angeles, adding to established groups in Silicon<br />
Valley, Washington, D.C., Boston and elsewhere. With so many talented athletes, top tournaments like one in<br />
Fredericksburg, Va., earlier this month include more pirouetting throws than a season at Shea Stadium.<br />
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But the lack of referees also slows games. A match between a Carnegie Mellon University alumni team and the<br />
We Smoke Weed squad from New York featured as much negotiation as scoring. A typical pause came when<br />
Carnegie Mellon's Calvin Lin stopped a stall count to suggest that a defender had stepped on his foot.<br />
BUD BREAK<br />
Another delay came when New York's Mr. Dobyns, now playing for the Weed team, called timeout to pass<br />
around cans of Budweiser to his teammates. Some also shared a joint the size of a small flashlight. Afterward,<br />
the alumni team pulled away to prevail 12-5. "We're too stoned to argue!" yelled one Weed player after an<br />
opponent called a hacking foul.<br />
Some ultimate graybeards trace the rise of aggressive behavior to Mr. Gerics, who as an undergraduate at the<br />
University of North Carolina at Wilmington and later at East Carolina, helped bowl over and heckle opponents<br />
en route to collegiate ultimate titles in 1993, 1994 and 1995. The tactics toppled Ivy League frisbee dynasties<br />
because, as Mr. Gerics puts it, "most ultimate players were kind of geeky intellectuals. East Carolina, it's not the<br />
hardest school. We're bad---, we're rednecks."<br />
After graduating, Mr. Gerics joined the Port City Slickers in Wilmington, for whom he played in the infamous<br />
spitting game. Mr. Gerics, who wouldn't admit his infractions at first, now apologizes. "I'm pretty embarrassed<br />
about it," he says.<br />
But while serving out his suspension, he has found a new love-ultimate officiating at local college tournaments<br />
in North Carolina. Players, he says, rarely dispute his calls because "I wouldn't try to get in an argument with<br />
me."<br />
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Stretching<br />
Warming Up<br />
Why Warm Up?<br />
Although there are many benefits to warming up, most recreational athletes spend little or no time getting ready<br />
for exercise. As the name implies, warming up raises body temperature. This temperature elevation reduces the<br />
potential of muscle and connective tissue injuries. In addition, blood flow to the muscles aids in the delivery of<br />
fuels required for muscle performance.<br />
Light jogging and easy calisthenics reduce muscle tightness which limits mechanical efficiency and muscle<br />
power. Earlier onset of sweating promotes evaporative heat loss and as a result decreases the amount of heat<br />
stored by the body. This helps prevent body temperature from rising to dangerously high levels during more<br />
strenuous exercise. Warming up properly also prepares the cardiovascular and muscular systems for the<br />
upcoming physical activity and provides a transition from rest to strenuous exercise. This may reduce the<br />
likelihood of excessive muscular soreness from strenuous activity.<br />
Studies have also shown that warming up increases the speed of nerve impulses to muscles, enabling athletes<br />
to achieve faster reaction times. This is one reason professional athletes spend more time warming up<br />
compared to many recreational athletes -- they know it will prevent injuries and help them compete better.<br />
There is no secret to a good warm-up. Begin by exercising slowly for 3-5 minutes or until a light sweat starts.<br />
Then slowly stretch the muscles you will be using. Each stretch should be held for 15-30 seconds without<br />
bouncing. [1]<br />
Stretching Tips<br />
A key to avoiding athletic injuries<br />
"No pain, no gain" has been a credo of some coaches and athletes regarding warm-up stretches. Here are<br />
better words to keep in mind while you stretch: "No pain, no pain."<br />
You can do a disservice to yourself when you stretch past the point of pain. You should never hold a painful<br />
stretch. You should back off just to where it's not painful, and that's what you want to hold during the duration of<br />
the stretch."<br />
The goal of routine stretching exercises is to improve flexibility. Flexibility, aerobic conditioning and strength<br />
training are the three broad objectives to focus on as you maintain your body for the rigors and enjoyment of<br />
sports. Proper stretching actually lengthens the muscle tissue, making it less "tight" and therefore less prone to<br />
trauma and tears. A stretching routine also feels good and can be a relaxing period of your day.<br />
Don't stretch these rules ...<br />
Everybody's different — We all aren't gymnasts. Focus on maintaining adequate flexibility for your sports and<br />
activity level.<br />
Be sport-specific — Different sports emphasize different muscle groups. Concentrate on the range of motions<br />
and the muscle groups that you're likely to use in your sport.<br />
Start slowly — Example: A ballet dancer begins slowly, with one hand on the bar, before beginning high kicks<br />
out on the floor.<br />
Hold your stretch — It takes time to lengthen tissue safely. Hold your stretches at least 30 seconds — and up to<br />
a minute with a particularly tight muscle or problem area.<br />
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Stretch 'heated' muscles —Stretching a cold muscle can strain and irritate the tissue. Warm up first. Walk before<br />
you jog, jog before you run, etc. It's most beneficial to stretch after you exercise, when the muscle is heated by<br />
blood flow and is more accommodating of a stretch.<br />
Do not bounce! — Bouncing can cause microtrauma in the muscle, which must heal itself with scar tissue. The<br />
scar tissue tightens the muscle, making you less flexible — and more prone to pain.<br />
Think equality — Strive for balance in flexibility on each side of your body. For example, if one hamstring is<br />
tighter than the other, you may be more prone to injury.<br />
Don't be afraid to ask — A sports medicine specialist, athletic trainer, physical therapist, or health-club advisor<br />
may help improve your stretching technique. [2]<br />
References<br />
[1] Brian Meitner, ATC Meriter Sports Medicine, http://www.meriter.com/living/library/sports/warmup.htm<br />
[2] Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, http://www.mayohealth.org/home?id=HQ01448<br />
Basic Stretching<br />
Legs, Feet & Ankles<br />
Backs, Shoulders & Arms<br />
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For Your Back<br />
Lower Back, Hips, Groin & Hamstring<br />
Active Isolated Stretching<br />
The earliest form of stretching, called "ballistic stretching," was abandoned several decades ago. Athletes who<br />
tried it found that the rapid bouncing into and out of positions caused muscle soreness and sometimes even<br />
muscle tears.<br />
After ballistic stretching came "static" stretching, which soon reached mass popularity through numerous books,<br />
articles and poster charts. In static stretching, the runner eases into a position and then holds that position for<br />
30 to 60 seconds. Because there are no rapid movements, proponents argued, static stretching shouldn't<br />
produce soreness. Instead, it should promote flexibility through gradual adaptation to the stretch.<br />
Many runners had considerable success with static stretching and similar yogalike postures. Others found that<br />
the stretches still caused soreness and didn't resolve their injury problems. A recently published paper in the<br />
Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport also raised questions about the benefits of static stretching.<br />
Researchers asked one group of college-aged men to perform a series of 17 stretches ballistically while another<br />
group performed the same stretches statically. The results showed that static stretching produced more<br />
soreness and higher levels of creatine kinase, an enzyme associated with muscle-tissue injury, than ballistic<br />
stretching.<br />
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Why? For a possible explanation, we need look no farther than basic muscle physiology. All muscles have an<br />
inherent "stretch reflex" that's activated after a strong, rapid movement or after two seconds in a stretched<br />
position. The stretch reflex causes the muscle to begin a slow contraction. If you continue stretching while your<br />
muscle is trying to contract . . . well, it's like a tug-of-war. In this case, a tug-of-war that invites muscle damage.<br />
Enter AI stretching. In AI stretching, you hold each position for only 1½ to 2 seconds. Then you return to the<br />
starting position and relax. After resting for 2 seconds, you ease into the stretch again.<br />
Beyond the 2-second limitation, AI stretching differs from static stretching in another important respect: AI<br />
stretches are "assisted" in two ways. First, you contract the opposing muscle group to help move the stretched<br />
area into position. Second, while continuing the contraction, you use a rope or your own hands to gently<br />
enhance the stretch.<br />
Don't tug, however. The cardinal rule of stretching remains unchanged: Don't ever force yourself beyond the<br />
point of light irritation. Stretching is never an instant solution to an injury problem, so take your time. The best<br />
results come from consistent, gentle stretching.<br />
THE STRETCHES<br />
Follow these steps in performing each stretch:<br />
1. Contract the muscle group opposite the area you're stretching.<br />
2. Bring each stretch to the point of light irritation.<br />
3. Hold for 2 seconds.<br />
4. Return to your starting position and relax for 2 seconds.<br />
5. Repeat the stretch.<br />
For best results, build up to two sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of each of the stretches, and perform them in the<br />
order shown. Exhale during the stretch phase, and inhale during the relaxation phase. Perform AI stretching<br />
before and after a run. If time is limited, just do one set of stretches after your run, with fewer repetitions; but<br />
even when you shorten the routine, always keep in mind good form, and do the stretches in the correct order.<br />
Twist and Stretch<br />
Sometimes you can stretch the daylights out of your calves or hamstrings, yet they still feel tight when you run.<br />
Could be time to try something new. Call it stretching with a twist. Here's how it works with four important<br />
runner's stretches. Do them after your run or after a 5- to 10-minute warmup.<br />
Calf Stretch<br />
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Stand with one foot about 2 feet in front of the other and rest your palms against a wall. Slowly lean your body<br />
forward while pressing the heel of your rear foot into the ground. Keep your toes pointed forward and your back<br />
knee straight.<br />
The Twist: Curl your toes and accentuate your arch as if trying to grab the floor. At the same time, shift your<br />
weight to the outside of your rear foot. Slowly shift your weight back and forth between this position and the<br />
starting position for 30 to 60 seconds.<br />
Deep Calf Stretch<br />
In the same position as the calf stretch, shift your weight farther onto your back leg and bend your back knee<br />
until you feel your heel wanting to raise off the floor. (Keep your heel on the floor, though.) You should feel the<br />
stretch in your Achilles tendon.<br />
The Twist: Same as the calf stretch.<br />
Hip Stretch<br />
From a standing position, put one foot on a chair or step. Lean forward into a lunge position until you feel a<br />
stretch along the front of your rear thigh. Keep your back knee straight, with your foot pointed forward.<br />
The Twist: Slowly rotate your body from side to side for 30 to 60 seconds.<br />
Hamstring Stretch<br />
From a standing position, put one foot on a chair. While keeping this foot flat, slowly straighten this knee until<br />
you feel a stretch. To increase the stretch, slowly lean forward from the waist while keeping your back straight<br />
and chest out.<br />
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The twist: Slowly rotate your upper body from side to side for 30 to 60 seconds.<br />
References<br />
http://www.runnersworld.com<br />
The Mobility Program<br />
Why do mobility exercises?<br />
The objective of mobility training is to improve the range of stretch of the antagonistic muscles.<br />
What are the benefits?<br />
Mobility plays an important part in the preparation of athletes by developing a range of movement to allow<br />
technical development and assisting in the prevention of injury.<br />
How will I know if I am stretching properly?<br />
When you perform a stretch correctly you will feel mild discomfort in the antagonistic muscles. If you feel pain or<br />
a stabbing sensation you must STOP<br />
What do I need to consider before conducting mobility exercises?<br />
The body responds best to a stretching programme when it is warm and the muscles and joints have been<br />
exercised through their current range of movement.<br />
What types of mobility exercises are there?<br />
The various techniques of stretching may be grouped as Static, Ballistic and Assisted. In both Static and<br />
Ballistic exercises the athlete is in control of the movements. In Assisted the movement is controlled by an<br />
external force which is usually a partner.<br />
Static Stretching<br />
Static stretching involves gradually easing into the stretch position and holding the position. The amount of time<br />
a static stretch is held may be anything from 6 seconds to 2 minutes. Often in static stretching you are advised<br />
to move further into the stretch position as the stretch sensation subsides.<br />
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Ballistic Stretching<br />
Ballistic stretching involves some form of rapid movement into the required stretch position. Where the event<br />
requires a ballistic movement then it is appropriate and perhaps necessary to conduct ballistic stretching<br />
exercises. Start off with the movement at half speed for a couple of repetitions and then gradually work up to full<br />
speed. Appropriate preparatory static stretching exercises should be conducted before any ballistic exercises<br />
are carried out.<br />
Assisted Stretching<br />
Assisted stretching involves the assistance of a partner who must fully understand what their role is otherwise<br />
the risk of injury is high. A partner can be employed to assist with Partner stretches and Propreceptive<br />
Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) techniques.<br />
Partner Stretches<br />
Your partner assists you to maintain the stretch position or help you ease into the stretch position as the<br />
sensation of stretch subsides. You should aim to be full relaxed and breath easily throughout the exercise.<br />
Partner assisted stretches are best used as developmental exercises, with each stretch being held for thirty<br />
seconds.<br />
PNF Technique<br />
1. You move into the stretch position so that you feel the stretch sensation<br />
2. Your partner holds the limb in this stretched position<br />
3. You then push against your partner by contracting the antagonistic muscles for 6 to 10 seconds and then<br />
relax. During the contraction your partner aims to resist any movement of the limb.<br />
4. Your partner then moves the limb further into the stretch until you feel the stretch sensation<br />
5. Go back to 2. (repeat this procedure 3 or 4 times before the stretch is released.)<br />
Which method is best?<br />
Static methods produce far fewer instances of muscle soreness, injury and damage to connective tissues than<br />
ballistic methods. Static methods are simple to carry out and may be conducted virtually anywhere. For<br />
maximum gains in flexibility in the shortest possible time PNF technique is the most appropriate. Where the<br />
technique requires ballistic movement then ballistic stretches should be employed.<br />
What order should the mobility methods be used?<br />
When conducting mobility exercises it is recommended to perform them in the following order - Static, assisted<br />
and then dynamic.<br />
When should they be performed?<br />
Mobility exercises could be part of:<br />
1. The warm up program<br />
2. A stand alone unit of work<br />
It is considered beneficial to conduct mobility exercises as part of the warm down program but should not<br />
include ballistic exercises as the muscles are fatigued and more prone to injury.<br />
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The Exercises<br />
Shoulder Circles<br />
Stand tall with good posture. Raise your right shoulder towards your right ear, take it backwards, down and then<br />
up again with a smooth rhythm. Perform this shoulder circling movement eight times, then repeat with the other<br />
shoulder. Breathe easily throughout.<br />
Arm Circles<br />
Stand tall with good posture. Lift one arm forward then take it backwards in a continuous circling motion,<br />
keeping your spine long throughout. Avoid the tendency to arch your spin whilst carrying out the circling<br />
movement. Perform this arm circling movement eight times, before repeating with the other arm. Breathe easily<br />
throughout.<br />
Side Bends<br />
Stand tall with good posture, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, hands resting on<br />
hips. Lift your trunk up and away from your hips and bend smoothly first to one side, then the other, avoiding the<br />
tendency to lean either forwards or backwards. Repeat the whole sequence sixteen times with a slow rhythm,<br />
breathing out as you bend to the side, and in as you return to the centre<br />
Trunk Twists<br />
Stand tall with good posture. Have your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, hands<br />
resting on hips. Keeping your spine long and your hips facing forward, turn smoothly and slowly round to one<br />
side, then the other. Repeat the sequence sixteen times, breathing easily throughout the movement.<br />
Upper Back Stretch<br />
Stand or sit tall with good posture. If standing, bend your knees slightly and tilt your pelvis under. Interlock your<br />
fingers and push your hands as far away from your chest as possible, allowing your upper back to relax, whilst<br />
at the same time looking down. You will feel the stretch between your shoulder blades. Hold the stretch for 10<br />
seconds and repeat the exercise three times, breathing easily throughout.<br />
Chest Stretch<br />
Standing, bend your knees slightly and tilt your pelvis under. Place your hands, loosely clasped, on the small of<br />
your back and keep your spine long and shoulders back and away from your ears. Without arching your spine,<br />
ease your elbows towards each other as far as possible, feeling the stretch in the front of the chest. Hold the<br />
stretch for 10 seconds and repeat the exercise three times, breathing easily throughout.<br />
Standing Side Bend<br />
Make sure that you have a good stable base by placing your feet approximately a metre apart, toes facing<br />
forward. Bend your knees slightly and keep your hips facing forward, too. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and<br />
repeat the exercise three times, breathing easily throughout. Repeat on the other side Sideways.<br />
Neck Stretch<br />
Stand or sit tall with good posture, keeping your spine and neck long and your shoulders down away from your<br />
ears. Keeping your neck long, tilt your head to the side. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat the exercise<br />
three times, breathing easily throughout. Repeat on the other side .<br />
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Front of Shoulder Stretch<br />
Sit on a stool or stand tall with good posture, bend your knees slightly and tilt your pelvis under. Place your<br />
hands behind you, interlock your fingers and then straighten your arms and try and lift them upwards and<br />
backwards as far as possible. Keep your spine long throughout and make sure that your shoulders are back and<br />
down away from your ears. You will feel the stretch in the front of the chest. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and<br />
repeat the exercise three times, breathing easily throughout.<br />
Shoulder and Side Stretch<br />
Sit on a stool or stand tall with good posture, bend your knees slightly and tilt your pelvis under. Place both<br />
hands above your head and then place your right hand behind your head, easing the left arm closer towards<br />
your head - taking the elbow behind the head if possible. Keep your spine long and your shoulders down away<br />
from your ears throughout the exercise. You will feel the stretch along the side of the trunk and shoulder. Hold<br />
the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat the exercise three times, breathing easily throughout. Repeat on the<br />
opposite side.<br />
Half Squat<br />
Stand tall with good posture holding your hands out in front of you for balance. Now bend at the knees until your<br />
thighs are parallel with the floor. Keep your back long throughout the movement, and look straight ahead. Make<br />
sure that your knees always point in the same direction as your toes. Once at your lowest point, fully straighten<br />
your legs to return to your starting position. Repeat the exercise sixteen times with a smooth, controlled rhythm.<br />
Breath in as you descend, and out as you rise.<br />
Standing Calf Stretch<br />
Stand tall with one leg in front of the other, hands flat and at shoulder height against a wall or suitable<br />
immovable object. Ease your back leg further away from the wall, keeping it straight and press the heel firmly<br />
into the floor. Keep your hips facing the wall. You will feel the stretch in the calf of the rear leg. Hold the stretch<br />
for 10 seconds and repeat the exercise three times . Repeat on the other side, breathing easily throughout.<br />
Calf Stretch<br />
Position yourself as for the standing calf stretch exercise. This time, however, flex the knee of the rear leg,<br />
whilst still keeping the heel pressed firmly on to the floor. The sensation of stretch should now be experienced<br />
lower down in the calf. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat the exercise three times . Repeat on the<br />
other side, breathing easily throughout.<br />
Standing Hip and Thigh Stretch<br />
Stand tall with good posture in front of a firm chair or stool. Raise one foot up on to the chair back easing your<br />
body towards this foot so that chest and thigh come closer together. Rest your hands loosely on the raised knee<br />
and keep your spine and back leg straight and your shoulders down away from your ears. Ease as far forward<br />
as possible and hold your position. You will feel the stretch along the front of the thigh of the extended leg, and<br />
along the back of the thigh of the raised leg. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat the exercise three times<br />
Repeat on the other side, breathing easily throughout.<br />
Seated Groin Stretch<br />
Sit tall with good posture. Ease your legs up towards your body and place the soles of your feet together,<br />
allowing your knees to ease out down towards the floor. Make sure that your back stays long and that your<br />
shoulders are down away from your ears. Rest your hands on your lower legs or ankles, or keep them by your<br />
sides for support. You will feel the stretch along the inside of your thighs and groin. If you wish to stretch the<br />
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hamstrings and hip extensors at the same time, from the position above ease forward by hinging at the hip, still<br />
keeping the spine long (see lower picture). Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat the exercise three times,<br />
breathing easily throughout.<br />
Kneeling Hip Flexor<br />
Stretch Kneel on a mat or towel with one leg flexed in front of you as illustrated - your weight should be evenly<br />
distributed so that your position is stable, although you can use your hands at either side of your body for extra<br />
support. Note that the knee at the front leg is positioned directly over the front foot. From this position and<br />
keeping your spine long and shoulders down, push your hips forward. You may find that you have to take your<br />
rear knee further back before you can feel the stretch along the front of this thigh. Hold the stretch for 10<br />
seconds and repeat the exercise three times, breathing easily throughout. Repeat on the other leg.<br />
Lying Hip Abductor<br />
Stretch Lie flat on the floor with both legs flexed at the knee. Now cross your legs and use the weight of the top<br />
leg to bring the lower leg down towards the floor. Keep your back, shoulders and the foot of the lower leg in<br />
contact with the floor throughout the movement. You will feel the stretch along the outside of the hip and thigh.<br />
Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat the exercise three times, breathing easily throughout. Repeat with<br />
the other leg.<br />
Front of Trunk Stretch<br />
Lie down on the floor, fully outstretched. Slide your arms to the sides of your body for support, and ease your<br />
chest off the floor, keeping your spine long and your hips firmly pressed into the ground. You will feel the stretch<br />
in the front of the trunk Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat the exercise three times, breathing easily<br />
throughout<br />
Seated Trunk Twist<br />
Sit tall with good posture, legs stretched out in front of you, spine long, shoulders down away from your ears.<br />
Place your right leg over your left leg as illustrated and rotate your trunk, using your left arm against your right<br />
knee to help ease you further round. Use your right arm on the floor for support. You will feel the stretch along<br />
the length of the spine as well as in the muscles around the right hip. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat<br />
the exercise three times, breathing easily throughout. Repeat on the opposite side.<br />
Seated Groin and Hamstring Stretch<br />
Sit tall with both legs fully outstretched. Flex your right knee so that the right foot rests comfortably along your<br />
left inner thigh, with the right knee as close as possible to the floor. Keeping your spine long and your shoulders<br />
down away from your ears, hinge forwards from the hips to reach towards your flexed left foot. Go as far forward<br />
as possible, then relax your spine to reach even further forward, holding this stretch position. You will feel the<br />
stretch along the back of the outstretched leg, and along the inside and rear of the flexed leg. Hold the stretch<br />
for 10 seconds and repeat the exercise three times Repeat with the other leg, breathing easily throughout.<br />
Lying Quadriceps Stretch<br />
Lie face down on the floor, resting your fore-head on your right hand. Press your hips firmly into the floor and<br />
bring your left foot up towards your buttocks, easing it closer to them with your right hand. You will feel the<br />
stretch along the front of the thigh. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat the exercise three times Repeat<br />
on the other side, breathing easily throughout the exercise.<br />
Lying Hamstring Stretch Lie flat on the floor with your knees flexed to approximately ninety degrees. Raise your<br />
left leg, grasping it loosely behind the thigh with both hands. Now ease this leg as close to your chest as<br />
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possible. You will feel the stretch along the back of the flexed thigh. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat<br />
the exercise three times Repeat with the other leg, breathing easily throughout the exercise.<br />
References<br />
BAF Senior Coach Coaching Theory Manual - Unit C Mobility Training - N Brook - ISBN 0-85134-079-2<br />
Peak Performance - Issue 46, 47, 53 58 and 102<br />
The complete book of stretching - T Lycholat - ISBN 1-85223-395-8<br />
Peak Performance - Issue 108 page 6<br />
ACL - Knee Deep in Ligaments<br />
If you've ever thrown out your knee, you may have more in common with your pro sports heroes. An anterior<br />
cruciate ligament tear could mean surgery and months of physical therapy. There aren't any absolutes in<br />
avoiding ACL problems, but awareness is the key.<br />
The ACL is the smallest of the four main ligaments of the knee, but it is the primary stabilizer. Injuries have a<br />
tendency to occur when the foot is firmly planted and the knee is twisted. Any sport that requires acceleration,<br />
change of direction and deceleration can increase the chances of suffering an ACL tear.<br />
"The majority [of ACL patients] are injured in a competitive sport, and need surgery," says William Levine, M.D.,<br />
director of sports medicine at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York. To help prevent future<br />
instability in the knee, surgeons use arthroscopic techniques to replace the torn ACL with a graft of the patellar<br />
tendon.<br />
As with all injuries, the best way to handle ACL strains is not to get them. Stretching will keep the muslces and<br />
tendons flexible so they can help absorb shock. For strength and endurance, a combination of stretching and<br />
weight training targeting the quadricepts and hamstrings is essential. Muscles should be warmed up gradually<br />
before excertion and stretched thoroughly after your workout. Don't bounce while stretching and always exhale<br />
as you go into the stretch. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds to the point of mild discomfort.<br />
By concentrating on effective quad and hamstring excercises, you'll keep on sprinting instead of ending up in an<br />
MRI tube with your orthopedic surgeon by your side.<br />
Sitting Hamstring Stretch<br />
Sit on the floor with both legs straight. Press your chest to your thighs and hold. Keep your eyes focused on<br />
your feet.<br />
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Reaching Hamstring Stretch<br />
Sit with one leg extended straight in front of you and the other leg bent with the knee flat on the floor. Lean<br />
forward over the extended leg until you feel tension in the hamstring. Keep your eyes focused on your feet,<br />
reaching your hands towards your toes.<br />
Quadriceps Stretch<br />
Hold on to a wall for balance, grasp one leg above the ankle, and pull the leg up and back. Move slowly and<br />
smoothly. Repeat with the other leg.<br />
Lying Leg Flex<br />
Lie face down on the floor with your arms under your chin. Flex one leg toward your buttocks and lower slowly.<br />
Do three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions with each leg. This exercise can also be done standing; add ankle weights<br />
for extra resistance. Or use the leg-curl machine, standing with one set of 10 to 15 reps<br />
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One-Legged Squat<br />
Standing six to 10 inches away from a chair or bench with your back to it, rest one foot on the seat, sole up.<br />
Balancing on the other leg, squat slowly. When your thigh is nearly parallel to the floor, push up. Repeat eight to<br />
15 times, then switch legs. Standing squats and lunges can also be performed to increase quadriceps strength.<br />
Wall Sit<br />
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and your back against a smooth wall (1). Slowly slide down the wall as<br />
though you're lowering yourself into a chair (2). Stop before you reach 90-degree mark. Hold for 30 to 60<br />
seconds, then push back up to a standing position. Perform 5 to 10 reps.<br />
References<br />
Shari Rosenblum Men's Fitness, June 2000<br />
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Stretching - Yoga and Athleticism<br />
All athletes, no matter their skill level, can benefit from the consistent practice of basic yoga postures.<br />
Unfortunately, athletes often have misconceptions about this powerful conditioning tool. They may be misled by<br />
watching some types of yoga on television or by participating in yoga classes where the emphasis is on mild<br />
stretching, rather than on disciplined practice of the classical yoga poses.<br />
How can yoga help athletes? In short: learning and practicing yoga can facilitate and support training and<br />
increase athletic capacity. Yoga helps athletes because they often have damaging movement patterns. By<br />
focusing on the simple movements of the basic yoga poses and building to more complex movements, athletes<br />
can correct old, damaging habits and dramatically increase athletic capacity.<br />
Everyone comes to yoga with physical imbalances. For example, endurance athletes -- like long-distance<br />
runners or bikers -- may have relative ease of movement in one hip or shoulder and restricted movement in the<br />
other. With high repetitions of the same movement, this small difference is magnified, often causing back or<br />
knee problems.<br />
Similarly, some sports lead to tightness in the front of the hips and shoulders, a condition which may lead to<br />
various painful back and rotator cuff problems. Because traditional yoga movements are balanced in every<br />
direction and require a full range of motion, they immediately reveal imbalances. By building a symmetrical form,<br />
yoga postures permit the intensity of repetition required by athletic activity and help prevent injuries that often<br />
occur with training.<br />
Athletes can get into trouble while training by compensating for limitations in their range of motion by using<br />
momentum and rotation to complete a movement. In the long run, this strategy is counterproductive because<br />
the result is either injury or less than optimal performance. Yoga practice demands that one come face to face<br />
with one’s present capabilities and learn how to work effectively with those conditions.<br />
Yoga uncovers places in the body where, despite strength, there is either instability (loose joints) or lack of<br />
suppleness. Suppleness is not flexibility, but rather strong, fluid movement through the full range of the joint.<br />
Yoga develops strength, suppleness, awareness and alignment. It is not about stretching.<br />
Yoga can help you acknowledge your current capacity, accept it and work to improve it. A good introductory<br />
yoga class will provide instruction that enables you to practice the basic, classical poses and to observe your<br />
movement patterns with awareness. This process reveals unhealthy and inefficient habits and shows you how<br />
to correct them. As an athlete, the purpose is to move in the direction of the poses, not to do them perfectly.<br />
Even a modest, regular practice of "imperfect" basic poses will enhance your athletic performance.<br />
References<br />
[1] Meriter Sports Medicine, http://www.meriter.com/living/library/sports/yoga.htm<br />
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Nutrition<br />
Top 10 Most Powerful Foods<br />
1. Beans<br />
They have little fat but heaps of several key nutrients, including the B vitamin folic acid, copper, zinc,<br />
magnesium and potassium. They also make a great source of protein (usually found in higher-fat foods), fiber<br />
and complex carbohydrates for energy that's much more stable than what you'd get from more sugary foods.<br />
Two servings a day of your favorite bean can lower blood cholesterol as much as 27 percent.<br />
2. Brown Rice<br />
Like white rice, it's almost a pure complex carbohydrate, but it packs in the fiber, too. It's also a rich non-meat<br />
source of zinc and contains all the minerals white rice lacks. You'll even get protein--five grams per cup.<br />
3. Garlic<br />
It contains lots of antioxidants, fights bacteria and maybe viruses and helps lower cholesterol and blood<br />
pressure. It may even help prevent cancer. A couple of cloves or four Kyolic garlic gel caps a day should make<br />
for a healthful dose.<br />
4. Papaya<br />
One of the most nutrient-dense fruits you can find, calorie-for-calorie it beats oranges and apples. One papaya<br />
provides 30 percent more than the RDA for vitamin A and 300 times the RDA for vitamin C. It teems with<br />
allergy- and disease-fighting phytochemicals, too.<br />
5. Egg Whites<br />
With all the essential amino acids, they're about the most perfect protein you can eat. And without the yolk,<br />
which contains about 300 milligrams of cholesterol (close to your daily limit), egg whites are the rare no-fat,<br />
high-protein food.<br />
6. Chicken<br />
Aside from being easy to cook and incredibly versatile, it's the meat for the active guy. White meat has just 370<br />
calories and 18 grams of fat per six ounces (dark meat has 450 calories, 26 grams of fat). It's high in iron,<br />
protein, niacin and zinc. Leave the skin on until the bird's cooked to keep in the juices; it'll come off easier when<br />
it's cooked, too, taking most of the fat with it.<br />
7. Broccoli<br />
Vitamin C, beta-carotene and fiber figure highly in broccoli's nutritional profile. But it's broccoli's high content of the<br />
phytochemical sulforaphane that has been making headlines lately because of its powerful anti-cancer effect.<br />
8. Soy<br />
Soy is now available in various tasty forms, from soy milk to veggie burgers to fake bacon to tofu (tastes great<br />
fried, then mopped off with a paper towel, and in miso soup). It features high-quality protein, is low in saturated<br />
fat and contains the heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids most people only get from fish. It might even reduce<br />
cancer risk, lower cholesterol and help prevent heart disease.<br />
9. Sweet Potatoes<br />
We love these in part because they're so delicious and easy to cook. Each potato also has a whomping 8,285<br />
IU of vitamin A (one-and-a-half times your RDA), 50 percent of the RDA of vitamin C, and decent amounts of<br />
three essential minerals: calcium, magnesium and potassium.<br />
10. Water<br />
Hey, don't scoff. You're probably not drinking enough; few people do. Eight eight-ounce glasses a day are the<br />
bare minimum. If you're active, you can sweat away two pounds of water surprisingly fast. All your organ<br />
systems need the stuff in order to function. You also need the crucial minerals water provides, including sodium,<br />
potassium, calcium and phosphorus. A healthy water intake will help prevent kidney stones (which afflict men<br />
way more than women) and keep your urinary and gastrointestinal tracts functioning better.<br />
References<br />
Men's Fitness, http://www.mensfitness.com/<br />
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Fluid Intake<br />
Running during these scorching summer months can leave you parched as a lizard in the Mojave Desert. And,<br />
yes, you probably know you need to drink a lot of liquid during these times, but you may not realize just how<br />
vital it is. Taking in too little fluid can be disastrous for your running and your health. Drink the right amount of<br />
the right beverages, and you'll feel great and run fast.<br />
Here's a look at how water works to keep your body running<br />
smoothly, with some tips on when, how much and what kinds of<br />
fluids to drink. Plus, I've provided a rundown of many of the sports<br />
beverages on the market.<br />
You're All Wet<br />
On average, the human body is more than 50 percent water.<br />
Runners and other endurance athletes average around 60 percent.<br />
This equals about 120 soda cans' worth of water in a 160-pound<br />
runner! A runner's watery physique results from physiological<br />
adaptations brought about by running. For one, running builds lean<br />
muscle tissue and reduces body fat; lean tissue contains more<br />
water than fat tissue does. (Fat tissue contains the least water of all<br />
body tissues, even less than bones.)<br />
Another reason for your waterlogged state is your expanded blood<br />
volume. This occurs as you become physically fit and serves to<br />
improve oxygen and nutrient delivery to working muscles. The extra<br />
blood also helps remove wastes produced by muscles during<br />
exercise.<br />
Sweat It<br />
During running, muscles generate heat--lots of it. A typical 5-mile<br />
run burns about 500 calories, and 70 percent of this heat must exit<br />
the body to keep muscle tissue from literally cooking. The body<br />
stays cool by producing sweat, the evaporation of which rids your<br />
body of unwanted heat--roughly 600 calories of heat for every quart<br />
of sweat that evaporates. And during an hour of running, you can<br />
easily lose more than 2 quarts of sweat.<br />
How much you sweat depends upon several factors. Warm weather<br />
and high humidity both increase sweat production. And the faster<br />
you run, the more heat you generate, so the more you sweat. Sweat<br />
rate is also influenced by your fitness level: the sweat glands in a fit<br />
body enlarge and increase in number, so you sweat more. All these<br />
bodily adjustments create more efficient cooling while you run.<br />
Running Dry<br />
Charting a Fluid Course<br />
When mapping out your training<br />
program, include a sports drink in the<br />
mix. Here are some to choose from:<br />
Brand Calories Carbos<br />
(grams)<br />
All Sport 70 19<br />
Body Fuel<br />
750<br />
Break<br />
Through<br />
70 17<br />
80 20<br />
CytoMax 83 19<br />
Endura 60 15<br />
Everlast 60 15<br />
Exceed 70 17<br />
Excel 71 18<br />
Gatorade 50 14<br />
Hydra Fuel 66 16<br />
Icopro 80 21<br />
Innergize 70 17<br />
Isostar 70 16<br />
PowerAde 70 19<br />
Power Surge 75 18<br />
PR Fuel 60 15<br />
Pure Power 80 20<br />
Q.E.M. 45 11<br />
Recharge 72 18<br />
Sporta Lyte 70 16<br />
So sweating keeps you cool, but losing all that fluid lessens the<br />
efficiency of the internal operations of your body. Most runners fall<br />
10-K 60 15<br />
short on fluid replacement and only manage to replace about half their sweat losses. If you don't take in fluids<br />
as you sweat, your blood actually thickens. This makes your heart pump harder and slows oxygen and nutrient<br />
delivery to exercising muscles. Result: Your body suffers.<br />
As you dehydrate and your pace slows, you may become dizzy, weak or nauseated. Eventually you may cramp<br />
up, get chills or even hallucinate. Some of these same symptoms may even occur at the office or at home, as<br />
your unmet fluid need doesn't always conveniently show up on your run.<br />
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Drink Up<br />
The old rule that you need eight glasses of water or fluid daily is just that--old. Your fluid needs depend on many<br />
factors, including body size, fitness level, training schedule and dietary factors such as caffeine and alcohol<br />
consumption, both of which increase fluid loss from the body. So how much fluid you need is an individual<br />
matter.<br />
Your best bet is to monitor urine color and frequency of urination. Pale yellow urine is a good sign that plenty of<br />
fluid is on board for waste excretion. (But don't judge your urine color within a few hours after taking vitamin<br />
supplements, since the unused vitamins, particularly the B vitamin riboflavin, turn your urine a bright yellow.)<br />
Frequent urination is another good sign that you're getting enough fluid.<br />
Spread out your fluid intake over the day to keep body water levels steady and to ward off the threat of<br />
dehydration. And remember to drink past the feeling of thirst, since that sensation shuts off quickly once you<br />
begin drinking. In fact, it actually turns off before you've replenished lost fluids.<br />
Water Your Options?<br />
Choices, choices. The beverage aisle in any grocery store overflows with drinks: bottled waters (spring, mineral<br />
and sparkling), bottled teas, juices and many other concoctions. And there's always . . . plain tap water. So<br />
what's best? Tap water is fine, and it's cheap. Plus, local municipal water supplies must follow strict safety<br />
regulations, so if the water out of your faucet tastes okay, by all means drink it.<br />
Many consumers opt for bottled water, which generally tastes better than tap water because bottlers use ozone<br />
as a disinfectant instead of chlorine. And though the general perception is that bottled water is better for you<br />
than tap water, the fact is, safety regulations are higher for municipal water than bottled.<br />
Some bottled water may offer minerals such as calcium and magnesium, but if you live in an area that has hard<br />
water, your local water probably has more minerals than bottled does. For instance, a quart of tap water from<br />
my hometown supplies about 10 percent of my magnesium needs. (If you're not sure if you have hard water,<br />
just check your water faucets for mineral deposits.)<br />
Bottled teas and juices are tasty, thirst-quenching options, but watch for caffeine, which can increase body<br />
water loss by increasing urine production. And you may be taking in unwanted calories, as many of these<br />
beverages have a high content of sugar or corn syrup.<br />
Fluid On The Run<br />
During exercise, your body needs fluid--fast. And during longer runs, a supply of carbohydrates also becomes<br />
crucial for maintaining energy levels. As you run, both fat and carbohydrates are burned for energy, but<br />
glycogen, which is the form that carbohydrate takes when stored in the muscles, runs low after about 90<br />
minutes of running. When this happens, you'll weaken and your pace may turn sluggish.<br />
The solution is quite simple: drink a sports beverage. These are formulated to supply a steady stream of<br />
energizing carbohydrates and to maximize fluid absorption.<br />
Sodas and juices don't work as well as fluid-replacement solutions during exercise because their relatively high<br />
carbohydrate concentrations of 10 to 14 percent slow fluid absorption in the intestinal tract. Most sports drinks<br />
contain half the carbohydrate content of these other beverages, or about 50 to 80 calories per 8 ounces. Small<br />
amounts of electrolytes (sodium) added to many sports drinks also boost fluid absorption.<br />
Since your fluid losses amount to over a quart an hour, drink about 1/2 to 1 cup of sports drink every 15<br />
minutes. In other words, aim for around 100 calories of carbohydrates every 30 minutes, which is ideal for<br />
keeping you energized. Even on runs lasting less than an hour, drinking helps prevent overheating, especially<br />
during tough, warm-weather workouts. If you haven't yet, give a sports drink a try during your next training<br />
session.<br />
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Sports Drinks Aplenty<br />
Sports drinks have become a billion-dollar-a-year industry. Several new products have appeared on the market<br />
over the last few years, and they're filling the shelves in supermarkets and convenience stores, even popping<br />
out of soda machines. But what's best to buy? That's pretty much determined by your personal preference, but<br />
do select one that contains around 50 to 80 calories per 8-ounce serving; any more and the carbohydrate<br />
concentration will inhibit fluid absorption.<br />
Test different brands during training, particularly on long runs, and see what works best for you. Some are<br />
slightly carbonated, which is fine if that's your preference. Whatever you choose, a sports beverage can be a<br />
valuable part of your refueling and rehydrating regimen. [1]<br />
Suggested Guidelines<br />
During activity, you can lose up to two cups (one pound) of sweat for every 300 calories burned, depending on<br />
the weather conditions. Again, stay ahead of the game by drinking fluids before, during and after your workouts.<br />
Suggested guidelines for fluid consumption are:<br />
- Drink two to three cups two hours before the activity<br />
- Drink one to two cups 10 to 20 minutes before the activity<br />
- Drink 1/2 to 3/4 cups (four to six ounces) every 15 minutes during the activity<br />
- Drink two or more cups within one to two hours after the activity<br />
- Continue drinking fluid after exercising until urine is clear<br />
To measure fluid loss, weigh yourself before and after a workout. Replace each pound lost with two cups of<br />
fluid. Water is best, but sport drinks may be helpful for activities lasting longer than 60 to 90 minutes. The most<br />
important point is to drink fluid, whether it’s water or a sports drink. [2]<br />
References<br />
http://www.runnersworld.com<br />
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The Role of Meat<br />
KEY POINTS<br />
1. In the typical Western diet, meats such as beef, lamb, pork, veal, poultry, and fish are the predominant<br />
sources of protein, B vitamins, iron, and zinc.<br />
2. Iron and zinc are the two nutrients most often deficient in vegetarian or modified-vegetarian diets. Also, iron<br />
and zinc are the most cited nutrients that may be deficient in the diet of athletes.<br />
3. Athletes who choose to exclude meat from their diets must carefully plan diets to enhance nutrient availability,<br />
particularly for iron and zinc.<br />
INTRODUCTION<br />
Generations of athletes have consumed a diet centered around meat. In the 6th century B.C., a famous Greek<br />
athlete, Milo of Crotona, was the wrestling victor in five Olympian games and in many other sacred festivals. In<br />
what is probably an apocryphal account, he applied progressive resistance training by lifting a growing calf daily.<br />
When the calf was four years old, he carried her the length of the Olympian stadium, killed, roasted, and ate her.<br />
It was reported that Milo's normal daily intake of meat was about 20 pounds (Ryan, 1981).<br />
Times have changed. As scientific evidence has solidified the link between high-fat, meat-based diets and<br />
increased risks of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease, more people are turning to a vegetarian<br />
style of eating for health reasons, rather than moral or ethical reasons. Almost seven percent of the American<br />
public, or about 12.4 million people, consider themselves vegetarians (Havala, 1994). Athletes, too, are<br />
becoming attracted to a more plant-based style of eating. Although most athletes do not eliminate all animal<br />
foods from the diet, increasing numbers of athletes avoid beef and other red meats on a fairly regular basis.<br />
(Snyder et al., 1989; Raben et al., 1992; Lyle et al., 1992). A survey of nationally competitive female runners<br />
showed that more than 40 percent avoided red meat for "health reasons" (Clark et al., 1988). Other reasons for<br />
avoiding meat include fat content, calorie content, and financial cost (Steen, 1991). In some cases athletes limit<br />
animal foods based on misconceptions, such as the erroneous association of milk with fluid retention (Kleiner et<br />
al., 1994).<br />
Can an athlete achieve peak performance on a meatless diet? Can plant foods supply the right nutrients in<br />
adequate amounts to replace nutrients depleted during intense physical activity? The purpose of this review is<br />
to summarize the factors that influence the adequacy of a meatless diet for athletes and to provide practical<br />
guidelines to assist with the healthy planning of such diets.<br />
THE ROLE OF MEAT IN THE DIET<br />
Typical Western diets are made up of the following food groupings:<br />
• Vegetables; Fruits; Breads, cereals, rice, and pasta;<br />
• Milk, yogurt, and cheese;<br />
• Meats, poultry, fish, dry beans and peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds;<br />
• Fats, oils, and sweets.<br />
In the typical Western diet, meats (including beef, lamb, pork, veal, poultry, and fish) are the primary staple<br />
around which meals are designed, and are the predominant sources of protein, B vitamins, iron, and zinc.<br />
Just as no single vegetable or fruit can provide all of the critical nutrients common to its food group, no single<br />
type of meat can provide all of the protein, B vitamins, iron, and zinc necessary for a healthy and well-balanced<br />
diet. It is the variety of types and cuts of meats that provide the total array of nutrients necessary for an<br />
adequate diet.<br />
For example, beef is only an average source of niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, and vitamin B6 (1 serving provides<br />
1024 percent of the RDA for adults and children over 4 years of age). But most cuts of beef are excellent<br />
sources of zinc (1 serving provides 40 percent of the RDA for adults and children over 4 years of age). Likewise,<br />
212
pork is an excellent source of thiamin and iron, a good source of niacin (1 serving provides 25-39 percent of the<br />
RDA for adults and children over 4 years of age), and only an average source of riboflavin, vitamin B6, and zinc.<br />
Because vitamin B12 is a byproduct of animal metabolism, virtually all types of meats are good or excellent<br />
sources of vitamin B12 (USDA, 1990).<br />
Generally speaking, red meats like beef and the dark meat of poultry are better sources of iron and zinc than<br />
are white meats like fish and light meat of poultry. However, there are some exceptions. Pork is an excellent<br />
source of iron, as are clams and oysters. Oysters are also an excellent source of zinc (USDA, 1990).<br />
The elimination of some or all meats from the diet does not mean that a wellbalanced and adequate diet is<br />
impossible. Dry beans and peas (legumes) and nuts are somewhat similar to meats in providing protein and<br />
most vitamins and minerals. But there are some significant nutritional differences between plant and animal food<br />
sources of proteins.<br />
Protein<br />
The quantity of protein in the diets of athletes is rarely a concern, regardless of whether they are meat eaters or<br />
nonmeat eaters. For example, an average of 21-25% percent of the energy in legumes comes from protein<br />
calories (Geil & Anderson, 1994), and protein constitutes 34% of the energy in soybeans. There is, however, a<br />
limitation to the quality of the protein from most legumes. With the exception of soybeans, legumes do not<br />
contain a full complement of the essential amino acids required for the efficient manufacture of protein by the<br />
human body. Wellprocessed soybean protein is equal in quality to animal protein (Young, 1991).<br />
Previous vegetarian dietary guidelines recommended that a variety of plant protein sources (such as grains and<br />
beans) be combined simultaneously at one meal to complement each other and provide a complete protein<br />
source. Current research supports the notion that by eating a variety of legumes, as well as all other food<br />
groups throughout the day, one can obtain the full array of essential amino acids required for efficient protein<br />
metabolism.<br />
According to World Health Organization (1985) recommendations, protein digestibility is reduced by about 10%<br />
in a vegetable-based diet due to the high fiber content of the diet. Accordingly, it is suggested that those who<br />
eat such diets should consume 110% of the calculated protein requirement to ensure adequate protein intakes<br />
(WHO, 1985).<br />
B Vitamins<br />
In spite of the fact that meats are a major source of B vitamins in the Western diet, whole and enriched grain<br />
products, eggs, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products are good and reliable sources of B<br />
vitamins and can fully supply the dietary requirements for B vitamins.<br />
An exception to this rule is vitamin B12, which is available only from animal products. A B12 supplement must<br />
be used if animal products are completely eliminated from the diet.<br />
Iron<br />
In absolute amounts, it is surprising to note that most meats are only average sources of iron when compared to<br />
many grains and legumes. However, the bioavailability of iron from meat versus vegetable foods makes a<br />
significant difference in the value of meat as a source of iron in the diet.<br />
There are two forms of dietary iron, heme iron (from animal tissue) and nonheme iron. Heme iron is absorbed<br />
with the iron still contained within hemoglobin or myoglobin molecules. Absorption of heme iron is affected by<br />
the body's stores of iron, but it is not affected by intestinal factors or by meal composition. However, absorption<br />
of nonheme iron is very dependent on iron stores, intestinal factors and meal composition. Furthermore, heme<br />
and nonheme iron are absorbed from the intestine at differing rates. In the ironreplete individual, as little as 15%<br />
of heme iron that reaches the intestine is absorbed, whereas up to 35% may be absorbed in an individual with<br />
little or no iron stored in the body. Absorption of nonheme iron can range from 2% in the iron-replete individual<br />
consuming a meal of low iron availability to 20% in the person with minimal stores of iron who consumes a meal<br />
213
that contains highly bioavailable nonheme iron (Monsen & Balintfy, 1982). Intestinal factors and meal<br />
composition factors that affect absorption of nonheme iron are discussed later under "Practical Considerations."<br />
Zinc<br />
Meats, particularly red meats and oysters, are good or excellent sources of zinc and are the major sources of<br />
zinc in the Western diet. The bioavailability of zinc varies with the food source; some foods contain factors that<br />
inhibit zinc absorption. Factors that inhibit zinc absorption include fiber, phytic acid, oxalic acid, ethanol, tannins,<br />
iron, calcium, and tin. These constituents are found in varying amounts in soy protein, whole wheat, tea, coffee,<br />
celery, milk, cheese, corn tortillas, and beans (Shils & Young, 1984). Zinc from animal sources is generally<br />
regarded as more bioavailable than zinc from vegetable sources (Mares-Perlman et al., 1995).<br />
INCIDENCE OF DIETARY DEFICIENCIES AMONG ATHLETES<br />
Potential iron and zinc deficiencies are the two most noted drawbacks of vegetarian or modified-vegetarian<br />
diets, and are the most common dietary deficiencies among athletes (Dallongeville et al., 1989; Lamanca &<br />
Haymes, 1992; Nutter, 1991; Pate et al., 1993; Snyder et al., 1989; Telford et al., 1992, 1993; Williford et al.,<br />
1993).<br />
Iron<br />
Iron is an essential trace element required for the formation of hemoglobin, myoglobin, the cytochromes, and<br />
iron-containing enzymes critical in immune function (Haymes, 1987). Numerous recent studies have<br />
documented a prevalence of iron deficient conditions in both male and female athletes, but more commonly<br />
among women (Dallongeville et al., 1989; Lamanca & Haymes, 1992; Nutter, 1991; Pate et al., 1993; Snyder et<br />
al., 1989; Telford et al., 1992, 1993; Williford et al., 1993).<br />
Iron depletion, the first stage of iron deficiency, is the most common iron deficiency condition documented<br />
among athletes, and is indicated by low serum ferritin values (
Iron Depletion and Performance<br />
Although it is certain that iron-deficient erythropoiesis and iron-deficiency anemia will impair physical<br />
performance, whether or not iron depletion affects performance is uncertain. Most studies (Dallongeville et al.,<br />
1989; Dressendorfer & Sockolov, 1980; Dressendorfer et al., 1982; Haralambie, 1981; Janelle & Barr, 1995;<br />
Lyle et al., 1992; Pate et al., 1993; Singh et al., 1990; Snyder et al., 1989; Williford et al., 1993;) have shown no<br />
negative performance effects due to decreased iron stores; however, Telford and colleagues (1992) showed<br />
that improving low plasma ferritin levels (
cholesterol. It is therefore recommended that zinc supplementation not exceed 15 mg/d. (Clarkson & Haymes,<br />
1994).<br />
PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS<br />
Whether to include or exclude meat in the diet of an athlete is obviously a matter of personal choice; however, if<br />
the choice is made to decrease the amount of meat in the diet, then careful dietary planning is necessary to<br />
enhance nutrient availability, particularly for iron and zinc.<br />
Diets that Increase Iron and Zinc Absorption<br />
Include heme iron sources in the diet. All types of meat contain this more-easily-absorbed form of iron. If only<br />
red meat has been eliminated from the diet, heme iron is still available from poultry and fish.<br />
The "MFP Factor": Meat, fish, and poultry also contain a special quality called the "MFP Factor" that helps the<br />
body absorb more nonheme iron. When meat and vegetables are eaten together at the same meal, more<br />
nonheme iron is absorbed from the vegetables than if the vegetables had been eaten alone.<br />
Include vitamin C sources: Fruits, vegetables and other foods that contain vitamin C help the body absorb<br />
nonheme iron. For example, if citrus fruits are eaten along with an ironfortified cereal, more iron will be absorbed<br />
from the cereal than if it had been eaten alone.<br />
Avoid constituents that block iron and zinc absorption: Some food constituents, e.g., tannins, polyphenols,<br />
phytates, and oxalates, can block the absorption of iron and zinc by the intestine. Coffee and tea (regular and<br />
decaffeinated), whole grains, bran, legumes, spinach, and a high fiber intake in general, are a few examples of<br />
foods that contain iron and zinc absorption blockers. These foods are best eaten with heme iron sources and/or<br />
vitamin C sources to help the body absorb more iron.<br />
Include Good Sources Of Iron And Zinc In The Diet<br />
There are good meatless sources of iron and zinc, as shown in the table on the following page. Because iron<br />
and zinc intake may be low or marginal in a completely plant-based diet, an extra effort must be made to include<br />
these sources in the diet on a daily basis.<br />
Iron and Zinc Supplementation<br />
Due to the rigorous demands of athletic participation, those who choose to completely eliminate meat from the<br />
diet may find it difficult to plan, prepare, or consume the quality and quantity of food required to meet<br />
recommended guidelines. Despite the fact that dietary supplements do not entirely replace food, when key<br />
nutrients are insufficient in the diet it is wise to use a supplement rather than face a potential nutrient deficiency.<br />
Daily supplementation of iron and zinc at the level of 100% of the RDA is a safe method of ensuring adequate<br />
intake of these nutrients.<br />
CONCLUSION<br />
As vegetarian styles of eating become more popular among athletes, the risk of poorly planned diets leading to<br />
nutrient insufficiencies and deficiencies increases. Suboptimal dietary intakes of iron and zinc resulting in<br />
decreased nutritional status have been observed in athletes who have eliminated meat. Marginal iron or zinc<br />
status may negatively affect exercise performance. Full-blown iron or zinc deficiency will definitely have a<br />
negative effect upon exercise performance.<br />
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It is possible to obtain all essential nutrients by eating a completely plantbased diet. However, the planning and<br />
execution of the diet is critical to both the health and performance of an athlete. Practically speaking, because<br />
vegan diets are also typically high in fiber, it may be difficult for an athlete to consume enough food to satisfy<br />
nutrient and energy needs without feeling so full that exercise performance is inhibited. Athletes must learn that<br />
it is not sufficient to merely cut meats out of the diet; these foods contain essential nutrients that must be<br />
carefully replaced by adding other foods to the diet. If the decision to consume a meatless diet is not based<br />
upon moral or ethical principles, it may be more practical to encourage the athlete to include some meat in their<br />
diet. It is also important that athletes base their dietary decisions on scientific evidence, rather than on myths<br />
and misconceptions.<br />
References<br />
Susan M. Kleiner, Ph.D., R.D. High Performance Nutrition<br />
Vegetable Matter<br />
Many runners tell me they'd like to try a vegetarian diet, but they think it's hard to do. Vegetarian food costs<br />
more, it takes longer to prepare, you need to use specialty cookbooks, you're always worried about getting<br />
complete proteins, and so on. At least, that's the perception. None of these drawbacks is necessarily true,<br />
however. Fact is, you can fix simple, great-tasting vegetarian meals in minutes. Do it right, and they'll be loaded<br />
with protein, too, not to mention energizing carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Which is good news, as we've<br />
known for years that vegetarians live longer than meat eaters. This has something to do with lifestyle, of course,<br />
as vegetarians are more likely to exercise and less likely to smoke and abuse alcohol than non-vegetarians.<br />
Nevertheless, your typical vegetarian fare also happens to be high in fiber, low in fat and chockful of<br />
antioxidants and phytochemicals-a diet that will lower your risk of heart disease, cancer and other chronic<br />
ailments.<br />
A Day in the Vegetarian Life<br />
Here's a nutrition-packed, one-day vegetarian menu. Preparation time for each meal: under 10 minutes.<br />
Breakfast<br />
• 1 cup quick oatmeal, topped with<br />
• 1 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt and<br />
• 2 tbsp raisins<br />
• 2 slices hearty grain bread with<br />
• 1 tbsp peanut butter<br />
• 8 oz orange juice<br />
Lunch<br />
• 1 garden burger on a whole<br />
• grain bun, with sliced tomato and onion<br />
• 1/2 cup pasta and bean salad<br />
• Handful of baby carrots dipped in yogurt salad dressing<br />
Snack<br />
• 1 cup calcium<br />
• fortified soy milk<br />
• 1 soft pretzel<br />
Dinner<br />
• 1 cup black bean chili, over top of<br />
• 1 cup cooked Aztec rice and corn mix<br />
• Dark green salad with 1 tbsp low-fat dressing<br />
• 1 cup frozen yogurt with<br />
• 1/2cup fresh or frozen strawberries<br />
The day's tally:<br />
2,660 calories; 100 g protein; 400 g carb; 74 g fat; 40 g fiber.<br />
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So take it from me: If you've contemplated becoming a vegetarian - or if you simply want to add more vegetarian<br />
dishes to your repertoire - it isn't difficult. Here are some tips for getting started.<br />
Vegetarianism 101<br />
All of us require approximately 40 different nutrients. When you go meatless, you must make up for the nutrients<br />
you normally would've gotten from meat. Most can be obtained easily enough, but the one you really need to<br />
keep track of is protein. If you continue to eat dairy products and eggs, getting adequate protein won't be a<br />
problem. These animal sources provide all the essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein) you need to<br />
make new proteins for the body. However, vegetable sources of protein do not contain all the essential amino<br />
acids. That's where combining proteins comes in. The easiest way to do this is to combine grains such as<br />
wheat, barley or rice with legumes such as chickpeas, black beans, pinto beans or lentils. It is not necessary to<br />
create these combinations at each meal. As long as you do so each day, and as long as you also get between<br />
60 to 100 total grams of protein daily (depending on your body size), you'll be fine. To put this in perspective,<br />
the standard 3-ounce serving of lean beef or chicken contains about 21 grams of protein. The vegetable<br />
equivalent of this would be a generous cup of cooked beans along with a cup of cooked grain. That is, you'll get<br />
those 20-plus grams of protein with a cup of curried chickpeas over a cup of saffron-flavored rice.<br />
The Joy of Soy<br />
Now that I've said you should combine grains and beans for complete protein, I'm going to make one exception:<br />
soybeans. Technically a legume, soybeans are in a class of their own. Ounce for ounce, soybean protein is just<br />
as good as milk or meat when it comes to both protein quality and amino-acid profile. In other words, no<br />
combining required; soybeans offer complete protein. There's another big reason to start making soybeans a<br />
regular part of your eating plan. Several recent studies have shown that soybeans help protect against agerelated<br />
diseases such as cancer and heart disease. (They even curtail certain menopausal symptoms.) Many of<br />
these chronic ailments aren't nearly as prevalent in Asian countries as they are here, and many experts believe<br />
the soybean-rich Asian diet is the reason why. Researchers believe the phytochemicals in soybeans (especially<br />
one called genistein) act as antioxidants. As such, they may slow the progression of certain age-related<br />
processes in the body.<br />
Vegetarianism 102<br />
Although protein is the main nutrient to monitor, vegetarians need to be vigilant about several others that are<br />
harder to come by in a meatless diet: iron, zinc, calcium and vitamin B12. Meats contain a more absorbable<br />
form (and a greater quantity) of iron than vegetables do. Still, you can get a good dose of iron from lentils, kale,<br />
collard greens, dried fruit and fortified breakfast cereals.<br />
Hint: Include a vitamin C source when you eat these foods, as this improves iron absorption. As for zinc, good<br />
vegetable sources include wheat germ, beans (miso is especially good), nuts and fortified cereals. Calcium<br />
won't be any problem if you consume dairy products. (Two to three servings of milk or low-fat yogurt daily will do<br />
the trick.) If you don't eat dairy foods, you'll have to work a little harder to meet your calcium needs. Consider<br />
calcium-fortified soy milk (one more way to get this "superfood") and use it the same way you would milk.<br />
Calcium- fortified soy products normally contain about 30 percent of the RDA for calcium. More options: bok<br />
choy, broccoli and other leafy greens. If you eat no animal products-no meat, milk or eggs-you may have trouble<br />
getting enough vitamin B12. This essential vitamin keeps blood cells healthy and maintains the covering around<br />
nerve fibers. Fermented vegetable products, such as miso and tempeh, contain some B12 because of the<br />
fermenting bacteria. Still, they probably don't provide enough of this vitamin. My recommendation to strict<br />
vegetarians ("vegans") is to get in the habit of eating fortified breakfast cereals or taking a vitamin supplement.<br />
Time to Shop<br />
Putting together nutritionally balanced meatless meals is a relatively simple matter once you get the hang of it.<br />
Especially with all the new, ready-to-eat vegetarian products available at the grocery store. Also, check out the<br />
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local health food store or food co-op for the easy- to-prepare items they might have. Here are some foods to<br />
look for: Frozen foods: This may be the best (read: easiest) place to start if you're just getting into vegetarian<br />
eating. In any grocery store's frozen food section, you'll find the old standards (cheese lasagna and vegetable<br />
pot pie), as well as new ethnic treats such as Moroccan bulgur wheat and lentils or Thai-style curried chickpeas<br />
and rice. If you're looking for meat substitutes, try soy hot dogs, veggie pepperoni (for pizza), or garden burgers.<br />
Five minutes in the microwave with any of these, and you've got a good start on a no-fuss meal.<br />
Canned foods<br />
With all the canned beans available-chickpeas, black beans, navy beans, pinto beans-long soaking and boiling<br />
simply aren't necessary anymore. You can also get "meals in a can" such as vegetarian chili, which comes with<br />
14 grams of protein and 14 grams of fiber in a totally nonfat, 1-cup serving. Canned vegetable soups are good,<br />
too, as long as you get the low-sodium varieties. (My favorites are split pea, lentil and vegetable minestrone.)<br />
Packaged mixes: Keep an eye out for a line of products called Tofu Classics. I call them the "hamburger helper"<br />
of the tofu world, as all you do is add tofu. These dishes are tasty, low-fat, and loaded with protein and fiber.<br />
Then there are the just-add-water products (again, beware of sodium). Put them in a saucepan, add hot water<br />
and presto: couscous with lentils, bean curry, even fettucini. Take them to work for a light lunch or afternoon<br />
snack. Or try packaged, stove-top risotto, couscous, or wild rice pilaf served with cooked beans or with an<br />
entrée from the frozen foods section. Okay, now you have no excuses. If you've been thinking about "the<br />
vegetarian thing," maybe it's time to try it out. Jot down some of the items I mentioned so you can look for them<br />
the next time you go to the grocery store. See how it goes for a week or two. If eating vegetarian seems like it's<br />
going to take too much time and effort, you'll at least have learned about some new, tasty, low-fat dishes.<br />
References<br />
Liz Applegate, Ph.D., is the Nutrition Editor for Runner's World. She is a member of The National Triathlon<br />
Training Camp Elite Team, and teaches at the University of California at Davis.<br />
Nutritional Program<br />
40-30-30: The Nutritional Program That May Dramatically Improve Your Athletic Performance<br />
For more than two decades, athletes have diligently followed a high-carbohydrate, low-fat dietary regimen. And<br />
why not? It has been recommended by an infinite number of coaches, trainers and sports nutritionists for years.<br />
But things are changing. The typical diet-which consisted of 60 to 70 percent carbohydrate, 15 to 25 percent<br />
rotein and 10 to 15 percent fat has come face-to-face with a more balanced ratio of 40 percent carbohydrate, 30<br />
percent protein and 30 percent fat.<br />
That's right. Thirty percent fat. If you are a high-carb advocate who is ready to skip this story, hold on. Sit back<br />
and read this with an open mind. Scientific reasoning definitely plays a role, but common sense is a major factor<br />
in understanding why the 40/30/30 ratio may dramatically improve your athletic performance.<br />
An Athlete's Nightmare<br />
Have you ever felt mentally or physically tired in the middle of the day for no apparent reason? Welcome to the<br />
not-so-wonderful world of hypoglycemia, which, as you may know, can really put a damper on your training.<br />
What is Hypoglycemia?<br />
It is a condition that occurs when your blood glucose (sugar) concentrations fall to abnormally low levels.<br />
Symptoms include fatigue, restlessness, and unclear thought and hunger cravings.<br />
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The hormone insulin is the culprit behind hypoglycemia. Secreted from the pancreas, insulin's job is to regulate<br />
blood glucose levels. When the levels rise, insulin is needed to transport excess glucose into various parts of<br />
our bodies.<br />
Ideally, a meal will produce a mild rise in blood glucose. Insulin is secreted and either redirects glucose into our<br />
body's cells for immediate energy or stores it as glycogen (future energy) in the liver and muscle tissue.<br />
In an unfavorable situation, a meal produces a surge of blood glucose and the pancreas counters by secreting<br />
extra insulin. With more of the hormone in circulation, blood glucose concentrations are effectively lowered-but<br />
too rapidly. Energy levels plummet, leaving you listless and suffering from a classic case of hypoglycemia.<br />
Furthermore, when insulin needs to quickly react in compensation for excess blood glucose, it converts a high<br />
percentage of the glucose into fat. Insulin is very proficient at doing this-to the point that it can make you fat.<br />
As an athlete, you do not want to be hypoglycemic, and you definitely do not want to be fat. Based on the<br />
information above, it is obvious that meals stimulating an overwhelming amount of insulin should be avoided.<br />
Ironically, the very same high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet followed by millions of athletes induces the hormone in<br />
abundance.<br />
To Enhance Performance<br />
To enhance athletic performance, you must properly manage insulin and control your blood glucose level. To do<br />
this, you'll need to have an awareness of the glycemic index.<br />
The glycemic index is a measure of how fast carbohydrates break down into blood glucose. High-glycemic<br />
carbohydrates, such as rice cakes and bread, spike blood glucose levels and rapidly induce insulin secretion.<br />
Low-glycemic carbohydrates, such as most fruits and vegetables, break down much slower and require less<br />
insulin. Furthermore, the addition of protein and fat to your meals lowers the overall glycemic response. This is<br />
optimal for sustaining energy levels and avoiding insulin's fat storage effect.<br />
Better yet, when carbohydrates are moderated, your body will utilize a higher percentage of body fat for energy.<br />
This is especially good because glycogen storage is limited. The average individual can only store 1,200-2,000<br />
calories in the form of glycogen.<br />
Body fat, on the other hand, can supply even the leanest athlete with a minimum of 10,000 calories. Those on a<br />
high-carbohydrate diet will burn a much lower percentage of body fat because increased concentrations of<br />
insulin will block the secretion of glucagon.<br />
Working adversely to insulin, glucagon is a mobilizing hormone that is stimulated by protein. One of its functions<br />
is to release stored fat (in the form of fatty acids) into the bloodstream where it is made available to muscle cells<br />
for energy.<br />
Let's now take a closer look at the 40/30/30 nutritional program.<br />
The 40/30/30 Diet<br />
Carbohydrates: 40 Percent<br />
Carbohydrates are still an important part of the 40/30/30 ratio, but quality takes a back seat to quantity. The bulk<br />
of your carbohydrate consumption should come from those with a low-glycemic index. This includes most fruits,<br />
vegetables and legumes.<br />
High-glycemic carbohydrates such as breads, cereals and pastas should be eaten sparingly. Besides, they are<br />
so processed they virtually have no nutrients. Even minimally processed "whole grains" must be fortified and<br />
enriched to replace nutrients that have been stripped out. Because of their weakened structures, these types of<br />
carbohydrates digest very quickly and spur on insulin secretion.<br />
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Protein: 30 Percent<br />
With the popularity of the high-carb, low-fat diet, many athletes are not getting enough protein. Many are getting<br />
90 percent of their calories from carbohydrates!<br />
You must understand that carbohydrates are utilized chiefly as an energy source and cannot be converted into<br />
essential amino acids. Supplied by protein, amino acids are hugely responsible for the making of a complete<br />
athlete. Not only do they aid in the building and repair of muscle tissue, but they are the foundations of our<br />
organs, hormones, enzymes and immune system.<br />
The best sources of protein are derived from chicken, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy products and lean cuts of beef.<br />
For those of you who are strict vegetarians, invest in a high-quality protein powder. It's difficult to consume<br />
enough protein on a vegan diet (especially while training), because proteins from vegetable sources are not<br />
utilized as efficiently as those from dairy or animal products. The main reason for this difficulty is that grains and<br />
vegetables are primarily carbohydrates, while nuts and seeds are essentially fats. Some of these foods may<br />
contain a significant amount of protein, but their fiber content inhibits proper bodily absorption.<br />
Fat: 30 Percent<br />
No longer to be avoided like the plague, fat should be included in a balanced athletic diet. Aside from being a<br />
superior source of energy, fats provide bodily insulation and act as a shock absorber for internal organs and<br />
skeletal joints. Moreover without an appropriate fat intake, the body is ineffective at transporting the fat-soluble<br />
vitamins A, D, E and K.<br />
One of the biggest deficiencies that you face on a low-to-no-fat diet is getting an adequate intake of essential<br />
fatty acids. The body can synthesize (produce) many types of fats, but is unable to produce linoleic or linolenic<br />
polyunsaturated fatty acids.<br />
Linoleic acid is from the omega-6 family and is found primarily in vegetable oils, nuts and seeds. Linolenic acid<br />
is a member of the omega-3 family and is found in fish and flaxseed oil. These essential fatty acids are<br />
necessary for the manufacture of a series of hormones called Prostaglandins. Controlling virtually every cell of<br />
the body, Prostaglandins promote injury recovery, immune defense and regulate inflammation.<br />
Choice fats are found in cold-water fish (salmon), cold-pressed vegetable oils (canola and olive), nuts, seeds<br />
and avocados. Keep saturated fats to no more than 10 percent of total fat intake and avoid hydrogenated oils.<br />
These are chemically processed fats found in food items such as commercial baked goods, chips and<br />
margarine. Hydrogenated oils contain highly unfavorable trans-fatty acids, which our bodies metabolize with<br />
extreme difficulty and can block your arteries.<br />
Base Your Meals on Protein<br />
The key to putting together a 40/30/30 meal is to base it around a protein source. Using grams as a<br />
measurement, carbohydrates should be approximately 1.33 times greater than the total protein. Fat can be<br />
determined by multiplying total protein grams in the meal by four (calories per gram of protein). This sum divided<br />
by nine (calories per gram of fat) is equivalent to the number of fat grams that should be present in your meal.<br />
Following is an example of a balanced dinner, which has 47 grams of carbohydrate, 36 grams of protein and 16<br />
grams of fat: 4.5 ounces baked or broiled chicken breast, 1/2 baked red potato, one cup broccoli, one large<br />
dinner salad, and two teaspoons of olive oil.<br />
The Key Word is Balance<br />
In just about everything we do, balance is the key. So why should our nutritional habits be any<br />
different?Consuming a diet with 60 percent plus carbohydrates is hardly a balance. The secret to this program,<br />
which does not require expensive sports supplements, is the 40/30/30 macronutritional balance.<br />
So if you follow a high-carb, low-fat diet, compromise on the carbohydrates and add more protein and dietary<br />
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fat. You'll find that is a simple and effective way to avoid low-energy levels, maintain a favorable body<br />
composition, and improve your overall health and athletic performance.<br />
References<br />
Philip N. LeClair, C.N., CFT, staff nutritionist at Biofoods, Inc., the makers of Balance nutritional products. He is<br />
also the editor of The In Balance Health and Fitness Newsletter.<br />
For Women Only<br />
The lament comes from my friend Shelly, but it could've come from thousands of other women: "I know my diet<br />
isn't perfect," says Shelly. "But between my family (including a newborn), my work and my running, I just feel<br />
tired a lot. I don't know, maybe there's something missing in my diet that would give me the energy I used to<br />
have."<br />
Busy women like Shelly often find themselves skipping meals, eating "empty" snacks, skimping on vitamins and<br />
overstuffing with fat-free foods. Women also have to realize that what works for men may not work for them. We<br />
have different nutritional requirements.<br />
To help you meet those requirements, here are eight nutrition tips. Follow them, and your stamina and<br />
performance should improve, plus you'll be getting the nutrients you need to fight the chronic diseases that are<br />
of increasing concern to women.<br />
Eat Often<br />
Take it from me, eating frequently during the day is good for you. Research shows that women who keep their<br />
weight steady are usually those who eat at least four times a day and who don't skip meals. This "grazing" may<br />
improve your work performance, too, as one study of men and women showed that eating a snack of a few<br />
hundred calories in the afternoon improved memory and cognitive skills later in the day.<br />
On the other hand, skipping meals can leave you feeling drained, unable to concentrate and lackluster about<br />
your evening workout. Also, missing meals earlier in the day often leads to overeating in the afternoon and<br />
evening. At that point, you'll be more likely to select foods that are high in fat, sugar and calories.<br />
Try to eat around five times a day—that's three meals and two snacks. If you have a busy schedule, you'll need<br />
to plan ahead. Get in the habit of stowing snacks in your workout bag, or bring healthful munchies to work for<br />
midmorning and midafternoon snacking. Dried fruit, energy bars, canned vegetable juice and small boxes of<br />
ready-to-eat breakfast cereal are all good choices that are high in carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals.<br />
Boost Your B2<br />
Vitamin B2, or riboflavin, assists in the breakdown of carbohydrates and fats for energy for working muscles. It's<br />
no surprise, therefore, that this vitamin plays a crucial role during endurance exercise. Because research on<br />
women shows that 30 minutes of daily exercise lowers riboflavin levels in the body, you should try to get at least<br />
the RDA (1.3 milligrams for women). You might want to talk to your doctor about whether or not you need more<br />
than the RDA, especially if you do high-mileage training.<br />
Most dairy products are good sources of riboflavin. Go for 1 percent or skim milk, nonfat yogurt or other low-fat<br />
dairy foods. Breads, cereals and other grain products are also good sources.<br />
Bone Up On Calcium<br />
Getting enough calcium and protein is particularly crucial for women, who are susceptible to osteoporosis.<br />
Though activities such as running and weight training help build stronger bones, if you are amenorrheic (you<br />
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frequently miss your menstrual period), you can lose bone mass despite regular exercise. That's because<br />
amenorrheic women have lower levels of estrogen, a hormone that plays a key role in building and maintaining<br />
bone calcium.<br />
An estimated 25 percent of women runners become amenorrheic at some point. Some are helped only by<br />
estrogen-replacement therapy. In other cases, a simple dietary change does the trick--especially if you've been<br />
skimping on calcium and protein.<br />
Research suggests that the calcium RDA of 800 milligrams for women over the age of 24 is insufficient,<br />
particularly for amenorrheic athletes. Around 1,200 milligrams, the equivalent of four servings of milk, looks to<br />
be more appropriate. As for protein, women vegetarians should know that a low intake may put them at higher<br />
risk for amenorrhea.<br />
So be sure you get regular servings of dairy products, calcium-rich tofu and greens, and calcium-fortified orange<br />
juice. Also, eat lean meat and/or high-quality protein combinations such as pinto beans and rice. Avoid fiber<br />
supplements: these bind calcium and other minerals in the intestinal tract, thus decreasing the absorption of<br />
essential nutrients.<br />
Vegetarians, Watch Your Vitamins<br />
Many women have found that being a vegetarian is a good way to reduce fat intake, boost carbohydrate intake<br />
and improve health. Further, research shows that vegetarians are generally healthier than meat-eaters, that<br />
they have a lower incidence of cancer and heart disease and that they have leaner bodies.<br />
But being a vegetarian doesn't guarantee improved health. A recent study of vegetarian women showed that<br />
compared to nonvegetarians, they took in less calcium, zinc and vitamin B12. Those in the study ate less than<br />
half the RDA for B12, a vitamin crucial for healthy red blood cells and nerve fibers. Since B12 is found only in<br />
animal products (red meat, fish, shellfish, eggs and milk are good sources) strict vegetarians (or "vegans") must<br />
look for foods, such as soy milk, that are fortified with this vitamin.<br />
Zinc, which is needed for a strong immune system, is found almost exclusively in meat (oysters are an<br />
especially rich source). An exception is whole grains (once they get refined they lose their zinc content). Wheat<br />
germ is one of the best zinc sources; add a tablespoon or two to hot cereals, casseroles, soups or blender<br />
drinks.<br />
Eat Greens<br />
Green, leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale and certain dark-green lettuces are loaded with folate, another B<br />
vitamin. Most women don't get enough of this vitamin, and the deficiency is linked to severe neural-tube defects<br />
in newborns. This connection is so strong that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S.<br />
Food and Drug Administration now recommend that women take in 400 micrograms of folate daily, which is<br />
more than twice the current RDA. There's also talk by the FDA of fortifying grains with folate (as is already done<br />
with the B vitamins thiamine, riboflavin and niacin). Adding folate to breads and pastas would boost folate intake<br />
by an estimated 30 to 70 percent.<br />
Until this happens, try to eat good sources of folate daily. In addition to leafy greens, citrus fruits are also high in<br />
this vitamin. A 6-ounce glass of orange juice contains 120 micrograms of folate.<br />
Add Soybeans To Your Routine<br />
One of every two women will die of cardiovascular disease. And although women on average are a decade<br />
older than men when the disease first strikes, it kills as many women as it does men. (Ten times more women<br />
die of heart disease than die of breast cancer each year.)<br />
Fortunately, research has shown that people who eat regular servings of soybean products such as tofu and<br />
miso are at a lower risk of heart disease. Soybeans contain substances called phytoestrogens, which research<br />
has shown can significantly lower "bad" LDL cholesterol and raise "good" HDL cholesterol.<br />
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Add soybeans to soups and casseroles as you would other dried beans. Tofu works well in salads, pasta dishes<br />
and sandwiches. And though soybeans are somewhat higher in fat than other beans, that fat is primarily the<br />
cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated and polyunsaturated types.<br />
Pump That Iron<br />
Studies show that more than 50 percent of all women runners are deficient in iron. Sagging iron levels result in<br />
fatigue and poor endurance, since the blood is unable to carry oxygen as efficiently to working muscles. Feeling<br />
chilled or cold may be another sign that iron is low. Though losses of this important mineral occur during<br />
menstruation and in a few other small ways, lack of iron in the diet is the most likely cause of deficiency, as<br />
studies show that women distance runners usually get less than the RDA of 15 milligrams.<br />
The solution is simple: eat more iron-rich foods. Lean red meat and dark poultry are two of the best sources, in<br />
part because the form of iron they contain is easy to absorb. Women often shy away from red meat due to its fat<br />
content, but by choosing lean cuts you can get your iron while still maintaining a low-fat diet. Two good nonmeat<br />
sources are lentils and iron-fortified breakfast cereals. Another point to remember: the tannins that are in coffee<br />
and tea block iron uptake from food, so drink these beverages between meals, not with them.<br />
Before turning to supplementation as your source, check with your doctor. Too much iron has its drawbacks: it<br />
can limit the absorption of zinc and may also cause constipation. Better to increase your iron intake with 2 to 4<br />
ounces of lean meat a day.<br />
Count Calories When Cutting Fat<br />
Thousands of fat-free and reduced-fat products have hit the market in recent years. But this fat-free frenzy has a<br />
downside. Many people think that because a food is fat-free they can eat as much of it as they want. Not true.<br />
Fat-free doesn't mean calorie-free. Many of these foods are loaded with sugar and calories, so gorging on them<br />
will cause weight gain.<br />
Loading up on fat-free goodies may also starve you of important vitamins and minerals, since many fat-free<br />
products are refined and therefore low in key nutrients. Many are also lower in fat-soluble nutrients such as<br />
vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects against age-related diseases. Research shows that women who switch to<br />
a low-fat diet (less than 30 percent fat calories) often fall below their requirement for vitamin E.<br />
To beat the fat-free nutrition blues, make sure you're getting several servings of fresh fruits and vegetables a<br />
day. To get your vitamin E, eat plenty of whole grains, and try to use small amounts of vitamin E-rich oils, such<br />
as corn oil or walnut oil, for cooking or on salads. Check food labels for calorie amounts even when you're<br />
buying fat-free foods. And remember, if it's weight loss you're after, you simply need to take in fewer calories<br />
than you burn.<br />
References<br />
Liz Applegate, Ph.D., is the Nutrition Editor for Runner's World. Member of The National Triathlon Training<br />
Camp Elite Team, teaches at UC Davis.<br />
224
Brain Drain<br />
Feeling bushed at the end of a hard run is perfectly normal. In fact, it's inevitable. After all, we're not machines,<br />
and fatigue is your body's way of telling you enough is enough. But if fatigue has been hampering you lately,<br />
maybe there's more to it than physical exhaustion. Could be you're experiencing "brain fatigue," and certain<br />
foods can help you fight back.<br />
Researchers have long pondered the origin of exercise fatigue, and they now agree that several factors<br />
contribute to it, including spent stores of muscle glycogen, overuse of specific muscle groups through repeated<br />
contractions, and lactic acid buildup. These are what exercise physiologists call peripheral fatigue mechanisms.<br />
That is, they originate in the muscles themselves.<br />
However, recent research shows that exercise fatigue is also caused by mechanisms in the brain. Specifically,<br />
scientists are looking at neurotransmitters--brain chemicals responsible for (among other things) mood and<br />
alertness. According to the "brain theory," levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin rise during exercise and<br />
cause fatigue. Further research indicates that eating certain foods may inhibit this mechanism. But first, let's<br />
look more closely at brain fatigue. It's All In Your HeadThe brain theory, or "central fatigue hypothesis," of<br />
exercise exhaustion was developed by Oxford University biochemist Eric Newsholme, Ph.D. It begins like this:<br />
When you run for long periods, you drain your muscles of glycogen, which is the form that carbohydrates take<br />
when stored in muscle tissue. When glycogen stores run low, fatty acids (released from fat cells) become a<br />
primary energy source.<br />
Now it gets tricky. Fatty acids require a special carrier to take them through the bloodstream. The problem is<br />
that there's another substance that rides this same carrier. That other substance is called tryptophan, an amino<br />
acid that the brain converts to serotonin. What happens is that during endurance exercise, increasing numbers<br />
of fatty acids bump tryptophan off its carrier. The free-floating tryptophan enters the brain (it has a biochemical<br />
"preference" to do this), where it converts to serotonin. The result? Serotonin levels increase, and you feel tired.<br />
This fatty acid-tryptophan-serotonin chain of events isn't the only mechanism responsible for brain fatigue.<br />
There's a second biochemical interaction that brings on fatigue. It involves substances called branch chain<br />
amino acids (BCAAs), which compete with tryptophan for entry into the brain.<br />
During a long bout of exercise such as a marathon, your muscles use BCAAs for fuel. This lowers the amount of<br />
circulating BCAAs, which means that more tryptophan can get into the brain, as it doesn't have to compete with<br />
as many BCAAs to do so. The result: more serotonin is produced, and fatigue sets in. Theoretically, if you could<br />
maintain higher levels of BCAAs in your blood during exercise, more BCAAs and less tryptophan would get into<br />
the brain, and this would help fight fatigue.<br />
Food For Thought<br />
The key to fighting brain fatigue is to prevent tryptophan from getting into the brain. Certain foods can help<br />
accomplish this--in particular, carbohydrates.<br />
When you take in carbohydrates just before or during exercise, as with a sports drink, your muscles use the<br />
carbohydrates as fuel, and a signal is sent to fat cells to slow the release of free fatty acids. When fatty acid<br />
release slows, this decreases the amount of tryptophan going to the brain.<br />
To examine this carbohydrate/brain connection, University of South Carolina exercise physiologist Mark Davis,<br />
Ph.D., put trained cyclists to the test. Two groups of cyclists were asked to pedal on a stationary bike at twothirds<br />
of their maximum effort until exhaustion. While cycling, they drank a cup of fluid every 30 minutes. The<br />
first group drank a placebo beverage that contained no carbohydrates, while the second group drank a<br />
carbohydrate sports drink.<br />
The cyclists who drank the placebo stopped pedaling after about 3 hours. The carbohydrate drinkers lasted a<br />
full 45 minutes longer. Furthermore, researchers discovered that the levels of free fatty acids and tryptophan<br />
climbed over 500 percent of normal in the placebo group and were highest at the time of exhaustion. Those who<br />
took in carbohydrates had far lower levels of both.<br />
225
"The carbohydrate beverages clearly boosted performance in these cyclists," says Davis. "And while some of<br />
the improvement may be from increased fuel for the muscles, our results show that carbohydrates also play a<br />
role in delaying fatigue through central mechanisms." In other words, carbohydrates do this by holding down<br />
levels of fatty acids and tryptophan.<br />
The Chain Gang<br />
And what about the branch chain amino acids? Can we take a dose of BCAAs while running, so that less<br />
tryptophan reaches the brain for serotonin production? The theory sounds plausible, but studies have been<br />
inconclusive. According to Davis, the amount of BCAAs needed to lessen the amount of tryptophan entering the<br />
brain would be poorly tolerated and perhaps even dangerous. BCAA beverages taste awful, for one, and they<br />
slow fluid absorption, which increases risk of dehydration. Heavy doses could possibly even bring about toxic<br />
levels of ammonia in the body.<br />
Yet, inevitably, sports drinks containing BCAAs have hit the market. While testimonials from endurance runners<br />
suggest that these beverages ward off fatigue, the amount of BCAAs in these products--less than 1 gram per<br />
serving--is small and would have negligible effect. Until we learn more about BCAAs and fatigue, you should<br />
avoid taking supplements containing these amino acids because of their potentially harmful side effects.<br />
Brain Pleasers<br />
To help fight brain fatigue, here are several tips for before and during your workouts and races:<br />
• About 2 to 3 hours before a long run, eat high-carbohydrate foods such as cereal, bread, low-fat muffins or<br />
fruit. The carbohydrates will be released into your bloodstream during your run. They'll serve as fuel for<br />
exercising muscles and help stave off brain fatigue.<br />
• Avoid fasting. Skipping meals shortly before a workout or race not only can leave you short on fuel but can<br />
lead to brain fatigue. What happens is that glycogen stores become depleted, so the body compensates by<br />
increasing the circulation of fatty acids for fuel. As fatty acid levels go up, so does your level of tryptophan,<br />
and, well, you know the rest.<br />
• Keep away from high-fat foods before your workouts. Doughnuts, fatty meats or high-fat dairy products may<br />
cause early fatigue by increasing the levels of circulating fatty acids.<br />
• During a long run, eat foods that have a high glycemic index (GI). The GI is a measure of how quickly a<br />
carbohydrate food is processed, releasing sugar into the bloodstream. High-glycemic foods are exactly what<br />
you need to fuel muscles and keep fatty acid levels from climbing. Good high-glycemic choices include<br />
sports drinks, raisins, bread, potatoes and cookies sweetened with molasses<br />
• Be sure to get adequate rest. Early fatigue during workouts or races may simply be a sign that you're not<br />
getting adequate rest and recovery. If you do high mileage on a daily basis, make sure to get plenty of<br />
sleep. Also, schedule a day off or light cross-training activity once a week or so to give your muscles--and<br />
mind--a break from hard training.<br />
References<br />
Liz Applegate, Ph.D., is the Nutrition Editor for Runner's World. She is a member of The National Triathlon<br />
Training Camp Elite Team, and teaches at the University of California at Davis.<br />
226
Game Day<br />
Heat<br />
Heat can be a serious problem especially during August practices and during the first several weeks of the<br />
season. If you listen to your body you can prevent most problems with heat. If you fail to listen, you can have<br />
serious problems. The first step in avoiding heat problems is to drink plenty of liquids. The three major problems<br />
that heat can cause are: heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. If you get in trouble, stop exercise, get<br />
out of the sun, get fluids, and cool off.<br />
Heat related problems<br />
• Heat cramps. These occur in the voluntary muscles and are usually the first sign of trouble. If you get heat<br />
cramps, quit exercise and get out of the sun. Message usually helps as does drinking water or sports drink.<br />
• Heat exhaustion. This is brought on by fluid loss and partly by the fact that the body's cooling system has<br />
sent so much of its blood supply to the skin. This reduces blood flow to the brain and can produce confusion<br />
and even unconsciousness. A person with heat exhaustion has a wet skin. If you get heat exhaustion stop<br />
at once, get out of the sun, lie down, raise your feet, and cool off. Drink plenty of fluids.<br />
• Heat stroke. Heat stroke is life threatening. In heat stroke the body temperature is extremely high and the<br />
skin is usually (though not always) hot and dry. Other symptoms are dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, and<br />
confusion. Immediate medical attention is required. The body temperature must be reduced at once with<br />
cool water, rubbing alcohol, or by putting the victim into a tub of cold water.<br />
Listen to your body. When you start to feel overheated stop exercising. If you are in the middle of a game, drop<br />
to the ground to let the referee know that you need to come out of the game. As soon as you get of the field,<br />
pour water on your head, get out of the sun, and drink plenty of fluids. You can prevent most heat related<br />
problems by drinking plenty of fluids before, during, and after exercise or a game.<br />
Hydration<br />
Failure to drink adequate fluids leads to dehydration. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, headaches, and even<br />
muscle cramps. Even if you don't have any of these symptoms, you still need to be sure that you get adequate<br />
fluids. This is especially important during the August practices and the early games in the season.<br />
This year the American College of sports Medicine (ACM) released advise on fluid intake for health and<br />
performance.<br />
The day before practice or a game, eat well and drink plenty of fluids Drink more fluids than you think you need.<br />
Thirst is not a good indication of needing fluids. Drink fluids before practice or a game. During practice or during<br />
a game, drink plenty of fluids. Be sure to drink at least one glass of water or sports drink at half time. Remember<br />
to drink at half time even if you are not thirsty. Thirst is NOT a good indication of need for fluids. Keep your<br />
beverage cool. Studies show that cooled beverages are more palatable and that you will tend to drink more.<br />
Try to drink a sports drink during games--especially the first game of the day. Studies show that if exercise lasts<br />
over an hour (a soccer game is90 minutes for U18), a drink with electrolytes and carbohydrates is better than<br />
plain water. For shorter periods of exercise, water is just as good as sports drink. Avoid drinks that are too high<br />
in electrolytes or carbohydrates.<br />
Consume carbohydrates at the rate of 120 to 240 calories per hour during exercise lasting over an hour. This<br />
will delay fatigue. Drink 5 to 12 ounces of a typical sports drink every 15 to 20 minutes during a game to meet<br />
both fluid and carbohydrate needs.<br />
Sports drinks with some sodium are recommended for exercise lasting over an hour.<br />
If you suffer from cramps, drink several glasses of sports drink the day before a game or practice.<br />
227
Sports Medicine Rumor Control<br />
From the NCAA Sports Sciences Education Newsletter (Fall 1996). The article is from the Sports Medicine<br />
meeting May 29 - June 1 in Cincinnati.<br />
Eating before endurance exercise greatly improves lasting power. A British study suggests that eating 1.1<br />
grams carbohydrate/ lb. of body weight (700 calories/150 lbs.) three hours before, plus consuming a sports drink<br />
during an endurance run significantly extends running time to exhaustion. The subjects ran 147 minutes with the<br />
prerun meal and sports drink; 125 minutes with no breakfast and only sports drink; and 115 minutes with no<br />
calories before or during the run.<br />
Sports drinks improve not only endurance but also performance of high intensity exercise that lasts less than an<br />
hour. When 19 trained cyclists consumed a sports drink (about 240 calories per hour) during a time trial, they<br />
improved their performance by 2.3%. This knocked more than one minute off their approximately one-hour<br />
event.<br />
Exercise induced muscle cramps are thought to be caused by dehydration and loss of sodium and potassium,<br />
but that may not be true. Runners who suffered muscle cramps after a 35 mile race had similar serum sodium,<br />
potassium and glucose levels as well as similar hydration status compared to a runner with no cramps. But the<br />
runners with cramps had a higher EMG (electromyograph) activity, suggesting that the cause may be<br />
malfunctioning nerves.<br />
Drinking alcohol after exercise results in reduced muscle glycogen storage when athletes displace carbohydrate<br />
calories with alcohol (that is, they drink beer, but don't eat enough food). If you are going to drink alcohol, be<br />
sure to eat a high carbohydrate diet.<br />
Recovery carbohydrates are important not only for endurance athletes, but also for those who train for strength.<br />
When eight healthy men (age 22) consumed .5 carbohydrates/ lb. body weight immediately after performing<br />
heavy resistance exercise and then again one hour later, they had significantly less muscle protein breakdown<br />
than when they ate nothing.<br />
For all you Breathe Rite fans, three researchers reported no performance benefits with using these nasal strips.<br />
This demonstrates yet another example of how we should not believe every ad we see in popular sports<br />
magazines.<br />
What to do about cramps?<br />
Leg cramps can bring even the best player to the ground in pain. There are several suggestions for avoiding<br />
cramps. The most common suggestions are:<br />
Drink plenty of fluids before exercise.<br />
Eat high potassium foods such as bananas.<br />
Recent research in South Africa suggests that the best way to avoid cramps is to spend 15 minutes stretching<br />
before competition with emphasis on the problem area. Although everyone stretches before competition, most<br />
don't spend 15 minutes. The South African researchers reported that cramp-prone athletes can greatly reduce<br />
the chances of cramps with a stretching program.<br />
References<br />
http://www.gaia-ultimate.com<br />
228
Training<br />
Strength Training<br />
Weight Training<br />
Better performances can be the product of a number of factors. This product is primarily the outcome of efficient<br />
technique, the progression of speed and the maturing competitive attitude on a sound basis of general<br />
endurance, all round strength and general mobility. The development of all round strength is best achieved via<br />
circuit training and then progressing this through strength training. Weight training is the most widely used and<br />
popular method of increasing strength.<br />
How do we get stronger?<br />
A muscle will only strengthen when forced to operate beyond its customary intensity (overload). Overload can<br />
be progressed by increasing the:<br />
• resistance e.g. adding 10kg to the barbell .<br />
• number of repetitions with a particular weight.<br />
• number of sets of the exercise<br />
• intensity, i.e. reducing the recovery periods.<br />
Which weight training exercises?<br />
The exercise must be specific to the type of strength required, and is therefore related to the particular demands<br />
of the event (specificity). The coach should have knowledge of the predominant types of muscular activity<br />
associated with the particular event, the movement pattern involved and the type of strength required. Exercises<br />
should be identified that will produce the desired development. Although specificity is important, it is necessary<br />
in every schedule to include exercises of a general nature - e.g.<br />
• Power Clean<br />
• Bench Press<br />
• Back Squats<br />
• Sit Ups<br />
• Shoulder Press<br />
• Chest Press<br />
• Lat Pull downs<br />
• Lower Back Extensions<br />
• Tricep Press<br />
• Calf Raise<br />
• Bicep Curls<br />
• Leg Curls<br />
• Leg Extension<br />
These general exercises give a balanced development, and provide a strong base upon which highly specific<br />
exercise can be built.<br />
How Much?<br />
The amount of weight to be used should be based on a percentage of the maximum amount of weight that can<br />
be lifted one time, generally referred to as one repetition maximum (1RM). The maximum number of repetitions<br />
performed before fatigue prohibits the completion of an additional repetition is a function of the weight used,<br />
referred to as repetition maximum (RM), and reflects the intensity of the exercise. A weight load that produces<br />
fatigue on the third repetition is termed a three repetition maximum (3RM) and corresponds to approximately<br />
85% of the weight that could be lifted for 1RM.<br />
229
How Many?<br />
The number of repetitions performed to fatigue is an important consideration in designing a strength training<br />
programme. The greatest strength gains appear to result from working with 4-6RM. Increasing this to 12-20RM<br />
favours the increase in muscle endurance and mass.<br />
Three sets of 8-12RM performed 3 days a week is a typical strength training programme. The optimal number of<br />
sets of an exercise to develop muscle strength remains controversial. In a number of studies comparing multiple<br />
set programmes to produce greater strength gains than a single set, the majority of studies indicate that there is<br />
not a significant difference.<br />
Handling heavy weights in the pursuit of strength will require a recovery of 3-5 minutes between sets, but only<br />
minimum recovery should be taken if strength endurance is the aim. The majority of athletic events are fast and<br />
dynamic, and therefore this quality must be reflected in the athlete's strength work.<br />
How often?<br />
This is really linked with recovery since the body must be allowed to recover from the strenuous demands of<br />
strength training. As a 'rule of thumb' 48 hours should elapse between sessions. If training strenuously, any<br />
athlete will find it extremely difficult to maintain the same level of lifting at each session, and the total poundage<br />
lifted in each session would be better to be varied (e.g. a high, low and medium volume session) each week.<br />
What sort of weight lifting equipment?<br />
There are variable resistance machines and free weights. Variable resistance machines are effective tools for<br />
building strength and muscle tone and are designed to work the target muscle in isolation, without the<br />
assistance of the surrounding muscles. Free weights (barbells, dumbbells and machines that provide the same<br />
equal resistance to a muscle) allow you not only to target a particular muscle group but to engage other muscles<br />
that assist in the work. Once they are conditioned, these assisting muscles help you to increase the weight you<br />
use in training the target muscles in order to stimulate the most growth in muscle fibers. The assisting muscles<br />
help stabilize the body, support limbs and maintain posture during a lift. Lifting free weights improves your coordination<br />
by improving the neuromuscular pathways that connect your muscles to the central nervous system.<br />
Training Systems<br />
Simple Sets: e.g. 3 x 8 with 70% - meaning three sets of eight repetitions with a weight of 70% of maximum for<br />
one repetition. This is the system that all novice lifters should work on, because the high number of repetitions<br />
enables the lifter to learn correct technique, and thereby reduce the risk of injury.<br />
Pyramid System: Here the load is increased and the repetitions are reduced (e.g. 100kg x10, 120kg x 5, 130kg<br />
x 4, 140kg x 3, 150kg x 2, 160kg x 1). Pyramid lifting is only for experienced lifters who have an established<br />
good technique.<br />
Super Setting: This consists of performing two or three exercises continuously, without rest in between sets,<br />
until all exercises have been performed. The normal 'between sets' rest is taken before the next circuit of<br />
exercises is commenced.<br />
Training Programmes<br />
Use the above notes to assist you in the preparation of a general weight training programme, to develop your<br />
general strength, and a specific weight training programme to develop your specific strength to meet to the<br />
demands of your event/sport.<br />
230
Safety in the Weight Room<br />
Strength training is safe when properly supervised and controlled. Every weight room should have a set of of<br />
rues and regulations pertaining to safety and they should be on public display. <strong>Rules</strong> may vary from one weight<br />
room to another but some very basic rules apply to them all:<br />
• Train only when a qualified coach is present<br />
• Follow your training schedule<br />
• Work in pairs - one lifting the other spotting<br />
• No horseplay<br />
• Wear the correct clothing and shoes<br />
• No eating, drinking or smoking<br />
• No personal stereos with headphones<br />
• Help and respect other athletes<br />
• Only athletes who are working out should be in the weight room<br />
• Make sure you and your athletes are fully aware of the safety rules applying to the weight training<br />
room(s) you use.<br />
Remember: Weight training requires supervision to ensure sound technique in pursuit of safety and efficiency.<br />
Conditioning<br />
One of the misconceptions in the sports world is that a sportsperson gets in shape by just playing or taking part<br />
in his/her chosen sport. If a stationary level of performance, consistent ability in executing a few limited skills, is<br />
your goal then engaging only in your sport will keep you there.<br />
However, if you want the utmost efficiency, consistent improvement, and balanced abilities sportsmen and<br />
women must participate in year round conditioning programmes. The bottom line in sports conditioning and<br />
fitness training is stress. Not mental stress, but adaptive body stress. Sportsmen and women must put their<br />
bodies under a certain amount of stress to increase physical capabilities.<br />
Exercise scientists have identified nine elements that comprise the definition of fitness. The following lists each<br />
of the nine elements and an example of how they are used:<br />
• Strength - the extent to which muscles can exert force by contracting against resistance (holding or<br />
restraining an object or person)<br />
• Power - the ability to exert maximum muscular contraction instantly in an explosive burst of movements<br />
(lumping or sprint starting)<br />
• Agility - the ability to perform a series of explosive power movements in rapid succession in opposing<br />
directions (ZigZag running or cutting movements.<br />
• Balance - the ability to control the body's position, either stationary (e.g. a handstand) or while moving<br />
(e.g. a gymnastics stunt)<br />
• Flexibility - the ability to achieve an extended range of motion without being impeded by excess tissue,<br />
i.e. fat or muscle (Executing a leg split)<br />
• Local Muscle Endurance - a single muscle's ability to perform sustained work (Rowing or cycling)<br />
• Cardiovascular Endurance - the heart's ability to deliver blood to working muscles and their ability to<br />
use it (Running long distances)<br />
• Strength Endurance - a muscle's ability to perform a maximum contracture time after time (Continuous<br />
explosive rebounding through an entire basketball game)<br />
• Co-ordination - the ability to integrate the above listed components so that effective movements are<br />
achieved.<br />
Of all the nine elements of fitness, strength and cardiac respiratory qualities are the most important to develop<br />
because they enhance all the other components of the conditioning equation.<br />
231
Plyometrics<br />
Speed and strength are integral components of fitness found in varying degrees in virtually all athletic<br />
movements. Simply put the combination of speed and strength is power. For many years coaches and athletes<br />
have sought to improve power in order to enhance performance. Throughout this century and no doubt long<br />
before, jumping, bounding and hopping exercises have been used in various ways to enhance athletic<br />
performance. In recent years this distinct method of training for power or explosiveness has been termed<br />
plyometrics. Whatever the origins of the word the term is used to describe the method of training which seeks to<br />
enhance the explosive reaction of the individual through powerful muscular contractions as a result of rapid<br />
eccentric contractions.<br />
Muscle Mechanism<br />
The maximum force that a muscle can develop is attained during a rapid eccentric contraction. However, it<br />
should be realized that muscles seldom perform one type of contraction in isolation during athletic movements.<br />
When a concentric contraction occurs (muscle shortens) immediately following an eccentric contraction (muscle<br />
lengthens) then the force generated can be dramatically increased. If a muscle is stretched, much of the energy<br />
required to stretch it is lost as heat, but some of this energy can be stored by the elastic components of the<br />
muscle. This stored energy is available to the muscle only during a subsequent contraction. It is important to<br />
realize that this energy boost is lost if the eccentric contraction is not followed immediately by a concentric effort.<br />
To express this greater force the muscle must contract within the shortest time possible. This whole process is<br />
frequently called the stretch shortening cycle and is the underlying mechanism of plyometric training.<br />
Choose the method to fit the sport<br />
The golden rule of any conditioning programme is specificity. This means that the movement you perform in<br />
training should match, as closely as possible, the movements encountered during competition. If you are rugby<br />
player practicing for the line-out or a volleyball player interested in increasing vertical jump height, then drop<br />
jumping or box jumping may be the right exercise. However if you are a javelin thrower aiming for a more<br />
explosive launch, then upper body plyometrics is far more appropriate.<br />
Circuit Training<br />
Circuit training is an excellent way to simultaneously improve mobility and build strength and stamina. The<br />
circuit training format utilizes a group of 6 to 10 strength exercises that are completed one exercise after<br />
another. Each exercise is performed for a specified number of repetitions or for a prescribed time period before<br />
moving on to the next exercise. The exercises within each circuit are separated by brief, timed rest intervals,<br />
and each circuit is separated by a longer rest period. The total number of circuits performed during a training<br />
session may vary from two to six depending on your training level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced), your<br />
period of training (preparation or competition) and your training objective.<br />
Improving Your Vertical Leap<br />
Here is an 8-week program for improving your vertical leap!<br />
Use the calendar to find when you will be training and a what intensity. Refer to the Drills Chart to find what drills<br />
you will need to do. Always do drills at maximal speed! Always warm-up before doing drills.<br />
Warning! Plyometrics can be very stressful on joints and ligaments<br />
Use a padded surface like carpet or use padded insoles in your shoes to help absorb stress on body<br />
232
Training Calendar<br />
Day Sun Mom Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat<br />
. . . . . . . .<br />
Week . . . . . . .<br />
1 .<br />
Easy<br />
Easy<br />
. .<br />
plyos<br />
plyos<br />
. .<br />
2 .<br />
Easy<br />
Easy<br />
Easy<br />
.<br />
.<br />
plyos<br />
plyos<br />
plyos<br />
.<br />
3 .<br />
4 .<br />
5 .<br />
6 .<br />
7 .<br />
8 .<br />
Easy<br />
plyos<br />
Med<br />
plyos<br />
Med<br />
plyos<br />
Med<br />
plyos<br />
Hard<br />
plyos<br />
Hard<br />
plyos<br />
.<br />
. .<br />
.<br />
.<br />
.<br />
.<br />
Easy<br />
plyos<br />
Med<br />
plyos<br />
Med<br />
plyos<br />
Hard<br />
plyos<br />
Hard<br />
plyos<br />
.<br />
Med<br />
plyos<br />
.<br />
.<br />
.<br />
.<br />
Med<br />
plyos<br />
.<br />
. .<br />
Med<br />
plyos<br />
Hard<br />
plyos<br />
Hard<br />
plyos<br />
Hard<br />
plyos<br />
.<br />
.<br />
.<br />
.<br />
Drill Intensity<br />
ntensity -> Easy Medium Hard .<br />
No Arm Hop 0 1 2 Sets<br />
0 10 10 Reps<br />
Laundry Jump 1 2 3 Sets<br />
15 15 15 Reps<br />
Split Leg Hop 0 1 1 Sets<br />
0 30 yd 30 yd Reps<br />
Double Leg Hop 2 0 0 Sets<br />
15 0 0 Reps<br />
Single Leg Bounding 1 1 2 Sets<br />
30 yd 30 yd 30 yd Reps<br />
Power Skip 1 2 2 Sets<br />
30 yd 30 yd 30 yd Reps<br />
Rim Jump 2 1 0 Sets<br />
10 10 0 Reps<br />
Ankle Hop 3 0 0 Sets<br />
20 0 0 Reps<br />
Accelerations 1 2 3 Sets<br />
5 5 5 Reps<br />
Backward Throw 1 2 3 Sets<br />
10 10 10 Reps<br />
233
The Drills<br />
No Arm Hops<br />
A very intense series of hops. No arm hops help to increase explosiveness within calf and hip flexor muscles.<br />
Description:<br />
1. Place hands on head<br />
2. Begin by jumping up and lifting legs upward<br />
3. Lift legs up until they touch chest, explode legs downwards until legs touch the ground.<br />
Laundry Jump<br />
Enhances the explosiveness of lateral movements, especially cutting ability and high velocity change of<br />
directions.<br />
Description:<br />
1. Begin by using a cone, paper bag, or some other break-away object at and elevated level 8 to 24 inches<br />
high<br />
2. Jump laterally over object<br />
3. Strive to jump as high and far as you can back and forth over object<br />
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Split Leg Hop<br />
Helps to improve single leg explosiveness. Split leg hops use an exaggerated jumping / running motion in order<br />
to work most of the lower body's muscles explosively.<br />
Description:<br />
• Split leg hop is a simple bounding exercise that uses an exaggerated motion<br />
• When landing have leg in near 90 degree angle<br />
• Strive for maximum distance and height<br />
Double Leg Hop<br />
Similar to single leg hop but less stress is placed upon body.<br />
Description:<br />
• Use illustrations for reference on how to do double leg hop<br />
• Strive for maximum distance when doing this exercise<br />
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Single-Leg Bounding<br />
Somewhat similar to the split leg hop, but emphasizes horizontal jumping / acceleration to a greater extent.<br />
Description:<br />
• Simply an exercise that consists of multiple long jumps<br />
• Strive for maximum distance and explosiveness<br />
Power Skip<br />
Good low impact introductory plyo. Works hip flexor and calf muscles explosively. Similar to a single leg take off<br />
needed to dunk on the run.<br />
Description:<br />
• To power skip use an exaggerated skipping motion<br />
• Bring leg up to chest when skipping<br />
• Both arms swing upwards when leg is brought up<br />
• Alternate legs<br />
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Rim Jump<br />
Introductory low intensity plyo. Works the muscles needed for vertical jumping explosively.<br />
Description:<br />
• Rim jump is a simple jumping exercise utilizing a backboard or other high object<br />
• Begin by jumping up in a maximal static jump reaching for the highest point with one hand<br />
• Alternate hands<br />
Ankle Hop<br />
Perhaps the simplest and safest of all plyometric exercises. Ankle hops emphasize the calf muscles exclusively.<br />
Description:<br />
• Jump upwards using calf muscles only<br />
• Use full upward range of motion<br />
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Accelerations<br />
Accelerations consist of running at ¾ of maximum sprint speed then accelerating to max speed and then back<br />
to ¾ speed<br />
Description:<br />
• Begin by sprinting at ¾ maximum speed, accelerate to full speed<br />
• As soon as full speed is hit slow to ¾ speed and repeat<br />
• Each time full speed is hit equals 1 rep<br />
Backward Throw<br />
Emphasizes explosiveness in deltoids. Backward throw helps to improve upward arm speed that is turned to<br />
thrust when jumping.<br />
Description:<br />
1. Grasp plyo ball, fill old basketball with water(5lbs) or use sandbag (5lbs), grasp with both hands<br />
2. Begin by squatting over, use a short counter movement before initiating throw<br />
3. Throw ball upwards and or backwards<br />
References<br />
[1] VerticalJump.com, http://www.verticaljump.com/html/trial.html<br />
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Injuries<br />
Ankle Advice<br />
By Dana Lynn Varon, Seattle WA<br />
Ultimate First Aid (http://www.discnw.org/firstaid/index.htm)<br />
It doesn't take a survey to know that sprained ankles are the most common injury in Ultimate. Attend one night<br />
of league play and watch the players hit the potholes and drop like flies.<br />
On-Field Management<br />
When an ankle injury occurs, the player should stop immediately. The player should not try to walk or limp on<br />
the ankle until it has been evaluated. The sock and shoe on each foot should be removed so swelling, color,<br />
and temperature can be assessed and compared to the uninjured foot. If severe swelling occurs immediately,<br />
the ankle is unstable, the area below the ankle is pale or bluish, cold or numb, or the ankle appears deformed or<br />
bent the wrong way, the player should immediately be helped to the nearest medical facility. Every care should<br />
be taken that the player avoids putting weight on the affected ankle.<br />
If compromised circulation or an obvious break is not suspected, and the player is not in too severe pain to have<br />
the ankle touched, an ACE bandage should be applied. Wrap the ACE two times around the ankle, apply an ice<br />
pack to the bandage, and continue to wrap the ankle and ice pack. The ACE should be wrapped upward, in the<br />
direction of the heart, to encourage return circulation.<br />
The ACE bandage should be snug, but not tight. You should be able to easily fit two fingers under the ACE<br />
wrap. Be careful to reassess the wrap frequently to make sure ankle swelling doesn't cause the bandage to be<br />
too tight.<br />
After the ankle has been wrapped with the ACE and ice, the ankle should be elevated and the player should be<br />
offered some water and either ibuprofen or acetaminophen (Tylenol). Aspirin should be avoided immediately<br />
following an injury as it can lead to increased bleeding. Keep in mind that the player may be dazed or confused,<br />
and make sure to ask directly if he/she has ever had an allergic reaction to the medication you are offering.<br />
If there is swelling, the player should remain with the ice in place and the ankle elevated for ½ an hour. Then the<br />
player should attempt to stand and shift weight slowly onto the ankle. If absolutely no weight-bearing can be<br />
tolerated, the player should be assisted off the field. If able to tolerate weight-bearing, the player should remain<br />
out of play for the rest of the game and begin home care measures. (See home care for ankle injuries).<br />
If there is no swelling and the player can bear weight without pain, the player can slowly begin testing the ankle<br />
to decide if the ankle is stable enough to return to play. The player should try hopping up and down on the<br />
affected ankle. If this does not cause pain, the next test is to try jumping from side to side, then running and<br />
cutting. If none of this produces pain, the player can return to regular play. If, however, any discomfort is noted,<br />
the player should leave the game, and home care measures initiated, until the ankle can withstand regular play<br />
without pain or discomfort.<br />
Home Care for an injured ankle<br />
RICE treatment is the hallmark of home care for an injured ankle. RICE stands for rest, ice, compression and<br />
elevation. Anti-inflammatories are also an important part of the healing process.<br />
Rest, in terms of ankle rehabilitation and management, means avoiding activities that cause pain or discomfort.<br />
With a severe sprain, ankle immobilization may even be necessary. This is done either with a cast or a brace.<br />
Ice helps reduce pain and swelling and promotes healing. Ice should be used in place of heat as long as<br />
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swelling persists. Ice should be applied for 20 minutes on then 40 minutes off either every hour or several times<br />
a day, depending on the extent of the swelling. Ice should not be applied directly to the skin.<br />
A pillowcase or a T-shirt or over two wraps of the ACE bandage are a good thickness between the ice and the<br />
skin. Compression is used to support and immobilize the ankle. An ACE bandage or an ankle brace works well.<br />
When using either, make sure that at least two fingers can easily be slipped between the compression device<br />
and the ankle.<br />
Elevation: the ankle should be elevated at or above the level of the heart whenever possible as long as swelling<br />
persists to minimize swelling and encourage circulation return to the heart.<br />
Anti-inflammatory and/or analgesic medication can assist in decreasing swelling and pain. Ibuprofen is good for<br />
both pain and swelling, but is hard on the stomach and can cause kidney damage if used in large doses or for<br />
long periods. Make sure you don't exceed 2400 mg/day unless advised to do so by a medical professional, and<br />
it should not be used regularly or for longer than 4-6 weeks. Aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol) and naproxen<br />
sodium (Aleve) can also be used for short periods for pain and/or swelling. Aspirin should be avoided for players<br />
under 21 years of age due to the potential risk of Reye's Syndrome.<br />
The amount of time it takes for an ankle injury to heal depends on the severity of the sprain. Ankle sprains are<br />
categorized by three grades of severity.<br />
• Grade 1: the ligament is either stretched or there is a very minor tear without any instability of the ankle.<br />
Characterized by minor swelling and pain. With RICE therapy, a Grade 1 sprain usually resolves within<br />
2 weeks.<br />
• Grade 2: the ligament is partially torn with some resulting instability. Swelling and bruising often occur<br />
immediately. A Grade 2 tear can take from 3-6 weeks to heal and requires RICE therapy and<br />
rehabilitation exercises to strengthen the ankle and ensure full range of motion of the ankle. If the ankle<br />
is not rehabilitated properly, a Grade 2 sprain often leads to a weak ankle with recurrent sprains.<br />
• Grade 3: a complete tear of the ligament with complete instability. There is severe pain and a complete<br />
inability to bear weight. This is a serious injury requiring complete immobilization of the ankle, usually<br />
with a cast, and rarely may even need surgical repair. A Grade 3 sprain can take up to a year to heal<br />
completely.<br />
Ankle Rehabilitation<br />
Strengthening and flexibility exercises are crucial in the treatment of an ankle sprain. Without them, a sprained<br />
ankle has a tendency to become stiff and weak and can sprain again easily. These exercises should be initiated<br />
as soon as they can be done without causing pain or discomfort.<br />
Flexibility exercises are aimed at restoring and maintaining range of motion and should be done at regular<br />
intervals throughout the day.<br />
• Move foot up and down as if pressing on a gas pedal<br />
• Place the heel of the injured ankle on the ground and use the big toe to draw the letters of the alphabet<br />
in the air, making the letters as big as possible.<br />
• Make circles in the air with the toes, both clockwise and counterclockwise.<br />
Strengthening exercises should be done two to three times a day and should continue until you are able to<br />
return to your normal level of play. If any of the exercises cause pain, they should be stopped immediately and<br />
should not be added to the rehabilitation routine until they can be performed without causing any discomfort.<br />
• Stair stepping: Stand facing the stair with the ball of your injured foot on the stair. Rise up on the ball of<br />
your foot. It may help to lean against the wall or hold onto the rail. Repeat 10-20 times.<br />
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• Walk on your heels for about 20 feet, and then on your toes for about 20 feet.<br />
• Hop up and down with both feet together 10-20 times.<br />
• Hop side to side with both feet together 10-20 times.When the above exercises can be tolerated without<br />
pain, progress to hopping on just the injured foot, without the stability of the other foot.<br />
• If the above exercises can be done without any discomfort, you can begin jogging on the ankle. This<br />
should be done on a flat surface and jogging should be done only in a straight line. Alternate jogging<br />
with walking every 1/4 mile for the first few days and increase jogging time as tolerated. Keep in mind<br />
that these exercises may not hurt at the time, but if your ankle is sore afterwards, you are progressing<br />
too quickly.<br />
• From jogging, progress to sprinting in a straight line every 1/4 mile or so.<br />
From this point, rehabilitation starts to include cutting and side-to-side actions. You may want to wear a lace-up<br />
ankle brace for the next few months when doing activities that include cutting or side-to-side actions. And wellfitting<br />
shoes!<br />
After a few days to a week of intermittent sprinting, running in figure eights and cutting at 45 and 90 degree<br />
angles can be added.<br />
If all of the above can be done without causing any discomfort during or after the exercises, you can attempt to<br />
return to regular Ultimate play. Make sure substitute players are available and make sure you utilize them if you<br />
experience any discomfort. Trying to speed recovery only ends up prolonging recovery time!<br />
When to Seek Professional Care<br />
Many Ultimate players are either uninsured or underinsured and are reluctant to seek professional care and<br />
advice. Although few ankle injuries will require surgical repair, many may need stabilization. Severe sprains,<br />
some Grade 2 and all Grade 3, require professional medical advice and intervention, as home care may result<br />
in improper healing and a resulting weak or stiff ankle.<br />
You should seek immediate medical care if:<br />
• Severe swelling occurs immediately, especially if accompanied by a loud pop.<br />
• The ankle appears pale, blue, cold and numb.<br />
• The ankle is obviously deformed or bent the wrong way.<br />
Medical care should be sought within 24 hours if:<br />
• You cannot tolerate even the slightest weight on the ankle immediately and several hours after the<br />
injury.<br />
• The skin over the injury is hot, red and swollen and/or you have a fever.<br />
Consult with a provider within 3-5 days if:<br />
• The sprain is not improving after 3 days of home care.<br />
• Pain or swelling increases after 3 days of home care.<br />
• You have questions or concerns about how to care for your injured ankle.<br />
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Injury Prevention<br />
Like most athletes, you undoubtedly want to lower your chances of incurring an injury while participating in your<br />
favourite sport. Injuries decrease the amount of time you can spend in leisure activities, lower your fitness,<br />
downgrade competitive performance, and can lead to long term health problems such as arthritis.<br />
There are some general rules for injury avoidance which apply to all sports. Sports scientists suggest that injury<br />
rates could be reduced by 25% if athletes took appropriate preventative action.<br />
Common Misconceptions<br />
Coaches and athletes believe that males have higher injury rates than females. Male and female athletes have<br />
about the same injury rate per hour of training. Among runners it is considered that training speed is the cause<br />
of injuries (Speed Kills) but research indicates that there is no link between speed and injury risk.<br />
Do Not Overdo It<br />
The amount of training you you carry out plays a key role in determining your real injury risk Studies have<br />
shown that your best direct injury predictor may be the amount of training you completed last month. Fatigued<br />
muscles do a poor job of protecting their associated connective tissues, increasing the risk of damage to bone,<br />
cartilage, tendons and ligaments. If you are a runner, the link between training quantity and injury means that<br />
the total mileage is an excellent indicator of your injury risk. The more miles you accrue per week, the higher the<br />
chances of injury. One recent investigation found a marked upswing in injury risk above 40 miles of running per<br />
week.<br />
The Two Best Predictors of Injury<br />
If you have been injured before you are much more likely to get hurt than an athlete who has been injury free.<br />
Regular exercises has a way of uncovering the weak areas of the body. If you have knees that are put under<br />
heavy stress, because of your unique biomechanics during exercises, your knees are likely to hurt when you<br />
engage in your sport for a prolonged time. After recovery you re-establish your desired training load without<br />
modification to your biomechanics then your knees are likely to be injured again.<br />
The second predictor of injury is probably the number of consecutive days of training you carry out each week.<br />
Scientific studies strongly suggest that reducing the number of consecutive days of training can lower the risk of<br />
injury Recovery time reduces injury rates by giving muscles and connective tissues an opportunity to restore<br />
and repair themselves between work-outs.<br />
Psychological Factors<br />
Some studies have shown that athletes who are aggressive, tense, and compulsive have a higher risk of injury<br />
than their relaxed peers. Tension may make muscles and tendons taughter, increasing the risk that they will be<br />
harmed during work-outs.<br />
Weak Muscles<br />
Many injuries are caused by weak muscles which simply are not ready to handle the specific demands of your<br />
sport. This is why people who start a running programme for the first time often do well for a few weeks but<br />
then, as they add the mileage on, suddenly develop foot or ankle problems, hamstring soreness or perhaps<br />
lower back pain. Their bodies simply are not strong enough to cope with the demands of the increased training<br />
load. For this reason, it is always wise to couple resistance training with regular training.<br />
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Make It Specific<br />
Resistance training can fortify muscles and make them less susceptible to damage, especially if the strength<br />
building exercises involve movements that are similar to those associated with the sport. Time should be<br />
devoted to developing the muscle groups, strength training, appropriate to the demands of your sport. If you are<br />
a thrower then lots of time should be spent developing muscles at the front of the shoulder which increases the<br />
force with which you can throw, but you must also work systematically on the muscles at the back of the<br />
shoulder which control and stabilize the shoulder joint.<br />
Injury Prevention Tips<br />
• Avoid training when you are tired<br />
• Increase your consumption of carbohydrate during periods of heavy training<br />
• Increase in training should be matched with increases in resting<br />
• Any increase in training load should be preceded by an increase in strengthening<br />
• Treat even seemingly minor injuries very carefully to prevent them becoming a big problem<br />
• If you experience pain when training STOP your training session immediately<br />
• Never train hard if you are stiff from the previous effort<br />
• Introduce new activities very gradually<br />
• Allow lots of time for warming up and cooling off<br />
• Check over training and competition courses beforehand<br />
• Train on different surfaces, using the right footwear<br />
• Shower and change immediately after the cool down<br />
• Aim for maximum comfort when travelling<br />
• Stay away from infectious areas when training or competing very hard<br />
• Be extremely fussy about hygiene in hot weather<br />
• Monitor daily for signs of fatigue, if in doubt ease off.<br />
References<br />
Coaching Focus - No 34 page 3<br />
Peak Performance - February 1994<br />
Peak Performance - Issue 41, 46, 47, 50, 52, 55 and 56<br />
Peak Performance - Issue 65, 66, 71, 84 and 88<br />
Peak Performance - Issue 95, 97, 98<br />
Peak Performance - Issue 99 page 1 & 9<br />
Peak Performance - Issue 102, 104<br />
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R.I.C.E.<br />
No matter how hard we try, we sometime have to deal with injuries. If the injury is minor, such as a minor strain<br />
(injury to muscles) or a minor sprain (injury to ligaments), it can be treated with RICE--Rest, Ice, Compression,<br />
and Elevation. If the injury is severe, if there is severe pain, if there is persistent pain, or if there is severe<br />
swelling, it's time to see a doctor. Also if there is a major drop in your performance, see a doctor. The rest of<br />
what follows explains RICE and what you need to do.<br />
When you are injured, fluid accumulates in the injured area causing swelling. Swelling limits motion of the<br />
injured area and may contribute to paint if it is severe enough. RICE is important because swelling is hard to<br />
reverse once it's been there awhile. You want to prevent it in the first place.<br />
Rest is necessary to keep an injury from getting worse. This doesn't mean you have to totally stop. You can try<br />
continuing an activity if pain allows. If the pain persists stop the activity.<br />
Ice can effectively decrease pain from an injury. Icing deadens pain and increases blood circulation to the skin<br />
which is OK and decreases circulation to deeper areas where bleeding may be occurring. Apply ice as soon as<br />
possible. Ice for 20 minutes and then remove the ice. Place a thin layer of material between the ice and the bare<br />
skin. Repeat icing for 20 minutes every two hours.<br />
If the skin turns white or blue during icing stop at once.<br />
Compression can prevent fluid from accumulating (prevent swelling). Use an elastic wrap or stocking.<br />
Compression should be applied at once. Compression needs to be firm but not too tight. If the part of the arm or<br />
leg farthest from the heart throbs, the wrap is too tight and should be loosened. Ice over compression. Reapply<br />
compression wraps every four hours.<br />
Elevation of the injured area limits swelling by draining the fluid.<br />
Once the injury is under control, you need to get back in shape. Remember that just because the injured area<br />
doesn't hurt doesn't mean that everything is OK. You need execute a conditioning program to restore motion<br />
and strength to the injured area. Until you do, you risk further injury.<br />
What about heat? Because there is controversy about applying heat, I've looked at several sources on the web<br />
for information on when to use heat and when to use cold. Heat promotes healing because it promotes blood<br />
flow. It also relaxes muscles and eases pain. The disadvantage of heat is that it can increase swelling. That's<br />
why cold is recommended right after an injury. Heat is recommended for later when swelling is gone. Heat can<br />
be useful after about 48 hours.<br />
Remember that this information is not a substitute for medical advise. If the pain is severe or persists see a<br />
doctor.<br />
Once the injured area begins to heal, do M.S.A. techniques. M.S.A. stands for movement, strength, and<br />
alternate activities:<br />
• M --- Movement - Work at establishing a full range of motion as soon as possible after an injury. This<br />
will help maintain flexibility during healing and prevent the scar tissue formed by the injury from limiting<br />
future performance.<br />
• S --- Strength - Gradually strengthen the injured area once the inflammation is controlled and a range of<br />
motion is re-established.<br />
• A --- Alternate Activities - Do regular exercise using activities that do not strain the injured part. This<br />
should be started a few days after the injury, even though the injured part is still healing.<br />
References<br />
http://www.gaia-ultimate.com<br />
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Shin Splints<br />
Definition<br />
Inflammation of the tendons on the inside of the front of the lower leg. (Sports-medicine specialists don't like to<br />
use the the term "shinsplints" because it commonly refers to several lower-leg injuries. We'll use it anyway but<br />
focus on the specific problem that is the most common: tendinitis of the lower leg.)<br />
Symptoms<br />
An aching, throbbing or tenderness along the inside of the shin (though it can radiate to the outside also) about<br />
halfway down, or all along the shin from the ankle to the knee. Pain when you press on the inflamed area. Pain<br />
is most severe at the start of a run, but can go away during a run once the muscles are loosened up (unlike a<br />
stress fracture of the shinbone, which hurts all the time). With tendinitis, pain resumes after the run.<br />
Causes<br />
Tired or inflexible calf muscles put too much stress on tendons, which become strained and torn. Overpronation<br />
aggravates this problem, as does running on hard surfaces, such as concrete sidewalks. Beginning runners are<br />
the most susceptible to shinsplints for a variety of reasons, but the most common is that they're using leg<br />
muscles that haven't been stressed in the same way before. Another common cause of shinsplints among<br />
beginners is poor choice of running shoes, or running in something other than running shoes. Runners who<br />
have started running after a long layoff are also susceptible to shinsplints because they often increase their<br />
mileage too quickly.<br />
Self-Treatment<br />
Many runners experience mild shin soreness, which usually can be tolerated. If shinsplints hits you at the<br />
beginning of a season, a certain amount of running through it will help the body adapt, but if it's a persistent<br />
problem, you shouldn't run through it. If it does persist, ice the inflamed area for 15 minutes three times a day<br />
and take aspirin or ibuprofen. Ice immediately after running. To hasten recovery, cut down on running or stop<br />
altogether. Recovery time: two to four weeks.<br />
Medical Treatment<br />
If the injury doesn't respond to self-treatment and rest in two to four weeks, see a podiatrist, who may prescribe<br />
custom-made orthotics to control overpronation. Ultrasound and anti-inflammatories may also be prescibed.<br />
Surgery is rarely required.<br />
Alternative Exercises<br />
Nonimpact exercises such as swimming, pool running, walking, cycling in low gear. Preventive Measures: To<br />
stretch and strengthen the tendons and muscles in the front of the leg, sit on a table or chair and loop an ankle<br />
weight around your foot. Without bending your knee, move your foot up and down from the ankle. Or have a<br />
partner grasp the foot to provide resistance. You can also strengthen the lower leg with band exercises. Anchor<br />
one end of an exercise band to a heavy object, such as the leg of a sofa. Stretch the band, then loop it around<br />
the end of the foot. Move foot up and down and side to side against the band's resistance to exercise different<br />
muscle groups. The band can be ordered from a doctor or bought at some sporting goods stores. Ask for<br />
"tension tubing."<br />
Finally, make sure to wear motion-control shoes--and orthotics if your doctor says you need them. Don't run in<br />
worn-out shoes. Warm up well and run on soft surfaces. Avoid overstriding, which puts more stress on shins.<br />
References<br />
http://www.runnersworld.com<br />
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Down But Not Out<br />
Let me clarify something right away: This article isn't going to be a sympathetic, touchy-feely treatise on getting<br />
in tune with the five stages of grief when you're injured and, boo-hoo, unable to run. If you're looking for<br />
compassion, don't talk to me. I don't want to hear it. Don't get me wrong; being hurt stinks. I've been injured<br />
plenty of times-once for about two years-and have been forced to learn how to deal with it. The easiest thing to<br />
do when you're hurt is to get bogged down in funereal gloom and moan about the unfairness of it all. Which, of<br />
course, does you no good at all (just the opposite, in fact). Recovery is your goal, and what you need is an<br />
effective way to bridge that depressing gap between the day you're forced to stop running and the day you can<br />
start again. It's your choice. Wallow in self-pity, lose your aerobic base, put on weight and make yourself and<br />
everyone around you miserable-or get busy!<br />
No Whining<br />
If you love to run, there's no denying that injury downtime can be brutal. But try to keep some perspective. Most<br />
running injuries are relatively minor and will heal in due time. It may seem catastrophic when you can't run, but a<br />
bad case of shinsplints is nothing when you compare it with friends who have real problems, real illnesses and<br />
real pain. Some of those friends may not recover; you will. So don't complain, because no one wants to hear it.<br />
Not your spouse, not your kids, not even your running friends. Besides, complaining is counterproductive to<br />
getting healthy again.<br />
The payoff: You'll stay positive during the layoff, thus speeding your recovery.<br />
Be Patient<br />
Every runner I've known has been injured at one time or another. And every one of those runners-even a 72-<br />
year-old friend who broke his hip-was able to run again. My point is simple: There's a cure for practically every<br />
running injury, and most injuries heal with time. Unfortunately, no magic pill will instantly cure you. Nor is a<br />
simple change of shoes the likely answer. Instead, be confident that regardless how bad your injury may seem,<br />
it's only temporary. You will run again, if you're patient enough to allow the healing process the time it needs.<br />
The payoff: You'll give the injury adequate time to heal.<br />
If You Have a Routine, Stick To It<br />
That is, if you normally run at lunch, continue to get some sort of exercise at lunch. If you're an early-morning<br />
runner, go for a walk early in the morning.<br />
I'm so anal about my routine that I try to maintain the same daily pattern even when I can't run. Particularly on<br />
Sundays. No one enjoys a long run more than I do. I love to get up early, hit the trail at dawn and cruise for 2<br />
hours.<br />
When I'm injured, I still head to the same trail and hike for a couple of hours (being more attentive to the hawks,<br />
deer and occasional wild turkeys). I follow this with my postrun ritual: some stretching, a session with the ice<br />
pack, a shower, warm bagels and the Sunday paper. From a psychological standpoint, this ritual is almost as<br />
important to me as the run itself.<br />
Is this walk as satisfying as my long run? No way. But maintaining my routine is a whole lot better for my mind<br />
and body than doing nothing.<br />
The payoff: By sticking with some semblance of your exercise ritual, you'll reap many of its mood-boosting<br />
benefits.<br />
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Do It Outdoors<br />
Especially when you're injured, you need fresh air. You can scoop up a lot of it on a bike ride. If it's winter, or if<br />
the weather's too lousy to cycle, I walk. Or go for a hike. Or grab cross-country ski poles and pole-walk up and<br />
down some hills. Processing lungfuls of oxygen is one of the things that makes you feel good when running,<br />
and you'll get a similar effect by doing just about any other vigorous outdoor activity.<br />
The payoff: Checking out the world around you will take your mind off your injury, and you'll get your<br />
accustomed dosage of fresh breezes and sunlight.<br />
Sweat<br />
If you normally run 45 minutes a day, make sure you do some activity vigorous enough to keep you aerobic for<br />
45 minutes a day. This is critical for hanging on to your sanity, not to mention your aerobic fitness. It doesn't<br />
matter too much what you do as long as it doesn't aggravate the existing injury.<br />
The only problem with things like fast-paced walking or even hard hiking is I don't sweat. Working up a big<br />
sweat is so ingrained in me that I desperately need the feel of a wet T-shirt after a workout. If only from an<br />
emotional standpoint, I must do something to jack up my heart rate and work up a lather every day. If I do, I've<br />
accomplished something. If I don't, I can feel myself slipping into that dark, gloomy abyss of worthlessness.<br />
Swimming doesn't do it for me. Neither does running in a pool. Inline skating looks too dangerous. If I could play<br />
tennis without aggravating my strained hamstring, I'd do that. But I can't. So I'll hit the stationary bike or, better<br />
still, use a new device called an "elliptical trainer."<br />
An indoor exercise machine, the elliptical trainer is something of a hybrid: part cross-country ski machine, part<br />
treadmill, part stairclimber. There's virtually no technique involved in using it properly, and it simulates the<br />
running motion to some degree, without any jarring. Therefore, it doesn't seem to irritate any of the common<br />
overuse running injuries.<br />
I guarantee that if you put in 45 minutes on an elliptical trainer, stationary bike, stairclimber or rowing machine,<br />
you will be drenched in sweat. More important, several studies suggest that if you do these aerobic alternatives<br />
properly and with high enough intensity, they can maintain and even increase your fitness level.<br />
Even so, it's mindless, boring stuff, so treat your cross-training activity like you do your running. For instance, I<br />
know every flat section, hill and pebble on my favorite 6-mile loop, so I try to simulate each section of this run on<br />
whatever machine I'm using. I start with an easy 10 minutes on the "flats," then pick it up over a series of three<br />
"hills." I'll recover for a bit, then go really hard at the point when I'd be hitting that steep hill on my run. You get<br />
the idea.<br />
The payoff: You'll end up with a puddle of sweat and a saturated shirt-tangible evidence that you've done<br />
something to burn calories and maintain your aerobic base.<br />
Strength Train<br />
I don't know about you, but when I'm gearing up for a marathon, the last thing I want to do is throw lead around<br />
in the gym. I barely have enough time to do all the running and stretching I need, much less mix in weight lifting.<br />
But when I'm hurt, weight lifting can be a real buzz. Since I'm often at the gym anyway riding a stationary bike or<br />
working the elliptical trainer, it's not a big deal to spend another 20 minutes with weights. And because I'm not<br />
running, I'll do more legwork than usual, along with some abdominal and upper-body stuff.<br />
The payoff: You'll burn calories and maintain overall fitness and muscle tone.<br />
Stay Connected<br />
For me, one of the worst aspects of being injured is not being able to run with my friends. The only time I ever<br />
see some of them is when we run together. So when I'm out of action, I make an effort to stay in touch and at<br />
least feel like I'm still part of the running scene. A good way to do this is to volunteer at races or go to club<br />
meetings.<br />
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I also try to hang with my family in better ways. Normally, they make all sorts of concessions to my running<br />
idiosyncrasies, so when I'm injured I do the activities they want to do. During layoffs, I no longer have<br />
convenient running excuses ("I'm too tired, I'm resting for a long run tomorrow") for begging out of things like<br />
playing soccer with the kids, going to a late party or visiting the aquarium.<br />
The payoff: Instead of becoming too self-absorbed, you'll keep lines of communication open with friends, family<br />
and the running community.<br />
Do Something Every Day To Get Your Running Health Back<br />
While injuries can be markedly different, most of them respond extremely well to rest and self-treatment. If there<br />
are things I can do-see a chiropractor or podiatrist, get a massage-I do them, even if they seem like a hassle. If<br />
all I need to do is ice the injury or take anti-inflammatories, I do it religiously. If muscle inflexibility or imbalance<br />
may have contributed to the problem, I make a point of stretching carefully twice a day.<br />
The payoff: By taking action, you'll speed recovery and achieve peace of mind.<br />
Eat Properly<br />
When I'm running, I tend to eat large quantities of anything that gets in the way of my face. When I'm not<br />
running, I can gain an extra 10 pounds in a hurry. A layoff calls for exerting a little more control over what I eat.<br />
That's not to say I recommend going on a crash diet; reduced nutrition lessens the body's ability to repair itself.<br />
It's inevitable that I'm going to gain weight during an enforced layoff, but by focusing more on low-fat goodies<br />
and fruits and reducing my intake of a few staples (namely, beer, chips and salsa), I can exercise some control<br />
and keep from blimping out. When I start running again, the few pounds I put on will come off quickly.<br />
The payoff: Staying lean will keep you out of a self-image slump.<br />
Focus On Today<br />
Don't set an arbitrary deadline for when you'll be ready to run again, and then start, whether you're healthy or<br />
not. With any luck, you'll only be out of action a few weeks, but you never know how quickly you'll heal.<br />
Simply because an injury took four days to heal last time doesn't mean that same injury will take four days to<br />
heal this time. The older you get, the longer it takes your body to heal. You may also have to forget about that<br />
upcoming race (particularly if it's a marathon) you'd planned on running. Just because you signed up for it<br />
doesn't mean you'll recover by then. And if your injury does heal before the race, be prepared to lower your<br />
expectations on race day. Be happy you're on the starting line and in one piece, and enjoy the race.<br />
The payoff: By not setting strict deadlines, you won't get frustrated when you miss them. More important, you<br />
won't start running before you're ready.<br />
Back in Action<br />
Keep the following in mind when you're ready to start running again:<br />
• If a serious injury prevented you from running for more than a few weeks, start like a beginner. That is,<br />
intersperse slow running with walking, and, as weeks go by, gradually reduce the walking breaks. Run<br />
every other day for the first two weeks.<br />
• If the injured area hurts or you're limping, stop. You're doing further damage and are not ready to<br />
resume running.<br />
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• Avoid downhills. If that's not possible, then just walk down the hills, since they pound the legs more than<br />
level or uphill surfaces.<br />
• Be careful running with your buddies. After your layoff, they're probably much fitter than you and may<br />
pull you along faster or farther than you should go.<br />
• Try to run on soft surfaces, such as dirt trails or flat, grassy fields. A treadmill works well, too; the<br />
surface is relatively easy on your legs, and if you start to hurt, you aren't miles from home. Avoid<br />
sidewalks and cambered roads.<br />
• Wear your heaviest, most protective training shoes. (Make certain you aren't wearing a worn-out pair. If<br />
your shoes are shot, buy new ones.)<br />
• If you're returning from an overuse or muscle-inflammation injury (shinsplints, Achilles tendinitis or<br />
plantar fasciitis, for example), ice the trouble spot after every run.<br />
• Stretch gently but thoroughly after each run.<br />
• Troubleshoot the injury you just suffered. Why were you injured in the first place? Did you run too<br />
much? Too fast? Was it due to a change in shoes? Consult your training log for clues. Whatever caused<br />
the injury, avoid it next time.<br />
References<br />
http://www.runnersworld.com<br />
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Links<br />
ULTILINKS - This is your first stop in finding web sites related to the sport of ultimate. In addition, there are<br />
interviews with players from around the world, photos, a search engine to help you find what you're looking for<br />
and much more, http://www.ultilinks.com<br />
UPA - The Ultimate Players Association serves to promote and support the sport of Ultimate and to serve the<br />
needs of members, http://www.upa.org<br />
Women's Ultimate - The Women's Ultimate web site was created by Cindy Fisher. The web site was created<br />
because there was no "forum for women players to share ideas, exchange information, promote the women's<br />
side of the sport, and just plain old focus on women's ultimate", http://www.upa.org/women<br />
Stephen Chiang - The best site I've seen for Ultimate photography. Check it out! http://www.stephenchiang.com<br />
Ultimate Web Sites Referenced<br />
George Ferguson's Ultimate Page, http://www.cs.rochester.edu/u/ferguson/ultimate/<br />
Virginia Dynamics, http://www.virginiadynamics.com/ultimate.htm<br />
The Vancouver Ultimate League, http://www.vul.bc.ca<br />
Scientific American - Flight of the Frisbee, http://www.scientificamerican.com/1999/0499issue/0499working.html<br />
Hong Kong Ultimate, http://www.nunan.com/ultimate/<br />
Learn2.com - Throwing a Flying Disc, http://www.learn2.com/04/0469/0469.asp<br />
Georgia Tech Ultimate, http://cyberbuzz.gatech.edu/ultimate/<br />
University of Iowa Ultimate, http://www.cs.uiowa.edu/%7Ewillemsn/ultimate/<br />
Ultimatum Online, http://www.ultimatum.demon.co.uk/<br />
Ebb & Flow, http://www.menalto.com/EbbAndFlow/<br />
Frisbee Australia, http://www.afda.com/<br />
Jim Parinella's Home Page, http://www.tiac.net/users/parinell/disc.htm<br />
Goz's Page on Ultimate "Frisbee", http://www.sunnybrook.utoronto.ca:8080/%7Eliu/ultimate/<br />
The Ultimate Playbook for Conjugal Visits, http://www.iam.ubc.ca/%7Espiros/playbook/<br />
Aaron's Tips on Starting or Improving Ultimate Teams,<br />
http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/public/ca/ad943925/bufscot1.htm<br />
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A Glossary of Ultimate Jargon<br />
Descriptions presuppose a right-handed thrower!<br />
• air bounce: a backhand or forehand throw that is aimed slightly downward, but is buoyed by a cushion of<br />
air<br />
• backhand: a standard throw; right-handed player places thumb on top of disc, curls fingers underneath,<br />
extends arm to left side of body<br />
• bid: an impressive (but failing) diving attempt to catch the frisbee. Often used in a positive way, ex. "Nice<br />
bid"<br />
• blade: a forehand throw that goes high in the air and curves left; an extreme version of the reverse curve<br />
• chilly: slow it down, be patient, wait a moment for the game to get reorganized again<br />
• clog: to prevent good cuts by standing in the way of your teammates<br />
• corkscrew: (see "hammer") like a hammer throw but the frisbee is held in a backhand grip rather than a<br />
forehand grip, so the frisbee flattens out and curves the opposite way from the hammer<br />
• cut: a run by a receiver to shake his defender<br />
• D: defense<br />
• deep: a receiver who cuts for hucks<br />
• disk in: signals that the disk is in play<br />
• force: guarding on only on one side of the thrower to make them throw to the other side. The direction you<br />
want them to throw is the direction of the force. Types of force:<br />
- force in: force to the middle of the field<br />
- force out: force to the outside of the field<br />
- force sidelines: force to the near sidelines<br />
- force home/away: force to the home or away side<br />
- force forehand: force the thrower to use a forehand throw<br />
- force backhand: force the thrower to use a backhand throw<br />
• forehand: a difficult but useful throw; thrower leads with middle finger along rim, with index finger<br />
supporting disc; looks similar to a sidearm pitch in baseball; also called a flick<br />
• hack: a foul<br />
• hammer: an overhead throw with a forehand grip in which the frisbee is relesed at an angle so that it<br />
flattens out and flies upside down<br />
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• handler: one of a team's primary throwers<br />
• high release: a backhand throw held and released over the thrower's head; very difficult to block<br />
• huck: a long throw; equivalent to a bomb in football<br />
• inside out: as a backhand, a throw to the right that curves left; as a forehand, a throw to the left that curves<br />
right<br />
• layout dive: "If you didn't catch it, you should have laid out"<br />
• mid: a receiver who cuts for shorter passes than a deep<br />
• O: offense<br />
• pick: an intentional or unintentional block (like basketball) where a player gets between you and the plyer<br />
you are covering<br />
• pull: like a kickoff in football, the throw that begins the possesion.<br />
• reverse curve: as a backhand, a throw to the left that curves right; as a forehand, a throw to the right that<br />
curves left<br />
• run: through what you shout to tell another player to run past the disc without picking it up<br />
• scoober: a fast, difficult-to-intercept throw; similar to a hammer, a scoober is held overhead, but with a<br />
backhand grip.<br />
• sky: jumping to catch the disc<br />
• stack: offensive strategy in which all the players line up down the middle of the field and alternately make<br />
cuts to the side.<br />
• stall count: The defensive player counts up to 10 while defending the offensive player: The offensive player<br />
must throw the disc before the 't' of ten otherwise it's a turnover<br />
• swill: a bad throw<br />
• up: what you shout to alert players that the disk is in the air<br />
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