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Strategies

Introduction
The Skills Development portion of the Academy of Ultimate is divided into several categories: skills; techniques; plays (playbook); tips; and strategies. Strategies provide broad-view direction to the application of plays in Ultimate.
Topics
This section focuses on basic and advanced strategies useful in Ultimate. The Academy's Strategies section is organized according to the following list: Plays related to these strategies can be found in our Ultimate Playbook.
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General

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The six principles of Ultimate according to Parinella and Zaslow in their book "Ultimate Techniques & Tactics" are: focus, weight, space, communication, efficiency, and possession.

Principles of Good Offense (see tips)

Main Principles of Receiving

  1. Creating and using space
  2. Always be doing one or the other
  3. Respect your offensive system; people in the prime cutting positions should be cutting, others are creating space and keeping their defenders occupied
  4. Keep your offense “short” (within 12-15 yards of the disc)
  5. Create the space you want to catch the disc in by pulling your defender away from it (e.g. if you want to catch the disc on the break side, initiate with a fake or a few hard steps open side)

Common Errors:

  1. Too many people cutting at one time; too many people standing still
  2. “Stack” is too far away
  3. Deep cuts are initiated from too deep
  4. Deep cutters don’t cut back in soon enough* or with the same urgency
  5. Comeback cuts come too far back (crowding the handler space)

*A common error of deep cutters is: Deep cutter strikes, looks back after 20-25 yards, sees the disc still in the thrower’s hands and continues cutting deep.

  1. Timing of cuts
  2. When an offense is in flow (after the first pass), effective cuts are initiated as the disc is in the air (not after players have caught the disc)
  3. For example, consider the following offensive sequence:
    1. Handler receives pull, throws to
    2. Primary lane cutter, throws to
    3. Secondary lane cutter

In this sequence, the secondary lane cutter begins their cut as the disc is in the air to the primary lane cutter.

Common Error: Cutters wait to establish eye contact with thrower before cutting

  1. Disc Movement

Two major benefits of continual disc movement are:

  1. Prevents defenders from establishing disc field position
  2. Creates new/more throwing lanes and angles

Common Errors:

  1. Throwers stare upfield too long, then look to dump/swing too late
  2. Dump/swing process is not fully completed (disc does not change field position significantly)
  3. Throwers focus upfield too long on sidelines (especially with trap force)

How to create space, get open and win your match-up

  1. Always be a threat
  2. Your defender must constantly believe that you are a threat to cut
  3. This keeps your defender’s focus on you and minimizes poaching
  1. Make your defender move
  2. In order to gain a cutting advantage, you must force your defender to turn their hips or shoulders. This pushes their body momentum in one direction and allows you to cut in another
  3. A common error, especially among handler cutters is: Cutting to where the defender is, then changing direction. You must cut past where the defender is, then, forcing them to move, then change direction
  1. “Push” your defender (demonstration)
  2. Inch your way towards your defender “pushing them” in the opposite direction from where you want to cut
  1. Sell your cuts
  2. Make each cut believable. If you’re running an “out and back” cut, the only way your cut back underneath will be open is if your defender believes that you are striking.
  3. One common error is that players often run their “fake” cut with their head down, which gives away the fake
  1. Engage, ¾ speed fake (selectively)
  2. It’s easier to change direction from ¾ speed than top speed. Sometimes you gain a “change of direction” advantage on our defender by cutting one way at ¾ speed, then quickly changing direction and cutting full speed the other way
  1. “Surprise” cut (usually occurs on a turnover/change of possession while the disc is walked up)
  2. Determine thrower’s pace to check-in
  3. Determine where you want to cut, then walk/jog as if you’re just getting out of the way
  4. Cut hard towards your intended location
  1. Cut when your defender’s eyes/head turn (occurs most often while in the dump position or on strike cutbacks)
  2. Dump position: Dump defenders will often allow their gaze to stray off you and focus on the thrower or downfield cutters. Cut as soon as their gaze strays
  3. Strike cutbacks: While pursuing a strike cutter, lane defenders will often look back to see if the disc has been thrown. Cutback as soon as the defender looks for the disc

Improving Offensive Efficiency

  1. Faking
  2. Throw fakes (Keep body centered)
  3. Eye fakes (Look over the defender’s opposite shoulder)
  4. Use fakes:
    1. As a signal to your cutter to change direction
    2. To freeze or move defenders
    3. To expose poachers
    4. As a cut is developing, so that you’re ready to throw when the cutter is open
  1. Run different offensive sets and initiations

(E.g. Horizontal, Vertical, Split Stack, Lane cutters initiating, handlers initiating etc)

  1. Prevents a defense from getting comfortable seeing the same players in the same positions doing the same things
  2. Fluid offense (players can change positions; handlers and lane cutters can switch positions)
  1. Run similar looking plays with different options

Horizontal set

  1. For the most part, keep the disc in the middle of the field (there are more throwing and cutting options from the middle)
  2. Lane cuts underneath should come no closer than 10 yards from the handler
  3. Dump cutters cannot crowd the thrower (this allows their defender to poach on upfield throws)
  4. When the disc is on the sideline, the wide lane cutter must cut decisively

(Sometimes the best cut is back across the field – horizontally)

  1. Run a give-go off a dump pass that goes straight backwards
  2. When the disc moves to a lane cutter, the widest handler (furthest from the disc) becomes the 4th lane cutter (in a 3 handler, 4 lane cutter set)
  3. Run plays that include “clear out” cuts

Vertical set

  1. Cutters/stack should be shaded open side; leave room on the break force side
  2. Dump cutter should usually be located open side (prevents their defender from poaching on a break force throw to a lane cutter)
  3. Dump cutters cannot crowd the thrower (this allows their defender to poach on upfield throws)
  4. Send players in motion on both sides simultaneously (e.g. front player goes break force, last player comes in on the open side)
  5. Ideal for endzone offense, because a vertical set opens up the width of the field (horizontal offense becomes one-dimensional with no “out” look)

Overcoming Defensive Strategies

Horizontal set

  1. Poaching handlers
  2. Engage them and make them commit to defending you
  3. Take the free upfield pass
  1. Bracketing (One defender underneath, one over the top)
  2. Lane cutters run mirror comeback cuts, creating a 2 on 1 against the underneath defender. One cutter engages the defender; second cutter fills the open space
  1. Weak side deep help
  2. Offensive player being poached off cuts to the disc or open space (not towards his poaching defender); get the disc immediately to the open player (dump/swing, break force etc)

Vertical set

  1. Bracketing or in/out switching
    1. One cutter engages the underneath defender; second cutter fills the open space
  1. Deep help
    1. Deep cutter (whose defender is poaching) immediately cuts to receive the disc
    2. Initiate cuts from the deeper/deepest player(s) in the stack

And finally: One of the best ways for any individual to improve offensive efficiency is to become a better thrower. If you can comfortably execute multiple throws under pressure, not only does it give you more options, it gives your cutters more options.


WHY PLAY A ZONE? So what is a zone defence? Zone defences are characterised by one or more players on the defensive team not marking a player on the opposing team, but an area. By this definition, any defence which is not entirely man-to-man, including poaching, would be regarded as a zone. Of course, this would also mean that the clam is a type of zone. When we say ?zone defence?, we usually mean that there is a ?cup? of chasers near the thrower at all times, and this is what distinguishes zone from poaching or clam. Zone defences are mostly used when weather conditions are less favourable for passing, or against an offence with few strong throwers. A zone usually forces many more passes to gain the same amount of ground and relies on the offence making a weak or reckless throw in that period. Instead of trying to block passes altogether, a zone tries to block all of the easy and ground-gaining passing lanes. The zone allows passes backwards and sometimes sideways because they do little harm to the defence. The zone also allows throws over the top, because these throws are generally high risk and have a good chance of being dropped or intercepted. One advantage a zone brings is that in the event of a turnover the opponents will usually find it difficult to mark up quickly, and set up for their own defence. This can lead to easy scores, as there will be a number of people open for throws. WHAT SORT OF ZONE TO PLAY The most common zone used in Australia is a three-man static cup zone. Most of you will know this one. It has three people in a cup around the disc, two wings blocking passes up the sideline, a short deep to stop passes through or just over the cup, and a deep deep to stop the huck. There are, however, a lot of different zones available to play. The choice is really only limited by your imagination. Some are obviously better than others, and we mention just a few of them here. Three man static cup, man behind (Cupand- matchup, Squid, Occy) This has the three in the cup, but the rest of the players mark up man-to-man with the players downfield of the cup. This si a good zone to start off with for inexperienced players, because most of the players mark in the traditional man-to-man fashion. 3-2-1-matchup This is useful if one player is doing a lot of damage, but the rest of the players aren?t very effective. The short deep marks up man-toman on the key player, and the wings and the deep deep fill in the area that is left vacant. Four-man static cup This is useful in heavy wind, since the extra player in the cup can help shut off the dump pass. The wings and deep deep again have to be aware of the vacant area behind the cup. Two-man cup line trap This is useful in cross winds, where the marker forces line, and the other chaser stops the inside out throw. The wings take the lines, there are two deep deeps taking the whole of the middle of the field, and one person going man-to-man on any dumps. All of these are just ideas, and their effectiveness varies. Basically, you won?t know whether it works unless you try, so think variety on defence and give them (or any others you think up) a go.

Offence

Standard wing strategy: Look up the sideline for 2 seconds (max), then look to dump.

Standard zone offense: See 2-2-2-1 below. Two handlers and one wing or two handlers with two wings. Wings work the side lanes and assist the handlers when necessary.

Standard Vertical Stack (2-5 or 3-4):

Standard Zone Horizontal Stack: 2-2-2-1:

Standard Split Stack (2-5):

Calling plays: A pre-determined code can be shouted by the thrower as s/he is walking to the brick. One example: HANDLER-2 means the second letter of the word "handles." In this case, the team knows that "A" stands for the "Apple" play. "D" might mean a specific dump play, and "S" could be the team's swing play, and so forth.

Receivers: 3 key strategies for getting open more efficiently:

  1. Push/Pull your defender away from the spot you want to get open in
  2. Make your defender turn his/her shoulders and move
  3. Timing of cuts (and sell your cut)

Learning Points:

  • Cut while the disc is in the air; don’t wait until after the disc is caught
  • Create a throwing angle with your cut

Hucking:

  • Good huck is: 30-50 yards
  • Leads the receiver
  • Throw it early; allow your receiver time to adjust
  • Throw it to space away from defenders

Handlers: Cutting

  • Give-go if dump is straight back

Improving offensive efficiency (effective cutting and offensive efficiency)
Individual

  1. Timing of cuts
  2. “¾ speed” fake and surprise cuts
  3. Cut when your defender looks away
  4. Keep your defender occupied (so he/she can’t locate the thrower)

Offensive Efficiency

  • Disc moves quickly
  • Keep disc in middle of field (off sideline in 2-3 seconds)
  • Handlers follow upfield passes

Strategy

    • Pick a zone O set up, be flexible in your attacking strategy based on the defense

Endzone Offense
3 keys to effective endzone offense

  • Isolate front cutter (clear out to back part of stack)
  • Get the disc off the sideline
  • Throw to players cutting in (or sideways), not cutting away
Defence

Man

Marking

  • Keep feet shoulder width apart; don’t over-extend
  • Stay active
  • Hold the force; don’t over-commit to fakes on the open side

Person Defense

  • Use your body
  • Defend open-side underneath (Demonstrate for lane and handler D)
  • Recognize field position and wind conditions

Skying

  • Play the disc (not the receiver)
  • Get inside position
  • Use your body
  • Better to get skied than to snuggle (outside position)

Zone

Zone Defense Philosophy: Overall
The principles of effective zone defense

  • Force team to throw passes (often used in difficult throwing conditions)
  • Force team into pressure decisions
  • When playing zone, you’re playing man D on the offensive player closest to your area of responsibility
  • Head on a swivel
  • Passing off defenders
  • Playing the deep position

Junk: Clam; SFU

Transition

Call the transition by number (ie: at stall count 3) or by name (ie: sausage).

Links
Web links to other sites
Site Description
Ultimate Handbook Various animations of plays, strategies, and drills.
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