15 October 2011

Specific feedback for your D game

Following on from a List of Offence Skills in ultimate, here is a...


List of Defence Skills

Players create defensive pressure by
  1. guarding cutters wherever they go (tightly guard deep cuts; guard in cuts; guard dump cuts; guard throw and go cuts)
  2. marking the thrower (stop early throws by getting a force on early; hold a force to limit break throws; mark with agility and energy)
  3. pulling the disc (throw into the alpha zone regularly; not give up bricks; pull strongly against the wind) 
  4. adjusting to where other defenders are (switch; push cutters into crowded places like the stack or someone clearing)
  5. moving to defend other cutters (poach effectively when their cutter does not draw them away; clog the open side, break side, deep and under as needed)
  6. moving at the right time (run down the field when the cutter watches a huck; defend the dump position early; adjust guarding position early so the cutter doesn't blow past)
  7. being athletic (guard quality players for long periods of a game; block swill that is high or wide; outrun cutters; outaccelerate cutters)
  8. working within the team D structure (know and use the team's patterns; don't require teammates to change their mark or guarding unnecessarily)
Most of these correlate with stopping the eight things the offensive player wants to do.

With eight categories listed, it is now easy to choose, say, two strengths and two aspects to work on. This keeps feedback concise, but more specific than "work on your throws and cutting".

Suggestions?