Following on from Rueben's list of one-percenters, here are my additions to that list of the little things that help your team. (Read Rueben's first.)
Moving your defender
When you see a teammate about to cut long, and you are standing near the back of the stack, a little movement in to the disc can draw your defender's attention so they can't help defend the teammate's deep cut.
Not getting in the way
If the thrower has engaged the dump, you need to leave the space around the dump and thrower for the dump to cut into.
Motivating the team
If you or a teammate do something good, let the team know. Get excited. Celebrate. Motivate. A huge layout goal is a very valuable spark that your team can use.
T-minus cuts
Distract and draw the defence by starting your cut before the disc gets checked in. The defence will be less likely to help defend the main cut, and the thrower can throw earlier to the main cut (or even you!). T-minus, because you cut at T-minus 5 seconds, for example.
Look around
See what the thrower, cutters and defence are doing, by constantly turning your head. Have no blind spots.
Share your observations
Let your teammates and leadership know about any tactically useful observations: "Fred has only thrown forehands this game", "Don is poaching a lot".
18 January 2008
11 January 2008
Ways to attack a zone
Here are some ways to attack a zone. I didn't realise there are so many ways to attack a zone until I stopped to count them. Anyone got more?
1. Sneak in and pivot through
The poppers step just inside the wall or cup, lean forward to receive a short pass (less than 1 metre), and pivot past a defender to throw to a teammate. The disc is not thrown through the cup - it is carried through by a legal pivot step of the popper. This requires footwork not used anywhere else in ultimate, so it takes specific practice.
2. Stand in space
Poppers stand behind the cup or wall in space. If the wing defenders are kept preoccupied, at least 1 of the 2 poppers should be free enough. The handler throws a hammer, blade or scoober to the open popper.
3. Decoy runs to make gaps
One popper moves through the cup to move a defender. The handler throws through the gap they leave to the other popper, who has positioned themselves where they think the gap will appear.
4. Flood the weak side
Position a handler on the opposite side of the field to the disc, and have 2 poppers nearby. Leave the handler with the disc all alone with 4 defenders near him/her. When the disc is swung with a hammer or dump-swing, the poppers are ready to give-go, as the disc should arrive before the cup, clam or wall arrives. Frisbees are faster than feet.
5. Flood deep and hammer
Put 3 or 4 players deep, each trying to draw a defender. One offensive player should be left open for a hammer or blade.
6. Dump and swing until a wing is open
This is the status-quo. It is simple and so is usually the first tactic taught on zone offense. It uses the assumption that "the cup will get tired and slow down and we can then pass up the wing, before we make a mistake". This assumption is usually false in beginner and intermediate ultimate. My reasoning: if you throw just 7 passes sideways, each of which is 90% safe, you are more likely to turn it over than not. And you haven't even gone forward towards the goal. And isn't that the aim of offense?
1. Sneak in and pivot through
The poppers step just inside the wall or cup, lean forward to receive a short pass (less than 1 metre), and pivot past a defender to throw to a teammate. The disc is not thrown through the cup - it is carried through by a legal pivot step of the popper. This requires footwork not used anywhere else in ultimate, so it takes specific practice.
2. Stand in space
Poppers stand behind the cup or wall in space. If the wing defenders are kept preoccupied, at least 1 of the 2 poppers should be free enough. The handler throws a hammer, blade or scoober to the open popper.
3. Decoy runs to make gaps
One popper moves through the cup to move a defender. The handler throws through the gap they leave to the other popper, who has positioned themselves where they think the gap will appear.
4. Flood the weak side
Position a handler on the opposite side of the field to the disc, and have 2 poppers nearby. Leave the handler with the disc all alone with 4 defenders near him/her. When the disc is swung with a hammer or dump-swing, the poppers are ready to give-go, as the disc should arrive before the cup, clam or wall arrives. Frisbees are faster than feet.
5. Flood deep and hammer
Put 3 or 4 players deep, each trying to draw a defender. One offensive player should be left open for a hammer or blade.
6. Dump and swing until a wing is open
This is the status-quo. It is simple and so is usually the first tactic taught on zone offense. It uses the assumption that "the cup will get tired and slow down and we can then pass up the wing, before we make a mistake". This assumption is usually false in beginner and intermediate ultimate. My reasoning: if you throw just 7 passes sideways, each of which is 90% safe, you are more likely to turn it over than not. And you haven't even gone forward towards the goal. And isn't that the aim of offense?
Guidelines to popping
Here is the first in a series of posts about popping. Why popping? Cos I like it :) Popping requires very different tactics to man-on-man offence - which we play 95% of the time.
The National Junior Training Camp was on this week in Melbourne. You have never seen such a standard of professional training in ultimate. The coaches and athletes there are building a new culture of elite ultimate. I foresee big things for the U-19 Australian teams that emerge from this camp, and the rest of the campaign.
I was guest coach on Thursday morning, coaching the Junior Women on zone O.
The junior women played three mini-games, rotating through the roles of handler, popper and deep in their team. I gave them two guidelines to follow in each role:
Handlers
1. Look after the disc (i.e. throw safe throws, don't get stalled)
2. Keep the disc in the middle of the field (because the zone they faced was a line-trapping pommy zone)
Poppers
1. Always watch the disc (as the angles and defence constantly change, and you can be open at any moment. You can no longer afford to clear long for three seconds, head down, arms pumping.)
2. Stay within 10 metres of the disc (for the offensive style I wanted, the poppers break the zone with small passes through the wall, so they have to be near the disc)
Deeps
1. Pull defenders deep (to give the poppers space)
2. Cut in at the right time (to keep the disc moving upfield before the wall and chaser can contain it again)
Teams can choose different offensive styles against zone, that may not include these guidelines.
But for the junior women on Thursday, I felt these six guidelines gave them an instant structure.
The hardest one to follow was Keep the disc in the middle of the field. It is a very human tendency to throw where the force lets you. But against a trapping zone, the sideline takes away space to throw into, and lets the defenders crowd in. It is clear it takes a fair bit of practice to ignore an open teammate on the sideline and break the mark to a hit better positioned teammate.
The National Junior Training Camp was on this week in Melbourne. You have never seen such a standard of professional training in ultimate. The coaches and athletes there are building a new culture of elite ultimate. I foresee big things for the U-19 Australian teams that emerge from this camp, and the rest of the campaign.
I was guest coach on Thursday morning, coaching the Junior Women on zone O.
The junior women played three mini-games, rotating through the roles of handler, popper and deep in their team. I gave them two guidelines to follow in each role:
Handlers
1. Look after the disc (i.e. throw safe throws, don't get stalled)
2. Keep the disc in the middle of the field (because the zone they faced was a line-trapping pommy zone)
Poppers
1. Always watch the disc (as the angles and defence constantly change, and you can be open at any moment. You can no longer afford to clear long for three seconds, head down, arms pumping.)
2. Stay within 10 metres of the disc (for the offensive style I wanted, the poppers break the zone with small passes through the wall, so they have to be near the disc)
Deeps
1. Pull defenders deep (to give the poppers space)
2. Cut in at the right time (to keep the disc moving upfield before the wall and chaser can contain it again)
Teams can choose different offensive styles against zone, that may not include these guidelines.
But for the junior women on Thursday, I felt these six guidelines gave them an instant structure.
The hardest one to follow was Keep the disc in the middle of the field. It is a very human tendency to throw where the force lets you. But against a trapping zone, the sideline takes away space to throw into, and lets the defenders crowd in. It is clear it takes a fair bit of practice to ignore an open teammate on the sideline and break the mark to a hit better positioned teammate.
19 December 2007
Aussie Spirit
So the Aussie Women won Spirit at the World Beach Championships in Brazil.
This adds to a long list of Australian spirit winners at international tournaments.
Australia has won Spirit in at least one division at an amazing string of World Championships (Worlds, World Clubs and Beach Worlds):
Correction: there was no Spirit award in Taiwan - I'd assumed another team won it. You're off the hook for now, Woodley.
And as for what happened before 1997... well, the records for our sport are pretty incomplete. Who wants to be a historian for our sport? I'll back you.
This adds to a long list of Australian spirit winners at international tournaments.
Australia has won Spirit in at least one division at an amazing string of World Championships (Worlds, World Clubs and Beach Worlds):
- King Brown - Open - WUCC1997
- King Brown - Open - WUCC1999
- Thorny Devils - Women - WUGC2000
- King Brown - Open - WUCC2002
- Thunder - Junior Mens - WUGC2004
- Barramundis - Mixed - WUGC2004
- Crocs - Mixed - World Games 2005
- Thunder - Junior Mens - WJUC2006
- Terra - Junior Womens - WJUC2006
- Fear Discinsonia - Masters - WUCC2006
- Phoenix - Women - WUCC2006
- Fakulti - Open - WUCC2006
- Blokes and Sheilas - Mixed - WUCC2006
- Australia - Women - WBUC2007
- Australia - Junior Women - WUGC2008
Correction: there was no Spirit award in Taiwan - I'd assumed another team won it. You're off the hook for now, Woodley.
And as for what happened before 1997... well, the records for our sport are pretty incomplete. Who wants to be a historian for our sport? I'll back you.
11 December 2007
Silver, Gold and Bronze
The Asia-Oceania Ultimate Championships and World Beach Championships just wrapped up, and Australia brought home the medals.
At the Asia-Oceania Ultimate Championships, the Wombats came 2nd.
At the World Beach Championships, Australia came 1st in Open and 3rd in Womens. The women also won Spirit!
The Wombats join an esteemed list of Australian teams to win a medal at a WFDF Championships:
Australia seems to be doing as well as you can do without claiming a WFDF gold. In fact Sarah Wentworth may be the only Aussie with one (she played with Jinx, a German team and winners at European Club Championships 2005).
And with six strong teams being assembled for Worlds 2008, we may not have to wait much longer to fully close that door.
At the Asia-Oceania Ultimate Championships, the Wombats came 2nd.
At the World Beach Championships, Australia came 1st in Open and 3rd in Womens. The women also won Spirit!
The Wombats join an esteemed list of Australian teams to win a medal at a WFDF Championships:
- Return of the Red-Eye (3rd) - Masters - WUCC1999
- Dingoes (3rd) - Open - WUGC2004
- Crocs (2nd) - Mixed - World Games 2005
- Terra (3rd) - Junior Women - WJUC2006
- Eastern Greys (3rd) - Masters - WUCC2006
- Thong (2nd) - Open - WUCC2006
- Chilly (3rd) - Open - WUCC2006
- Wombats (2nd) - Mixed - Asia-Oceania Championships 2007
Australia seems to be doing as well as you can do without claiming a WFDF gold. In fact Sarah Wentworth may be the only Aussie with one (she played with Jinx, a German team and winners at European Club Championships 2005).
And with six strong teams being assembled for Worlds 2008, we may not have to wait much longer to fully close that door.
3 December 2007
Melbourne Hat
Some observations from the Melbourne Hat, which I played this weekend.
- The Hat is still a lot of fun, all these years after my first one.
- There were four pools of teams on Saturday, and I think my team was in a strong one. The 2 teams who finished 5th (my team), and 6th (Evel Knievel), cleaned up our opponents in cross pool play on Sunday. Our pool winner lost the final by 2 points.
- The winds came through again, making Saturday arvo and Sunday morning a zone-fest. Not the most enjoyable conditions for the numerous beginners, because the disc tends to be kept in the hands of the veteran handlers on offense.
- A Moulin Rouge party theme is a wondrous spectacle in terms of costumes for the ladies, and is just a token top hat for the men.
- Popping is fun, so much fun. I made a point of putting our strongest throwers as middles or poppers to a) give more touches to other players in the handler positions and b) replace the risky dump-swing, go-nowhere offence with a powerful cup-busting, quick-passing offence. I think it was productive. It was definitely fun.
- On teams with a wide range of abilities, huck and hope is a winning tactic. It can be unsatisfying for those wanting a short passing game (who get looked off), but it seems to win games. The two teams in the final seemed to be lead by two of the best huckers in the tourney. However, the crowd (and I count myself among them) wants to see teams win using all their players. The eternal juggling act of hat tournaments.
27 November 2007
Where the toe points
Tommy likes to throw his forehand with his arm inside his non-pivot leg.
Jenny likes to throw her forehand with her arm outside.
Tommy's form is common to most North Americans, while Jenny's form is what Aussies usually use.
Advantages? Disadvantages?
Where you point your toe determines where your knee will go.
Toe pointed sideways -> arm inside.
Toe pointed forwards -> arm outside.
Jenny likes to throw her forehand with her arm outside.
Tommy's form is common to most North Americans, while Jenny's form is what Aussies usually use.
Advantages? Disadvantages?
Where you point your toe determines where your knee will go.
Toe pointed sideways -> arm inside.
Toe pointed forwards -> arm outside.
23 November 2007
Highlights of Monash at AUG
As a first try at embedding video, here is Monash at AUG, back in October (video by Gubz).
22 November 2007
WUGC2008 site gets going
The Worlds 2008 website is updated, and now has some worthwhile content.
There are descriptions of the accom (way cheaper than Finland 04), schedule and likely attending teams. I also expect the forums to get a workout from some Aussies - as soon as you can register for them. I got stuck at the security question: What is 1+1? The answer is 2, right? I swear it's 2. I've been to Canada. 1+1=2 over there, I'm positive. About = aboot, a buck is a loony, and 1+1=2.
There could be about 8 Junior Girls teams, which would lead to better draws than 2006 (with 4 teams). And 12 Masters teams, also an improvement on 2004.
Colombia could enter 5 divisions. They are obviously growing the sport over there: 3rd in Juniors 2006, regular blogging, Colombians regularly showing up in Australia and a bit of online presence.
And apparently Australia has expressed interest in entering the Guts division. Considering I've never seen or heard of a single guts game in Australia, this is unlikely. And any team we do send could get hurt :)
There are descriptions of the accom (way cheaper than Finland 04), schedule and likely attending teams. I also expect the forums to get a workout from some Aussies - as soon as you can register for them. I got stuck at the security question: What is 1+1? The answer is 2, right? I swear it's 2. I've been to Canada. 1+1=2 over there, I'm positive. About = aboot, a buck is a loony, and 1+1=2.
There could be about 8 Junior Girls teams, which would lead to better draws than 2006 (with 4 teams). And 12 Masters teams, also an improvement on 2004.
Colombia could enter 5 divisions. They are obviously growing the sport over there: 3rd in Juniors 2006, regular blogging, Colombians regularly showing up in Australia and a bit of online presence.
And apparently Australia has expressed interest in entering the Guts division. Considering I've never seen or heard of a single guts game in Australia, this is unlikely. And any team we do send could get hurt :)
14 November 2007
Medicine disc
Many professional footballers, tennis players, baseballers incorporate a medicine ball into their plyometric strength training.
Free weights such medicine balls are more popular due to the bigger emphasis on compound exercises, core strength and training with movements that mirror the movements of thesport.
Hucking, pulling and catching are three of the actions which benefit greatly from upper body core strength. I want to train with something more specific than a medicine ball - I want a medicine disc.
Basically a disc that is about 3-5 times heavier than a 175g ultrastar. But can still be held comfortably in a backhand grip.
You can practise your pulling, pivoting and catching with it. Come game time, a 175g disc will be a piece of cake.
Free weights such medicine balls are more popular due to the bigger emphasis on compound exercises, core strength and training with movements that mirror the movements of thesport.
Hucking, pulling and catching are three of the actions which benefit greatly from upper body core strength. I want to train with something more specific than a medicine ball - I want a medicine disc.
Basically a disc that is about 3-5 times heavier than a 175g ultrastar. But can still be held comfortably in a backhand grip.
You can practise your pulling, pivoting and catching with it. Come game time, a 175g disc will be a piece of cake.
3 October 2007
If you can see, you are responsible
I have seen my share of collisions and excessive contact in ultimate over the years.
Most of my time out of action has been from injuries sustained in collisions.
I believe you should avoid unnecessary contact in ultimate. In many cases it is a foul. In the other cases, it still probably puts people at risk of injury.
One example is a dump cutting up the line for the disc, while a poaching defender from upfield comes in for an intercept. The dump usually cannot see the defender, while the defender usually can see the dump. I feel the defender has more responsibility to avoid contact here. Personal experience: as a dump, I have been slammed in the back by a defender who I never saw, as I was looking at the disc. They claimed they got the disc first, so all was ok. Also, I have been the poaching defender and bailed on bids because I couldn't get past the dump without a collision.
Another example is a player running past the thrower from behind. If the thrower suddenly pivots sideways, there can be a collision. All players should keep a safe margin between themselves and the thrower as they run past from behind.
Parinella, veteran of the US scene, multiple title winner, etc, reported this in a recent post:
"Oh, I also took out a pivoter. The lanky opponent had caught a disc near the line and I thought he may have been out, so was thinking about that a little as I jogged downfield with my guy. I think I followed in my guy’s steps, a foot or two outside the pivot foot (but six feet from the thrower’s body), only to be surprised by a rapid pivot back to the forehand side, and I bowled him over. Whoops. I should have been more alert and known that was a possibility. I apologized to the guy on the other team who yelled at me about it, to the thrower, and again later to the thrower, and now to the unwashed masses."
So a highly esteemed player publicly apologises for creating a collision. He felt responsible because he was sighted, and the other guys wasn't. Kudos to Parinella here.
My general principle is that if you can see the possibility of a collision, you have a responsibility to avoid it.
Most of my time out of action has been from injuries sustained in collisions.
I believe you should avoid unnecessary contact in ultimate. In many cases it is a foul. In the other cases, it still probably puts people at risk of injury.
One example is a dump cutting up the line for the disc, while a poaching defender from upfield comes in for an intercept. The dump usually cannot see the defender, while the defender usually can see the dump. I feel the defender has more responsibility to avoid contact here. Personal experience: as a dump, I have been slammed in the back by a defender who I never saw, as I was looking at the disc. They claimed they got the disc first, so all was ok. Also, I have been the poaching defender and bailed on bids because I couldn't get past the dump without a collision.
Another example is a player running past the thrower from behind. If the thrower suddenly pivots sideways, there can be a collision. All players should keep a safe margin between themselves and the thrower as they run past from behind.
Parinella, veteran of the US scene, multiple title winner, etc, reported this in a recent post:
"Oh, I also took out a pivoter. The lanky opponent had caught a disc near the line and I thought he may have been out, so was thinking about that a little as I jogged downfield with my guy. I think I followed in my guy’s steps, a foot or two outside the pivot foot (but six feet from the thrower’s body), only to be surprised by a rapid pivot back to the forehand side, and I bowled him over. Whoops. I should have been more alert and known that was a possibility. I apologized to the guy on the other team who yelled at me about it, to the thrower, and again later to the thrower, and now to the unwashed masses."
So a highly esteemed player publicly apologises for creating a collision. He felt responsible because he was sighted, and the other guys wasn't. Kudos to Parinella here.
My general principle is that if you can see the possibility of a collision, you have a responsibility to avoid it.
26 September 2007
Marking the disc
There are some key tips for marking the disc, that most experienced players know: be on your toes, arms out, watch the thrower's navel or body language, learn their fakes, etc.
But there is another I never hear mentioned: keep your arms back. By this I mean, don't wrap. Ah, those Queenslanders need to practise this.
If you do wrap your arms around the thrower, they will throw under your arms or draw a foul easily.
Let's see how these markers are doing:
But there is another I never hear mentioned: keep your arms back. By this I mean, don't wrap. Ah, those Queenslanders need to practise this.
If you do wrap your arms around the thrower, they will throw under your arms or draw a foul easily.
Let's see how these markers are doing:
20 September 2007
Frisbee DVDs
Here are the DVDs out there that introduce and explain Ultimate.
Whammo
If you buy a Whammo disc at Rebel Sport, it comes with a DVD. Moses, Fortunat and others demonstrate backhands, forehands and hammers as the narrator explains them. The basic rules are explained as well, from memory.
Play Ultimate & Beyond The Stack
According to playulty.com, this DVD includes:
* History of Ultimate Frisbee
* How to play
* Basic throws
* Proper catching
* Offensive and defensive positioning
* Strategic formations
* Introduction to Spirit of the Game
* And much more...
How to throw a frisbee
The website looks a lot more amateur.
Any others out there?
Whammo
If you buy a Whammo disc at Rebel Sport, it comes with a DVD. Moses, Fortunat and others demonstrate backhands, forehands and hammers as the narrator explains them. The basic rules are explained as well, from memory.
Play Ultimate & Beyond The Stack
According to playulty.com, this DVD includes:
* History of Ultimate Frisbee
* How to play
* Basic throws
* Proper catching
* Offensive and defensive positioning
* Strategic formations
* Introduction to Spirit of the Game
* And much more...
How to throw a frisbee
The website looks a lot more amateur.
Any others out there?
5 good drills
jdr asked me what my 5 favourite drills are, since I called for a fatwa on dump-swing-score.
I haven't done an exhaustive look through the drills I know, so here are just 5 that I like. In no particular order.
Thrower marker drill aka 3 man drill
Anecdotally, I have marked the disc better in games where I do this drill before the game. I also like doing it with a one-way force and copping pushups for getting broken. Also, see an animation here.
Bzzzt
This drill teaches a guarder to constantly get into good position relative to a cutter. It is a bit like mirror drill except the guarder aims to always be between the cutter and a thrower standing at one cone. There is a pushup for the guarder, each time the cutter gets on the wrong side of the guarder, announced with a "bzzzt". And on 10 seconds the thrower has to throw to the cutter. Extra pushups if the disc is caught - more if the disc is caught "under".
Circle drill
A good drill for introducing the idea of a cup, and for learning how to throw through a cup. Has the disadvantage of a bit too much standing around, so I prefer to run it with no more than 10 players.
One Chance
This drill has a thrower, a cutter and guarder. From a stack, the cutter moves out horizontally to a cone. They can then only cut vertically: either cut in, cut out, cut in then out, or cut out then in. They only have "one chance" to change direction. The guarder tries to get the D. This helps the cutter with sharp 180 degree cuts and communication with a thrower. It also helps the guarder judge the threat of an in cut versus an out cut, and judge who the thrower is.
3 man weave
A simple way to warm up, get some throws in and practise give-go skills. Doesn't require any cones to set up.
The first 4 drills let O and D practise their skills simultaneously. And a drill with D is more realistic.
Of course, I really like scrimmages with rule modifications, but I don't know if that is a drill. Examples are here and here. Hmmm, that looks like another post. "Drill" seems to imply rigidity, rotating strictly through the roles and a sharp focus on one skill, unlike a game/scrimmage.
Aah, I've been meaning to compile the ideas of others and my ideas into a central AFDA resource - a handbook or wiki or database or some combination. I think having it easily printable is valuable. Drawing on what is out there. Who wants to help (contribution or organisation)?
I haven't done an exhaustive look through the drills I know, so here are just 5 that I like. In no particular order.
Thrower marker drill aka 3 man drill
Anecdotally, I have marked the disc better in games where I do this drill before the game. I also like doing it with a one-way force and copping pushups for getting broken. Also, see an animation here.
Bzzzt
This drill teaches a guarder to constantly get into good position relative to a cutter. It is a bit like mirror drill except the guarder aims to always be between the cutter and a thrower standing at one cone. There is a pushup for the guarder, each time the cutter gets on the wrong side of the guarder, announced with a "bzzzt". And on 10 seconds the thrower has to throw to the cutter. Extra pushups if the disc is caught - more if the disc is caught "under".
Circle drill
A good drill for introducing the idea of a cup, and for learning how to throw through a cup. Has the disadvantage of a bit too much standing around, so I prefer to run it with no more than 10 players.
One Chance
This drill has a thrower, a cutter and guarder. From a stack, the cutter moves out horizontally to a cone. They can then only cut vertically: either cut in, cut out, cut in then out, or cut out then in. They only have "one chance" to change direction. The guarder tries to get the D. This helps the cutter with sharp 180 degree cuts and communication with a thrower. It also helps the guarder judge the threat of an in cut versus an out cut, and judge who the thrower is.
3 man weave
A simple way to warm up, get some throws in and practise give-go skills. Doesn't require any cones to set up.
The first 4 drills let O and D practise their skills simultaneously. And a drill with D is more realistic.
Of course, I really like scrimmages with rule modifications, but I don't know if that is a drill. Examples are here and here. Hmmm, that looks like another post. "Drill" seems to imply rigidity, rotating strictly through the roles and a sharp focus on one skill, unlike a game/scrimmage.
Aah, I've been meaning to compile the ideas of others and my ideas into a central AFDA resource - a handbook or wiki or database or some combination. I think having it easily printable is valuable. Drawing on what is out there. Who wants to help (contribution or organisation)?
19 September 2007
Queueing in drills
Let's say the aim of a drill you're running is to improve skills (as opposed to say, getting warmed up for a game).
Ideally the players get lots of opportunities to practise the skill you want them to improve. Improvement requires practise of the skill. This is not rocket science.
To do this, you should minimise standing around and queueing.
One of my bugbears is seeing drills run for beginners that require only one disc. Not only is 18 players using 1 disc an inane idea, if there is a drop or poor throw, 17 players get to stand around even longer watching one player jog over, pick up a disc, then jog back to the drill. The drill is stopped by an error. And errors happen with beginners!
Therefore I am proposing death to dump-swing-score. There are so many better drills out there.
In general, pick a drill that requires multiple discs. The drill usually won't be held up by an error. And the number of disc touches per player per hour (TPHs) will be much higher.
Ideally the players get lots of opportunities to practise the skill you want them to improve. Improvement requires practise of the skill. This is not rocket science.
To do this, you should minimise standing around and queueing.
One of my bugbears is seeing drills run for beginners that require only one disc. Not only is 18 players using 1 disc an inane idea, if there is a drop or poor throw, 17 players get to stand around even longer watching one player jog over, pick up a disc, then jog back to the drill. The drill is stopped by an error. And errors happen with beginners!
Therefore I am proposing death to dump-swing-score. There are so many better drills out there.
In general, pick a drill that requires multiple discs. The drill usually won't be held up by an error. And the number of disc touches per player per hour (TPHs) will be much higher.
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