Chelsea Putnam
We all know how exciting it is to play Ultimate, and we all know what it feels
like to have those butterflies before game time. Having a well executed pre-
game warm-up can literally mean the difference, in my opinion, between winning
or losing the game. Setting the appropriate tone for game time is essential
because this game we play is at least 80% mental. Here are a few things to
keep in mind when you are creating a warm-up:
Dynamic Warm-up is the key: The warm-up is not just drills, it is also
jogging, plyos, stretching, throwing, and logistics (flipping, changing
jerseys, eating that wonderful Gu). Many elite club teams have moved, in the
past few years, to a dynamic warm-up. I completely agree with this move, and
it can be awesome if you do it right. A dynamic warm-up incorporates getting
your heart rate up, stretching, and plyos all together. Most teams follow a
set pattern of plyos (ex. butt kickers, lunges, frankensteins, and many more)
and once your team learns the exercises it can be very easy to run. My team
would also use this time to focus and visualize about personal goals for that
game. I think for most teams the dynamic warm-up works better than static
stretching because it is less time consuming and incorporates more movement
into your warm-up.
Find your fire and stick to it: Every team that I have ever played on has
drills that they excel at. It depends on the personality of your team and what
kind of players you have. For some, it is a D drill and for some it is a
simple box drill. The key is finding drills that will fire up your team, but
also get you game ready. Look for drills that are not too complicated, ones
that get many repetitions in (as opposed to standing in lines) and ones that
mimic game time motions (like cutting, throwing with a mark, and defense). I
say develop an arsenal of 5-6 drills that work well for your team and then you
can choose 3-4 of them to do before a game (if it is your warm-up before your
first game of the day). This could differ depending on weather conditions,
what team you are playing, and how late it is in the tournament. The important
thing is that everyone on the team is comfortable and confident in the drills
you choose. By doing this, you will find that your team will be more fired up
and focused to do the drills, and therefore more game ready!
Leave strategy for another time: Almost all elite teams have a strategy
plan for each of their opponents. This could include different team goals,
different defenses they will run, or key match-ups. In my opinion, all of that
should be discussed at a team meeting at a different time then your pre-game
warm-up. I personally like doing it the night before you play that team
because it gives your players time to mentally prepare. I think it is totally
fine to re-visit your team goals for the game before you start, but the
logistics about the other team should be dealt with at another time. Pre-game
warm-up is about your team – don’t let it get clouded by worrying about the
other team’s best player or how good they look doing their drills right before
your game.
Allow time for individual needs: One thing that Schwa did that worked
really well is that we had a set warm-up time. Everyone knew it, and everyone
committed to it. It also meant that if you had things you needed to do – the
rule was do them before our team warm-up starts. That means if your warm-up
starts at 8:00am, but you know you need to get your ankle taped, mix your
Citomax, and go hug your friend on the other team, then that means you start
that process at 7:40am. By doing this, players won’t be worried about the
things they need to do and they aren’t feeling rushed. It allows the whole
team to be more present during the warm-up. Everyone has different things they
need to do to get themselves ready for a game, but it is also essential that
your team find their flow together. By committing to the team warm-up, you can
achieve this.
The bottom line is that you have to find what works for your individual team.
Some players need intensity, some need defense, some need focused throwing,
and some need it to be light-hearted. We all get fired up in different ways.
Take input from your team and mold your warm-up to what it needs to be to fit
the needs of your specific players. Remember, it WILL set the tone for your
game whether you like it or not, so choose wisely. Finally, don’t forget to
put a stellar D drill in there because we all know defense wins games :)
Chelsea Putnam
Spirit of the Game is easy when the game doesn’t matter…but that is
certainly not the case with Northwest Regionals. Every game is a battle and
every game is intense. In my opinion, it is when the UPA Series starts that
Spirit matters most.
The best players in the game can play at an incredibly high level without
compromising their personal integrity or the reputation of their team. I think
that sometimes Spirit of the Game is mistaken for not contesting calls or not
being willing to make a call, but really it is honoring your opponents and
yourself by playing 100% and making calls if true violations or fouls occur. I
really enjoy the moments in Ultimate when someone makes a call and then after
a quick discussion realizes it wasn’t the right call and takes it back. I am a
true believer that SOTG is something that sets our sport apart from others and
for the better. I am proud to be able to say that I have played at the highest
level of this sport without the assistance of referees.
I know, for me personally, there is something very rewarding about battling
with an opponent and then turning around and giving them a high five when they
just skyed you in the endzone or got a sick layout D. I haven’t experienced
that feeling in other sports growing up and it is moments like those that make
me feel incredibly proud to be an Ultimate player.
Chelsea Putnam
Great defensive handlers are typically people who are aggressive, able to see
the field really well, and have a solid understanding of when it is
appropriate to play transition offense. In my opinion, one of the most
important parts of being a defensive handler is leading your team when you
guys do get the D. This may be calling a play, running to the disc to
transition, creating space for a teammate, or cutting to get the disc off the
transition. I think one of the most brutal things to have happen to your team
is to turn the disc over and have the other team score within 2-3 passes.
Therefore, if you are a defensive handler your goal should be to move the disc
away from the defense immediately and start marching up the field.
One player who is an amazing example of a defensive handler, who I have been
lucky enough to be teammates with, is Andrea “Chowda” Jung. She is and
incredible defender and because she is such a threat as a thrower she runs our
offense right off of the turnover. By Chowda getting the offense going
quickly, the other team can’t get the right match ups quickly, and we have the
opportunity for an easy score.
Chelsea Putnam
The best piece of advice I ever received about breaking the mark is that every
fake must be a viable throw. You need to create space in order to break the
mark; strong fakes are going to make that happen. Many defenders choose to
watch only the disc when they are marking (don’t do that, defenders!) and
therefore they are reacting to your fakes. By making realistic fakes, with the
disc and your upper body movement, you will get your defender to shift their
weight and be off-balance for a moment. That will create the space you need to
break your mark.
This means not having two hands on the disc, which for newer players can be
uncomfortable. You cannot throw the disc with two hands, so you should not be
faking with two hands.
It also means faking at different levels. If you like to throw low, then you
need to throw some high fakes to move the defenders hands up.
In addition, it means learning to throw multiple fakes on one side, either the
forehand or backhand. It takes too much time when you simply pivot back and
forth, and there is nothing wrong with throwing more than one fake on a side.
The bottom line is that your movements with the disc in your hand should have
a purpose and be realistic. This will force your defender to be off-balance
and will create the space you need to break the mark.
Chelsea Putnam
I can think of three main points that will help you when you are trying to get
open in the middle of a horizontal stack. The first is that your team needs to
put the right type of player in that position. In my opinion, this is a player
who is confident with the disc, is a threat as a deep thrower, and understands
how to get open both going deep and coming under. Having a player who is a
“threat” as a cutter and a thrower will make the defense have to decide what
they are going to take away and in doing so will leave more openings for you.
Secondly, a player’s job as a cutter in the middle of the horizontal stack is
to engage the defender. This is not a footrace, it is a matter of driving the
defender in one direction (my personal favorite is running directly at the
defender to get them on their heels and then exploding 90 degrees in either
direction). By getting your defender on their heels, even if they are faster
than you, you will have a momentary advantage. Also, you will create a better
cutting lane for yourself and make it easier to receive the disc. One of the
best pieces of advice I ever received is “the best in cut is an out cut” and
vise versa. By driving your defender in one direction it will open up a lane
for you in a different direction.
The third point is that you need to remember the “shoulders square” rule. This
is the mentality that while cutting, you should have your shoulders facing
either directly at your thrower or the thrower should be seeing the back of
your jersey. By cutting in with your shoulders square, the width of your body
will be in front of your defender, which makes it hard to get a D, and you
will be able to move laterally to get to the disc. When cutting out, run in a
straight line out (you are fastest that way), check over your shoulder around
8-10 steps (to see if your thrower is still engaged with you), and then decide
where you need to go depending on the throw. Typically you will be at least
one step in front of your defender (because you knew where you were cutting
and they didn’t), so after the disc is up you can adjust your position to make
the catch. Hopefully those points were helpful because one thing is for
sure—horizontal stack is here to stay.