Suggested Team & Individual Tactics

Jeff Graham

In ultimate, good offense beats good defense. Defense becomes especially difficult when the opponent has a dynamic player that is both a threat with the disc and down field. Down 8-6 at the half our defensive goal is to make the opponents offense, and most importantly this dynamic player, uncomfortable. We can do this with both team and individual defensive tactics.

Suggested Team Tactics

  • Zone Defense: Makes the offense complete many throws to score.
  • Box-and-One Defense: A great way to get an offense that relies heavily on one player off-balance. Also does a good job of frustrating a player that likes to touch the disc often.
  • Sandwich Star Player On Stop Disc: Force a secondary player to get the disc underneath to start their offense.

Suggested Individual Tactics

  • Switch Match Ups On Star Player: Alternate a tall player that encourages the player to cut under and provides a wide, intimidating mark with the quickest, fastest, high energy defender to pester the player.
  • Make The Star Player Work On Defense: Some offensive studs don’t enjoy playing defense. Make sure once you get the turn that you run him ragged.
  • Push The Star Under: Since the star player has scored deep a couple times force him under, but mark him straight up to force him to settle for the little throws.

Things To Focus On At Any Level

Jeff Graham

Here are my six recommendations to anyone who is trying out for a team of any level:

1. Be on time and have all of the appropriate equipment for the tryout.

2. Relax — tryouts are a high stress process for everyone involved, but as a captain/coach I’m looking to see how players handle themselves throughout the process. Tryouts are a decent representation of how players will handle high-stress situations during tournaments.

3. Know what you can and can’t do — Before you even get to the tryout think about your game, what throws you are confident in, how you have been taught to mark, what assets you think you can bring to the table. Also, remind yourself what you aren’t so great at. At the tryout put yourself in situations in which you are likely to succeed. Show off what you can do. Conversely, don’t try to do too much. If you don’t have a deep flick, don’t try it. Throw a good fake if someone is open deep for your flick and make a smart throw underneath.

4. Go for it! Again, this is your chance to show what you can do, if a play you can make presents itself go do it, and do it with confidence!

5. Hustle! A coach will always find a spot for someone that is willing to work hard.

6. Show you are coachable — If a coach suggests something to you, listen, and try to apply the suggestion in the scrimmage.