Now that MLC is done and the FAR/PAR fields are officially closed, we are forced to get our Ultimate fix indoors. The Armory is great for us because it gives us the opportunity to work really hard all winter and to keep us mentally strong. Every other team that is working with a goal of getting to nationals will also be hitting it this winter. As a rookie I remember feeling as if the time indoors was when I improved the most as an ultimate player. I found myself getting faster and more fit. The game itself also started to make more sense to me, and I slowly found myself grasping what it means and takes to be a player in this program that contributes on and off the field.
Unfortunately for us, the Armory has one huge and fundamental flaw. There is no wind. This absolutely stinks. Great teams like Florida and Texas don't have this problem because they can practice outdoors all year. For us northerners that know what snow looks like it is unrealistic for us to have practices outside. Just because we hold our practices indoors does not mean that throwing outdoors should be completely ignored. I know that many of us belief that throwing on the quad is a great way to get in some extra throwing practice, but I encourage everyone in this program to find time to go outside, CLEAT UP and really FOCUS on your throws with a partner. If there is snow on the ground, grab a shovel and clear out some room for you to throw, if it's really cold think about how being able to throw when it is cold will make you a better warm weather thrower. It's pretty obvious after MLC that we can all dramatically improve our throws. Working on stretching out your release point on both backhand and forehand is something everyone can do without wasting their time. During practice watch the teams best throwers, see their form and what kind of fakes work really well for them and then go outside and experiment or work on replicating what you saw.
When I was a freshman a wise man named Jasper Chu pointed something out to me that I still believe is very true. While watching the A team be awesome I asked him what the difference between the A and B team was. His response to me was that anyone on the A team could be the best or one of the best handlers on the B team. This does not mean that A teamers should be comfortable with their throws either. Reflect on all the teams that have abused our poor marking this season and last season, and imagine how good we would be if everyone on the team could break their mark. This ability to be a threat with a disc takes time to develop and the winter is a great time to start throwing with the intent of becoming the best thrower on the team.
TRYOUTS
I know I just gushed about how important it is to be a reliable thrower, but the reality is that being an intense and hard working defender is the easiest way to be useful to the A team. For everyone trying to make the A team throws need to be something that you work on everyday. Defense however is a mentality thing that needs to register and become a switch that you can throw on and leave on for extended periods of time. Last year Kennedy shared some knowledge about shuffling your feet and trying to not commit to a cut until the last possible moment. I encourage all of you to look again at what he wrote. I want to add and highlight just a few things:
1. Do not commit until the last possible moment, shuffle with your guy until they are busting either deep or in so hard that you have to throw your hips to defend it.
2. Stay on the balls of your feet and try really hard to be light footed, heavy steps are never good.
3. Never turn your back to your cutter nor the disk. See the disk and your guy as much as possible.
4. I'm pretty sure no one will frown upon a little physicality. If guarding a handler who wants to get upline, don't hesitate to give them a little body. Try not to use your arms like a blocker, instead just use your chest and core to hold your ground.
5. If guarding a long named Dan McDonald, he will try to spin move and go deep. Making Dan go in makes him very sad.
6. Trust your sidelines, and return the favor when you are on the sideline.
KB
No comments:
Post a Comment