Session E2

This session will teach the skills of passing to teammates who are in motion, transitioning from offence to defence (and vice versa), and cutting to maintain good field position.

Preparation: Use cones to set up one field for every ten participants (25m wide, 35-40m long goal-to-goal, plus 12-15m long endzones). These fields can also be used as playing areas for activities.

Introduction

  • Set the expectations for the session – area and equipment used, and what skills will be taught
  • Outline any safety considerations for the session

Warm-Up

All-In Tag

Activity – Throw To A Moving Target

Passes should be made to players who are moving rather than stationary, otherwise defenders can easily intercept the disc.

A disc stays in the air for longer than a ball, so players should try to “float” the disc out in front of where their team mate is running to, rather than try and throw directly to them.

To practice this, use the “Archery” drill.

  • Divide into two groups who will compete against each other.
  • For each group, set up three concentric squares, with the outside square being 5-6m wide, the middle square 3-4m, and the inner square 1-2m
  • Have two lines of players – one in front of the squares about 5m away from the outer edge (throwers) and one at an angle on the opposite side of the squares (cutters)
  • The cutter should run towards the inner square in a straight line, and the thrower attempts to “float” a throw that will meet them in middle.
  • A catch in the inner square is 3 points, in the middle square is 2 points and the outer is 1 point. A drop or miss is 0 points.
  • Players join the opposite line after the rep – thrower goes to the cutter line, cutter joins the thrower line.
  • Go until every player has thrown twice and total up the scores.

Activity – Transition from Offence to Defence, and Defence to Offence

Turnovers of possession can happen quickly in ultimate without time to properly adjust, so players need to practice switching from one role to another.

  • Offence to Defence – determine 1v1 guarding matchups. The most common way to do this is to guard the player that was guarding you, but sometimes offence players can be spread around the field away from defeners.
  • Defence to Offence – getting into position (handlers and stack) before picking up the disc. Usually the positions are determined before a point starts, but sometimes improvisation is needed.

To practice changing from O to D

  • Divide the group into two even teams. One starts on the sideline of the field facing away. The other all hold a sash/bib and scatter themselves around the field.
  • On a count of 3 or a whistle, the first team tries to collect all the sashes/bibs as fast as they can, but they can only collect one each.
  • Swap teams and compare times.
  • Before the second round, encourage teams to come up with a strategy. The most common strategy used in games is to prioritise matching up on players closest to the goal first, and the handlers last. So the optimal strategy is to prioritise the furthest away sashes/bibs first.
  • For the third round, the team holding the sashes/bibs can be jogging around instead of standing still. Remind them they are not trying to evade being caught.

To practice changing from D to O

  • Divide the group into two teams. Each take turns doing this activity.
  • Start the group on the sideline facing away from the field. Throw the disc to a random spot on the field, then give a signal for the group to move.
  • The group needs to determine who will go to the disc, who will set up as the dump, and who will be at the front of the vertical stack. All other players join the vertical stack. Have the group complete three passes as if it is live play, but without defence.
    • Encourage the player who is picking up the disc to move slower so that their teammates have time to set up the formation before play starts.
  • Swap groups over and repeat.

Activity – Cutting Positioning

Teams should try and keep the disc close to the centre of the field as they progress down the field, so as not to have to contend with the sideline as well as defence. Cutters should try and keep close to the stack in their attacking moves, but just far enough away that passes don’t get intercepted by defenders guarding other players.

To practice this, as well as other skills learned so far (deceleration, attacking the disc, throwing to a moving teammate, and changing grip), use the “Buzz Cuts” drill

  • Set two cones up about 7-8m apart, and have two lines behind each out, facing out into an open space. Have one player start out in the space with the disc to throw the first pass (1).
  • As the coach, stand opposite the two lines about 10m away (2). Ideally all cuts and throws should remain between you and the waiting players.
  • The first player cuts away from the other cone for about 10m, decelerate, turn, and cut back towards the thrower (3).
  • The thrower throws a pass (4) for the cutter to run on to after they have turned. After they have thrown, they quickly clear out of the space, and join the line on the opposite cone.
  • In the meantime, a cutter from the other cone starts cutting in the opposite direction (5) and repeats the same movement to receive a pass from the first cutter (6).
  • Cycle through this pattern for either a set time, or set number of passes.

Progressions

  • Encourage players to think about the timing of their movement so that the player throwing to them isn’t rushed or has to wait for them. The optimal timing is to take off as the player who was in front of them is about to catch, and decelerating/turning when they hear the catch from the player about to throw to them.
  • Encourage throws that have the player pivoting away from the two lines. This should have them alternating between backhand and forehand each time they throw.
  • Set a target of consecutive number of catches for the whole group.
  • 3 Cone Variant: Add a third cone/group to the drill. This adds a second cut and pass in each direction. This variant is demonstrated in the video above.

Strat Chat

How can we use the skills we just practiced in a game?

  • Throw to cutters who are moving
  • Being alert and responsive to changing from D to O, and O to D
  • Try and keep the disc in the middle of the field as we move closer to goal

Play Ultimate!

  • Keep teams small – no more than five per side on the field
  • Don’t explain tactics, just get everyone moving!
  • Make an effort to ensure everyone is involved
  • Use the CHANGE IT sheet to make adjustments if needed
CHANGE IT (PDF)

Finish up

  • Ask participants to return all cones and discs
  • Thank them for playing!
  • Tell them about the Ultimate Victoria website to find out more about the sport