Ultimate Primer
Ultimate stresses sportsmanship and fair play. Highly competitive play is expected, but not at the expense of mutual respect, adherence to the rules, or basic joy of play. Ultimate is a non-contact sport with elements of basketball and soccer played on a football-like field with a flying disc. Teams of seven play on a field 70 yds long by 40 yds wide with two 25-yard deep end zones. Each catch in the end zone is worth one point.
The disc can only be moved by throwingand catching it. Each time a player catches the disc he must throw it,releasing it immediately or establishing a pivot foot like in basketball and then throwing the disc to a teammate. The team with the disc retains possession until they score, or they turn the disc over to the other team. A turnover occurs when the disc is dropped, not caught, knocked down, thrown out-of-bounds, caught by the other team, or the defender’s stall count reaches 10.
A. Ultimate Terms to Know
Backhand: like you learned as a kid; generated by placingthe thumb on top of disc, and curling fingers under it, twisting the trunk, then unwinding, before releasing with a flick of the wrist, like a tennis backhand
Break: describes a pass that manages to get through the mark’s force. Ex. The defender attempts to force a flick, but the thrower throws to the backhand side anyway. “NO BREAK!” lets the mark know a cutter is attempting to get free on the break-side so the mark can adjust the defensive stance
Clear: rapidly leaving the lane, taking your defender with you, thus leaving empty space to allow the next cutter room to receive a pass.You will either be cutting towards or away from the disc. Typically “clearing” means to return to the center of the field back into the stack
Cut: a run by a receiver to get open and receive the disc; generally a top speed run at or away from the disc, often preceded by a fake in the opposite direction (head fake or false steps)
Cutters: receivers moving from the stack to the disc or away from the disc to get open and receive the throw (sometimes called poppers when doing short cuts into the middle against a zone)
Clogging: bad positioning or cutting, which prevents good cuts by teammates or good throws by the handler; also standing or jogging through the passing lanes.
Dump: a short throw to the back or side; or the person that stays back to catch these.
Flick: also called the forehand-throw; similar to a sidearm pitch in baseball, or tennis forehand.
Force: taking a strong defensive position intended to cause the thrower to throw in a particular direction; guarding on only on one side of the thrower to make them throw to the other side. The idea is to take away half the field so downfield defenders only have to cover the other half. Communicating the force allows teammates to anticipate the throw from a particular direction:
Forcing Flick!: defender is forcing the thrower to use a forehand throw
Forcing Backhand!: defender is forcing the thrower the thrower to use a backhand throw
Forcing Flat!: defender is forcing the thrower to either sideline and taking the middle away
Forcing Sideline!: defender is forcing the throw down the nearest sideline
Forcing Home!: defender is forcing the throw toward the sideline where our team is camped
Forcing Away!: defender is forcing the throw toward the sideline away from where our team is camped
Forcing Middle!: defender takes away the sideline throw forcing into the mass of defenders
Foul: when a player initiates contact on another player a foul occurs; when a foul disrupts possession, the play resumes as if the possession was retained; if the player committing the foul disagrees with the foul call, the play is redone.
Hammer: an overhead throw with a forehand grip in which the disc is released high and at an angle, so that it flattens out and flies upside down; action resembles throwing a hammer.
Handler: the player with the disc (also a player with good throwing skills; player assigned to throw the disc)
High release: a backhand throw held high and released over the thrower's head; spins flat with a lob-like trajectory; very difficult to block.
Huck: a long throw; equivalent to a bomb in football.
Inside out: also “invert” a throw that curves in the opposite direction of its natural curve.
Lanes: open areas where high percentage of throw and catches will be completed. In a normal stack (where the offensive is lined up in the middle of the field), the lanes are on either side of the disc. In some offenses we spread out the players so the lanes (or space) is in the middle of the field.
Mark: (also Marker): the defensive player covering the handler; between 1 foot and 10 feet from the handler; attempts to force direction, prevent throw or knock down throw, and counts the stall count loudly
Poach: Playing an area instead of a man, like a corner back in football;
Poached: Wide open, as in Hey, I’m poached!
Popper: cutter whose task is to make cuts to and away from the disc in the area just up field from the handler, not deep; usually called in response to a zone defense; includes cuts through the cup.
Pick: an intentional or unintentional block (like basketball) where a player gets between a moving offensive cutter and the covering defensive player, providing an advantage to the offensive player. If you’re stopped from covering your cutter by anybody, or the threat of collision, yell “Pick!” to stop the play, then reposition yourself with the cutter.
Pivot: foot planted after receiving. Usually the ball or toes of the foot opposite the throwing hand, so for most people it is the left foot.
Pull: like a kickoff in football; this throw that begins the action; a good pull will be high and hang long to allow the defense to get down-field.
Spirit of the game: spirit of sportsmanship that places responsibility for fair play on each player
Stack: offensive strategy in which all the players gather in a line down the middle of the fieldbetween the disc and the end zone, starting15 to 20 feet from the disc. This opens the passing lanes and allows cutters to make open cuts to the lanes.
Stall count:defensive player establishes a defensive position (w/in 10 feet) and counts up to 10 while defending the offensive player. Offensive player must throw the disc before the 't' of ten otherwise it's a turnover. Count begins, “Stalling one…two…” at a steady rate until ten is reached or the disc is thrown. If the defender says the “t’ in ten then it is a turnover and the defender should also yell “Stall!” to stop play. If the disc is thrown before ten the defender yells “Up!” to alert other defenders that the disc is in the air.
Strike:denya throw on the force side momentarily; usually called when a cutter is free on the open side
Strip: called when the defenderremoves the discfrom the hand of the offensive player
Travel: dragging or lifting the pivot foot while handling. Creates a do-over unless the throw results in a turnover
B. Ultimate Offense
Ultimate is a game of flow. A good offense is characterized by quick passes, one after another, that move quickly up the field. With fourteen players on the field (7 per team) at any given time, twelve of whom are running around trying to get open or blocka pass, things very quickly get chaotic, and disorganized. Players often find it is difficult to get open because the passing lanes are clogged. Turnovers often occur because another cutter drags a defender through the pass. Because picks are a violation in ultimate, players sometimes find they must stop to avoid picking an opponent. The most common strategy for reducing clogging is called 'stacking'.
The idea behind stacking is to leave empty spaces on the field into which players may cut at high speed, allowing high percentage opportunities to pass and catch the disc. To create this open space players move into a line down the field from the disc. The first player lines up about 30 feet away, and the other players line up behind, with a separation of about 5-10 feet. Because ultimate is most commonly played using a 'man-to-man' defense, this draws the defenders into a similar line. The field directly ahead of the disc is now opened up for pass reception. Sometimes you will make a cut to simply create space for another cut. You might not ever be in a position to actually receive the disc.
Positions in the stack don’t equate to skill level or “types” of players. It just so happens that the players that play a “handler” position (better throwers generally) usually make the first couple of passes. At that point, the “middle” cutters should be cutting away from the disc and the “deep” cutters should cut back towards the disc. One of the deep cutters cuts in and is open. That person catches the disc and then the middle player that ran deep just a minute ago, turns and comes back in to catch the next pass.
The goals of cutting are to score, to move the disc down field, to move the disc to a better field position or to keep possession as the count gets high. Cuts should be made with these goals in mind.
Cutting:
Sprint to the open area, or stand in the stack(moving in line actively so your man can not poach) while watching for the next cut to make. Running side-to-side across the field is not productive and probably clogs the lanes, preventing good throws.
If the disc is not being thrown to you, you are not open, even if it feels like you are open. Getting open can be as simple as runningto or away from the disk and leaving a slower runner behind, or getting the defender to move the other direction before making your cut. Before getting fancy, determine if you are fast enough to simply out-run the defender by a simple direct cut. If a fake is needed, start with a low center of gravity and jerk your headin one direction before cutting in the other direction. If a head fake doesn’t get a full reaction it may take a step or two in the other direction before reversing for a cut. Watch the defender’s hips as they run backward. When the hips turn the defender is committing and a change of direction will become harder to follow. After several cuts with similar reverses, you might attempt a double fake, where you don’t turn back, but fake a turn back then take off long. Do NOT make horizontal cuts across the field in a normal stack offense. You will prevent the thrower from throwing into the lane because you pull your defender into the area where the thrower wants to throw.
A successful cutter anticipates the movements of other cutters (teammates) to arrive in an empty space as it clears. If you are wide open, look at the thrower and call for the disc (by yelling poach!) if you need to get the thrower’s attention. Once you have begun, a cut maintain it until the handler either locks eye contact or looks you off. If the thrower looks you off, run back to the stack to clear the lane for the next cut. If the handler throws to you run to the disc. A successful cut requires you maintain or even increase speed as you run at the thrower. Cutters who slow-down as they approach the thrower or catch the disc, often see the pass blocked as the defender continues at speed and intercepts the pass.
+Focus when Cutting:
□Get in the stack, watch and wait for proper timing to make a cut into an open area.
□Run hard, or fake and then run hard, toward or away from the disc (not side to side)
□If you haven’t received the disc peel away before you get ten yards from the disc
□If you don’t get the disc, run hard to clear space for the next cutter by re-stacking
□Make eye contact with the thrower.
□If you get no return eye contact, cut hard back into the stack so you are not clogging.
□If the disc is coming to you run to the disc! A defender is often closing in behind you.
□Catch it with two hands,and watch yourself catch it before you think about throwing.
□A flying disc often hovers longer than expected. Nevergive up until it hits the ground.
□Watch as other passes develop,to anticipate a reception or turnover.
- If it’s going to be caught by a teammate,look for a continuation cut.
- If it’s going to be defended,shift to defense immediately.
Throwing:
Complete the next pass! Throw only passes you know you’ll complete. Possession is the key to winning games. Most turnovers come from not being conservative with the disc. Many people want to throw long, or make hard, glorified (and low percentage) throws that hurt the team when they fail. However, if every person on the team simply completes the next pass… we will win every single one of our games
You may need to cause the defender to move one direction so you can throw another. A fake generally consists of a wind-up, wrist snap or arm motion with the disc that looks like a throw. Keep a good grip. You can also fake by pivoting.
As you throw,start running immediately. You will often get open. A common error is to stand and watch your own pass. Everyone wants to watch, but people who run immediately after they've thrown the disc are very hard to cover and usually end up ahead of their defender by a couple of steps. Unless you're sure that the toss you just made is a real stinker destined for turnover, just start running down the field, and be prepared to receive a pass right back to you.
+Focus when Throwing:
□Make only good high-percentage throws. Keep possession. Turnovers suck.
□Throw to the first open person you can. (Throw ONLY passes you KNOW will connect.)
□Be patient and smart. Wait for a good cut and if you don’t get one yell for one. “Cut!”
□If the count gets to five look for a dump. If you have a dump, turn around & commit to it.
□If needed, make a good fake before you throw, to make your true throw easier.
□As you throw, start running immediately.
Catching:
Two-handed catches are always preferred, especially when you're catching for a score and not laying-out. Pancake everything that's going to hit you between your shoulders and your knees. If it's anywhere else, catch with two hands gripping the disc independently. Watch the disc all the way into your hands. All you see is the disc. Hear, smell, and taste nothing but disc until after you have it caught. Bend your knees so your base is solid but fluid. Keep soft hands. Hard hands bounce discs. Most disks that are dropped are dropped because the receiver looks up while catching.
If you must catch one handed because you can’t move yourself behind the disc, catch with the correcthand. Catch a righty's flick with your left hand, or a righty’s backhand with your right hand, and it will kind of spin into your palm. If you must catch with the "wrong" hand, really bend your wrist around, pushing your knuckles down, and keep soft hands.
C. Ultimate Defense
Mark Stance:
Your teammates are counting on you to force the throw to the called side!!
Regardless of the defensive set-up (zone or man), the mark’s stance is generally the same. Keep your feet in motion while marking. A force direction will be called on every play. Concentrate first on forcing the throw in the direction you want (denying a throw to the break side.) Most often we will force the thrower to throw a flick because it is more likely to force bad throws. The hands are low and active, threatening to disrupt the throw. A break-mark throw will usually come low, unless it is a high throw like a hammer, scoober, or high release, which is okay since it is a lower percentage throw. Be prepared to sprint off with your man as the disc is released.
Setting the Mark
SETUP –Assuming the force is flick and the handler is a righty, center your body on the thrower’s left shoulder joint (black figure above). Recognize lefties early, and switch over. Get up on the balls of your feet, knees bent and bounce a little bit. Advanced markers may center in a slightly flick side stance, with weight leaning toward the thrower's flick side and the left elbow bent like an “L” and left hand hovering next to the left knee, so at in an instant, lunging left, the left hand can be thrust out into the disc flight path about 18" off the ground and about 2 feet left of the original mark position.