Solving a Problem in Ultimate: Simple Mistakes

Solving a problem in Ultimate: Simple Mistakes. 

Mistakes are inevitable to happen in any sport, and that holds true with ultimate Frisbee. For most frisbee teams, and individual players, mistakes are a common problem when it comes to competitive play. Mistakes are frustrating, and can lower team morale and the offensive flow. Today, I'd like to discuss some common mistakes that happen in ultimate, including some mistakes that I believe can change the competitiveness of a team, if corrected. Using these tips will be able to make you not only better as a player, but sharing this knowledge with your team will allow you to progress for many years to come. My goal is to make this article informative, and fun while also creating a resource you can look back on in the future. 

Four Main Problems with Ultimate gameplay and how to fix them. 

1. Not attacking the disc 

2. Forcing Hucks "long shot passes" 

3. Throwing with the  incorrect angle 

Not attacking the disc

Experienced ultimate players know that not attacking the disc on offense can be an easy way to ensure a turnover. Slowing down while you are running towards a disc allows your defender to have more time to catch up, and beat you to the disc, causing a turnover. The vast majority of mistakes involving not attacking the disc occur on under cuts, but players can struggle on deep shots as well. Some players will slow down to read the disc in the air, and allow other players to win over their positioning, or box them out, resulting in a turnover. 

When people talk about "attacking the disc", they mean meeting the frisbee as early and quickly as possible. For example, when running towards the frisbee, you want to run all the way through the frisbee, speeding up and catching the frisbee in motion. What you do not want to do is slow down your pace and wait for the frisbee to come to you. Attacking the disc quickly allows you to have a greater chance of completing the catch without a defender making a play on the disc. 

Not hesitating while attacking the disc is the key to correctly complete these plays. Many catches are a race between you and your defender, and being able to continue speeding up through these plays is essential. By running through the disc, continuing your momentum, and boxing out your defender you will be able to make more catches with purpose, keeping the offensive flow alive for your team. 

Forcing Hucks

Once again, another common problem in ultimate is forcing a huck. A huck in Ultimate is essentially a long throw, typically around half of field, intended to hit the deepest receiver on the field in most cases. When completed, hucks can be a huge momentum boost for the offense. Forced hucks on the other hand, can result in easy turnovers for the offensive, which wastes possessions and kills the momentum of the team. 

The main root cause of forced hucks is poor decision making. Often times, players with the disc will see their teammate running deep down the field and will instantly attempt to make the disc get to them. These throws are often made without thinking logically, and actually assessing the chance that their receiver will be able to complete that pass. 

For hucks to be successful, the thrower needs to keep multiple factors in mind to ensure they have a low chance of a turnover. First, the receiver should be open, with enough room between their defender that they will not be able to catch up while the disc is flying through the air. Second, the thrower should keep in mind the weather conditions and their throwing capabilities. If wind is a strong factor during a game, hucks will be less viable and should be kept in mind. Hucks in the wind can easily result in off target throws. The thrower should also know their capabilities. Its easy to see a player wide open, but sometimes the thrower does not have the skills to be able to get the pass to them. In these cases short throws are more likely to keep possession of the disc and progresses the flow of the offense. 

Throwing with the incorrect angle

The last simple, but very common mistake I'll cover is throwing with the wrong angle. In the game of ultimate, the slightest tilt of the disc will dramatically change the trajectory of the pass. Incorrect wrist flick, or tilt results in these simple mistakes. 

When playing ultimate, the most common error I see in regards to throwing angles in releasing the disc too flat, or just the wrong tilt completely for the situation. Throwing a forehand or backhand with the nose of the frisbee will cause it to float upwards and cause it to get caught by the wind. This extra loft of the disc causes the path of the frisbee to be much higher than if it was released flat. This often creates a "floaty" disc, giving the defense more time to attack and intercept the frisbee as it is in the air for much longer. On the flip side, attempting a throw with the nose of the frisbee angled downwards, towards the ground results in the disc flying too low, and often hitting the ground before it reaches its target. 

To fix these throws, it really comes down to frisbee basics and fundamentals. Every throw should be made with close attention to the exact angle of release. Practice is one of the best ways to correct these throws, and over time your body will naturally learn the angles that have the highest success rate for ultimate. Practicing flight angles on purpose is also another great way to learn. Knowing how the disc will react when it is released from different angles is a great way to learn when these types of throws are necessary. For the most part, the best throw will always be a throw that is flat and goes directly to the receivers chest. 

Conclusion

All of these mistakes mentioned ultimately come down to awareness and practice. Ultimate is a very rewarding sport to those who pay attention, think carefully, and learn from their mistakes. Fixing these simple mistakes doesn't require anything crazy. It all comes down to the players willingness to learn and improve as a player.