Cutting for Yourself is Less than Half the Story

What is the purpose behind a cutter's decision to move?

Scobel Wiggins Photography

First, I want to point out that moving itself is a decision. The key behind cutting is some combination of: keeping your defender busy, creating space for other players, and attacking space with the intention of being open for a pass. (Obviously, that list is not exhaustive.) Sometimes, not moving is the best option, counterintuitive as it may be.

All too often players cut for the sake of cutting. There are a number of problems with this: it clogs and eliminates passing lanes, it detracts from the offensive rhythm, it wastes valuable energy, it allows defenders to pay less attention to you, etc... Decisiveness is a mandatory component of effective cutting, and if you are just running around the field, chances are it's not in a decisive fashion. Decisive cutting requires that you commit 100% to the cut. That will allow you to take advantage of your offensive advantage, namely that you get to decide where to go while the defender must react to that decision. Strong defenders are able to recover quickly and stay with you on your cut. That is why you need to put the maximum amount of pressure on them by going full tilt.

Now, great defenders will anticipate where you A) want to go, and B) can go. That is one of the reasons you can't just cut anywhere. If you cut to a non-threatening area, the defender knows he doesn't have to play you close, and can lend his defensive services to a teammate. On top of that, the non-threatening space you just cut to may have been valuable real estate for one of your teammates (that is until you stupidly infringed on it).

Ultimate is truly a team game, and if you are cutting out there for yourself - whether you are just focusing on getting open for the disc or simply trying to shake your hungry defender - then you aren't playing a team game. Advancing the disc with the best risk/reward ratio is the only goal of the offence. Now, how you solve that ratio is entirely team-specific. However, there are meta-principles for all offences.

All offensive players are disc-advancers. As a cutter, you need to (not) move in the way that maximizes the range of options available to the thrower. Everyone who has played ultimate knows that feeling when you have the disc, and all the downfield players jam the open-side throwing lane right in front of you. They all rush to the obvious space where you should be able to throw an easy pass. The result is that they collectively render the throw impossible. Why? Because even though there are multiple receivers, you only have one throwing option, which happens to be into a pack of defenders who know you only have that option... And cue the turn.

The thrower should have all options at all time; the full range of angles and the full range of risk: Short and deep looks on the open-side, two dumps, a short break, and a longer (probably over the top) break. Think of these options as areas on the field, not as players occupying those areas. These areas are always there for a given disc location on the field. They may differ in size, location and risk, but they are almost always present.

So, the job of the disc-advancer can be seen to be two-fold: both enter and exit these options within the structure of the offensive system and in a productive fashion. It's how you enter and exit these spaces that determines how good a cutter you are. Recognizing who should be where, what the best combination of which players in which spaces at any given moment is - that is the incredibly difficult process that a cutter is expected to instantly, constantly, and flawlessly execute at all times when on the pitch.

And at its core, the focus is only ever partly on cutting for yourself.



those are some of my thoughts.


tcs


ps - crafts is just sick:

http://ultivillage.com/index.php/COTD-2008/UPA-Club-06-Roger-Crafts-catch

The Handler/Cutter Binary

Being able to throw and catch makes a dangerous combination. It sounds obvious, but I think a lot of us forget.

Ray Illian. It was even filthier live.

Complete players are not fun to play against. They are able to take advantage of whatever you decide to do. How can you stop that?

A player able to punish you from either side of the disc on offence is an example of a complete player. Such a player threatens to end the point with one devastating throw. But, if you push them out, they can go the distance for the score (and they'll crown you and another defender while at it).

Those are the guys you don't want to play against.

Now, not many of us are going to be superstars. It makes no difference. The key is being dynamic, flexible, unpredictable, responsive, and lethal. You must be a threat to take off deep, or range around the disc and make productive throws. You need not be a master at both, or either. But you do have to be a threat. Even the portliest 'handler' has roasted someone deep.

One of the major offensive advantages presented by the ho stack is the ability for any player to slip downfield. If the spacing is proper, then the deep should constantly be open for strikes. Weak side handlers - the second reset position - should be actively looking to enter the fray. And in similar fashion, the far cutters should be expecting to fill that spot when it becomes vacant.

The whole notion of being a cutter OR a handler is destructive. You need to be both at all times. Just think of JAM. All those dudes could be handlers or receivers on top flight teams. Now, because their bodies and disc skills are so finely tuned, JAM players can torch you in or out. The point I want to get across is that you DON'T have to be a dominant player to taste, and enjoy the fruits of this strategy. Just take advantage of the situation as it presents itself. Don't stand around and wait for something to happen. Generate offence by actively moving to, and moving to create, space.

Being stagnant as a reset, hanging out deep...it's the same thing. It creates the same problems. In ultimate, the fluidity of the offence is what puts the defence at a constant disadvantage. You need to be able to throw and catch if you want to continually apply pressure on the other team.

those are some of my thoughts.

tcs

ps - in my opinion, Hass is the best example of a player who defies the handler/cutter binary.

The Vertical Stack

The current trend is to play horizontal. Do you know why?

Filthy.

Without a proper understanding of the theoretical advantages and disadvantages of a particular offensive set, offensive players will not be able to maximize efficiency and defensive players will not be able to achieve their potential. At the beginning of the season when I am explaining plays to my club team, I always preface the explanation with the underpinnings of why we are employing a specific offensive structure (e.g. vertical, flood, split, horizontal, iso, etc...).

I don't have a full understanding of the vertical stack, but I do know a thing or two. The purpose of this article is to examine the vertical stack: its advantages, its disadvantages, and the trend that has led our sport to near universal adoption of the horizontal stack. 

Once upon a time everyone waged war with the same weapon: the vert. Usually the distribution of players sees two handlers back with five cutters in the stack. The 'top' of the stack (i.e. the person on whom the stack is set) is the third handler who can come back and help if need be. 

The Advantages

The vertical creates two clear lanes on the field, namely either side of the stack. The cutters isolate themselves on one of the sides, typically making long, pounding cuts ('V' cuts). Successive, well-times V cuts create flow up one side of the field. 

If this flow is on the force side, the disc will eventually end up on the sideline. At this point, the disc is swung to the middle. Rinse and repeat.

If the break comes out, all the defenders are out of place and the field should be shredded up the break side.

The vert is good for isolating players. It is hard to poach in the vert because your man can easily slip to an open space and burn you. 

The vert certainly facilitates the long bomb, but I would argue that it is more of an in-cut offence. The one place players always cheat is at the back of the stack where the defensive player will customarily 'cap' the stack (i.e. stand behind his man on the open side to provide help should there be a deep look). As such, going deep usually requires the back of the stack to be in motion, negating the defensive player's positional advantage. That being said, the very structure of the vert (a deep line of players extending towards the endzone) makes the deep look that much harder. 

I think the vert is particularly amenable to set plays. The players are more spaced out. The throwers have clean lanes to work with. As mentioned, it is hard to poach. 

One problem with set plays is that they tend to take longer to materialize because players are so spaced out. This allows the defense more time to adjust. 

The Disadvantages

If your team cannot break the mark well, the vert will be tough to run well. Think about one of the primary advantages of this formation: you have two clear throwing lanes. If you can't get the disc to the break side of the field (i.e. 50% of the throwing lanes), you are going to get stuck on the sideline - a lot. There aren't a lot of places where the disc can go in  a vert, so the defense (and marks) have the potential to be more effective in controlling the location of the disc. This can be problematic.

The deep shot is not always available in this formation. Not everyone is a threat to strike at any given moment (as they are in the horizontal), and the defense knows this. 

In the vert there are only two handlers back. The means the reset can be more problematic if the primary dump is shut down. 

As plays tend to take longer to materialize, and the primary option is often isolated, the defence can read the offence more effectively.

I think the combination of improved marks (and defensive play in general) resulting in offenses getting stuck on the openside sideline led people to rethink their formations. It is hard to speak about the vertical stack without comparing it to the horizontal, which, in my opinion, provides a far more dynamic offensive structure. But I will leave the horizontal for another post. 

Writing this article makes me realize how little I know about this offence. The way my teams have traditionally used the vert is to execute a set play, then to morph into horizontal once the play is completed (or abandoned). My teams almost never stay in the vert for the whole field. 

From what I remember, JAM still relies heavily on the vert. Not only are they reigning UPA Champs, but I believe they have been in the semis or finals each of the last ten years. Coincidence?

I think that it is a huge disadvantage to remain ignorant of the vertical stack. There are many top teams that have used this formation to succeed at the highest levels (JAM, DoG, and Sockeye to name a few). The vertical is far from a lost art, but it's moving in that direction. If you don't understand it, you can't take advantage of it or defend against it. 

A last note: the vert is much better than the horizontal for players who are not very experienced. This is simply because it avoids having people scattered all over the field. It creates two clear lanes for players to cut and thrown in. 

those are some of my thoughts.

tcs

Second Place

Finishing second means you lost your last game.

Catch your Ds.

My university team, the Western Sharks, played at the Canadian University Ultimate Championships this past weekend in Montreal. We suffered our only loss of the season in the finals, and with a final score of 15-11 it wasn't really even close. 

There were obviously some very long faces as we were given our silver medals. The thing about losing the championship game is that you lost. Sounds obvious, but it's true. You win third. You win fifth. Hell, as my club team found out in Boston this year, you win 27th. But you lose second. 

So what are the lessons from the weekend? There are many, but I'll focus on a few:

1. Dominating the field has its downsides.

We never had a close game all season until the semis. That sounds like it would be a good thing, but there are some negative consequences, namely that while it means you are performing, it also means you are not being tested under pressure. There is a much different feel on the O line when you know you have to score. There is also a much different feel on the D line when you know you are running out of time to break. 

2. Tournament Strategy.

This is what leading and coaching is all about. I have heard about NBA coaches who micromanage like all hell and stay up at night thinking about what they could have done differently to put themselves in a position to better control the precious final seconds of a game. This type of reflection (and the "what ifs" that accompany it) always permeate my thoughts after games and tournaments. I think we were more tired than we should have been in the finals. If I could go back and change one thing, it would be to rest our starters far more in the blowouts, ensuring that we had stronger legs in the final. 

3. Canadian University Ultimate.

The calibre of teams out there this past weekend was impressive. I started on the university scene with Tula 4 years ago, and the increase in level of competition is very noticeable. Gone are the days where there are really only 2 or 3 legitimate teams at Nationals. Well done to those who have invested the time and effort to build programs. 

4. Our Competition.

First and foremost, congratulations to the Carleton Ravens; a well deserved title.

I want to thank the UBC boys for making the trip out. Going as far as you did with a true skeleton squad demands a lot of respect. Our semis against you was a very memorable game. Well played. 

I look forward to taking the field with Western next year. Losing makes the off-season less enjoyable, but it also lights the fire. Championship game experience is not something easy to come by. If you aren't able to capitalize in the moment, all you can do is take that experience and use it to make you the best player you can be. Anything less is unacceptable.

Losing hurts. You cannot change the past. The future is all that is left.

those are some of my thoughts.

tcs

P.S. - Shout out to my boy Jesse Mighton who played competitive ultimate for the first time and made some huge grabs and Ds at Easterns and Nationals. He also may or may not be the best trash talker in the game today. 

Specialization

Why are you on the field?

Western Sharks. Eastern Champs 09.

One of the beautiful aspects of our sport is the versatility individual players possess. Even at the elite club level there are those who reduce the categorization of their style to silence; their talent allows them to play either side of the disc against any player, as well as enabling them to be equally efficient as cutter or handler. 

You likely aren't one of those players. And the truth is that as our sport develops those players will become far more rare - and this is a good thing. Specialization is evidence that skills are being broken down into discrete categories that individuals are mastering. It means we are getting better at what we do. 

Each player has to understand their role. After all, ultimate is a team sport. You need to identify what purpose you serve. There are plenty of players who compete with top notch teams, not because they are better all-round players then they guys who got cut, but because they do one thing really, really well. 

What is your purpose on the field? Don't tell me you are a handler or a cutter - tell me specifically what kind of handler or cutter you are. Are you the unstoppable reset? Are you the timing striker who simply pounds the endzone? Is your help D the best in the league?

Two weekends ago I played for Western at Canadian Easterns. Before taking the field, I told the boys to look to themselves, identify what they do best, and then go out there and do it better than anyone else on the pitch. I find that this type of focus is precisely what is needed to keep players on track.  

Everyone is on the team for a reason. Don't overextend yourself trying to play beyond your means (note that this will often require an ego check). Know why you are on the team, then prove that you were picked for the right reason. 

Why are you on the field?

those are some of my thoughts.

tcs

Pool Play

The finals of a tournament is arguably the most important game. But you have to get there first...

Me throwing a dump to Arj at Nationals in Pool Play. Yes it was a turn. Yes Arj called a foul. Yes he took it back.

This past weekend my team, Grand Trunk, played at Canadian Nationals in Winnipeg. For the second year in a row we shit the bed in pool play. As a captain, there is nothing harder than seeing your guys go out there and make mistake after mistake. It's not that I was angry, but knowing that you aren't playing up to your potential is a hard pill to swallow.

There is always going to be an adjustment period in a tournament. There are certain parts of your and your team's game that will need to be tweaked, but it shouldn't be fundamentals. Of course, being on a young team will cause many a wrench to be thrown into your plans. The reality is that it makes your path to the finals considerably harder if you let any opportunities slip by.

Pool play and power pool play are kind of like the opening rounds and the cut at a PGA event. You need not be out in front to advance as long as you take care of business. The difference is that in golf you aren't jockeying for position in anticipation of who you will face. In ultimate, that is precisely what you are doing. Sure you can make power pools based on an OK record, but that OK record follows you and forces a tough quarterfinal matchup.

It is imperative to come out focused and sharp in pool play. Every team will require something different to get them in that space. It is on the leadership to properly prepare the team, but on the actual day I believe it is only the individual who can bring their A game to the fore.

Something I have learned from being priviliged enough to have played in Florida last year is that every single point against every single opponent is sacrosanct. The only way to avoid dwelling on what could have been is to know that not only were you prepared, but that you executed to the best of your abilities in the moment. Admittedly, it will take more than a few failures for this lesson to taken hold. 

You cannot choose your opponents, but you always choose how you play. Perhaps this is just an elaboration of the maxim that perfect practice makes perfect. Regardless, what is important is that you take full control over that which you can.

And that means winning in pool play.

 

those are some of my thoughts.

 

tcs

PS - For those of you who care to know, GT went 3-0 in power pool play to advance to the quarters. We suffered an 11-9 loss to General Strike and finished 5th in Canada - one of the best finishes in team history. Great season Trunk.

The Dump

In ultimate, possession is 10/10ths of the law.

I heard he's good.

You must be able to maintain possession of the disc. The easiest way to do this is by dumping. If your team is unable to consistently:

1) Look for the dump by stall 4, and

2) Successfully execute the proper cut + throw

then you will not win games. Period.

I want to say a word about the different kinds of cuts I have been exposed to.

The Berkley

This is the standard off-the-line cut. There is no secret to it. The defence knows what you are going to run, but can't stop it as the defender is forced to make a decision first (allowing the offensive player to then exploit that decision).

The player running the dump cut starts about 15 yards out from the player with the disc. The cut is run at a 45 degree angle, upfield and towards the sideline. If the defender commits to taking away the up-the-line (which they should as it presents a far more dangerous continuation throw), the cut is reversed. The player goes back on the same plane, but curls away from the disc to the middle of the field.

The thrower hits the up-the-line if the defender allows it, or puts in a hard fake if he sees the cut is going to be reversed. The throw on the back-field cut is a leading throw out to green space. Do not throw it at the receiver. The defender will be behind him, so put the disc out with lots of spin to allow the receiver maximum space and time to get off a continuation throw.

If you want to know how to run a berkley properly watch Boston. They do it with devastating efficiency. In effect, they turn a dump cut into a powerful offensive weapon. The reason why is that the backfield throw is so aggressive. They really lead the receiver out to space and that receiver immediately hits a streaking upfield cutter for a big gainer. It was the combination of the backfield cut curling towards the middle of the field, the throw out to space and the cutter timing things perfectly that allowed them to shred us at Regionals last year in the finals.

Aside: the dump (and the berkley in particular) is one of the rhythms of the offence. It happens so often that everyone on the field should be aware and anticipating. This rhythm is a cue for the other players - a spacing and timing cue. Dumps shift from merely an act to retain possession to a powerful offensive weapon when the continuation throw is more than a simple swing. A dump should provide a solid opportunity to gain yards on the continuation. That is up to well timed cuts. When the disc hits the air, that is when you know where you will have to be in order to set-up a proper continuation cut.

I'm not going to go into detail about how the far-side handler and cutters move in the event the primary cut is shut down. I have my strategy as I'm sure you have yours.

The Jam

My new favorite dump cut. This is used basically anywhere on the field except the sidelines. It can be run from either side of the disc, but you might as well run it for the open-side handler because then you break the mark.

The player running the cut streaks behind the player with the disc. As he does so, the thrower turns, boxes out the mark and flips the disc to the player running the cut. This short pass is very, very effective and, as already mentioned, can result in a mini-break basically whenever you want.

Go find some UPA tape and watch ... JAM. They do this constantly. I love it.

A few points on how to run it properly:

- do not cut too close to the thrower

- the thrower must not be lazy - box out and extend to avoid getting point blocked

- the thrower must lead the receiver to space (this is what makes it a break-throw)

- defensively: if you are marking against a team that resets with the JAM you must adjust the mark so that when the thrower turns to initiate you are marking upfield, taking away the throw.

Ze German

Simple but deadly. A German situation comes up when the defender covering the dump is staring directly at their guy and not paying attention to the thrower. This is a scenario where the dump is thrower-led. All the thrower has to do is make eye contact, then loft the disc out to space. I usually tell my guys to imagine that the defender is standing with their arms fully extended at 45 degree angles - you must throw outside that range.

Often German situations come up only for a second, but that is all you need. They are very easy to exploit.

A similar situation is where the defender is trying to peek at both his man and the thrower. In this scenario the dump is receiver-led. The receiver should be able to lose his man through solid fundamentals.

Having gone through some of the different types of dumps I want to close with a few general comments.

Commit: you cannot bounce between different dump options expecting them to be open immediately and freaking out when they aren't. You must commit to the dump and trust that they will get open. Physically turn, square yourself and let them do their move. Communicate through eye contact and pump-faking. Often you must be patient in these situations (and that is precisely why you must turn and look dump by stall 4).

Spacing: as so often in ultimate, this is the key. Tight dumps (laugh away) are useless. You will turn it, and if you don't you are in the same position on the field as you were before. Remember, good teams do not simply utilize the dump to retain possession; they turn the dump into part of their offensive arsenal. If you think you are spaced out enough, you aren't. The more space, the better. Further, the throws themselves must always be longer than you think. You must lead the receiver out to green space.

Team Habits: every team has conditioned themselves to dump at a certain time (Dante, I know I'm losing you to laughter here, but try and stay with me). If you know when a team turns to dump (be it at stall 2, 5 or 7) you can wreak havoc on them. Know when they want to dump and adjust defensively to take it away. They won't be able to do what they are used to and will give you the disc while they try and re-adjust to your strategy. The dynamism of your marks is never good enough. The spacing and positioning of the mark should be a constant ebb and flow.

Good dumps are one of the fundamental pillars of winning ultimate. From what I have seen, Boston, JAM and Bravo are the best. There is no reason to ever turn it on a dump throw.

Finally, the dump is not a two-man sequence - all seven players should be involved in the cutting, throwing, clearing, filling, continuation ... in a word, the rhythm of the reset.

those are some of my thoughts.

tcs