Thoughts.

I wrote on this a good while ago, musing on the effectiveness of playing all-out (emotionally driven, make-a-play-at-all-costs) D vs playing smart (seeking to contain more often than to strike aggressively). ( I find I tend towards containment D more often than not).

The example I offered then was that of the layout attempt; it’s great to try for the layout D, but a missed bid leaves the thrower unmarked for a couple counts (and against a good team, those few seconds can be enough to seal the fate of the point off of a quick give-n-go or break-side huck).

This same aggression vs containment dichotomy plays out more commonly on the mark. Often after some tight play, or in tense circumstances, players try to compensate by ratcheting up intensity on the mark.

I usually see this play out with a few consequences:
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Just think about the times you’ve had the disc and SEEN the gaping holes in the mark–Somebody CUT here so I can throw it!–but had nothing coming.

This is in part a problem of experience; cutters need to learn what their throwers can and can’t do (and what they want to do–these are all things you can communicate to one another). It’s also a matter of recognition; a cutter that can tell what a mark is giving and set up cuts to that space will ALWAYS be a threat.
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Sorry. I’ll try and make it up with something good for Thursday (I’ve got a few posts in the works, but haven’t made time to finish them).

In the meantime, I added a few more links to the sidebar. The Idea of the Day blog is my new favorite daily read.

What’ve you been reading lately, ultimate or otherwise?

A gem dropped in a Force Flick post, this Men’s Health piece about deep muscle fascia and the massive role it plays in posture and, by extension, body function, is well worth the read. Makes me want to turn the scalpel to the side and do my own fascia examinations in the dissection lab.

Great to see this stuff hitting “conventional” fitness sources like Men’s Health. If you don’t already, consider foam rolling and mobility work as part of your warm-up routine.

In the wake of the recent appointment of a managing director of business and communication, along with Tom Crawford’s appointment as the new Executive Director, the description of either’s job experience inspires confidence and raises a question:

Is the UPA hoping to win ultimate inclusion in the Olympics?

Certainly this is something that would come well down the line, but Tom Crawford has a lot of experience working with the United States Olympic Committee (more here), and Chuck Menke has Olympic experience as well (more), primarily as a media coordinator for the US hockey programs.

Whether it’s feasible or not is not something I’m prepared to comment on at depth, but my guess is that any efforts to this end are still a ways off (with growing the sport, establishing a clear structure for officiation, etc as priorities over the next 5+ years).

That said, if ultimate is ever going to join the Olympic pantheon, it certainly would help to have people who have an insider’s perspective on how Olympic sports work, to say nothing of the utility of all the contacts both men no doubt have (I’m led to wonder if Chuck’s appointment isn’t a direct result of Tom’s influence, actually–surely the two men were acquainted, from their prior work).

It may just be a coincidence; after all, given our sport’s structure (largely amateur, relatively young and growing on a grassroots level), the biggest and best examples to follow would be Olympic sports. It’d be a great sign, however, if the UPA was forward-thinking enough to at least have future Olympic inclusion on the radar; here’s hoping.

Really big*.

Seeded fourth, should’ve been seeded third, finished third. This weekend was an exercise in taking care of business.

Saturday was rainy and chilly. (I’ve forgotten how capricious New England weather gets). We started off fairly sluggishly in pool play, but used our early games as an opportunity to seek out and hone our offensive strategies, pressing on through miscues and bad-weather drops/throws.
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Good to see somebody(ies) reporting; check out U Catch for your elite trends and reports. I’m interested to see what other content they churn out, especially now as the big tourneys wrap up and we move into a month of relatively quiet sectionals matchups.

Speaking of sectionals, I’m off to Lancaster this weekend. No real preview necessary; the easy goal is to make regionals. Slightly harder, but very doable, is doing so with the 2nd-place bid. Process goals include continuing to get in flow/on the same page on offense (myself and as a team); continuing to refine decision-making with the disc and execution when I do throw; and dominating on defense, both when guarding players and once we get the turn.

Been feeling great lately (minor bout of shin splints at week’s start notwithstanding). First track workout (why so late?) last week, been focusing on core strength a lot so I can keep my power stable and directed. We’ll see if the fifth gear is fully back this weekend, and keep working to get that sixth one too…

Last weekend at Chesapeake a teammate remarked, when watching the Chain vs. Ironside game, about how the players were “throwing with their shoulders”–throwing with the hip means power is generated from below the plane of the throw, adding a natural float, while throwing from the shoulder keeps power in the same plane and allows for flatter throws–your typical elite-level pass, in other words (touch has its place, but by and large throws are all about speed and precision).

It’s a facet of throwing mechanics I hadn’t considered but instantly made a difference as I applied it. Throwing from the hip can generate more power but takes longer and is inclined to float; throwing from the shoulder leads to a faster release (no step required, though it can augment) and a bit more consistency in windy conditions.

I think your ideal thrower can generate enough power from torso/shoulder as to obviate the need for the hip on long throws. I need a bigger sample of observing high-level players and applying it myself before I can make that judgment authoritatively, though.

Try it out next time you’re tossing–throw with no step, just torso/shoulder motion. Channel the same motion from your stepped-out pivot position, extend application to practice and game use.