Thursday Jan 29

Focus: Zone Offense

In zone offense, we will have two handlers in the middle, two handlers as spreaders on the sideline, and three players cycling through poppers/deep positions (2 poppers, 1 deep). The handlers will swing the disc from side to side and we will mainly use spreader position to advance the disc up field (could be a long or a short throw to a popper/deep). If the opponents' cup is very big and is covering an open look from the spreader position, our middle handlers will crash into the cup and put a throw through the cup to a popper standing in the middle of the field. As a general rule, as the disc is swinging from side to side, the middle handler that is about to receive the disc should line up laterally outside of the cup. This will allow them to easily swing the disc after they receive it. If you find that you can't position yourself past the cup and still be close enough to the player with the disc, then you must crash into the cup and look to hit a popper after you catch the disc.

The roles of poppers/deep is to create ONE open look when a spreader gets the disc and to be ready to catch a disc thrown by a middle handler through the cup. To create an open look for the spreader, we will have the deepest popper/deep cut in towards the sideline, the player closest to the sideline make a cut towards the middle of the field for an inside look, and the player farthest away from the spreader make a deep cut (running past the deep-deep defender!!).

If we are playing for field possession (i.e. it's windy and we are on our half of the field looking to punt the disc from the spreader position), we are going to modify popper/deep movement. The deepest player will still cut in and the farthest player from the sideline will still make an out-cut going past the deep-deep. The player closest to the sideline, however, will not cut towards the middle of the field, but rather will run towards the deep-deep and position herself in front of the deep-deep. This will allow us to have a play on the disc if our punt does not fly past the deep-deep.

To be open for a look by the middle handler through the cup, poppers should pay attention to disc movement and always be on their toes and ready to go to the disc if it is thrown. The throw will be relatively fast and the handler will put it to the popper if she looks open at the time of the throw. It is important to go to the disc IMMEDIATELY after it is thrown, as there will be defenders in the middle of the field ready to run and block the pass. Never wait for the disc to come to you, always go to the disc! After the popper catches the disc, our deepest player should cut in for the continue. If the deep is not open or is late on the cut, the popper should look to swing the disc to the sideline (to the spreader) and if that is not open the popper should turn around and throw a dump to the handler. It is important not to lose too many yards on the dump throw. Handlers should run up really close to the popper for a nice dish-like pass.

Drills: handlers swing against 4-man cup (complete 30 passes in a row!).