Lesson 1 - Introduction to Ultimate

Session Plan

  • Time: 90mins
  • Equipment required: 5 discs per 10 people, cones, bibs
Time (mins) Section
0 Introduction
5 Warm up
15 Drill: Backhands and clap catches
25 Conditioned game: Pass and move
40 Drill: Lead pass catching
50 Games
80 Wrap up

Introduction (5 mins)

  • Coaches introduce themselves and the club.
  • Go over any health and safety info.
    • Fire exits, toilets, water, first aid etc.
  • Ask:
    • Who’s thrown a Frisbee before?
    • Who’s played Ultimate Frisbee before?
  • Explain what ultimate is:
    • Team sport like football, netball, hockey, rugby except we use a flying disc.
    • Describe the pitch and show the endzones (like american football or rugby).
    • Go over the basic rules.
    • Explain that there are many other rules but we’ll get to them.
  • The aim of the first session is to learn throwing / catching skills and the basic rules so we can start playing games.

Demo - Throwing and catching

Ask for a volunteer to be the catcher, then demo a few different types of throw:

  • Backhand.
  • Backhand with curve.
  • Forehand.
  • Forehand with curve.
  • Anything else you can throw that looks good
    • Hammer, scoober, upside down backhand, chicken wing, thumber.
  • If you’re indoors you can show the skip throw. But be aware that everyone will want to try this and it’s not very useful in games.
  • Explain that we’ll learn some of these throws over the next few weeks but will focus on good backhands today.

Warm up (10 mins)

Tailor the warm up to the group:

  • E.g. Full dynamic warm up for sporty adults / teenagers
  • A Warm up game like foxes and hounds for younger kids or a more fun session.
    • Foxes tuck a bib into the top of their shorts as a tail.
    • Foxes start in one endzone. Choose a few hounds to start in the central area.
    • Foxes have to run to the other endzone without getting their tail taken.
    • If a fox loses their tail, they become a hound.
    • Keep going until there is 1 fox left and see if they can beat all of the hounds.

Demo and Drill (10 mins) - Backhands and clap catches

Demo catches

  • Always catch with two hands.
  • Clap catch
    • This is the preferred and safest catching style outdoors.
    • Move your feet and body to get behind the catch first.
    • Kids tip: Call it a crocodile catch.
  • Claw catch
    • Use this for catches at the end of your reach or to protect your face.
    • Fingers on top for discs chest height. and above
    • Fingers on the bottom for low catches.
    • Kids tip: Call it a hamburger catch.
  • Only throw to someone if they are looking at you with their hands up (this will avoid people getting hit unexpectedly).

Demo backhands

  • Grip
    • Fingers on the inside rim, thumb on top.
  • Stance
    • Start in neutral stance.
    • Pivot across and hold the disc away from your body.
  • Release
    • Show the back of your hand to your receiver.
    • Snap the wrist and let go.
    • Talk about using the wrist to spin the disc rather than swinging the arm.


Drill - Backhands and clap catches

  • Groups of 2 or 3 depending on number of discs.
  • Throw to a stationary receiver.
  • See if they can do 5/10/15 passes in a row.
    • Can make it a competition.
    • Encourage catchable throws rather than throwing as far as you can.

If you have time…

  • Show them how to throw with curve.
  • Play piggy in the middle.

Coaching points

  • Encourage low, flat throws with lots of spin.
  • If it’s windy, get them to change direction so the same player isn’t always throwing into the wind.
  • Things to watch out for
    • Throwing from the chest instead of turning to the side.
    • Trying to throw too far / swinging the arm.

Conditioned game (15 mins) - Pass and move

  • Briefly discuss how you can’t run with the disc but you can pivot.
  • Cone out a large box (~15-20m).
  • Teams of 2 with a disc.
  • Ideally up to 6 teams per box.
  • The aim is to throw the disc to your partner and then run to a different spot in the box.
  • Rules:
    • You can’t run when you have the disc.
    • After you throw you must run somewhere else in the box.
    • You can block other teams passes.
  • Teams have 3 lives and lose a life if the disc hits the ground.
  • Additional rules:
    • Bonus life for teams that go out early.
    • Everyone “out” can play defence from the sideline by reaching in to get blocks.
    • Everyone “out” can play defence in the middle if the players left “in” are too good.
  • Do it 2 or 3 times swapping partner each time.
  • Kids tip: If they REALLY want to run with the disc. Make it the statue game and ask them to freeze after a catch. This might stop them from pivoting, but they’ll learn to stop travelling.

Rule Check

Travel

  • When a player runs with the disc the opposition can call a travel. The player with the disc must return to the place they traveled from and continue to play.
  • If they have already thrown a completed pass then the disc is returned. If they threw an incomplete pass then the disc is turned over.
  • Taking too many steps after a catch; changing direction after catching; or dragging your pivot foot are all travels. See the official rules of ultimate for more details.

Coaching points

  • Call blatant travels but encourage quick movement of the disc.
  • Watch for people standing still after a throw.
  • Nobody will really keep track of their lives. Every now and then, ask who has 3 lives left, who’s got 2 etc.
  • If players hold on to the disc too long, put a stall count on them.
  • If players are too good:
    • Set rules like “forehands only” or “upside down only”.

Drill (10 mins) - Lead pass catching

This drill is great for getting people to buy into the sport. Very few new skills are required and it gets them chasing after discs and making plays.

  • Encourage jumping and diving if safe.
  • Coaches or good throwers should do the throwing to begin with.
  • If you have a lot of players, set up 2 queues either side of yourself as a thrower. You should be able to quickly alternate queues and get through everyone a lot quicker.
  • Go when the thrower says “go” and don’t stop.

Safety rules:

  • Pick up your Frisbee, move to the side and return to the queue on the outside of the drill.
  • Don’t throw the disc back, put it in a pile when you get back to the queue.
  • Make sure there are no hills/holes/obstacles/walls in the cutter’s path.

If you have time…

  • Try 1v1 competitions for the disc by splitting into 2 queues side by side. Maybe even elimination.
  • Ask if anyone wants to try throwing.

Rule Check

Foul

  • Ultimate is a non-contact sport. If contact initiated by an opposition player prevents you from catching the disc, you can call a foul.

Strip

  • If an opposition player knocks or rips the disc out of your hands after you’ve caught it, you can call a strip.

Coaching points

  • Encourage them to keep running, they may naturally wait on the disc and then sprint when it is past them. The disc is faster than they can run!
  • Encourage them to run straight. They may run towards the Frisbee too early.
  • Use clap catches!

Games (30mins)

Small-sided games are best but it depends on numbers. Try to do 3 or 4-a-side if possible. Depends on space etc. Decide whether to do mixed gender or to split, this will entirely depend on the group.

Get two teams setup on a pitch at each endzone. Go over the basic ruleset again.

Coaching points

  • Some people may misunderstand a turnover as
    • First to pick it up gets possession.
    • Last team to touch the disc loses possession.
    • Just reiterate that a team loses possession if their pass is incomplete.
  • Clogging space around the disc
    • Encourage them to create space in front of the disc.
    • Get them cutting to score, not just cutting to get the Frisbee.
    • Enforce the double-team rule. Only one player can mark the thrower.
  • Holding on to the disc too long then taking on big difficult throws
    • Encourage give and go moves.
  • Throwing into the air to get the disc past the force
    • Encourage wide pivots and throwing sideways as well as forwards.
  • Coaches should join in to help get longer possessions and throw to good deep cuts.
  • Feel free to discuss any specific rules if they come up e.g. is the line in or out, but don’t get too bogged down on rules in session 1.

Wrap Up (10 mins)

  • Ask if anyone has any questions about rules or the sport in general.
  • Ask if everyone enjoyed the session.
  • A few unique things about Ultimate Frisbee
    • There are no referees! Even at world championship level.
    • We play a lot of mixed!
    • Large emphasis on spirit of the game
      • Briefly explain spirit of the game (we’ll demo this in following weeks).
  • Hand out stickers/flyers and give some info on the club.

Next week

-   Forehand throws
-   Cutting drills

Homework