Lesson 4 - Overhead throws and playing defence

Session Plan

  • Time: 90mins
  • Equipment required: 5 discs per 10 people, cones, bibs
Time (mins) Section
0 Introduction
5 Warm up
15 Drill: Throwing overheads
30 Conditioned game: Freeze
44 Drill: Defence drills
60 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:
    • Are there any new players?
    • Get someone to volunteer to help new players get up to speed.
  • In today’s session we are going to learn some new skills to give us more throwing options. We will also cover the basics of playing defence.

Warm up (10 mins)

  • Quick mobility and dynamic stretching or a fun game.

Demo and drill (15 mins) - Throwing overheads

Demo

Learning to throw overheads is really fun but can also be challenging. You will need to judge your groups skill level and also the conditions. If it is a really windy day it might be more worthwhile to do more work on fundamental throwing.

Discuss how we use overhead throws:

  • Great for going over the top of defenders.
  • Work well against zones where the throwing lanes are blocked.
  • They’re fun to throw!

Hammer

  • Grip
    • Use the forehand grip.
  • Stance
    • It is easiest to learn the hammer by either keeping your hips and feet facing forwards, or by taking a small step backwards with your pivot foot. Try not to step forwards with your pivot foot as this will cause an over rotation.
    • Raise the disc above your head
  • Release
    • Let the disc drop behind your elbow, then use a whipping motion to throw it towards the sky.
    • Snap your wrist to get the disc to spin.

Right-handed throwers will want to aim to the left of their target. Ask the receiver in the demo to point their left hand up to the sky to help the thrower aim.

The hammer is an easy and useful throw for beginners to learn. Feel free to demonstrate others like the scoober, thumber or upside-down backhand.

Drill

  • In pairs practice throwing hammers and other overheads.
  • Piggy in the middle: After a few minutes play piggy in the middle. The middle player should start stationary to make it easier for throwers.
  • Alternatively, you could play Overhead tennis
    • Set up a court with 2 boxes and a line across the middle
    • 2 offence players in each box
    • 1 defence player in each box
    • Remaining players are net players. They can move along the middle line but cannot come of it.
    • Offence players attempt to throw overhead throws over the net to a teammate on the other side. Defence can block throws.
    • You can also pass to the teammate on your side to create a better opportunity.
    • Rotate positions periodically so everyone gets a turn.

Coaching points

  • Some players will aim directly at their receiver, resulting in a low throw. Tell them to aim to the sky and finish with their fingers pointing skywards. They should aim for the point where the disc will reach it’s maximum height and then drop towards the receiver.
  • Some players will naturally want to step forwards with their pivot foot. You can encourage them to stay still or take a small step back. Or you can demonstrate how stepping forwards rotates their chest away from the target.
  • Players may struggle to get the disc to spin. This is often because they are rotating their wrist on the follow through and the disc is not in the same plane as it’s rotation.

Conditioned game (15 mins) - Freeze

This is a great game to practice throwing into space and using overheads. Use the regular rules of Ultimate with a few twists:

  • Whenever someone picks up or catches a disc shout “freeze”.
  • Everyone must stop moving.
  • The thrower is still allowed to pivot.
  • When a throw is released, everyone is allowed to move again.
  • On a turnover or brick, players can continue to move until the disc is back in play.

Coaching points

  • Encourage throws into spaces where the receiver is favourite to get the disc.
  • Encourage throws to any unmarked player.
  • If there are too many defenders in the way, encourage overhead throws.
  • You can use a whistle instead of calling freeze.
  • Constantly remind players to look for space when the disc is in the air.

Drill (15 mins) - Defence 1v1

Introduce players to the concept of playing defence. This is a 1v1 drill where the defender is trying to stop the cutter from getting the disc.

There is a lot to coach here but try to keep it as simple as possible.

  • The defender cannot be in a position to stop every throw. They must prioritise which throws they want to deny.
  • Position yourself to take away one throwing option, while remaining close enough to put pressure on others.
  • Give yourself a buffer to react to the cutter’s movements.
  • Maintain your position and buffer as the cutter moves.
    • Use good footwork.
    • Don’t overcommit on fakes and cuts.
    • Keep your hips square to the cutter.
    • Don’t let them get behind your back.
  • Anticipate when to commit your hips to shut down a cut or go get a block.

Deny the under

Denying the under cut is defence 101. If you can stop the cutter from getting free on the open side under, you take away the easiest throw on the field. This strategy will lead to a lot of turnovers in beginner level ultimate.

  1. Defender can set up wherever they feel comfortable.
  2. Cutter goes deep and then must cut under for a pass.
  3. Defender tries to maintain position and buffer on the deep cut, then reacts to the turn and acceleration under.
  4. The throw should go even if the offence player isn’t free. Reward the defender for their effort.

Under or deep

Make the drill more difficult for the defender by allowing the cutter to also go deep and make multiple changes of direction. The aim here is to take away the easy under and be close enough to challenge on a deep shot.

  1. Defender can set up wherever they feel comfortable.
  2. Cutter can receive the disc deep or under.
  3. Break side throws are not allowed.
  4. Use a stall count of 5. On 5 the throw has to go.

Rotation

  1. Force
  2. Thrower
  3. Defence queue
  4. Offence queue
  5. Take your disc to the throwing queue

You could run this on the backhand side then switch to forehand, or have two drills running simultaneously.

Coaching points

  • Think about the defender’s specific skills when giving them advice. Not all players can rely on speed or height. Some players need to give themselves a bigger buffer or use their body to box a player out.
  • Some players may be hesitant to put their body in the way of a cutter and will open the door to let them past. Encorage them to hold their position and reassure them that a cutter is not allowed to barge through them.
  • Keep reiterating the concepts of positioning and buffering.
  • Defenders often lose a player behind their back when they
    • Commit their hips to one direction too early.
    • Get their positioning wrong.
    • Turn away from their defender when reacting to changes in direction.

Rule Check

In this drill we have two players from opposite teams going for the disc. There are a number of infringements that can occur in this situation.

Foul

  • A player can call a foul if a member of the opposite team initiates contact with them at any point during the play, and this contact affects their movement.

Strip

  • If one player catches the disc first, then the other player grabs the disc out of their hands, this is a strip. The disc is returned to the player catching first. If both players are deemed to catch the disc at the same time, then the offence player retains possession.

There are a number of rules that come into play based on which team called the foul, whether the disc was in the air or not, and whether a foul call is contested. We won’t cover that here. In games, just try to restart play in the fairest way possible. Most of the time, this will be sending the disc back to the thrower, or allowing one of the receivers to take possession.

Games (30mins)

Now that players have been playing for a few weeks, it would be good to scale up the pitch and play full pitch ultimate (5v5 indoors and beach, 7v7 outdoors).

Coaching points

  • Encourage players to use the skills they have been learning.
  • Encourage decisive cutting, striking deep and attacking under.
  • Try to get players to give each other space.
  • Talk to players on defence with regards to their positioning.

Wrap Up (10 mins)

Wrap up with a proper spirit circle.

  • Volunteer players to chat from each team.
  • Feel free to play a spirit game.

Next week

  • Throwing into space
  • Breaking a mark