THE SET UP
The Pull is ripped down, five feet inside the goal, and moved up with two easy passes. The lack of wind and quick snapping wrists move the disc. Now fifteen yards further than previously pulled down the defense zone's in on the handlers and cutters. Pressure to the backhand side forces the flick.
Poaching, the left handler's (Defenses left) defender stands no more than 12 feet from the disc and in clear view of disc holder. The holder views the poach, his brain raddled with frustration, I know i can make the bender around him... get the hell out of my way! His head turns, throw it to my teammate and make them pay...move the disc...NOW!
The poached player is wide open and recieves the disc. He looks up field, and his cutters are sprinting toward him, sadly with no ability to get it though--the defense has played it well. The new mark (the poacher) is now within ten feet.
"1"
Three feet...
"2"
On mark...
"3"
Your mine!
MARK SET
"Strike!"
The dump runs up line but does not prevail as the mark stops any upline throw and returns his focus on the new dump, knowing that this may be his only lifeline.
"4"
Four and no throw up line or to his dump? So far so good. I take a glance over my shoulder to see where his new friend is and he's exactly where I left him: behind me.
"No Inside!"
I throw my left hand infront of the thrower just to show him I'm still here. You didn't think you would catch me off guard did you? I'm lucky, he did catch me off guard but my upfield defenders are holding there cutters down so I can get the count higher.
"5"
I wonder when they are going to cut? Watch his eyes... he'll tell you where he's going.
"6"
He turns his attention to his dumps. His eyes search and figure out where his dumps are going. Where are you throwing? I look back to see where his dump is and he starts running back. My body turns to be in between them. My right arm rises and extends out.
"7"
My voice becomes louder as the count becomes higher. My heart starts to pound harder. I realize a stall or bad throw may be possible. Don't foul him...step back...make sure you don't get broken.
" No dump! No dump!"
I circle the dump making sure that the throw doesn't get off.
"8"
My heart beats faster and my eyes race. My head searches as fast as possible to see if it can find anyone that he may be able to throw to. I swing my arms making sure he doesn't throw over my head or around me. Get in his head. Your almost there...you almost have the stall!
"9"
When having a stall nine who thinks about anything but: Don't foul...Don't fast count (even though you know your going to)... you almost have em.
He turns to look up the field. You have done your job and he has one last option--huck it.
His eyes don't even make contact with upfield, since he knows i have him. His arm winds up...and...
"TEN!"
"STALL!!!"
Yes, I got him. My mark worked. No dump or upline throws. I got into his head and there was nothing he could do. I did my job...
"CONTEST!"
Shit!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
HS: Co-ed vs. Open/womens play
Allan Thoe, Director of Youth Development and High School States (CA), released, about two weeks ago, an official statement that the California State tournament will be changed from Co-ed to Open and Womens. For two weeks our local yahoo group became RSD with bickering and debating about the change.
I am very new to the Youth scene in the bay area so it kind of came as a shock when a majority of people were not in favor of the change. The arguements seemed to be pretty heated and I think we all are losing sight of what is most important: what is best for the kids.
As this message goes on I start to forget what For and Against are even standing for. This topic just became Prop 8. NO ON 8!!! For means Open and Women's Div. Against means Co-ed
The FOR:
Open and Women's is what is played in college. If the high schools could get together and play this they would be more prepared for college.
It is known that HS women's ultimate in the bay area is lacking, in fact, until this year there was only one official team (Alameda Sweet Meat). This year Granada HS has divised a girls team. So now the division is two women's teams strong. Understandable that this is not a division but it is a start. The fight over for or against is more for the girls than anyone else. Yet all of the voices being heard are from men coaches. The reason women's and open should be the standard is that most schools only have 2 girls and it's not fair to teams that have a lot of women (ACLC and GHS) when they have to either sit them or play them against men who, not to be sexist, are taller and most of the time faster. Also teams end up not throwing to there women. It becomes a six man domination and the two girls (O and D) are left just to run and celebrate because they are never touching the disc. Oregon and Washington are in the advanced stage of ultimate and the Bay Area should take a hard look at what they are doing. They are producing high level Ultimate players men and women at an alarming rate.
http://www.upa.org/juniors/2008nationalteam#boys
Here you can find all of those players that are gold medal winners. Not one is from the bay area. Now is that because we don't have the talent? Or is that because the bay area still wants to live in the past? If Nor Cal ultimate wants to continue to keep there children's potential down than that is wrong and us as coaches need to think what our children want and need.
Women's Ultimate needs to grow and it is our job as coaches to go find the girls and tell our boys to bring out girls. I put all of the blame of a lackluster girls division on the coaches. We can change it though and the start is by having a girls division. I think once the girls start playing with other girls they will find that it is alot more fun when they have a chance to ACTUALLY play. They get to throw and catch goals, throw up field, and not just dump to a guy.
And since this world is sexist let's get it out on the table. Some of the boys think that their girls do nothing or bring there team down. If this is the case let the boys play with the boys and girls play with the girls. The speed of ultimate is different for both sexes so let them play to what they are at.
El Againsto:
Co-ed has spirit yes we do Co-ed has spirit how bout you? That is the biggest good arguement about having ultimate being Co-ed. When you are in college spirit seems to lose itself. Yes there are those goober teams that all they have is spirit but when you get on a Stanford or Carelton you lose your spirit. Kids are taught in T-ball or Pee Wee football about spirit. When you get to your first practice everyone is encouraged and cheered and then by high school all of that has gone away. Well high school Ultimate is like T-ball in the fact that that is where ultimate starts for a lot of kids. Middle schools are picking it up slowly but usually people don't learn about ultimate until HS PE or if your school has a team, you don't get really into it until later in your hs career or college. We should have the kids learn spirit. Spirit is what makes ultimate the best sport played.
Also, the other reason is that there are no women in the bay area so you can not have more than four or five teams. If this does happen than all of those women are going to join together from four or five schools to make one. Which may not be that fun when you have no idea who the people you are playing with are.
Fin
There are no right answers to this question because all have valid points. The upa has spoke about this and they lean towards having single sex divisions. The problem really is that coaches need to find more women to play and get them out. Stop blaming other people or other reasons. It's because some of the coaches are lazy and take what they can get instead of going out and finding players.
It will be interesting to see where this actually goes and if the changes are upheald.
Keep on huckin'
I am very new to the Youth scene in the bay area so it kind of came as a shock when a majority of people were not in favor of the change. The arguements seemed to be pretty heated and I think we all are losing sight of what is most important: what is best for the kids.
As this message goes on I start to forget what For and Against are even standing for. This topic just became Prop 8. NO ON 8!!! For means Open and Women's Div. Against means Co-ed
The FOR:
Open and Women's is what is played in college. If the high schools could get together and play this they would be more prepared for college.
It is known that HS women's ultimate in the bay area is lacking, in fact, until this year there was only one official team (Alameda Sweet Meat). This year Granada HS has divised a girls team. So now the division is two women's teams strong. Understandable that this is not a division but it is a start. The fight over for or against is more for the girls than anyone else. Yet all of the voices being heard are from men coaches. The reason women's and open should be the standard is that most schools only have 2 girls and it's not fair to teams that have a lot of women (ACLC and GHS) when they have to either sit them or play them against men who, not to be sexist, are taller and most of the time faster. Also teams end up not throwing to there women. It becomes a six man domination and the two girls (O and D) are left just to run and celebrate because they are never touching the disc. Oregon and Washington are in the advanced stage of ultimate and the Bay Area should take a hard look at what they are doing. They are producing high level Ultimate players men and women at an alarming rate.
http://www.upa.org/juniors/2008nationalteam#boys
Here you can find all of those players that are gold medal winners. Not one is from the bay area. Now is that because we don't have the talent? Or is that because the bay area still wants to live in the past? If Nor Cal ultimate wants to continue to keep there children's potential down than that is wrong and us as coaches need to think what our children want and need.
Women's Ultimate needs to grow and it is our job as coaches to go find the girls and tell our boys to bring out girls. I put all of the blame of a lackluster girls division on the coaches. We can change it though and the start is by having a girls division. I think once the girls start playing with other girls they will find that it is alot more fun when they have a chance to ACTUALLY play. They get to throw and catch goals, throw up field, and not just dump to a guy.
And since this world is sexist let's get it out on the table. Some of the boys think that their girls do nothing or bring there team down. If this is the case let the boys play with the boys and girls play with the girls. The speed of ultimate is different for both sexes so let them play to what they are at.
El Againsto:
Co-ed has spirit yes we do Co-ed has spirit how bout you? That is the biggest good arguement about having ultimate being Co-ed. When you are in college spirit seems to lose itself. Yes there are those goober teams that all they have is spirit but when you get on a Stanford or Carelton you lose your spirit. Kids are taught in T-ball or Pee Wee football about spirit. When you get to your first practice everyone is encouraged and cheered and then by high school all of that has gone away. Well high school Ultimate is like T-ball in the fact that that is where ultimate starts for a lot of kids. Middle schools are picking it up slowly but usually people don't learn about ultimate until HS PE or if your school has a team, you don't get really into it until later in your hs career or college. We should have the kids learn spirit. Spirit is what makes ultimate the best sport played.
Also, the other reason is that there are no women in the bay area so you can not have more than four or five teams. If this does happen than all of those women are going to join together from four or five schools to make one. Which may not be that fun when you have no idea who the people you are playing with are.
Fin
There are no right answers to this question because all have valid points. The upa has spoke about this and they lean towards having single sex divisions. The problem really is that coaches need to find more women to play and get them out. Stop blaming other people or other reasons. It's because some of the coaches are lazy and take what they can get instead of going out and finding players.
It will be interesting to see where this actually goes and if the changes are upheald.
Keep on huckin'
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Berkeley Winter Youth League: Coaches Review
Does anyone feel that two games in the span of two hours and no warm up time except for on a field that clearly states "closed" is worth being known as a league? The youth league is a great idea. If you don't know what the details are, here is a small list:
1. Two games (1 hour each)
2. Winners play winners, losers play losers
3. Teams are somewhat evenly matched
4. No space for error, because the fields are reserved before and after the two hours allowed
5. No finals, nothing to lead up to.
Sounds nice, correct? Well here is the problem driving all the way to west berkeley for only two hours worth of ultimate and then having to turn back is kind of lame. Especially you are ATC, or some other team that has to drive more than two hours to get to the fields.
I love the concept. I think that HS ultimate needs to start moving in a league format. College is hard to do because of the distance, but HS has the ability since most are within, at most, a two hour drive. What they are doing will revolutionize bay area youth ultimate. I think all of the coaches should come together and talk about starting it up as a league.
Fall should be warm up tourney's and then spring will be one day tournament style league so every game matters. But this is a whole different blog...coming soon.
I think that what Jordan is doing is great and I hope it leads to a new format of youth ultimate, but this one "league" is kind of falling short of hype and expectation.
Keep on huckin Yay Area.
Geoff
1. Two games (1 hour each)
2. Winners play winners, losers play losers
3. Teams are somewhat evenly matched
4. No space for error, because the fields are reserved before and after the two hours allowed
5. No finals, nothing to lead up to.
Sounds nice, correct? Well here is the problem driving all the way to west berkeley for only two hours worth of ultimate and then having to turn back is kind of lame. Especially you are ATC, or some other team that has to drive more than two hours to get to the fields.
I love the concept. I think that HS ultimate needs to start moving in a league format. College is hard to do because of the distance, but HS has the ability since most are within, at most, a two hour drive. What they are doing will revolutionize bay area youth ultimate. I think all of the coaches should come together and talk about starting it up as a league.
Fall should be warm up tourney's and then spring will be one day tournament style league so every game matters. But this is a whole different blog...coming soon.
I think that what Jordan is doing is great and I hope it leads to a new format of youth ultimate, but this one "league" is kind of falling short of hype and expectation.
Keep on huckin Yay Area.
Geoff
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