(If you don't, consider this)
An entirely different problem is working out where to put people of lesser experience when running your zone offence. This is a scenario I'd imagine quite a few teams have to deal with in the uni season (and to a lesser extent the mixed season) of Australian ultimate, as there are always new recruits who have to learn as they go, a fair amount of experienced-but-not-superstar players, and generally not that many World-class athletes who can demolish one all by themselves for the entirety of the tournament.
So:
What seems to be the temptation in the teams I've played with is to stick the inexperienced players as wing/deeps or popping, and have the experienced players as handlers. Consequently, a lot of teams of this skill mixture generally have an okay time dumping and swinging, but their middle of the field really fails to engage and so they have a harder time scoring. Here are some alternative mix-ups to this formula, assuming a mix of 3 experienced players to 4 not so experienced, and a zone defence that is not overly impenetrable.
The Risky
Have three inexperienced players handle, two experienced players popping, and the remaining one good one not so good players act as wing/deeps. If necessary, have one of the experienced poppers receive the pull and pass it to the handlers.
The Pro's:
- The inexperienced folk get more disc time than they normally would, increasing their confidence and handling ability.
- Once the disc gets to the experienced poppers, they will have the confidence to give-go or look for decent upfield options. Most inexperienced poppers, once they get the disc, just give it straight back. Basically, once it gets to the middle, expect the zone to be broken permanently.
- It's not called 'The Risky' for nothing: three inexperienced handlers could spell death if they are caught in, say a sideline trap.
- Much more pressure on the experienced folk (poppers) to bail out in situations like a high stall count or aforementioned trap.
Place one inexperienced player as the axis handler, with the other two handlers being experienced/inexperienced respectively. Poppers and wing/deeps are made up of one good and one not-so-good player each. The idea generally is that, just as a good zone defence revolves around a lot of on-field communication, so does this zone offence! The experienced handler is there to guide the other handlers, and the popper/wing-deep pairs have one experienced player each in their to guide the other one.
The Pro's:
- The inexperienced players are getting lots of advice as events occur, as opposed to after the point or on the sideline where recalling the situation may be difficult.
- Equal spread of experience all the way down the field, to ensure continuation and flow.
- Relies heavily on calm, measured and timely communication to newbies, which can be quite difficult in the heat of the moment. (Think 'Turn to face your dump, Sarah.', not 'SARAH DUMP DUMP DUMP!')
- Once again, new folks handling presents a little bit of a liability. Make sure the experienced handler is prepared to work to give the inexperienced handlers safe, easy options to reset the count.
5 comments:
Fo sho.
Dont forget some teams would even use a zone becuase they know the other tema only has 3 experienced (or not many) players which makes a whole zone break down if more than half the players cant play it.
its hard to choose where they fit though
With zone offence I like to put the most useless/inexperienced players as wing/deeps. Just having players hanging around the endzone occupying the deep and every now and then a wing can be most useful for creating space. At least one of the best players as a popper, and the rest split between popping and handling according to their specific skills.
IMHO the line between popping and handling should blur a little anyway.
Easy. Two handlers.
Best handler goes on the side where they'll be throwing break throws. Other handler about 15-20 metres away laterally. Third experienced player is popper #1, who runs in amongst the zone, almost as a third handler like Wally said.
Now for your inexperienced players...
- Throwing upwind: Popper #2 is five metres behind the cup. Tell them to always be somewhere where there's a straight line between them and the disc, with no defenders in the way. Popper #3 is ten metres laterally of #2, and their job is to be ahead of the fence/cup on a swing for a quick 1-2 to the handler. The other two play as wings, and their job is to draw the D wings/deep out of the middle of the field. Making noise, cutting in and out, creating 2 on 1s, etc.
- Throwing downwind/no wind: Popper #3 becomes a third deep. On swing passes they need to create 2 on 1s (or 3 on 1s using popper #2) against the wings for quick metres.
The newbies are told they have two throwing options - dish a two metre lateral pass to the handlers or popper #1 as soon as they get it, or they wait the few seconds it takes for the zone to catch up and dump to the open side handler.
Not much is expected of the newbies, but the experienced folk need to be spot on with their throws.
the same conundrum arises when choosing defensive positions. Tendancy is to put inexperienced players in the wall, but that can often backfire, leaving gaping holes. Wing is perhaps a easier position to play, but the inexperienced player can easily be sucked into marking the wrong guy (or girl), especially if the poppers have flooded one side.
offence..inexpereinced players as deeps, as long as they can catch, anyone can be a threat if the deep deep baits it to much, and if he does mark up, you have oodles of space for hammers to poppers. Easiest goals scored ever are where you slowly trudge up the feild, walk backwards towards the endzone and wait for someone to jack it to you. I think i scored 3 or 4 goals at nationals doing that...its not rocket science...its just walkign backwards
I agree with Wally - 2 experienced handlers and at one experienced popper. Worst case scenario the 2 handlers swing to each other and the exp popper busts their ass the work it upfield, while the wind deeps create space.
And Maple, if walking backwards is so easy, how come you fell over in the end zone at ECC?
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