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 ften
ultimate games are decided by a small margin of points.
This small margin can be overcome by using your mind
and knowledge of the game to develop strategies to make
your team more successful, giving you a necessary edge
in a close game. This article will discuss a handful
of defensive strategies to slow the opponent's offense
down, and make your team stronger.
A defense should try to increase the number of throws
by the offense. The more times an offensive team throws
the disc back and forth, the greater the chance for
a turnover. Simply, defenses should impose strategies
that force the offensive into more throws. Offenses
have become adept to be highly efficient by using a
small number of passes to score. Accurate throwers,
athletic receivers and well developed offensive strategies
contribute to efficiency on O.
One way to force more throws is to use a zone or a
poaching clam defense for the first few throws, then
transition into a person-to-person defense. This strategy
will usually foil the offensive play off the pull. Forcing
the offense to adjust their strategy and use more throws
to reset. Once the offense transitions into their zone
set, the defense can switch to a person-to-person D
by using a verbal call. This switch can cause even more
adjustments by the offense, more throws and hopefully
a turnover for the defense. Defenses can utilize this
strategy on a stop disc or off the pull. If the zone
or clam defense is effective, the team can remain in
it or have a verbal call to switch to person-to-person.
Boston's Death or Glory is notorious for using clam
and zone defenses to slow down offenses, causing mental
lapses in order to gain an advantage for the defense.
It is effective for them and can be useful for your
team.
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Another defensive strategy is to mix up the
types of defenses that you play against your opponents. Always
using the same defense can allow the offense to predict and
exploit the defense. Mixing it up requires the offense to
adjust and often slow down. This allows the defense to set
and be more effective. Throwing the same zone against a solid
team may be effective for a few points. However, a team will
eventually discover the weaknesses of the defense and break
it. Also, try forcing backhand instead of forehand and even
the occasional force middle (fm). Forcing middle requires
major sideline support to help the backfield defenders know
which way the mark is forcing at any given moment. Once again,
the defense wants the offense to hesitate, which allows the
defense to set and be more effective. In addition to simply
offering variety, switching to a backhand force from forehand,
can deny the offense high backhands around the mark. Also,
using a force backhand often eliminates cross-field hammers.
Your team should be comfortable with a handful of defenses
in order to keep the opponents guessing and thereby slowing
them down.
Nowadays, I see many European teams using
the principles of the ‘German’. It can be extremely
effective in certain situations and, when done right, it is
difficult to defend against. So, next time you have the disc
and I’m standing there looking at you blankly, I am not
being lazy...just throw. Throw it and I’ll fetch it.
Easy.
As the offense adjusts and sets to the defense
presented, stall counts can often become high. Many times,
contact occurs at high counts between the marker and the pivoting
thrower. This contact usually results in a foul call, which
resets or lowers the stall count. Teams should use the strategy
to stay away or back off from the thrower at high stall counts,
forcing the thrower to make a pressure play. A reset stall
count gives the thrower more time to work with, and usually
results in a completed pass. When the count is high, the thrower
must choose a desired receiver in only a few seconds. The
defense has been effective and should be rewarded with the
opportunity to make a block on a high count. It is often counter
intuitive for the marker to back off when you feel like you
are about to get a block or stall. However, it is in the marker's
best interest to stay away, avoid the foul, and let the thrower
make the pressure play.
Defensive strategies that force more throws on offense and
remove the element of predictability can be very effective
in generating those much needed turnovers in a close game.
Slow down the offense, disrupt their flow and when you've
caught them off guard, be smart on your mark. You'll find
employing these strategies will make the difference in your
team coming out with more wins in those tight matches.
– James Studarus
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