Skills focussed:
Concepts to know before doing the drill:
- Basic Catching and Throwing
- Basic Zone offense structure (if zone is included in the drill)
Drill focus:
- Learning to do swing passes to break through zone defense. This drill focuses on two things: on the thrower, throwing the long swing pass, and on the receiver, applying the distance gaining trick.
Set-up:
- Players: Work in pairs.
- Distance: Stand 20–25 meters apart.
- Disc: One per pair.
Drill-Flow:
- The thrower delivers a flat, fast swing pass that floats ~4 meters in front of the receiver.
- The receiver waits, then sprints, jumps, catches at head height, and lands with forward momentum.
- Players continue crossing the field using successive passes.
- Jog back and do the drill again with opposite positions.
Coaching Points:
- Make sure everyone understands the theory behind swing passes in zone offense (Against a zone defense, swing passes are one of the most effective tools for handlers. They: Tire out the cup by forcing them to run side to side. Create time and space for the next handler to make an upfield pass. Gain ground with each swing, especially if executed with proper technique.)
- Key mechanics to maximize gain: Thrower: Puts the swing slightly forward (but not too far where defense can intercept). Receiver: Waits, then accelerates, jumps to catch, and lands while decelerating to gain extra meters legally
Progression/Regression:
- To make this drill more game-like, you can tell players to catch a disc, do an upfield fake and then immediately throw the swing pass.
- Chain this drill into a zone offense flow drill where swings lead into handler–wing–popper combinations.