¶ Drill 29: Vertical Stack Running and Cutting
Skills Focussed:
Other skills for which it can be used:
- CUTTER: In-cut (3.1), Deep-cut (3.2), Clearing Space (3.6), Timing (3.3), Handler cut (3.9)
- MARKING: Marking Thrower (4.1), Marking non-thrower (4.2)
Concepts to know before doing the drill:
- Basic Rules of Ultimate
- Basic Throwing with pivot and Catching
- Open and break side
- Different positions in offense
- Maintaining force
- Basic marking for thrower and non-thrower
Drill Focus:
- Proper stack positioning (first in stack sets distance, last ensures spacing).
- Cutting patterns with continuous movement and sharp clears.
- Handler-cutter switching when dumps fail.
- Disc movement under defensive pressure while maintaining vertical stack structure.
Set-up:
- The drill can be rehersed in 3 phases:
- Phase 1: Players needed: 4 (thrower, marker, first in stack, defender) Formation: Standard vertical stack alignment.
- Phase 2: Players needed: 7 (stack of 5, thrower, marker).
- Phase 3: Same as phase 2 (add defenders in the latter stages)
Drill-flow:
- Phase1: The thrower makes floaty passes to the closed side. The first in the stack must catch before the defender can intercept. Repeat the drill five times, then rotate positions.
- Phase 2: Last cutter initiates an in-cut. Thrower chooses to pass (Option 1) or not. If not, the cutter clears deep (Option 2a) or to the closed side (Option 2b), and the thrower completes the pass. Catcher moves to front of line. Everyone moves one step-up.
- Phase 3: The last cutter cuts in and goes deep. The thrower may hold the disc, forcing the cutter to reset into the stack on position 2 coming back from the closed side and all the others move up one spot in the stack. The next cutter should already be initiating their cut.
- Rotation for phase 2 & 3: When a disc is thrown to any runner, then this runner catches the disc and leaves the drill. She lines up behind the thrower. The thrower becomes the first in the stack. The marker becomes the new thrower. The front person in the waiting line gives the disc to this new thrower and starts marking.
Coaching points:
- Phase 1: First in the stack (anchor) should be positioned 10–15 meters away from the thrower and should ensure the stack is centered, not aligned with the disc.
- Being ready for break throws by staying low and not flat footed, catching them quickly to exploit defensive mistakes.
- Do not begin cutting before the throw is made.
- The drill is offense-focused; defenders are only there to add realism.
- Phase 2: Last in the stack is responsible for maintaining 3 meters between each player to avoid picks or gaps and provide a reliable in-cut to keep play flowing.
- If the in-cut fails, clear out in a dangerous way – either deep (forcing defender to follow) or to the closed side for a potential around or hammer pass.
- Never retreat directly to the stack after cutting in; always create an active threat before resetting.
- Phase 3: In this drill it’s also possible that a player does not get a disc at all. This means that the (previously) second-last player in the stack also needs to cut in. Initially, this will be confusing. As players get used to this drill, the cuts should come in at a faster and more continuous pace.
Progression/Regression:
- Phase 1: Vary break-throws to include hammers, scoobers, and high-release throws for added difficulty.
- Phase 2: - Add defenders on cutters
- Allow players 3 or 4 in the stack to initiate cuts when poorly defended.
- Last cutter can delegate by calling a teammate’s name to cut
- Phase 3: - Allow the throwers to also throw an inside break pass to the first in the stack. - Note that an inside break pass should not be thrown if a cutter just ran to the closed side.
Source: Page 32, 33 Ultimate Trainers Manual