Skills Focussed:
Concepts to know before doing the drill:
- Basic catching and throwing
- Rules of Ultimate
- Low release throwing
- Catching high speed passes
- Basics of zone cup
Drill Focus: To trap the disc on the sideline and prevent any horizontal escape.
Set-up:
- Players: 3 stationary handlers (in a horizontal line) 4 cup defenders (A, B, C, D as described) (Optional) 1 or 2 poppers positioned upfield to simulate offensive pressure.
- Field: Half-width field with clear sidelines to practice trapping.
Drill-Flow:
- Roles:
- Defender A: Job is to prevent any dump pass backward.(Pass 1 in the figure)
- Defender B: Horizontal pass across the field
- Defender C: the diagonal pass upfield
- Defender D: the pass straight upfield.
- In this way does the defense shut down all the options of the offense, trapping them on the sideline.
- Execution:
- Handlers move the disc laterally and attempt to swing out of the trap.
- The cup defenders shift as a coordinated unit:
- Marker (A) forces toward the sideline while staying slightly behind the thrower to block dumps.
- B, C, D maintain a tight wall, closing any gaps.
- When the disc swings back, the cup must rotate while moving to prevent getting caught out of position.
- Play continues for 10–20 passes, then rotate roles.
Coaching Points:
- Marker positioning: The marker should stay almost behind the thrower, preventing easy dumps.
- B’s proximity: Defender B must stay close to the marker to block horizontal swings.
- Cup rotation: When the disc swings back, defenders—especially D—must move forward before closing to prevent holes.
- Force decisions: Keep the same force if the disc remains near the sideline. Flip the force if the disc reaches the middle, trapping it on the opposite sideline.
- Encourage throwers to exploit holes if the cup mispositions, teaching defenders to correct spacing.
Progression/Regression:
- When a throw is made through the cup to a popper, many offensive players would immediately try to throw the disc upfield. However, there are usually other defenders blocking these upfield throws. A moment of confusion will ensue, allowing the cup to catch up. For the offense it’s often better, after a throw through the cup has been made, to pass the disc horizontally away from the cup. If this is done quickly enough, the cup will not be able to catch up and the offense can safely work the disc up the field. Practise this idea and engrain it in the muscle memory of the players if there are two poppers i.e. whenever a pass is made through the cup, the popper that received the disc should immediately pass it to his fellow popper.