MÜS

Cutting

 

Once you've become comfortable with the techniques of running and accelerating you can apply them to your actions on the field. There is a chant about what it takes to win in Ultimate: "No great throws. No great catches. just great cuts!" It is obvious catching and throwing are much easier if the receiver is wide open. From the receiver's point of view Ultimate is all about getting open and catching the pass.

This requires two things:

1) Establishing separation between receiver and defender.

2) Approaching a throwing area where a pass can be delivered.

 

The first is a contest between you and your defender with the simple concepts outlined in the preceding chapter determining the victor. The second may require you to take into account the thrower, the marker, other cutters and other defenders. A good offensive strategy will reduce the complexity of this task.

 

When the thrower is facing the mark there should be three potential areas for a reception: backhand, forehand, and deep. If these areas are not open, the cutter's job becomes much more difficult. Directly behind the marker is a triangular "dead zone" with the apex far from the marker. This is because a throw to a spot directly behind the marker is very difficult while one further away becomes easier. It is important to remember the dead zone is fluid. It can be anywhere on the field, move over time, and have almost any orientation depending on the marker.

 

As a receiver, your goal is to approach a throwing area with your defender behind you and not in the throwing lane while the thrower is ready to deliver the pass. Both the positioning and timing are crucial. Planned cuts and acceleration at what I callbreak points establish position. Communication, eye contact and deliberate fakes synchronize the thrower and cutter.

 

I will assume the defender is smart and fast. Your advantage is in them reacting to you. There are a quite a few ways to get position and establish separation from the defender. Each one can stand alone but they are more effective when strung together.

 

The most direct way of getting open is to take a position between your defender and the throwing area before you even cut. Let the thrower know where you are going with subtle communication. Be sure you go where you said you would. Against good defenders this opportunity is rare and is usually a cut into, or through, the dead zone. A cut to the upside-down throw can be very effective at breaking the mark.

 

A more reliable method is to out-accelerate your opponent. The key here is to start faster and turn sharper as they attempt to catch up to your first moves. Changes in direction work best when they are done at break points. These are places to turn based on your position relative to the dead zone or based on your defenders speed relative to yours. When you are passing through the dead zone you have two cutting options that are opposites. In this area defenders are especially alert. As you exit the dead zone, the defender begins to expect only 1 pass, is striving to catch up, and often glances at the thrower to see the release. This is a break point. You should plant hard to get a good lean angle, increase your step rate for more power, and cut back to the other side. In general, break points occur as you move across the boundary of the dead zone. As you can imagine, cuts that alternate between throwing areas will give you the most advantage.

 

Break points can also occur anywhere on the field if the defender is accelerating to catch up. As your defender speeds up, their momentum exceeds yours. This gives you an opportunity to turn a tighter corner or reverse direction more quickly. The best break points come just as the accelerating defender reaches you. Since the defender is often out of sight, it can be difficult to determine the best time to turn. If you turn early, the defender has a chance to cut the corner and run a shorter distance than you. If you turn late the defender has already matched your speed has the same ability to turn. The ideal break point comes when the defender is as close as possible and still speeding up. A cut at this point will use their acceleration and reaction time against them to create the greatest separation.

 

Another break point occurs whenever the defender looks away from you. The defender often turns to see the release as you approach a throwing area. It is a perfect opportunity to go the other way. When you are positioning yourself on the field or in the end-zone the defender will often glance to check the field. Although your cutting opportunities may be limited at that moment, a quick move will force the defender to play catch-up. This will allow you to set them up as your opportunities expand.

 

One particularly rewarding method of obtaining separation is to trick the defender into creating a break point. Try cutting for the dump while calling for the disc. Then as the thrower fakes the dump, break hard up-field to the other throw. Obviously something must communicate to the thrower that you are faking the dump!

 

In general break points occur:

1) Where the defender's responsibility shifts

2) When a defender is very close and still accelerating to catch up.

3) When a defender looks away or loses concentration.

 

Approaching the Throwing Area

 

The receiver must take into account the position of the throwing area when choosing the final direction of their cut. Cuts to the middle of the area allow the thrower the greatest space and time to deliver the pass. If the cut is toward the edge of a throwing lane the options are smaller and/or poachers are more likely. Throwers use visual cues to decide if the cutter is going to be open. Pick an approach to the throwing area that allows the thrower to judge the separation and relative speeds of the receiver and defender.

 

Expand your Options

 

As the cutter moves around the field, the defender must work to maintain a proper defensive position. When your cuts include all three throwing areas, the defender's positioning responsibility keeps on shifting. The defender also needs to check on the disc location. This will provide the receiver with numerous break points and cutting opportunities and the job of defense becomes impossible.

 

Be Aggressive

 

Occasional bumping and blocking is a part of Ultimate. The cutter must be aggressive and attack the defender to get open. If the defender is properly positioned, it may seem to be a waste of effort to cut into an open throwing area. This is an illusion. If you fail to make a cut just because the defender has established position they have already beaten you.

 

One solution is to draw the defender into covering another throwing area, then using a break point to get open in your primary destination. Use the defender's expectations against them. String break points together in order to get enough separation if the defense is tenacious. This is the effectiveness of the triple cut.

 

Another possibility is to out-power the defender by getting them on their heels. Accelerate toward the defender. Just before the collision, step around them and go past. As they turn, you will get some separation.

 

Communicate

 

If the thrower and cutter are communicating it becomes a game of two-on-one. Use an elbow point, raised eyebrow, or field map to establish synchrony. Then you can plan your cuts with confidence of the results. The thrower can use better fakes to shift the marker and fool the defender. The cutter can set up strong break points without worrying about an early throw. Often it leads to an easy completion just when the defense feels it needs a stopper. This can take the heart out of the defending team.

 

Common Errors:

• Failure to use break points.

  • Often cutters will attempt to use changes in speed or minor changes in direction to get open. These rarely work unless there is a mismatch or the defender is out of position. An example is a cutback that flares out into the flat.

• No separation visible to thrower.

  • Cuts straight at or away from the thrower provide no visual clues to how open the cutter is or whether the defender is gaining or losing ground.

• Defender is drawn into the throwing lane.

  • This is caused by using a breakpoint too deep within a throwing area. The throwing area is then blocked by the defender for several seconds.

• Un-aggressive cutting.

  • If you allow the defender to ditctate you cuts, they have won.

• Not stringing cuts together.

  • A single cut against a good defender is rarely successful. You will need to string together several cuts to accumulate separation.

  •