Ultimate is an easy game to learn. All you need is a pair of shoes, a disc, and a desire to run. Pair these three things together and you will likely experience some success on the field. With that being said, there are a few simple strategy tips that can make a world of difference on the field. Take a read through our useful hints below to bring your game up to the next level.
Defense: When your team is on defense, it can be highly beneficial for the player covering the opposing thrower to take away their backhand. If the thrower is right-handed, stand further to their left side (your right) in order to show that they will not be able to make a backhand throw. Not only does this tactic take away their ability to make the most basic and simple throw, it also covers half of the field. The thrower will likely only be able to throw to their right side and your teammates will have less ground to cover. The image below illustrates the area covered (red) by taking away the backhand.
Offense: When your team is on offense, don’t just run around the field like chickens with your heads cut off! Instead, try running some designed plays. While I know this may sound complicated, it can be as easy as designating one player to run a short route and telling another player to go deep. Keeping your players in different areas of the field will open up more throwing lanes and create opportunities to make big throws. A few designed plays can also help you anticipate which direction your teammate is going to cut in the end zone.
Getting Open: Speaking of making a cut, getting open is a lot easier when you know what you are doing. Use misdirection to lead your opponents one way before cutting in the opposing direction. An effective strategy is to run away from the thrower and then cut back towards them. Your act of running away will clear the area of any defenders, so when you cut back, your thrower should have a nice open area to complete the short pass.
A more complex way to get open is to run directly at your defender. Once the defender commits to turning to their right or left to pursue you, you can cut back behind them. This will keep them off-balance and allow you an extra second to get open and make a catch.
Field Position: It’s important to know where you are on the field. If you are backed up near your end zone, it may be a good idea to go for a long throw. If you make the catch, you will be close to scoring; but even if you can’t complete the pass, your opponent will be backed up on their side of the field and will have to travel a long distance to get back into scoring range.
On the opposite side of the field when you are closer to your opponent’s end zone, it can be beneficial to make shorter passes. There is less field to cover when you are near the end zone, so shorter passes will help reduce the risk of a turnover.
Give these tips a try in your next game and remember to have fun out there!
