EUCF 2022 Open Final Analysis Part 1 – Bullfrogs Start Strong
Felix takes a deep dive into this match which would end up being historic, analysing each point in detail and finding the root causes and catalysts for the turns and scores.
Archive for year: 2022
Ultimate in Motion: A view of the game through a non-traditional lens
This is a foreword written by Felix for the book Ultimate in Motion: Balance & Dynamism by Florian and Marie Gailliegue, with added illustrations. The book is offered to patrons joining the Swarm Tier (alongside a free Hive disc), or is available for purchase directly.
Florian and I first had contact in 2016 when he left a comment on the Hexagon Offence documentation; “The more I look into it, the more attracted I am to this offense.” I could relate to the feeling, but I couldn’t imagine that just a few years later I would be reading a book of his creation which goes far above and beyond that original content.
Florian offered to translate the documentation into French so it could be shared further. From that point on, we communicated regularly – including meeting up in Paris to discuss our thoughts about how the sport of ultimate might evolve in the future. Bouncing ideas around with another creative thinker with a great passion for ultimate is very enjoyable – Florian’s added experience with other sports, combined with his sharp intelligence, gives him unique insight and perspective, which means his ideas will pique the interest of all ultimate coaches and ambitious players of the sport!
A little history about the sport: ultimate started in Colombia High School in New Jersey, USA, in 1968. The first thing most people notice about the sport is its dramatic name – a question most players have been asked many times is “What makes a frisbee an ultimate frisbee?”. Incidentally, some sports names like American Football aren’t questioned enough – shouldn’t we be calling it “Handegg”?
Drone View – Clapham’s Team Defence
Luke takes a look at drone footage of the team defence tactics employed by Clapham against Ring of Fire at the World Club Championships in 2022, highlighting what they did well and where they could make improvements.
Training the Next Pull Fielding Meta
Molly Brown and Valeria Cardenas recently set a new standard for fielding the pull which involves a quick give-go off the pull catch, getting the disc back moving aggressively forwards.
Felix breaks down the method into it’s component parts and shows how you can build up a similar good pull fielding routine through training. Available for Training Tier patrons only.
Garvey Evades Sockeye’s D – with Bryan Jones
Harper Garvey runs the length of the field unmarked in the US Nationals 2021 Semi Final to receive an easy after PoNY flow up the sideline and Sockeye fail to switch or poach effectively. Bryan Jones and Felix Shardlow offer their perspectives on the play in this excerpt from a live stream on 25 Feb 2022. Watch the livestream in full here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/bryan-jones-pony-63527586
How the Cardenas Sisters Supercharge Molly Brown’s Offense
Jimmy Chaudoin analyses the play of Valeria and Manuela Cardenas for Molly Brown at the Pro Champs 2022 tournament held before USAU Nationals, in particular their impact on the offensive flow. Valeria’s flick huck and backhand give-go threats make her impossible to shut down, whilst Manuela’s athletic bids and ability to get separation in small spaces is unmatched. Molly Brown’s method for fielding pulls sees Valeria give-go aggressively downfield, often penetrating the defence.
Rondo (2-post) Training Exercise
This possession exercise practices 1v1 and 2v2 situations with extra support from posts (or bouncers) on offence. It’s inspired by the “Rondo” football exercises which Johan Cryff brought to Barcelona – he said “Everything that goes on in a match, except shooting, you can do in a rondo”. Rondos are said to improve player decision making, coordination, team play, creativity, competitiveness, and physical conditioning. Full video here (Training Tier patrons).
Matsuno v Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) at the World Club Championships 2022
Felix compares the play of Masahiro Matsuno (Buzz Bullets) and Marques Brownlee (Pride of New York) in the Quarter Final of the Ultimate Frisbee World Club Championships in 2022.
Ultimate In Kuwait
The following article was written by Lujain Almulla, captain of team Pampered Cats and head of women’s ultimate in the newly formed Kuwait Flying Disc Federation. Lujain discusses the recent grass-roots development of the sport in Kuwait, as well as some of the unique challenges they face trying to grow ultimate as a mixed gender sport in a country hostile to mixed gender activities.
Why to Play Hex?
Noah and Felix both talk about 3 key reasons why teams should start training Hex, whilst GoPro & ulti.tv footage from their team playing at the recent Glastonbury Tournament plays in the background. Due to a miscommunication they both talk about the same 3 points, inadvertently harnessing the power of repetition.