For the Handlers


Part of the responsibility of being a handler lies in directing the offense verbally and through your throws. Directing the offense with your throws means much more that completing your passes. If all you needed to do was complete your throws, you'd be a receiver. Directing the offense with your throws means choosing the right throw that results in not only a completion, but also repositions the disc an a way that flow can continue. That is not to say that you should be holding the disc waiting for the "strategic" throw. You still need to hit open players, but you also need to develop a sense of how to exploit the the defense when you have the disc.

For example, if we have been flowing up one side line, the stack (unfortunately) likes to drift over into that lane. If this is happening, it may be easier to break or dump swing the disc to the other side other field, and flow up that sideline, since the stack will be further away from that lane. Also quick breaks to the Ace are another way to exploit overplaying or poaching defenses. As a hander you need to be able to see the field and throw throws that use the spaces that are open, or use throws to move the flow into those open areas of the field.

Another vital skill is to move the disc quickly. As a competent thrower, you have three options to choose from down field lane, break to the ace, or dump. You cannot linger on either of the first two options for too long. If the down field cut is bad or nonexistent, you must quickly shift your focus to the next option. In this offense the handers will get their touches, and opportunities to huck. Knowing this, the handers must choose the right throw, and not wait and force throws.

One of the reasons that Machine plays a straight up defense is that it forces teams, especially handlers to make a lot of throws. The reason our straight up defense works is that many handers are used to trying to make things happens, so after about 7 or 8 throws of minimal gains, they jack it away. This is why is it is vital that our handlers exercise patience. If your current opportunity to exploit poor defense with a huck or break is not very high percentage, you will get another opportunity to try again in a couple of throws if you dump swing or give go.

Posted: Tue - December 14, 2004 at 02:56 PM          

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