Everyone is a Handler

2021-01-26T12:57:44+00:00

Everyone should be trained as a handler, just like everyone should be trained to be a cutter, and know how to be a stack leader. That said, I would still have regulated roles on the team. Timmy might have a nice vert jump, but he's more useful slinging the disc to Heather who does have a solid flick, but she's a damn burner with a dirty fakeout first step. Versatility is great for a sport like Ultimate.

iumeemaw · 2021-01-26T15:36:33+00:00

If you only catch goals, you don't have to throw the disc.

TheMooseIsBlue · 2021-01-26T19:38:01+00:00

It’s great if you have the right people for it, but people have different natural skillsets and provide their own advantages and disadvantages depending on where they are. Tall, fast guy without a flick should not be a handler. Short, chubby, slow guy should not go deep.

This philosophy is most effective when either everyone is already pretty good at everything or no one is very good at anything.

whywouldthrowthat · 2021-01-26T22:58:18+00:00

I am certainly not a cutter so naturally i default to handler or drunk.

evilpotato1121 · 2021-01-26T22:00:06+00:00

Everyone should know how to be competent in every position at the very least. Not a bad idea to switch things up and move people around in practice so they get practice at each position and understand how it works. If some people understand it better than others, it might help to have them provide tips as the practice goes along. Encouraging people to ask questions is key.

With that said, you'll likely be better off with people generally holding to a position. Your best all around players might be able to do whatever they're plugged into, but I wouldn't expect to do that with everyone else.

It's extremely unlikely that people will have the same level of throws and the same level of athleticism or that they will develop/improve those at the same rate to where you can easily mix and match everyone. Elite teams can do it against non-elite teams because they're just plain better. When you aren't at that level though, you have to pick your best options to fill the roles or you're going to be limiting yourself.

not-who-you-think · 2021-01-26T20:45:14+00:00

Watch Ring, I think everyone that plays offense for them bar Henry Fisher has played handler at some point in their life and they utilize that versatility really well in their split stack.

steamydan · 2021-01-26T21:59:12+00:00

As a coach, I like to have everyone practice at both positions even though people play more time in their preferred position. I think it's really helpful for everyone to learn the mechanics and timing of the game. I prefer if play between the handlers and cutters is a little fluid, so if a rookie cutter has to fill back to the dump spot for a bit, it's not a problem because they've at least had some reps at it. Also, if you're playing with a small roster, you'll save legs on your best players if they can play some points at the handler position, even if they're more naturally suited to cutting.

satalbot · 2021-01-27T00:08:58+00:00

Don't do old drills for the sake of doing drills. Come up with your own that reflect how you'll play, and get discs in hands as often as possible (rotate positions, etc.)

Only need to have 3 or 4 regular drills of your own, and do them at every training.

Hiiro_ · 2021-01-26T18:43:27+00:00

cool, play Hex

Brummie49 · 2021-01-26T19:27:02+00:00

Practice zones, deep cuts and breaking the mark at every opportunity, and you'll be fine. If you really want to consider everyone a handler, then play lots of mini; tbh this is useful anyway, to get tonnes of reset opportunities in.

DownToFlick · 2021-01-26T21:15:50+00:00

I think it’s great as it helps handlers think more about their throws to their cutters. Vice versa where cutters can find out what’s better for their handler and how hard it is for them.

Dr_Dewey · 2021-01-26T21:21:30+00:00

I think the best way to take advantage of it is to surprise people with handlers cutting deep and cutters filling quickly - often times downfield cutters have opportunities to hit reset spots that handlers have to do more work to create and handlers pushing deep quickly can cause confusion and calls for switches that open up opportunities. I think a lot of developing teams get too stuck in who is supposed to do what and then teams can more easily game plan defenses, even within a normal match defense structure. It's always going to be easier to guard someone like a handler if you know that they're unlikely to ever leave the handler space.

felix37 · 2021-01-26T14:25:48+00:00

That's a great philosophy, and is best utilised through the movement & shape principles of Hexagon Offence: https://felixultimate.com/2018/10/14/hexagon-offence-v2-3/

If you're based in NZ, look to Hamilton's Hammertron teams, who have been running it for the last couple of seasons.

HorribleUsername · 2021-01-26T18:41:03+00:00

Maybe come up with some offensive strategies where one or more handlers become cutters in the middle of a point, and vice versa. Other teams won't be expecting that.

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