Timing
ClEARING
You make the catch and
your Cuts
complete the next pass.
Your job here is done.
Or is it? Where do you
BY MICHAEl BACCARINI AND
go now? Clearing means
TIINA BOOTH getting out of the way of
the offensive flow, and
So now you have an idea of how to it is just as important as
make an effective cut, but what happens catching and throwing
when you are in a game? You can’t have the disc. You can go
five or six people chopping their feet and to a number of places,
exploding all over the place. But you want depending on what your
to become part of the offensive action. team is doing. If you are
It’s time to show what you have learned cutting out of your team’s
about cutting. vertical stack offense
You really want that disc. You don’t want and have not received
to arrive too early or too late. You don’t the disc, you will most
want to cut off a teammate. And you likely clear out wide, on
surely don’t want someone diving past the outer edges of the
you and making a heroic D block. How do passing lanes. However, if
you know when to make your move? you just completed a pass
PHOTO: PAUl SIMPSON
In general, beginning players cut too downfield, you will want
much. Actually, what they often do is to clear to the inactive or
hover around the disc, calling out the weak side—that is, away from the current all depends on your team. Each of these
thrower’s name and clogging the passing position of the disc. Immediately after a destinations for clearing can work, as long
lanes. This activity is not cutting. completed pass there is a moment when as it is part of your team’s offensive plan.
If you don’t know when to cut, then the offense will attempt to continue flow You should know exactly where to go
don’t. Stay out of the play and watch what in that same direction. This provides you based on what your team has decided.
is going on around you. Is your team a brief window of opportunity to clear in Staying out of the way is an essential part
working it up the sideline? Are they hitting the opposite direction, away from your of your overall strategy and, like all aspects
the dump (getting the disc off the sideline) completed throw. If your pass was for a of your offense, your team needs to
and continuing the disc to the opposite short gain, perhaps you will become the discuss it before stepping on the field.
side of the field? Try to anticipate where reset option for the person to whom you
the disc will be in two or three throws. just threw. BAIlING
Then look at the field and figure out how Why are so many options available? It Suppose that in the middle of your next
you can be part of this flow. cut you suddenly see someone
You have now selected a space where in your peripheral vision. It could
you can easily and realistically catch the be a teammate or a poaching
disc. You know where you want to go, defender. Obviously, something
and you know where you don’t want your has gone wrong, and you should
defender to go. You are reasonably sure not complete your cut. This
that you can claim this space over any action is called bailing.
teammate. First, choose an area to cut Do not slow down, because
toward that is away from where you want you will only clog the lane and
to go. Sprint to that space at about 75 prevent the thrower from being
percent of your speed, and after you chop able to throw to anyone behind
your feet and plant hard, explode past your you. Plant hard and go in the
defender at 100 percent. You should be other direction, away from
open, be an easy target, and be part of the the disc and any other cutters,
offensive action! possibly bringing your defender
with you. You may want to yell,
30 Ultimate Canada Magazine — www.canadianultimate.com
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