Aphorisms To Play By

1. Play Fast; Never Hurry
Moving quickly is good, but something always goes wrong when you try
to move faster than you are able. If you try to throw too fast, your
throw will blade. If you try to turn too fast, you'll slip. If you
try to throw before you've finished catching, you'll drop. These are
the most common mistakes among intermediate players. Intermediate
players know how to do all three of these things, but they fail when
they forget to give each manoeuvre its due attention. Everything
should feel relaxed and natural, like Jet Li calmly disassembling his
enemy.

2. Intense, but Controlled
You must want the disc and you must want to score, but you must temper
drive with calm awareness. When the defensive bid is there, go for it;
when it isn't, cut off the break/swing pass. When you lose possession,
get on defense. When you make an awesome layout grab, don't throw
away the disc. Don't throw to a mediocre cut just because it is there.
Remember to dump at stall 5.

3. On Defense, Anticipate
Know what options are available to your opponent. Someone in the
endzone wants to cut in. Someone who has run in wants to run out.
Someone who has run out wants to run in.

4. On Offense, Create Opportunity
If you can't get the disc yourself, you might be able to make space for
someone to cut into. If someone else has run to occupy one opportunity
(e.g. deep), run to occupy the complementary opportunity (e.g. short).
Clear the lanes; take what they give you; throw what they give you.

5. On Defense, Take Away Opportunity
Help your teammates by recognizing what your opponents want. If you
are in a position to do so, flash the forceside lane momentarily. Call
switches when your mark and someone else's are moving in opposite
directions. Cut off the continuation pass. Always chase a huck, no
matter what your mark does.

6. On Offense, Misdirect Your Mark
Speed up before you turn. Cut behind your mark's back. Fake a throw
convincingly. Make a boulder-cut. Become unpredictable and demand
your mark's full attention.

7. On Defense, Follow Your Mark, but Don't Chase
A defender must choose an area of denial, and stand between his mark
and that area. He must choose a buffer zone between himself and his
mark. These two things he must keep constant, regardless of what his
mark chooses to do. Never let the buffer shorten or lengthen. If he
cuts toward you, maintain your area of denial; if he cuts away,
maintain your area of denial. When your mark cuts away from you,
pursue, but do not try to close your buffer zone-- this is called
"chasing," and he will change directions as soon as you try to catch
up. Listen for the "up" call, and then forget about your mark; play
the disc now instead.

8. Get pumped for Easterns.

4 days and counting.