From now on, Mondays are Noob days. Everyone, not just Varsity comes and plays a little Ultimate. These days are pretty relaxing to me because I don't really care what happens and I don't freak out every time we mess up.
I don't feel like I'm getting worse at Ultimate, but I don't feel as though I'm getting particularly better either. Yeah, I'll push myself during the conditions and the drills, but during the scrimmages I feel as though I'm not getting any better by playing against the same people over and over. Call it cockiness or whatever, but I need someone who will make me play 100%.
Improvements? Cutting, I guess. I tend to get open a lot easier now because I'm either cutting harder or I'm being more convincing or whatever. My forehand huck still hasn't recovered to the state it used to be but it's getting there. Backhand huck is still pretty good but I need some more touch on it. Skying? Uhh, I need to play a little more Jackpot, I think. I'm getting the disc but I'm not catching it at my peak of jump. Laying out? I might be laying out a little more gratuitously than before, but my height is increasing with each bid I make. Unfortunately, last Friday I made a bid that was well out of bounds, and when I layed out, I kicked my legs so far back that my body made like a U and overstretched my back. Now my back kind of hurts. And also, today when I caught Steve's breakmark backhand, I ended up smashing my face into the ground so I have a gash under my lip now.
I'm thinking about getting new cleats. I really like the new Speed TDs, but I'm pretty addicted to the lightness of the Talarias I have right now. I might go Mercurial Vapor if I feel the need to.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
1st - 2nd Practice
1st Practice:
Saw a lot of new kids at the meeting. A lot of them looked pretty athletic and decent. Unlike last year, I think a lot of them might actually stick around, cause I think they enjoy it quite a bit. Did some introductions to stuff, still not a big fan of the SPIRIT OF THE GAME = 1ST PRIORITY thing, but whatever, its not like I'm out to destroy SOTG anyways.
Personal progress? Well, a clear loss of athleticism is obvious, but I'm not too far down that I can't quickly get back up to where I was before. Other than one bad throw/decision, the wind didn't effect my game too much yesterday. I tried the spin around forehand huck in a scrimmage, and it worked surprisingly well in the wind. Unfortunately, overpowered it just a little bit and Jay was also running in the rock patch so that wouldn't have been good news. Defense-wise, I played a bit more aggressively than usually, which actually drew out a foul or two, but I also got a layout D out of it. Unfortunately, I had forgotten how hard the field was.
Day 2:
Today was an okay day. Not bad, not great, but wasn't feeling the whole atmosphere of the practice. One of the reasons was because I squatted a 100 something a couple of times in gym so I was feeling pretty weak in the legs. I recruited one of my friends, he's already pretty good but unfortunately he's a senior so he'll only be playing for a year at most. We concentrated mostly on teaching the noobs how to throw today, and teaching our varsity/girls the correct way to throw. i.e. stepping out laterally and getting low. Other than that, we just did some more running and conditioning which is always fun, and then finally scrimmaged.
My team lost once, wasn't so much bad D on our half than it was them not turning it over carelessly. The second point, Sean's and my legs got mixed up during a sky and I called foul. Apparently I was actually the one who fouled Sean, but he didn't contest it, even though I was hoping he would be able to recognize a bad call. We turned it over anyways, but they didn't really convert it well so we put it in for the score. The third point, we worked it up pretty nicely, and then I had a good cut in the endzone for the score. Not my best, but I played pretty efficiently today.
Saw a lot of new kids at the meeting. A lot of them looked pretty athletic and decent. Unlike last year, I think a lot of them might actually stick around, cause I think they enjoy it quite a bit. Did some introductions to stuff, still not a big fan of the SPIRIT OF THE GAME = 1ST PRIORITY thing, but whatever, its not like I'm out to destroy SOTG anyways.
Personal progress? Well, a clear loss of athleticism is obvious, but I'm not too far down that I can't quickly get back up to where I was before. Other than one bad throw/decision, the wind didn't effect my game too much yesterday. I tried the spin around forehand huck in a scrimmage, and it worked surprisingly well in the wind. Unfortunately, overpowered it just a little bit and Jay was also running in the rock patch so that wouldn't have been good news. Defense-wise, I played a bit more aggressively than usually, which actually drew out a foul or two, but I also got a layout D out of it. Unfortunately, I had forgotten how hard the field was.
Day 2:
Today was an okay day. Not bad, not great, but wasn't feeling the whole atmosphere of the practice. One of the reasons was because I squatted a 100 something a couple of times in gym so I was feeling pretty weak in the legs. I recruited one of my friends, he's already pretty good but unfortunately he's a senior so he'll only be playing for a year at most. We concentrated mostly on teaching the noobs how to throw today, and teaching our varsity/girls the correct way to throw. i.e. stepping out laterally and getting low. Other than that, we just did some more running and conditioning which is always fun, and then finally scrimmaged.
My team lost once, wasn't so much bad D on our half than it was them not turning it over carelessly. The second point, Sean's and my legs got mixed up during a sky and I called foul. Apparently I was actually the one who fouled Sean, but he didn't contest it, even though I was hoping he would be able to recognize a bad call. We turned it over anyways, but they didn't really convert it well so we put it in for the score. The third point, we worked it up pretty nicely, and then I had a good cut in the endzone for the score. Not my best, but I played pretty efficiently today.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Practice Cancelled
Practice is canceled today due to lack of attendance
There is still practice this Friday, 9.05.08
5:00 Municipal Fields
There is still practice this Friday, 9.05.08
5:00 Municipal Fields
Monday, September 1, 2008
Practice - 9.01.08
Practice today consisted of a total of 3 drills.
One, to warm up, was the typical breakmark drill, with cutters. I didn't have much problem breaking the mark, but the one throw I want to work on is the low IO backhand on a backhand force. I messed around a little, threw some high forehands and scoobers...
The next drill was a hucking drill off a continuation throw. Things I need to work on are timing my deep cuts, and still throwing those long forehand hucks. My broken wrist isn't helping much either. I feel pain whenever I try to put more spin on my forehand. My backhand hucks were on point today though. I've changed my backhand form so it gets the most spin out of the release now and with that, I can add more power. The thing I need to work most on now is stepping out fully.
Skying drill afterwards, I did a lot better than I usually did. I fought for the inside positioning this time and it really helped me get the disc easily.
Did some sprints, ended the day without a scrimmage due to lack of people.
In other news:
I wish kids on Playultimate would shut up. All they do is talk smack about good players because they themselves can't match up to them.
One, to warm up, was the typical breakmark drill, with cutters. I didn't have much problem breaking the mark, but the one throw I want to work on is the low IO backhand on a backhand force. I messed around a little, threw some high forehands and scoobers...
The next drill was a hucking drill off a continuation throw. Things I need to work on are timing my deep cuts, and still throwing those long forehand hucks. My broken wrist isn't helping much either. I feel pain whenever I try to put more spin on my forehand. My backhand hucks were on point today though. I've changed my backhand form so it gets the most spin out of the release now and with that, I can add more power. The thing I need to work most on now is stepping out fully.
Skying drill afterwards, I did a lot better than I usually did. I fought for the inside positioning this time and it really helped me get the disc easily.
Did some sprints, ended the day without a scrimmage due to lack of people.
In other news:
I wish kids on Playultimate would shut up. All they do is talk smack about good players because they themselves can't match up to them.
Progress
Its been a while since I've written on this thing, because there are things more important in life than ultimate. Also, by the end of last season I realized what an obnoxious jackass ultimate had made me.
Enough of that though. Progress.
My throws have improved quite a bit. I've been breaking the mark more easily and have also been getting more comfortable throwing scoobers. I've gotten rid of the nasty habit to constantly break high backhand and have gotten used to throwing low backhands. I've been easily breaking marks with my IO forehand, which means that I've either improved or our marks just suck.
My hucks have improved too, but although I've regained touch on my forehand huck, I've lost the ability to pin point where I want it to go. The only exception is my IO flick. Backhand, I just have to worry about stepping out more and still not worrying about smacking my mark in the face. If they lose a tooth or something, whatever, it'll be on the follow through.
Defense. Defensively, I've learned a lot of stuff from YCC and NUTC. Like not turning your hips and getting your body in the way of the receiver. That stuff helps a lot. The one thing I need to work on is still skying. I know I can sky people pretty easily, but in game, I usually have the mindset of avoiding contact during skying. I'll usually run in to box someone out, but then give the position back because I'm afraid of cleating him.
Offensively, I really haven't played in a good vert stack in a while. Recently, I've felt like all my cuts have been wasted because I have noobs running in and out of the lanes in front of me. So, I can't really judge myself on cuts. I've chosen to mostly cut this year and let Steve, Wes, and possibly Jay handle the disc.
Athletically, I've been getting back in shape. Gradually, but its better than nothing.
New blog for the team
www.whrhs.blogspot.com
Enough of that though. Progress.
My throws have improved quite a bit. I've been breaking the mark more easily and have also been getting more comfortable throwing scoobers. I've gotten rid of the nasty habit to constantly break high backhand and have gotten used to throwing low backhands. I've been easily breaking marks with my IO forehand, which means that I've either improved or our marks just suck.
My hucks have improved too, but although I've regained touch on my forehand huck, I've lost the ability to pin point where I want it to go. The only exception is my IO flick. Backhand, I just have to worry about stepping out more and still not worrying about smacking my mark in the face. If they lose a tooth or something, whatever, it'll be on the follow through.
Defense. Defensively, I've learned a lot of stuff from YCC and NUTC. Like not turning your hips and getting your body in the way of the receiver. That stuff helps a lot. The one thing I need to work on is still skying. I know I can sky people pretty easily, but in game, I usually have the mindset of avoiding contact during skying. I'll usually run in to box someone out, but then give the position back because I'm afraid of cleating him.
Offensively, I really haven't played in a good vert stack in a while. Recently, I've felt like all my cuts have been wasted because I have noobs running in and out of the lanes in front of me. So, I can't really judge myself on cuts. I've chosen to mostly cut this year and let Steve, Wes, and possibly Jay handle the disc.
Athletically, I've been getting back in shape. Gradually, but its better than nothing.
New blog for the team
www.whrhs.blogspot.com
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