Open Player Development

Open Player Development – Session #1

Date: March 15^th, 2009

Venue: Herbert Park, Ballsbridge, Dublin

Coaches: Dominick Smyth, Mark Earley

Duration: 2 hours (12pm – 2pm)

All participants are encouraged to bring a light and dark top; warm clothes for theory sections; adequate water.

Aims of session

During the course of this session we aim to:

Improve deep/leading passes
Improve cutting deep from a shallow position
Attacking a long throw

Objectives of session

After this session, the attendees will be able to:

Cut into deep space in a way to make deep throw as easy as possible
Take position against their defender before catching a long pass
Throw into space in a way to allow the receiver the best chance to catch it

In Brief

12:00 - 12:15 (15 mins) Warm Up

12:15 - 12:25 (10 mins) Throwing

12:30 - 12:50 (20 mins) Leading pass

12:55 - 13:10 (15 mins) Cutting deep & Clearing out

13:15 - 13:35 (20 mins) Deep contest

13:40 - 14:00 (20 mins) Modified game

14:00 Warm down or Pick up

Activity 1: Warm Up

Duration: 20 mins

Time: 12:00 – 12:20

Content: Light warm up to include dynamic stretching, range of motion, static stretching.

Activity 2: Throwing

Duration: 10 mins

Time: 12:20 – 12:30

Content: In pairs, throwing backhands and forehands over a quickly increasing distance within throwers range.

Emphasis: Controlled throws at all distances and stepping forward for each catch.

Activity 3: Leading Pass

Duration: 15 mins

Time: 12:35 – 12:50

Content: Leading pass to a receiver moving away from the thrower. Start at 15m throws and move on to 30-40m. Controlled throws throughout.

Emphasis: Throw into the space not to the receiver.

Notes: Receiver should maintain a wide approach so as to allow the thrower as much room to throw into as possible.

Drill 1: Short leading passes.

Drill 2: Longer leading passes.

Activity 4: Cutting Deep & Clearing Out

Duration: 15 mins

Time: 12:55 – 13:10

Content: Receiver begins roughly 10-15m upfield of the thrower and 15-20m on the break side. Cutter makes a fake under followed by a deep cut to receive a leading pass. If cutter gets 30-35m upfield of the thrower and pass isn't thrown, cutter should immediately either cut towards the thrower or clear under further to the break side.

Emphasis: Cutter starts relatively close to the thrower. Cutter to stay on the break side while making cut, only moving onto open side when making the catch.

Notes: Thrower to maintain controlled throws as before. Throw to be put into space, not to the receiver. Control of throw more important than distance - does not have to be a score, can simply be a leading pass as above.

Drill: Deep cuts.

Activity 5: Deep Contest

Duration: 20 mins

Time: 13:15 – 13:35

Content: Cutter and defender cut deep (from positions similar to above) with cutter having a slight positional lead. Cutter to maintain lead while leaving open space for throw. Cutter to attack disc for a catch.

Emphasis: Cutter should aim to maintain their lead by establishing a position that prevents the defender from moving around them. Cutter's final few steps should be accelerating towards the disc to aid jumping for the catch. Cutter should attempt to catch the disc at the highest point of their jump.

Notes: Cutter needs to maintain their lead, not necessarily sprint away from the defender. Defender should attempt to get around the cutter, cut off the open side or out jump the attacker.

Drill: Deep Contest.

Modified Game

Duration: 30 mins

Time: 13:40 – 14:00

Rule variation: Additional foul calls for: cutting deep on the open side, clogging deep if pass not thrown, thrower forcing their pass and losing control, thrower looking off an open deep cut.

Rule retraction: An incomplete pass to an open, breakside deep cut is returned to thrower.