Conviction

Three weeks.

After spring break

After spring break

Everybody has a haircut

We have no time to waste

It is time to go hard

from here on out

make use of every second, every minute

That's all

No workout today :[

I did however get some throwing in with my family. My mother threw an errant backhand way past me and I had to run it down and lay out for it into a giant puddle left behind by this past weekend's tournament cancelling monster storm. Caught the disc, slid through the puddle, ran around the yard, got so amped I finished the giant throw game first try. Then went inside to stave of the shakes.

As I was about to lay out, I had to mentally check myself - "dude that's a puddle full of mud, there might be metal shit at the bottom that will cut you the fuck up, don't do itttttt"
Pulled the trigger anyway.
Now to learn to do that in game!
We need a good mental focus excercise to practice that in controlled environments. Or maybe just make it a rule in scrimmages that you have to lay out. I dunno. The sleep madness has me in its grips. Hopefully the Albany crew has learned something we can use at SCAM practice.

Goodnight world.

Things all over the place

Threw with my brother and did a light workout, emphasizing different muscle groups than yesterday. Between throwing and working out I played two of my favorite mental excercise/throwing form games. I gave myself a hard time. I could never be as hard on the team as I am on myself, not even close. I don't know if that is a good or a bad thing.

The first game is the giant throw game: you throw hucks as high as you can and then catch the awful blades that descend at high speeds. I make myself catch three in a row before I can go inside. The second game is running while tossing a disc from one hand to the other, short backhands. The idea is that catching (and basic wrist snap throwing) should be so unconcious that you will be able to do it without thinking while running at top speed. I'm a big believer in mental excercises that also train some minute aspect of one's throwing/catching game.

I want to develop a lefty backhand huck, if only to balance the crab arm a little. That's not even it - having a huge backhand on either side of one's body would throw defenders for a loop. Ludicris? Maybe so, but a backhand huck on either side of the body would be a weapon that nearly noone has. Hmmm.

For the rest of the season, positive reinforcement will be key, as well as team unity. We need to come together more than ever before. We have 20 guys on our sectionals roster and everyone will need to contribute their best, which requires us to feel like we are part of something bigger. We are, this team is going places, and I hope we all realize it.

Spring Breaaaak

Whoo whoo.
Good to be home once in a while.
Next year though, we should go to high tide for realz.
Did some throwing work with my brother and by myself, emphasizing personal focus as a thrower and reciever.
Then a light workout.
Keepin' fit.

Ain't much but I need to get back on the blog train.
Sectionals hype to come.
Toot toot!

We went to New Haven

It was aight.

Well actually, it was better than that. In my opinion it was our best tournament as a team ever. We've had a better record, but in terms of team cohesion, team dynamic, overall fun had, and strategic comprehension, we've never done better.

We now have the ability to throw out multiple lines in a row where every player knows their role (more or less, obviously there is always room for improvement said captain obvious) and can all contribute positively on offense or defense.

That said, our offense needs to be able to score. Our defense needs to take the disc.

This past weekend we learned a few things as a team, namely that the O line's job is to put the D line on the field, and how to play junk zone and how ill that is against vertical offense. Our best coed D line could be the skeleton of a competitive club team.

Not much to elaborate on. It was a good first tournament. I nearly spiked the disc on a kid who decided to backpack me after I had already caught the disc. I holstered the spike and helped score a goal instead. Meatballed.

We have a team blog now through the school. That will be the new home of in depth tournament analysis, albeit in a simplistic way that random people who read it will be able to understand and appreciate. Pictures will help. I am thinking the first post will be a rundown of basic ultimate rules followed by a recap of the weekend.

That means that this blag will become a home for more in depth strategic insights and less full tournament recap. That and more senseless egoism. Hooray!

Sleep schedule: destroyed.

Nocturnal Decisions 2010 wreaked havoc in every way. Great weekend. Unfortunately my team did not wreak havoc - we were pretty terrible actually, despite having wonder-boy Robbie who got big with a bevy of inspiring layout d's all over the place. It took us until game four to figure out how to play offense with one another, and by that time no-one wanted to play defense. Funny how that works. I wrote notes about each game but they are, this far removed from the action, either irrelevant or illegible. A few anecdotes:

It was Dan Miller's birthday. I gave him a five hour energy. I guess he is a Hobbit because he gave me a gift as well - a BUDA spirit award disc.

Unlike last year, I only spiked the disc once, after being hit and stepped on by my defender in the end-zone. The opposing team's sideline was not amused - one sitting down player whined "you don't have to do that". Working on "acting like I've been there before" in the endzone but getting my foot stomped on on a late bid made me angry. Suck it other team sideline soft serve punk.

Got some good advice from experienced players. Ted from my team said "put more touch on your throws. If you have to throw it hard to an in cutter they are not really open". Food for thought.

Some big old dude from WUDI advised me, "from one big guy to another", to make deep cuts from the front of the stack. Again, food for thought.

A few of our friends/teammates came down to watch. Though they should all play next year, being able to go chill with them during byes and between games was the best. It was also hilarious as we all slowly descended into complete delirium as the night progressed.

On that note, frisbee: it is my drug of choice. Playing all night caused euphoria, giggling, sleepiness, the munchies, and I felt like shit. Everything that I've ever experienced on real drugs, but good for you! Hooray!

Anyway, great tournament yet again. It definitely seemed more competitive than last year, with deeper teams and more good players from the area.

What I learned: I am in good shape but not good enough, New Paltz would do well to emphasize last back defense, and sometimes eating two slices of pizza before a game is a good idea.

New Haven this weekend. Bam.