Sideline D Help

I wrote up some short instructions for Smaug after this weekend. Our sideline D talk can be much more productive. These are few of my favorite ways of helping. If you know of any other ways to help from the sidelines, please let me know in the comments section.

1. The most important thing is to just be saying something. Even just yelling to run hard is better than saying nothing.

2. Tell your guy where the disc is on the field. Tell him whether it's far side from your voice or near you. This is a good thing to do when your defender is on a cutter so he knows how to adjust his positioning. He knows to play tighter or to sag off a little bit because the disc is not in a threatening position. You can yell "HOT" at the person when he is clearly the focus of the handler or when you can see a dangerous situation developing. eg FAR SIDE, FAR SIDE. MIDDLE. NEAR SIDE. HOT.

3. If you are talking to the dump defender, tell him what the handler is doing. The most important thing is to tell your guy whether the guy with the disc is looking at his offender or not. Echoing the stall count is helpful, and also saying where the disc is going (up, break, etc.) eg: NOT LOOKING, NOT LOOKING, STALLING 4, 5, LOOKING, LOOKING.

4. If your guy is on the mark, be sure to tell him where the receiving threats are on the field and where his marking emphasis should be. The words INSIDE or AROUND are the standard. Also, as you see the stall count get above 5, remind the person on the mark to shift his emphasis on taking away the around and pressure the dump throw.

5. Old school: yell "UP" calls. Yell HUCK or BREAK if it applies. Also, if a person is in power position, yell "POWER, POWER"

6. If there is one dude who is hucking a lot, every one should echo the call "HUCKER" when he gets his hands on the disc.

7. Special situation: If a team is being very successful with their huck looks, 1 person should stand at each of the front cones of the endzone that we're defending and help out the defenders as they come into the deep area. Make sure to tell them where the huck is going when it goes up. ie: LEFT LEFT or RIGHT RIGHT or SHORT or BLADEY. This is the only situation in which you are excused from following the play on the sidelines.