Defense

Defense must turn the playing field into a battle field – an inhospitable place for offense to tread. They must make the offense uncomfortable. They must make the offense not want to be there – anywhere but on that line waiting for the pull and the ensuing onslaught. Make them worry; hem and haw. Make them be thankful to lady luck every time they score. Force them to huddle with each other and argue about how to crack the zone you are throwing. Make them pray that their team’s D line stays on the field so they don’t have to go back out there. Defense must parch the offense’s lips and empty their lungs and enlarge the lump in their mouth and fill their hands with the perspiration of desperation.

If you are not doing that when your team plays defense you are failing. If the O players look comfortable or in a groove you are just not doing your job.  Even if they are turning over the disc it’s very possible you are still failing. If you look closely, you can tell if they are flubbing it up or if you are actually earning it. Be very wary of the former: wins that you didn’t actually earn with pain and sweat don’t help build your team. Additionally, there is the ever present temptation to not analyze your performance simply because the result is a W.

Ask yourself: are we dictating to the other team or are we merely reacting?

Making the thrower uncomfortable