Skills Clinic

 
The Philly Classic Skills Clinic will be held on Saturday after the last round of competition. Pre-registration is required. Participants will rotate through three 25-minute sessions, selected from the topics below.

TO SIGN UP FOR THE CLINIC:
registration info coming soon!
 
Lessons 
 

Dumping, Just Do It

We will look at effective dump cuts and strategies and how to use dump cuts not only to re-set the count but also to break the mark and set up looks down field.

Instructor: Katie Barry

Club:     Condors (Santa Barbara, CA)

College: UCSB Burning Skirts

 

Space: The Final’s Front-Tier

This lesson is about creating, recognizing, and exploiting space. You'll learn how little throws to space can translate into big throws to space, the importance of the outside in throw vs. the inside out, and how to play winning ultimate by timing your cuts to coincide with a change in disc position or "depth."

Instructor: Marc “Doc” Stachowski

Club:     AMP (Philadelphia, PA)

Other:   coach of UPenn Venus

 

D for Deeps

In this lesson you'll learn how to play shut down deep defense. We'll address effective body positioning to dictate deep threats to go in, anticipating the deep cut, how to defend once the disc is in the air, and what to do if your girl gets the disc.

Instructor: Sara Jacobi

Club:     Brute Squad (Boston, MA)
College: Boston University Lady Pilots
Other:   coach of Boston University Lady Pilots

 

Marking is for Real

We'll address the basics of marking.  What do you want to take away? How to position yourself to take away different options, making yourself take up space, staying on your toes, being read to move, but not overcommitting or losing balance.

Instructor: Lauren “Ralph” Nelson

Club:     Brute Squad (Boston, MA), formerly Bashing Pinatas and Six Trained Monkeys

College: Wellesley College

Other:   coach of Wellesley College B-team

 

No Guts, No Glory - Hucking 101

Bring your disc and your best long throw. We’ll break hucking down into parts and give you ways to work on all of them. Whether you’re going for the extra yards or just a way to play in the other end of the field for a change, I’ll help you get there.

Instructor: Brian Dobyns

Bio:     Brian Dobyns has played or coached, spring and fall, every year since 1976. A player in High School, College and on more than 20 Club teams he has played or coached in eight different divisions and
           gone to Nationals in each; winning 3 times and finishing 2nd twice. He currently coaches Carolina Friends High School and UNC Pleiades.       
  
 

Hidden Heroics: Halting & Harassing Handlers

Shutting down key handlers can stifle a team’s entire offense. Defenders who can deny these players the disc or take away their favorite options are the unsung heroes of the defense. In this lesson we’ll address three steps to effective handler d:

1)    Using your brain to establish your strategic priorities;

2)    Using your body positioning to implement those decisions; and

3)    Using your feet to get your body into those positions.

Instructor: Lucy Barnes

Club:     Brute Squad (Boston, MA)

College: Harvard

 
Herding Cattle

Learn how to position your body on the field to defend the most space and take away options from your opponent, to herd them where you want them to go. Find your "ready stance" to be to be able to take off at a full sprint whenever needed.

Instructor: Erin Steven

Club:     captain of Wildcard (Philadelphia, PA)

College: University of Pittsburgh/Carnegie Mellon University consortium

Other:    4th season coaching Carnegie Mellon University Money Mellons 

 

 

Right Place at the Right Time

Cutting tactics for movement both towards and away from the disc.  Maximize your momentum, improve your angle and efficiency, and use your body mechanics to be the best target for your handlers and the worst nightmare for your defenders.

Instructor: Liz Thompson

Club:     Wildcard (Philadelphia, PA)

Other:   coach of University of Delaware Sideshow, women’s ultimate advocate in Philadelphia

 

Fake with a Purpose

This lesson will focus on creating breakmark throws by faking with a purpose rather than simply faking as frequently as possible. We will discuss the crucial window of opportunity to fake relative to the cutters downfield and how to do so using simple body movements. The top breakers are the ones with great field awareness, using very subtle changes in movements to hit cutters on the break side of the field.

Instructor: Raha Mozaffari, Patrick Sherlock

Club:     AMP (Philadelphia, PA)

College: UPenn Venus

 

Breaking the Mark Fundamentals

At the heart of getting off a break-mark throw are fundamental concepts about recognizing the throwing lanes and understanding which throw works in which situation.  Get behind the flashiness of the break-mark throw to understand how anyone can consistently throw completed break mark passes without having to be a super-athlete.

Instructor: Nurit Bloom

Club:     AMP (Philadelphia, PA), formerly Brute Squad, Lady Godiva

College: Rutgers