Variant | What? | Why? |
5 Pull | - Each team has one chance to score. If both teams turn over, start a new point
- Offence gets 5 (or 10, etc) chances in a row, then Defence gets the same number of chances
| - Maximises the number of pulls, giving the offence more opportunities at running their pull plays
- Increases pressure levels by only giving each team one chance to score
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Beat the Trap | - Defence get to choose how and where on the field the offence start every point
- Initiate play the same way you would after a time out (i.e. offence sets up first, then defence can set up) to give defence the advantage. Allow defence 1 minute to work out the optimum positioning.
- Define a victory condition for offence; it could be completing 3 passes, or getting the disc to the far sideline, or scoring a goal.
- Optional: deliberately put the disc in the hands of your weaker throwers to get them more experience in realistic (and difficult) game situations, as though they had just taken a time out.
| Puts the offence into really bad situations, forces them to work out how to escape them in real-time and under pressure |
Brooklyn | - Goals must be scored twice (scored, then converted) in order to count
- After every goal, the person who scored the goal has to take the disc to the scoring brick and check it in. Then the offence attempts to score again.
- If the offence converts, the goal counts and the scoring team then pulls next.
- If a turnover occurs, the first score doesn’t count and play continues.
| - Forces teams to play their endzone offence more often, giving additional endzone practice
- Needing to score twice encourages high percentage offence; offences are more likely to play conservatively and treasure the disc.
- Encourages teams to work on endzone team defence
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Changing Goal Conditions | - There are many options but some might include:
- Double scores for throws from inside the attacking team’s half; this encourages aggressive deep throws
- Moving the endzone cones to make one side of the endzone deeper than the other, then having defence trap towards the smaller side; this encourages teams to break the mark and makes it more difficult to score on the open side
- Bonus points can be given for overheads, getting the disc out of a cup, or any other situation you’re trying to encourage
| - Players respond well to rewards and playing with different objectives can be an effective way to alter player behaviour
- Benefits will vary depending on rules applied
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Chaos | - Get both teams to stand on one sideline, with players mixed up.
- Teams should know which endzone they are attacking
- Blow a whistle; all players start running to the far sideline
- Shout commands such as “LEFT” to get all players to turn left, “TURN” to get them to turn and run back where they came from.
- Once players are mixed up randomly, a disc is thrown into the field and someone shouts which team is on offence. As soon as the disc is thrown, the game begins with normal rules.
| - Forces the offence to quickly organise and reset the disc in a chaotic environment
- Forces the defence to scramble into position, quickly establish a force and contain the offence
- Improves communication skills, confidence levels and organisation of a team
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Endzone Shots | - Teams take turns attacking and defending a single endzone
- Start each point at the attacking brick, rather than pulling
- If the offence turn over, the point ends immediately
- Each team has 5 chances to score
- Optional: After each goal, bring the disc to the brick and begin again. Keep scoring until your team turns over. Tally the score, then let the other team play offence.
| - Gives more repetitions of endzone offence
- Reduces the amount of running, so also ideal if you have reduced numbers at practice
- Only requires 40mx40m, so can be played when space is limited
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Fast & Furious | - Reduce the stall count to 5
- Defenders are allowed to stall immediately after a turnover
| - Forces teams to play at a higher tempo
- With a reduced stall, cuts must be better timed to ensure that cutters are open in the right place and the right time
- Teams must get comfortable with a fast break offence, which means quickly organising themselves after a turnover
- A lower stall will force teams to reset more often, encouraging handler offence
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Make it, Take it | - Games are scored, first to 3 points wins
- If a team scores a goal then they are immediately on offence going in the opposite direction (i.e. as though there was a goal & pull & turnover)
- If a team can hold possession then they will win to zero
- Optional: if a team turns over, they lose a point. First to -2 loses.
| - Forces teams to value possession while on offence
- Teams must generate turnovers if they want to win, rather than being content to trade out games
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Redzone | - Start each point at the attacking brick, rather than pulling
- Otherwise, play as normal
| - Gives more repetitions of endzone offence
- Reduces the amount of chasing down on pulls, so also ideal if you have reduced numbers at practice
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Short Huck Conversion | - Allow offence to set up a deep throw
- Defence cannot block the deep throw, but otherwise both teams play on from the moment the deep throw goes up
- If the deep throw is incomplete, the receiver should pick it up and play on
- If the deep throw is caught in the endzone, the receiver should bring it back to the goal line and play on
| - Gives more repetitions at converting short hucks, giving the offence chance to practice getting organised in a potentially chaotic situation
- Teaches defences how to contain and prevent quick goals after a completed huck
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