Ultimate Frisbee Skills

King Pin

Ultimate frisbee is a growing non-contact sport played with a frisbee/disc. The objective of the game is for the attacking team to pass the frisbee up the field without dropping it and catch it in an end zone to score. There are two main types of throws: forehand and backhand. 

Teaching cues

Forehand Throw

  1. Hold the disc with your thumb on top and index finger along the rim.
  2. Stand side-on to the target with feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Step forward with your opposite foot, snap your wrist, and flick the disc.
  4. Follow through after release by extending your arm, palm down. 

Backhand Throw

  1. Hold the disc with your thumb on top and fingers underneath.
  2. Stand side-on with the throwing arm back.
  3. Step forward, swing the disc around your body and snap your wrist.
  4. Follow through and finish with your arm extended towards the target.

Catching

  • Pancake Catch: Clap your hands together—one on top, one on the bottom—to trap the frisbee ("Like a crocodile snapping"). Best for easy, secure catches. 
  • Two-Handed Catch: If the frisbee is above your shoulders, thumbs go underneath. If it’s below your shoulders, thumbs go on top.
  • One-Handed Catch: If the frisbee is high, grab it with fingers on top. If it’s low, fingers go underneath for control.
Teaching strategies

Focus on developing the correct grip for the type of throw: 

  • Forehand Grip: Index and middle fingers are extended, and sit under the frisbee. The ring and pinky fingers are outside the disc, supporting the outside of the frisbee. The thumb is on top of the frisbee.
  • Backhand Grip: Fingers are curled under the frisbee’s rim and the thumb is placed on top of the frisbee.

Introduce basic throwing skills with target games like Throlf or Koolchee. Focus on: 

  • Standing sideways with throwing shoulder pointed at the target. 
  • Snapping the wrist at the release for spin and control.
  • Following through and extending arm towards target after release. 
  • Accuracy before adding power.

  • Practice forehand and backhand throws with a partner in Long Throw
  • Develop throwing accuracy by introducing a gate (using agility poles) that the frisbee has to pass through when thrown. 

Focus on attacking and defending skills to progress to modified game play:

  • Leading: Sprint toward the frisbee or into open space to get free.
  • Dodging: Move one direction, then push off your outside foot to change direction and lose your defender.
  • Defending: Stay close to your player and block their path, whether they have the frisbee or not.
  • Introduce the fake pass - when a player pretends to pass to create space and deceive the opponent.

  • When introducing Ultimate Frisbee game play, one of the key modifications to youth ultimate frisbee is that all players must be at least 1 metre from the thrower. The size of the playing field is also smaller. 
  • Play games like Mat Ball, Modified Games (Invasion) or Electric Piggy
  • Introduce the Hamer Throw - where the frisbee flies upside down. The forehand grip is used and the throw is made from above the head facing the target, like a tennis serve. 
Skill criteria

Forehand Throw

  1. Holds the disc with the thumb on top and index finger along the rim.
  2. Stands side-on to the target with feet shoulder-width apart.
  3. Steps forward with the opposite foot, snaps the wrist, and flicks the disc.
  4. Follows through by extending the arm, palm down.

Backhand Throw

  1. Holds the disc with the thumb on top and fingers underneath.
  2. Stands side-on with the throwing arm back.
  3. Steps forward, swings the disc around the body, and snaps the wrist.
  4. Follows through with the arm extended towards the target.

Catching

  • Pancake Catch: Holds the hands together—one on top, one on the bottom—to trap the frisbee.
  • Two-Handed Catch: Holds thumbs underneath if the frisbee is above the shoulders, thumbs on top if below.
  • One-Handed Catch: Holds fingers on top when catching high, fingers underneath when catching low. 
  • Maintains control as the frisbee is caught and uses the appropriate type of catch for the situation. 
Common errors
  • Holding the frisbee too loosely, causing wobbling or lack of control.
  • Not flicking the wrist enough, leading to a weak or inaccurate throw.
  • Tilting the frisbee too much, making it curve too far or dive.
  • Not following through and stopping the motion too soon. 
  • Not using a smooth motion and having a stiff arm. 

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