cut down the strong alley (figure 8.3). The disc is on as long as possible so you don’t tip the offense. If their effectiveness, whereas poaches should be
the sideline, and you’re in a trap formation. At this your poach is to prevent a play from ever occurring, surreptitious. How can a defense know how to
point, you have the opportunity to flare out to stymie show it early to discourage the development. respond to a poach, then?
the large sideline gainer. You might not have made Beware of “poaching by the numbers.” Any defense First of all, if the poacher is trying to cover for
eye contact with your teammate, and the two of you that repeatedly makes obvious poaches will suffer another defender, that defender should recognize that
might not be in a great position to switch. Still, you the consequences—a good offense will anticipate the she was in a position to receive help—so she should
have the chance to help her out and eliminate a big poaches and burn them, perhaps even calling a play in turn help the helper, if possible. You don’t want
offensive threat. In the process, you create a minor designed to run off a poach. You should also beware two defenders on one offender, leaving someone else
threat—the offender you were covering is uncovered, of the lazy defender who uses poaches as an excuse free. Second, if the poacher doesn’t intend to make a
but still in the stack, away from the strong sideline. for being off her offender. Poaching might lead to easy full switch (but rather plans on taking a quick stab at
blocks, but these happen only occasionally. More a block, then returning), there may be no need
often, you’ll have to hustle back to your offender, so for other responses from the defense—though the
there’s nothing lazy about a proper poach. poacher should be prepared to find a new offender to
When you poach, do it suddenly and forcefully. cover in case someone else has picked up the vacated
Don’t do half a poach. Half a poach leaves you out offender. Third, the defense might have a policy of
of posi tion on two offenders. A forceful poach leaves allowing poaching in certain formations. For example,
you in a position to stop a play or get a block. It in a force-middle defense, the defender of a handler
also leaves an offender temporarily uncovered. At might choose to poach into the middle of the field
this point, assuming the throw was not thrown or and allow the dump. If this is the policy, then other
the block did not happen, it’s up to the defense as defenders should be prepared for the consequences
a whole to recover from the risk. You might be able of such poaches. Finally, if you’re poaching and in
to hop back to your offender before he realizes what trouble (can’t find an offender to cover), call for help!
has happened. The defender you helped out by Don’t put your pride above your team.
poaching might find your offender and pick him up,
turning the poach into a switch. Or another defender
NOTE ON RECOGNITION
might have been in a position to leave her own and In this book, we often present a situation or create
pick up the offender you abandoned, creating an even a scenario and suggest possible responses. Most of
smaller threat in the process (say someone far on the time, the difficulty is not in making an analysis of
the weak side returning to the stack), so that you or a scenario but in recognizing the relevant aspects of
the defender you helped have time to find the open a field position while playing. For example, you might
player. In any case, a deliberate and unambiguous be in a situation where a poach could be a good
poach is easily read by the teammates who will help gambit, but you might be focusing on your balance
Figure 8.3 Defender A, who flares out in the alley as you to recover. or position, count ing the number of passes, or trying
her player sits in the stack, poaches off offender A to The cardinal rule of poaching is, don’t create a to remember to glance back at the disc. That’s why
prevent offender B from receiving a gaining pass with bigger threat! You don’t want to leave someone open these important but routine aspects of defense must
the force down the strong-side alley. on the strong side to pick up an offender who has be ingrained through hours of practice, leaving you
Another poaching opportunity can arise when you gotten open in the middle of the field. You don’t want free to consider higher-order skills, such as poaching
have just covered a cutter on the strong side who is to help out covering a dump and leave your offender and switching, which enable the seven on-field
returning to the stack. If you trail this offender a bit free for a long gainer. You can poach to quell a threat, defenders to function as a potent unit.
on his return, you might be able to linger in the alley, but don’t create a bigger threat in the process.
getting in the way of any strong-side develop ments
OFFENSIVE PLAYERS
(keep your arms out). Such a poach might last only
COMMUNICATION
If you’re on offense and have been poached,
a second or two but could be enough to discourage a A switch or poach that’s not communicated or or if you see any poach on the field, yell “Poach!”
throw. If your offender is not aware of his periphery, expected can lead to defensive confusion. By and immediately and move to an advantageous position.
he will continue toward the stack at a slow pace and large, switches occur in response to an offensive The call signals to the thrower to be extra careful to
miss the opportunity to beat you. advantage, whereas poaches are defensive gambits ensure that the throwing lanes are free before making
The timing of a poach is geared to its purpose. If initiated by a defender. Thus, switches can be the pass. It also signals to the thrower that there’s an
you’re poaching to make a block, you want to hesitate called out loud—“Switch!”—without reducing uncovered offender on the field. If you were not the
www.canadianultimate.com — Ultimate Canada Magazine 11
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