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OFFENSE TIPS
Horizontal Offense
BY ANDRE LIEM
ULTIMATE HANDBOOK
Although many teams still use vertical offence, horizontal offence is slowly becoming
the dominant strategy. There are many reasons to use horizontal offence, before it
was “new” and so had an element of surprise. One of the main reasons horizontal
offence is preferred more than vertical is because it’s easier to cut because there is
usually more open space. A typical vertical stack up the middle will leave one side
of the field open (a little more than 1/3 the width of the field). On the other hand,
horizontal offence in the most ideal situations can create a lot more open space by
isolating the entire middle (a little less than 2/3’s the width). In addition, in a vertical
stack, it’s usually the last cutters in the stack who initiate the cut, in a horizontal
formation… any of the four lane cutters are dangerous threats.
HORIzONTAL OFFENCE
The illustrations below explain the details of 3. In order to set up effective deep cuts, it is
horizontal offence. For those unfamiliar with important for the flat stack to remain relatively
horizontal offence, unlike vertical offence, the close to the handlers. At the same time, it is spread downfield. When your first pass goes up, the
handlers should keep the disc in the middle in most important to give the handlers a buffer space to lane cutter who makes the catch essentially becomes
situations. Horizontal offence relies on keeping allow them an area to make up-field cuts. a handler. It is the job of the original handlers to
the middle of the field clear at all times, as a result 4. This is an opportunistic offense in that everyone reposition themselves by having one of them slide
keeping defenders busy is an important aspect. It’s a should feel they have the green light to make a cut downfield to join the lane cutters. People often ask
very easy offence to poach on, so always be ready to when the opportunity is there. Along with this, all how do you know which handler moves downfield?
exploit poaches. the players on the field need to work together to It’s a complete judgment call that should be based
Just by looking at the diagrams below, one obvious create space and setup their flow. on a few factors: who is in the best position to shift
difference between horizontal offence is the amount downfield, and how can we most easily restore our
of free (vertical) deep space. As a result, huck plays original starting setup (3 handlers, 4 lane cutters,
can be very easy to pull off. In reaction to this, many everyone spread across the field)? This is part of the
teams will force “straight-up” for a few stall counts, dynamic nature of horizontal O and it’s what not only
so your handlers should be solid enough to break the makes it effective, but also fun.
force at any time.
THE SETUP
This is a diagram to show you the setup of a
Horizontal offense. There are 3 handlers back with
the disc, all inline with one another. 4 lane cutters are
positioned 10-15 yards downfield, set up in pairs on
each side of the field, creating space in the middle.
Typically, the lane cutters will have some designated
sequence such as calling numbers for a sequence of
cuts (e.g. 4-5-6-7), or designating the two initiating
cuts by calling one person a “primary” cutter and
another a “secondary”, or by giving positions such as
“mids” and “strikers”. Horizontal is a very free flowing
offense, though, so these designations should really
LANECUTTING (Top Right)
only be used as a guideline particularly for initiating This is a very basic demonstration of how lane
movement downfield. cutters can set up and initiate their cuts in a
horizontal offense. For this part, ignore the handlers
HORIzONTAL SETUP (IMAGE)
and pay particular attention to the positioning and
KEYPOINTS: the movement of the lane cutters.
1. You never want to be completely hugging the
sideline, but you do need to ensure you create
REPOSITIONING (Bottom Right)
This article and others can be found at the new Ultimate
enough space in the middle of the field. After you have completed a pass up-field to a lane Handbook website - www.ultimatehandbook.com. Kudos
2. Cutting space and resting space is opposite to cutter, you now face the situation where you have to to Andre for the work he does on the webiste and for these
vertical offense. You rest on the side lanes, you do reposition your players. In the horizontal setup, you animated illustrations.
most of your cutting in the middle. want to keep 3 handlers back, and 4 lane cutters
www.canadianultimate.com — Ultimate Canada Magazine 5
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