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The development of throwing and catching skills are essential to the success of any college team. The more that you can get your players to throw outside of practice (in between class, before practice starts, after practice ends, during a study break, etc.), the better. That being said, my players do not throw nearly enough to develop top-notch all-around throwing skills from top to bottom of the roster (harsh New England winters also do not help in this regard). As a result, we find it important to reinforce good throwing habits by dedicating a portion of practice to basic throwing skills.

One simple throwing drill is what my co-coach Jeff Graham likes to call "Practical Throwing." For approximately ten minutes, two stationary throwing partners approximately 20 yards apart will work through a progression of throws (by way of example, 8 outside-in flicks, followed by flat flicks, and then inside-out flicks, each coupled with realistic throw fakes, followed by the same routine but with backhands; and then followed by an altogether different progression after that). During this time, the coaches can provide individual one-on-one instruction for the players, both with respect to proper throwing and faking as well as catching technique. While some may disagree with the decision to dedicate valuable practice time to basic throwing, we have found that this focused type of throwing pays big dividends, especially for players newer to the sport. We continue to incorporate "Practical Throwing" at the beginning of many practices throughout the course of the college season.

Another important drill is a one-on-one huck, or one-on-one defensive positioning, drill. Not only does this drill typically get the competitive juices going and thus is great for practice, but it also enables the captains and/or coaches to quickly identify new players who exhibit either natural receiving or defensive instincts (or both).

Besides basic throwing and catching skills, it is important for the captains or coaches to spend time at the beginning of the season introducing very basic offensive and defensive concepts so that all players are on the same page and the team can function cohesively with new players at initial fall tournaments as well as practice generally.

Offensively, new players are typically unfamiliar with a "stack" concept (either vertical or horizontal), and the captains and/or coaches should stop scrimmages and/or take aside players after points to reinforce this aspect of an offensive set; as a corollary, the concept of clearing (and clearing hard) needs to be introduced simultaneously for any stack-based offense to succeed.

Defensively, everything begins with the mark, together with the concept of the force; relatedly, an ethic of hard work on the defensive end should be instilled in new college players as early as possible. The sooner that these concepts are introduced and emphasized repeatedly for both new and returning players alike, the more rapid the team will be able to progress to more advanced offensive and defensive topics.

Because I have limited time during the fall season to dedicate to coaching, the captains are primarily responsible for introducing many basic offensive and defensive concepts. As the team does not divide into an A- and B-team until after the conclusion of the fall season, the emphasis in the fall remains on the development of basic disc skills, as well as a focus on certain fundamental concepts (e.g., principles of vertical and/or horizontal stack; man-to-man defense; and a standard zone defense). However, most of the nuances of different offensive and defensive schemes are not introduced until the early winter following the separation of the A and B teams, when numbers are more manageable and attendance at practice much more consistent.

Generally, we try to review in detail two or three different defensive systems (man-to-man and certain zone and transition defenses) during the first month of practice in the winter, with the goal of being able to run them regularly during our first major tournament (and outdoor frisbee playing) of the spring (typically an early or mid-February tournament, such as Trouble in Vegas or President's Day). Following this tournament, we will evaluate the results; discuss roles of the various personnel; and begin the process of fine-tuning in advance of the UPA college series.

It goes without saying that returning second and third year players should absolutely play ultimate during the summer before they return to school in the fall. Oftentimes, these players have had great experience competing at practice the prior year, but limited opportunities at tournaments in their first college season playing behind established veterans. Playing over the summer -- in leagues, at coed tournaments, for an area club team, at your town's weekly pickup game, wherever -- enables these players to apply what they have learned at school their first or second year; during this time after their first meaningful experience playing college ultimate, the learning curve is often steepest, as the players can begin to really expand their offensive game in particular, as well as learn more about the game by playing with others not affiliated with their own college team. Although there are many exciting non-ultimate-related activities for college students to participate in during the summer, if you are not playing at least some disc, then you are missing out on a valuable opportunity to take your game to the next level! I can unequivocally state that the handful of college players who I have coached who reached their full potential on the ultimate field were the ones who played significant ultimate over the summers while they were still in school.

Once these players return to school in the fall, they oftentimes need to start filling the shoes of the departed veterans. Need another handler for your D Line, or a replacement deep-deep for your zone? There is no better time than the more laid-back fall season for these returning players to step in to see if they are up to the task. Similarly, if a second year only played point in the zone his or her rookie year and now wants to try wing, or served as a fill cutter on offense but believes that he or she can step up and become a primary option, playing in the fall should afford these players the chance to expand their horizons on the ultimate field. During this time, second and third year players can continue to identify strengths as well as weaknesses so that these players can develop a finer sense of their roles on the team once the college season begins in earnest.

Finally, returning veterans should set a great example for freshmen and other rookies by showing up early to practice; frequently inviting them to throw outside of practice; listening to, and respecting the decisions reached by, the captains and/or coaches; and generally working hard and displaying great effort and attitude at each and every practice.