Scobel Wiggins Photography

Lindsay Lowe WORTHINGTON
Player: UC-Berkeley (4 years)
Coach: Texas-B (1 year), Texas (Current)

What are the best ways to get new players involved on a college team?

During the first couple of practices in the fall, the sheer number of new recruits can be daunting. That's a great thing (obviously) but only if they keep coming back to practice. One successful technique for my team in college in terms of retaining new players, was to foster individual relationships between vets and rookies starting with the very first practice. We accomplished this by dividing into smaller groups, with 2-3 vets assigned to each group. The groups would run through a series of stations focused on throwing, catching and cutting with the returning players doing most of the demonstrating/coaching.

Between practices, returning players called and emailed the new players in their group to remind them about upcoming practices and gauge interest level. This practice format and follow-up scheme benefitted the program in two important ways: first, new players had a personal connection with the team from the get-go, making practices less intimidating and giving them someone to be accountable to; second, all returning players were able to participate in helping the program grow, fostering responsibility, leadership and 'buy-in' on and off the field.

What sorts of drills/practice formats have been successful in introducing the sport, as well making it fun?

As coaches and returning players, our duty is to devise a practice scheme that maximizes success and minimizes frustration for our rookies. Brand new players, especially those that have been involved in other sports, are going to be intimidated and frustrated during most standard drills, particularly those that rely heavily on throwing. One way to avoid this is to focus on throwing only when players are in pairs or groups of three. Returning players can then reiterate throwing basics and offer tips in a one-on-one/one-on-two setting.

Small group drills that involve simple cutting and catching with returning players as the primary throwers will help rookies focus on one thing at a time and also give returning players a chance to work on their throws and provide feedback. Dividing into a number of small groups that rotate practice stations is also a way to increase repetitions during each drill. Rookies can then concentrate on one skill and show significant improvement during the course of practice.

What off-field things can you do to make being on the team a priority for a new recruit on the fence about committing?

I've been fortunate to be a part of two fairly large, established women's ultimate programs that currently have both a developmental ("B") squad and a competitive ("A") squad. As such, we have been able to cater to players with varying levels of athleticism and commitment, and, hopefully, provide an environment in which every player can make a contribution to the program. So, the 'qualities I look for in a brand new ultimate player' are not very specific because I think everyone can be successful within the program.

In terms of players that are aspiring to play with the competitive squad, general athleticism, speed and coordination are obviously important, but equally important are an eagerness and motivation to improve.