Saturday 10 January 2009

Decision Making and catching

As always I have been very busy with other frisbee stuff, namely: working on the 09 WFDF rules, the VFDA Strategic Plan, sorting out League for this season and World Games.

But I have been trying out a fun new mental exercise.

Now when I walk along the city streets I practice my throwing decision making. 
I pick a target from one of the people walking down the street and work out which throw I would use to get it to them. 
I also take into account which other people are playing d - ie if that guy in red was playing D I wouldn't throw it, if that guy with the hat was on d I would throw an IO backhand etc.

It would be great if there was some sort of software where you could simulate real time decision making, but in the absence of that I find this a potentially useful technique. 
I have only been trying it for a few days so I will have to wait and see if it has an impact on my actual in game decision making.

Over Christmas I also made my own disc catching practice pole. It's just a bunch of poles that connect together and slot into a microphone stand base. There is a string with a magnet on the end and I have glued a small piece of metal to a disc. The string can easily be lowered and then raised to reattach the disc.


(it doesn't actually need someone to hold it - but it helps)

I am hoping it will be useful in practicing different jumping techniques and identifying the highest point I can get the disc - from both a running and standing start and from odd angles.