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I came to the realization this weekend that the difference between quality of teams is athleticism, players per team, clockspeed, and skills. The level of strategy is the same everywhere.

In this episode I talk to George Stubbs, Casey Ikeda, and Darden Pitts. We talk about topics such as what it’s like to play on high level high school Ultimate teams, their opinions on what makes a team successful, and their most intense games.

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In this episode I talk to George Stubbs, Casey Ikeda, and Darden Pitts. We talk about topics such as what it’s like to play on high level high school Ultimate teams, their opinions on what makes a team successful, and their most intense games.

Watching two good club teams play each other is a really special treat. If you haven't broken in to that level and had the opportunity to train in a system that creates those kinds players, the nearest substitute you can get is attentively watching. Something as simple as watching the players throw as they warm up can yield some wisdom--players throw hard, but confidently, to their target...

I recently spent a couple of months in Los Angeles with my bro Bert. Of all the sweet things I got to see/experience there, the defining role I played while in LA was that of co-coach with Bert of a little team in Eagle Rock, Occidental College's Detox.

Every team in a Region gets to vote for the seven players that make it on to the All-Region teams, so everyone knows that if a player is on an All-Region team, she commanded the attention and respect of her regional rivals. For the 2008 season, there are 18 players across the country that have been recognized as All-Region caliber (some more than once!).

Elite coaches recognize that at the top of their sports, athletes need a large toolbox of psychological and mental skills they can draw on: adaptability, the ability to only focus on the controllable elements in the immediate present, the ability to manage emotions, mental stamina and self-confidence.

The following are excerpts from emails that the coaches on my club team have sent to us about how to play good, fundamental defense.

Every player in this sport always strives to make him or herself a better player. So, how does a player become better? The greatest players in our sport aren’t known for having trick throws, a signature move or some other unnatural characteristic that sets them apart. They’re known for doing the basics better than everybody else. So, what are the basics?