In this video, I demonstrate the flamingo catch. The flamingo an under the leg variation. To perform the catch, plant on one leg, lift the other leg into the air at 90 degrees or more. Reach around behind your knee or ankle and make the catch.
This is a great catch for times when the disc is coming in low. It has a large window and is very visual.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Photo by Mike Fluitt
In this episode we talk to John Kirkland. John is a Hall of Fame Inductee, a Pioneer, and an Innovator of Freestyle Frisbee.
We often describe our Frisbee family as the Jamily, and we are like one big, happy family. But for some of us, we are lucky enough to have true family members who also share our passion for Frisbee. This is truly something special. When we talked to Jens and Erwin Velasquez, it was clear how much playing Frisbee together bonded them as brothers and as friends. I am fortunate enough to have Frisbee playing family members as well. My brother Matt and I started freestyling at the same time. We were partners in competition, we pushed each other’s games, and to this day, there’s just a sort of magic that happens when we are together in a jam. I’m also married to a Frisbee player, Lori Daniels. It’s great to share our passion for Frisbee. We play together, support each other, and there’s never a conflict about what we’ll be doing for our vacations. Plus, there’s nothing like waking up on a weekend and saying, “What do you want to do today?” and hearing back “Let’s jam.”
In contemplating this question, I began to wonder, does Frisbee run in the blood? Or perhaps having a family member who plays Frisbee is not that common. In this weeks poll, we’ll find out. Extra credit if you share a story about your Frisbee playing family member in the comments below.
Do You Have a Family Member who Plays Frisbee?
[poll id=”56″]
Zzzs (noun)
Zzzs is the spin of the disc. The faster the disc is spinning, the more Zzzs it has. A disc that is hardly spinning at all may be referred to as having “one Z” or “half-a-Z”. It comes from the sound that the original Sky-Stylers Super-Pro (thanks, Rick) made when they were delayed upside down.
The spin of the disc is highly important in Freestyle Frisbee for several reasons. First, the faster the disc is spinning, the easier it is to nail delay. Also, the more Zzzs a disc is thrown with, the more tricks that can be done until it runs out of Zzzs. Finally, the direction of the spin is important as each trick must be mastered twice, once for each spin direction; clock and counter.
Example: “Throw me some Zzzs.”
Example: “He throws more Zzzs than anyone I know.”
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The concept of the bail catch is an interesting one. It’s really your go-to catch. It’s a catch in which you have supreme confidence and that you can pull out without giving any thought to it. It’s the catch that’s used any time there’s trouble. Maybe you’re going for a hein combo and the wind puffs? Give the disc a touch and make the bail catch. Maybe your partner sets you short? No problem, pull out the bail catch.
Yes, we all need at least one bail catch. Mine is the left hand scarecrow. I recall the moment I realized this was the case: it was in a competition, the wind was unpredictable, and I was on a brushing run when the wind puffed. The disc began to blow behind me and, BAM, without even thinking about it I reached back and caught a scarecrow. It happened before I even had time to panic.
So now let’s find out, what is your bail catch? Don’t worry if you have more than one, as this poll is multiple choice.
What is Your Bail Catch?
[poll id=”55″]
In case you don’t know what these catches are, follow these links:
In this video I explain how to do a behind the back, right hand skid with clock. This is an against the spin move that adds the extra restriction of pulling the disc behind the back before performing the against the spin pull.
To perform this trick, basically throw or set the disc on an angle at your left hip. Step forward with your left foot, reach behind your back and hook the rim with your nail. Now swing down and then back up. As you swing the disc up turn to your right.
Extra credit points if you can go from this move to another against the spin move.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Photo by Ken Shults
This poll idea comes from Ayal Benin. In an earlier poll we learned what the ideal wind speed is for jamming. This question puts a different spin on the wind speed conversation. You see, we can’t really control the wind speed. Rather, we grab our discs, nails, and friends and head to the jam spot. When we arrive mother nature lets us know what she has planned. Sometimes there’s no wind, maybe it’s gusty, or maybe it’s a blow out. If we’re lucky it’s perfect. This variation in wind conditions is something that I rather enjoy. It allows me to explore new possibilities and push my skills to the absolute limits. I never want to arrive to the field and feel like I can’t play because the conditions are not right. I seek to be able to handle anything. With that said, of course, there certainly are limits. This poll is aimed to find just that, our limits.
Bonus points if you share a story about the craziest wind you’ve ever played in. Thanks, Ayal, for the idea. If you have poll ideas, leave them in the comments or send me a message here.
What is the Highest Wind Speed in Which You Are Comfortable Jamming
[poll id=”54″]
One of the most effective strategies for improving one’s Freestyle Frisbee game is self-reflection. After a jam or performance, it’s helpful to take a moment to think back and recognize what worked, as well as where we can improve and grow.
Since this site’s inception in 1998, I’ve been doing a similar exercise. As I sit and reflect on Heinsville and FrisbeeGuru in 2017, I am taken aback at just how much we’ve accomplished. I also want to share my thoughts with you because you’ve all been such an important part of this amazing journey.
At the beginning of 2017, I set three goals:
Looking back, all three of these were successful. With the help of Jakub “Mystic” Matula and Chris Bellaj, we hosted 14 live streams. We also added our own streaming service so we no longer need to use Youtube, UStream, etc. This means no commercials and that we control the content. For FPAW 2017, we placed a Facebook ad promoting the finals. This resulted in an uptick in viewer traffic, surpassing all other FPAWs except for 2013. And, of course, with the weekly podcast on Sunday, weekly polls on Thursday, and other content (like the training videos) on Tuesday, the goal of three new items per week was easily met.
If that were all, I would be more than satisfied. Looking back at previous years, those three items would have put 2017 as one of the top productive years. But that’s only part of the story. Early in 2017, Randy came to me with an idea. As we discussed it, we realized the synergy with my expertise with internet technology and his expertise with internet marketing. We partnered up and created another set of goals:
Shortly after this conversation, Shootin’ the FrizBreeze was born. Then, we rebranded Heinsville to FrisbeeGuru, which immediately grabbed people’s attention and made it easier to point non-Frisbee friends to the site. We also organized our Facebook presence, added a mailing list, and began promoting FrisbeeGuru and all our projects. Then, we added the donate button, T-Shirts, and the Wall of Gurus. Most importantly, we clearly defined our mission.
What’s been most amazing about 2017 is how many of you have joined us for this adventure; comments are up 10x from years pasts (even more than that on our facebook posts), people contact us regularly with feedback, ideas, or questions (some from regular freestylers and others who are new to the sport). We’ve had more outside blog posts and photo contributions this past year than ever, including people proudly wearing their FrisbeeGuru T-Shirts, and many generous donations toward our continued endeavors. THANK YOU!
Of course, any good self-reflection includes areas for growth. There are several things that I’d like to improve:
Looking back at this past year, I could not have imagined accomplishing so much without the help of so many enthusiastic jammers, partners, fans, and contributors. What excites me the most is that looking ahead to 2018, I am more motivated and charged up than ever.
Now I am asking you to share what you think: What have we done well? What could we do better? Is there anything that you suggest that we can try? Let me know in the comments, or send me a private message via our contact form or via email, Facebook, etc.
