The Ultimate Resource: An Alternative Approach to Playing, Training, and Coaching Ultimate

by Travis Norsen

Like soccer, basketball, and other continuous action sports, high-quality ultimate frisbee requires not just physical skills, but also field-awareness, lightning-fast decision-making, and creative improvisation. Yet the traditional, stack-based style of play that is almost universally taught to beginners approaches the game with an American-football-inspired, “set play” mindset that de-emphasizes and indeed undermines the development of these important qualities. This book presents an alternative style of play – dubbed “Flow” – that abandons scripted set plays and instead emphasizes the basic principles of intelligent game play. It also explains in detail how and why to skip the traditional pre-choreographed drills and instead center training sessions around activities designed to develop players’ cognitive skills. Purely physical traits such as size and speed are valuable resources, to be sure, but from the Flow point of view it is players’ ingenuity that constitutes “the ultimate resource”. The book will be a ray of sunlight for ultimate frisbee players and coaches who want to develop that resource in themselves and their teams.

239 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 23, 2024

Reviews

[John Duffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fully fleshed out ideas

The book takes ideas that have been floating around high-level ultimate, coaching forums, and pickup games alike and gives them really solid context and reasoning. If you want to have more fun playing ultimate, or want your players to have more fun, read this book and train some sort of “Flow” offense.

[Sjoerd Druiven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book wholeheartedly. Having played for more then 25 years, I have always felt something was off playing any kind of stacks.

I appreciate Norsen going against the grain, and coming up with a different and new way of play. Described consicely and founded on principles.

This might not be your cup of tea. But you can't deny Norsen described his view thoroughly and consistent.

The book provides an general view, a starting point so you will, which is gradually derived to specific situations, coaching tips and approach. And what I most appreciated: to me unique, innovative concrete drills and games that teach his style of play, practice and coaching.

Games and drills that are challenging, fun and force players to be creative and come up with solutions themselves. Digging into all players creativity. Which can only be of value in any game with a frisbee.

Sjoerd Druiven
Former coach several dutch national teams and club teams. Currently starting up a youth program.