Defending the dump

The first principle of defense is to dictate: by your positioning and reactions, force the dump in a predetermined direction. That eliminates much of the guesswork involved with playing D and allows you to anticipate the movement of the offense.

In applying this to the dump, your choices generally become defending the up the line or defending the around. If the dump goes up the line, she both gains yardage and has momentum moving into a power position. If you force her to go around, she may have a break side look depending on the amount of separation achieved. Your choice then should depend on your knowledge of the other team's preferences as well as your own team's expectations of what to defend.

For me, I would generally rather give up the behind/around dump than the up the line. That means that I initially set up a smidgen more downfield than the dump, and about 2-3 yards closer to the disc. As the dump makes the cut up the line to the force side, I need to stay slightly more force side than the dump, as well as maintain my positioning between her and the disc.

It's important, too, to check back with the disc. As you pass behind the mark, it's a good time to glance at the thrower to see if they're preparing to throw the disc - or have already thrown the disc. Many a defender has been burned by discs flying sight unseen over their shoulders, all the while thinking, man, I had her covered!

However, I do mean "glance." If you turn fully towards the thrower, you end up turning your hips away from your cutter and thus lose sight of her. You have no idea, for a moment, of where the dump is and where she is going. Is she continuing with the up the line cut? Did she plant and go back for the around? Keep your hips oriented towards the dump, and turn your head to the disc, and all will be accounted for.

So now that you've denied the up the line, the dump is likely going to attempt getting the disc towards the break side. She will probably have a slight advantage going that side, but you have already made the decision to force her that direction. Your next priority as a dump defender is to then stop any further break side flow of the disc. If you have no play on the throw to the dump, then change course and get between the dump and the break side continue, looking to first seal off the around break, and then as you move in, the inside break. It's the same principle as playing a point in the zone cup - look to take away the continue throw, and then move in to set up the mark. Contain, contain, contain.