After mixed All-Irelands, I started writing this post with a few comments about playing mixed. I thought I'd add more to it, but apparently not.
In mixed, a girl is open for a pass with less separation distance from her defender than a guy would need. I knew this. (I do think some guys get a reputation for not throwing to girls, because the girls just don't look open to them).
What I noticed, related to this point, at the weekend of mixed All-Ireland's, was that I found it much easier to throw to girls upwind. I could just let it float out in front of them in the wind, if they had any separation distance at all . Whereas downwind, where the disc won't float as much, I'm much more hesitant, thinking twice about how close the defender is; the throw will need to be closer to them. I guess this happens in the open division too...but it's just something I noticed about my own throwing choices that weekend.
The second thing I was thinking about, was the level of contact in the game. In my experience, men play a less physical game when they're playing mixed. I'm not a good person to judge, however, since I've played much higher level open than I have mixed. It could be purely a difference in the level of play, rather than the division.
The theory I'm working with here is that some lads take a little off the physicality in some instances if there are some girls on the field. Say, under a disc that floats long enough for a large group of players to gather beneath it, I think the guys are more careful if there are girls there. Lest they hurt them, I guess. (Maybe that's chivalrous, or sexist, or sensible, or maybe I'm mistaken).
Still, the rules of the game are the same for all divisions in theory. Players should be trying not to injure anyone regardless of gender.
Can anyone that's played a bit of mixed tell me if they think the rules about contact are interpreted a little differently?
I'll play mixed beach worlds later in the summer. That might give me more of an insight. (Although, quite possibly, players are nicer on the beach anyway).
PDF; The Flowers From My Mother's Garden
3 years ago
Yeah, Mixed is a lot less physical, and it's because of the following reasons I think...
ReplyDeleteIf during a mixed game you bump and foul a girl (like in the case you mentioned of a floaty disc where lots of people are bidding for it), you look like a right jackass.
Therefore more physical players avoid playing Mixed ultimate.
Because only the less physical players play mixed then the whole overall physicality of the game is brought down.
oh, and yeah, I agree that it's easier to throw to girls upwind. When you throw at them there is less margin for mistake and playing upwind allows you to throw floatier discs. Downwind discs are faster and with more ping
ReplyDeleteGood point.
ReplyDeleteBut does that mean that when it comes to say, euros. There could be physical players that failed to make their nations open team that then play mixed?
And everyone will just think they're a right jackass.
From my experience in mixed ultimate there tends to be less contact in all areas between guys whether there is a girl about or not. Be it on the force or an all male deep contest.
ReplyDeleteWhy? That's a good question.
Guys playing mixed tend to be less pumped up and less aggressive. Don't quite have the testosterone coming out their ears of open ultimate.
This has nothing to do with people who play open vs people who play mixed. This just happens to players when they switch between divisions.
The reason seems to be that girls act as a calming influence. Their less pumped up and less aggressive style of play tends to rub off on their male team mates (No sniggering).
As for guys avoiding contact with girls, well thats just common sense. Unless your Shimbo*
*See facebook profile picture
Buggy,
ReplyDeleteInteresting theory. Do you think a few blokes with a less pumped up outlook could have a similar calming influence as girls would do?
Does anyone think the extra contact in open is contact that's against the rules? Or is it just more incidental contact as compared with mixed?
The main issue I'm thinking about, is that the rules of the sport are the same in mens, womens and mixed division play - but it can seem like it's different.
A few thoughts:
ReplyDeleteI think one of the main reasons for less contact is that there are less guys on the pitch. With most teams playing 2 male cutters, the chances of pileups on deep discs is lessened.
For contact in the rest of the game, I don't notice any difference between the division. The worst games I've played for contact have been in the mixed division but I'm pretty sure that if I played the same amount of open it'd be a fairly even split.
On a sort of related point, I watched a lot of games at WUCC last year and the ones in the mixed division were the least spirited by a mile.
In one of those games, everything kicked off after a large guy bodychecked one of the girls from the other team. She was fine but the guys on her team spent the rest of the game in a frenzy. It was very entertaining from the stands.
Ian, good point about the lessened likelihood of pileups; makes sense. I'm actually surprised to hear the worst games for contact were mixed ones. It doesn't gel with my experiences (which, admittedly involve mostly party tournaments for my mixed experiences). Is it mostly contact on the mark? or everywhere else? How was it at euros?
ReplyDeleteI found this article about the differences in the 2 divisions. It's a good read, the comments too.
http://timmy930.blogspot.com/2007/11/what-is-up-with-mixed.html
a thread on ultitalk also addressed it http://www.ultitalk.com/index.php/topic,196.0.html
And after my experiences at the world beach mixed division compared to the euros open division, I'm really none the wiser. Obviously the 2 were quite different in terms of amount of contact, but that could be down to it being beach or mixed or both.