Your teammate just chucked the disc downfield. You’re sprinting along the sideline with your head turned, waiting to make the grab. The disc is moving up, down, left, and right in the wind. As it approaches, you think to yourself…. “How am I going to catch this thing?”
There are a couple of ways to lock in on the grab:
Firstly, the alligator chomp (also known as the pancake catch)! Named in reference to an alligator clamping down on its prey, this metaphor eludes to the fact that you use your arms to mimic that of an alligator’s bite. You use your arms to come down on the frisbee from the top and the bottom, simultaneously clamping onto the frisbee. This sort of catch is safe, but only really works in close quarters. If you’re stretching out for the catch, it can be hard to execute.
Secondly, those aesthetically pleasing one-handed grabs come in two forms. Of course, you’re looking for the disc to come between your thumb and your fingers, sliding right into the webbing. However, there are two instances where hand placement is key. If the disc is flying low, you want your fingers to be below your thumb, with your palm facing up towards the sky. If the disc is flying high, you want your fingers to be above your thumb, with your palm facing down to the earth.
The other key to completing a catch is never taking your eye off the flying object. Don’t let your vision wander and don’t turn your face away at the last second. The frisbee is your friend; there’s no need to be afraid. Lock on, reach out, alligator chomp your new disc friend, then celebrate that TD with the squad.
