Strategies, Tactics, Tip & Tricks en 20:46

What should you do when the sun is in your eyes?

Your team played well all day. You've had good luck regardless which side of the field you started from. You made it to the finals!Now it's getting late and the sun is becoming a major factor. Every tiny scratch and paint smear on your lens is catching the light, making it difficult to see anything beyond 15 yards in front of you.

Do you know how to use this problem to your advantage?

Of course, you should play with the sun to your back if possible, but nobody wins a coin flip every time. When you lose, and the other team sticks you with the sun in your eyes, you can turn the tables on them. Use their shadows!When your opponents have the sun to their backs, they will cast long shadows. You can use these shadows like an early warning system.Bunkers move around in the wind, but nothing like the way they move when a player slides into them and makes contact. Even with the sun in your eyes, you can easily pick up on bunker shadows making dramatic movementsYour front players should act as back players, to help communicate to the rest of the team which positions are "hot." They can watch for shadow warnings, and let you know.The shadow warning you get when someone comes to bunker you is priceless. Your opponent is at a distinct disadvantage when he comes for you with the sun at his back. His long shadow will arrive well before he does-scoring you a fraction of a second to shoot and take him out!

HOW TO OUTSMART YOUR OPPONENTS

GAME ON! Henry turned. He moved up the center, slightly to the right. THWACK!Thwack? The move worked perfectly the last three games. Why did he get hit?After the game, Henry asked, "Who got me?""George. Back standup."Yeah, that had to be right. Henry went to find George. "Hey, how'd you get that ball on me?""Well, we figured you'd be hard to beat. We scouted you guys. You went center every time. I checked the bunkers before the game, and I figured out if stopped at the second back bunker, instead of the far side standup, I'd have a shot on you before you made your first bunker. It worked. I think you were about two steps from cover when you got hit."

Lesson 1 - Know your competition. When you are not in a game or getting ready for one, you should be scouting. If you can bring an extra person or persons to scout the other teams, do it. They can scout critical fields or teams while you're playing.Even when you know a team, scout them. They might have added new players, or changed their style of play. See how they play different fields.Scout the unknown teams. Watch for patterns. Does Player X always go center even if the bunker pattern does not provide good cover? Are there any left-handed players? Can the right-handed players shoot off-hand? Is there any part of the field that they do NOT play? Is their communication good? Can you figure out their code?What do they call the bunkers? Are any of them hotheads? Do they have a fast snake player?

Lesson 2 - Know the field. Know how your team is going to play from each flag station. Is one side better for your team based on some player you have, like a strong left handed snake player?Can you sweetspot off the break and drop one on an opponent you can't see?Any place you can crawl up to a bunker without being seen?The best teams don't play someone who hasn't walked the field. You have to know the field to be an effective player. Your teammates can only depend on you if you know the field as well as they do.

Lesson 3 - Change your game. Once you have an idea of how the other team will play, change what you do so you take advantage of that knowledge.Switch player positions when the field calls for it. Use your taller players effectively.Adapt to WinThe more you play in a region, the more you will know certain teams. Keep notebooks on these teams and their players. Diagram the field layouts. Make notes on special plays that worked. Never lock yourself into just one game plan, or playing style. The other teams are watching. They will figure you out, and turn you into toast.Outplan, outplay, and outscore your opponents.