USA Ultimate

The Catch To The Hitch

by Adam Sigelman

 I have traditionally posted to this website with answers that questioned the question instead of answered it. I feel that I owe Ben and Andy a single straightforward response. 

My teams have traditionally fielded the pull with the three handlers. The "Catch," not surprisingly, catches the pull. I am surprised how often capable players choose to let pulls hit the ground instead of catching them on the fly. I encourage attempting to catch all but the most vertical of pulls. The risk of dropping the pull, in my opinion, is overrated. 

The "Catch" then throws to the "Hitch". Before that throw happens, however, the "Hitch" has positioned himself on his preferred side of the field, where he plans on eventually throwing the disc. He announces this side of the field loudly to all of the players in the stack (i.e. "Play Left!" or "Left Side!"). Note that in a horizontal stack, the "play side" is always in the middle of the field, and the "Hitch" doesn't need to communicate the "play side". 

It's important that the "Hitch" gain as many yards as possible without risking a block. Many first throws do not take advantage of this free yardage before the defense is set. 

There is always a third handler who is neither called as the "Hitch" nor the "Catch". The role of this handler is to provide a second option should a speedy defender take away the first pass. He typically goes on the opposite side of the "play side". If the "Hitch" catches the first throw, the 3rd handler is now setting the stack. If a defender takes away the throw to the "play side", the "Catch" can throw to the 3rd handler on the opposite side of the field for an attempt up this side of the field.