I can see the bottom of the mail bag from here, slackers. Just saying. Personally, I'm looking forward to my blogging vacation.
"My team is looking to make the jump from Race 2-2 to D3 Race 2-4. We have been successful in the past despite being somewhat isolated with little to no access to other better teams for practice and training. My concerns are twofold; How is xball lite different, if it is, and is there anything other than what we're doing we can do to continue to get better considering our situation?" (Official VFTD paraphrase offered for clarity and succinctness.)
First, the tone of the question(s) expressed some hesitation about making the move to D3 xball lite. The move, compulsory or otherwise, needs to be reframed as a positive challenge, a good thing for the team. (Because it is.) On the other hand it's also a good thing to be as prepared as possible.
The steepest learning curve immediately is the turnaround on points. Your players need to be physically prepared and as a team you need to be properly organized to deal with the changes the quick turnarounds cause. Depending on how many players are on the team you will need to take into account; line up changes, in match tactical adjustments, basic logistical necessities. Your basic logistical necessities are potted paint, aired up working markers, assigned roles, unmarked players--all the usual basics. When you walk off the field and know you don't play again for between 10 minutes and an hour or whatever all those things are easily dealt with. When you're playing again in two minutes you have to have a plan--and everybody needs to know how they fit in the plan. Even if you will staff assistance it is worth talking through the process as a group and practicing getting ready within the turnaround time limit.
Depending on the size of your roster you may also need to prepare for shifting line-ups, different groups of five going out to play each point. Anything less than two complete lines means some number of players will be playing back-to-backs and will require priority coming off the field for things like air, getting cleaned up (paint free), etc. Even if shifting line-ups isn't new make sure you know how it's going to work within the limited time frame of the xball (Race 2) turnaround. It's between points, 2 players are going back-to-back and the pit is full of people trying to get ready and get on the field. The last thing you need is to know in advance how your team will determine what your next point is going to be. Do your players decide? Does a coach call prearranged plays? However the team functions you will need to make sure your routine for that too fits within your turnaround time. It may seem rather daunting at first but if you walk through it, get everybody on the same page and practice getting everything done within the time limit you'll be well ahead of the game. Keep in mind your first practical event experience may still be kinda chaotic because the one thing you can't prepare for is the real deal--but your advance prep will make the transition much easier.
(Based on the elements of practice you mentioned) the team should add laning OTB and Running & Gunning drills to your current regimen. (There are half a dozen or more posts in the archives covering those topics in how-to formats. Search stuff like laning, OTB, practice, playing the game, running & gunning and so on.) Otherwise the drills and mismatches (snap-shooting, 1on1's, 2on1's, 3on2's, etc.) and so on continue to be a solid base. With little or no local challenges to help keep the team sharp your group attitude and focus becomes critical to future success--which is one reason the move up to a new national level challenge is positive motivation. The other thing you need to focus on when it comes to your regular (routine) practice is execution. Practice can't degenerate into simply going through the motions, it needs to be about perfecting, always getting better.
Finally I would suggest, if it's at all possible, to arrange a special weekend practice trip--not unlike going to an event--to test your progress and scrimmage with better players and teams. Or, alternatively planning well in advance to schedule competing at a regional event where better than home grown competition will exist. Regardless, treat your first event or two in the new format as learning experiences and set your goals accordingly.
Good luck.
Showing posts with label Xball Skills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Xball Skills. Show all posts
Friday, December 9, 2011
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Winging It
VFTD has reached a new low. I tweeted--damn, does that sound pathetic--about this post before I wrote it. And that was some hours ago as the %$#&*%@# computer did it again. A seemingly benign file--at least according to the three dozen security programs I'm now running--was planted in the start-up and when I tried to disable it, it initiated the rogues and hijackers all over. Again. Here's hoping this time it's finally really gone 'cus I'm sure y'all are nearly as tired of this as I am. (But it's cathartic for me to help you feel my pain.)
Anyway, the title of this post is not a Billy Wing reference (although I will be securing trademark rights in a matter of minutes.) It's actually a reference to that most common of so-called poor techniques, the chicken wing, in which the player's supporting arm (hand on foregrip commonly) is elevated perpendicular to his/her body with the elbow pointing outward. (Take a breath.) And frequently flapping like a chicken wing when attempting to run & gun. Last time I visited the topic of running & gunning I left off with some drills here. (Was it really that long ago? I could'a missed a post. Or two.) For even more on running & gunning look here.
Let's talk technique. Everybody makes fun of the chicken wing. Almost as many as do it. I'm not a stickler for forcing proper technique on my guys when their technique diverges but that's only because they've already proved they have the skill set required even when their technique isn't ideal. But just because you see some pro doing things wrong it is not a free pass for you to do the same--or insist on doing wrong whatever it is you're doing wrong. Bad habits and bad technique are bad because they aren't efficient or effective for most players. That is the attitude that will see most of y'all getting old and gray in D3.
If you can run & shoot effectively while chicken winging you're done here--but--you know, and I know, you can't hardly hit the broad side of a barn from the inside standing still. The funny thing is it isn't necessarily the "wing" that's limiting your effectiveness. It ain't helping but if it was as simple as knocking off the chicken winging everybody could be a hero. My real problem is you can't wing it while playing a bunker. (Or if you do you're preparing for a future as a rec baller.) And that means you're switching between techniques to accomplish the same thing and you will not, let me repeat that, will not execute either one of them with the same effectiveness as if you practiced a consistent technique. (Not rocket science but it appears to be eluding more than a few of y'all.) And without lots of practice and a consistent technique you will not be an effective runner & gunner. Period.
Now go back and read those old posts and next time I'll talk about ways to make your running & gunning more effective.
Anyway, the title of this post is not a Billy Wing reference (although I will be securing trademark rights in a matter of minutes.) It's actually a reference to that most common of so-called poor techniques, the chicken wing, in which the player's supporting arm (hand on foregrip commonly) is elevated perpendicular to his/her body with the elbow pointing outward. (Take a breath.) And frequently flapping like a chicken wing when attempting to run & gun. Last time I visited the topic of running & gunning I left off with some drills here. (Was it really that long ago? I could'a missed a post. Or two.) For even more on running & gunning look here.
Let's talk technique. Everybody makes fun of the chicken wing. Almost as many as do it. I'm not a stickler for forcing proper technique on my guys when their technique diverges but that's only because they've already proved they have the skill set required even when their technique isn't ideal. But just because you see some pro doing things wrong it is not a free pass for you to do the same--or insist on doing wrong whatever it is you're doing wrong. Bad habits and bad technique are bad because they aren't efficient or effective for most players. That is the attitude that will see most of y'all getting old and gray in D3.
If you can run & shoot effectively while chicken winging you're done here--but--you know, and I know, you can't hardly hit the broad side of a barn from the inside standing still. The funny thing is it isn't necessarily the "wing" that's limiting your effectiveness. It ain't helping but if it was as simple as knocking off the chicken winging everybody could be a hero. My real problem is you can't wing it while playing a bunker. (Or if you do you're preparing for a future as a rec baller.) And that means you're switching between techniques to accomplish the same thing and you will not, let me repeat that, will not execute either one of them with the same effectiveness as if you practiced a consistent technique. (Not rocket science but it appears to be eluding more than a few of y'all.) And without lots of practice and a consistent technique you will not be an effective runner & gunner. Period.
Now go back and read those old posts and next time I'll talk about ways to make your running & gunning more effective.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Xball: Gunning & Running Drills 1
Listen up, Buttercup. I've decided to break the drills into two groups; individual and/or pair and team. This week is the individual drills. It's best to work with a friend (I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt here) so there's somebody around to motivate you and keep you honest because we both know you're a slacker.
Here’s the deal. There is no magic formula. These drills will get you started but you only get out of ‘em what you put into ‘em. The focus this time is on bunker runs, suppression fire OTB and using edge control to initiate movement.
1) Let’s start with a simple warm-up. You’re gonna need some simple targets–a few empty plastic gallon (or however many liters you Eurokids use) jugs and assorted length 1-inch PVC pipes will work. Easy version first. Put one of your targets behind a bunker. Any bunker. Put yourself behind another bunker and on a go command make a bunker run. Don’t run wide. Run at the bunker, moron!
Did you miss? ‘Fess up. You missed. Do it again. You stumbled. Again. Don’t slow down. Again. You run like a drunken hippopotamus. That big old jug ain’t so big after all, is it? Do it from the right. Do it from the left. Do it over and over. Tuck in your elbow. Now do it some more. Keep your barrel tip up. Run at the target bunker and have your drill partner tell you which side to run past at the last moment in order to force you to switch hands sometimes. Hate it yet? You’re just getting started.
2) Time to add a bit of difficulty. Place at least three targets behind bunkers at different elevations arranged so that you can run a path between them. That’s right, make your run at multiple targets and switch hands as you go. Boy, do you look like a dork. Try it again. Think you’re getting the hang of it?
Have your workout partner set up the targets for you so that you don’t know exactly where they are behind the chosen bunkers. Seem too simple? Then you’re gonna feel pretty inept when you either miss ‘em or have to stop running in order to hit them, aren’t you? Are you deaf or just stupid? You don’t get to quit until you get it right. Better try Reball next time cause you’re gonna go broke using paint at this rate.
(And for you slow learners it’s acceptable to go slow at first if you need to in order to be accurate. You could be as fast as the Flash but if you can’t hit squat you’re still a loser. Go as fast as you can without sacrificing accuracy.)
3) Now that you’ve warmed up a bit and got the blood circulating let’s pick up the pace. Take your targets and place them behind bunkers at the opposite end of the field. At breakout distances. On the go call break out and run and gun yourself into your chosen primary. Pick different primaries that require different routes as you repeat the drill. And pick different target lanes. Keep mixing it up. Are you starting with your gun down and back? Why not? Are the refs gonna let you do it differently from everybody else? Is that it? No? Then make sure you go thru the correct motions in every detail as you repeat the drill.
I’m getting tired of repeating myself. From the left. From the right. If you aren’t hitting the targets or at least putting your paint on the right lane you are wasting my time and yours. Is the player looking to lane your ass into the deadbox gonna come off his edge if your paint isn’t on target? So do it again. I said run and gun. Not walk and shoot. Pick up the pace. Which one is your off hand? Run the drill from your off hand side 3 times for every 2 times you run it from your dominant hand side. No more excuses. Run it again.
4) I’m gonna cut you a bit of slack. You and your training partner begin in the starting boxes at opposite ends of the field. On the go call one of you will be the sweet-spotter and the other will run and gun. (If you've been paying attention you've seen a version of this before. That's because I love this drill. And you will do it until you love it too.) Take turns. The object is to suppress the sweet-spotter in order to make your primary. Run left. Run right. Again. Again. I know you’re getting fatigued. Focus. These are the situations where you begin to make real, enduring progress. If you can perform when you’re mentally and physically tired you just might make a real baller after all.
If you don’t have a whole or complete field available, improvise. Make adjustments. Do I have to tie your shoelaces and wipe your nose for you, too?
5) Okay, almost finished. For this one you and your training partner choose mirror bunkers that are insert bunkers that lead to other, wider field positions. Begin blind behind your bunker and on the go call the object is to gain edge control over your opponent and run and gun yourself into your next bunker as you rotate out to a wire. By now you should know the drill. (Yes, that’s a joke. Feel free to take a second to laugh.) Do it from the left and the right. Start in a standing position. Begin from a kneeling posture. With this one you either get the job done or you don’t. There is no "I tried." Either you succeed or you fail. Regardless you’re getting a taste of what is required when the paint is flying for real.
Now hit the showers. You stink.
Here’s the deal. There is no magic formula. These drills will get you started but you only get out of ‘em what you put into ‘em. The focus this time is on bunker runs, suppression fire OTB and using edge control to initiate movement.
1) Let’s start with a simple warm-up. You’re gonna need some simple targets–a few empty plastic gallon (or however many liters you Eurokids use) jugs and assorted length 1-inch PVC pipes will work. Easy version first. Put one of your targets behind a bunker. Any bunker. Put yourself behind another bunker and on a go command make a bunker run. Don’t run wide. Run at the bunker, moron!
Did you miss? ‘Fess up. You missed. Do it again. You stumbled. Again. Don’t slow down. Again. You run like a drunken hippopotamus. That big old jug ain’t so big after all, is it? Do it from the right. Do it from the left. Do it over and over. Tuck in your elbow. Now do it some more. Keep your barrel tip up. Run at the target bunker and have your drill partner tell you which side to run past at the last moment in order to force you to switch hands sometimes. Hate it yet? You’re just getting started.
2) Time to add a bit of difficulty. Place at least three targets behind bunkers at different elevations arranged so that you can run a path between them. That’s right, make your run at multiple targets and switch hands as you go. Boy, do you look like a dork. Try it again. Think you’re getting the hang of it?
Have your workout partner set up the targets for you so that you don’t know exactly where they are behind the chosen bunkers. Seem too simple? Then you’re gonna feel pretty inept when you either miss ‘em or have to stop running in order to hit them, aren’t you? Are you deaf or just stupid? You don’t get to quit until you get it right. Better try Reball next time cause you’re gonna go broke using paint at this rate.
(And for you slow learners it’s acceptable to go slow at first if you need to in order to be accurate. You could be as fast as the Flash but if you can’t hit squat you’re still a loser. Go as fast as you can without sacrificing accuracy.)
3) Now that you’ve warmed up a bit and got the blood circulating let’s pick up the pace. Take your targets and place them behind bunkers at the opposite end of the field. At breakout distances. On the go call break out and run and gun yourself into your chosen primary. Pick different primaries that require different routes as you repeat the drill. And pick different target lanes. Keep mixing it up. Are you starting with your gun down and back? Why not? Are the refs gonna let you do it differently from everybody else? Is that it? No? Then make sure you go thru the correct motions in every detail as you repeat the drill.
I’m getting tired of repeating myself. From the left. From the right. If you aren’t hitting the targets or at least putting your paint on the right lane you are wasting my time and yours. Is the player looking to lane your ass into the deadbox gonna come off his edge if your paint isn’t on target? So do it again. I said run and gun. Not walk and shoot. Pick up the pace. Which one is your off hand? Run the drill from your off hand side 3 times for every 2 times you run it from your dominant hand side. No more excuses. Run it again.
4) I’m gonna cut you a bit of slack. You and your training partner begin in the starting boxes at opposite ends of the field. On the go call one of you will be the sweet-spotter and the other will run and gun. (If you've been paying attention you've seen a version of this before. That's because I love this drill. And you will do it until you love it too.) Take turns. The object is to suppress the sweet-spotter in order to make your primary. Run left. Run right. Again. Again. I know you’re getting fatigued. Focus. These are the situations where you begin to make real, enduring progress. If you can perform when you’re mentally and physically tired you just might make a real baller after all.
If you don’t have a whole or complete field available, improvise. Make adjustments. Do I have to tie your shoelaces and wipe your nose for you, too?
5) Okay, almost finished. For this one you and your training partner choose mirror bunkers that are insert bunkers that lead to other, wider field positions. Begin blind behind your bunker and on the go call the object is to gain edge control over your opponent and run and gun yourself into your next bunker as you rotate out to a wire. By now you should know the drill. (Yes, that’s a joke. Feel free to take a second to laugh.) Do it from the left and the right. Start in a standing position. Begin from a kneeling posture. With this one you either get the job done or you don’t. There is no "I tried." Either you succeed or you fail. Regardless you’re getting a taste of what is required when the paint is flying for real.
Now hit the showers. You stink.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Xball: Gunning & Running
Aight, Sunshine, it's that time again. (What time is that, you ask?) The time when I take all your hopes and dreams and dash them on the rocks of hard work and practice. Unlike Allen Iverson you need all you can get.
But before we get started I'm gonna tell you a story. (See, I can be nice, too.) Many moons ago I was a gym rat, working out 5 days a week, powerlifting and for the simple pleasure of it. One of the things the regulars always enjoyed was the response of most new guys coming in and being given a rudimentary workout. Usually, after a half hour or forty-five minutes they were exhausted and kind of proud of themselves for enduring such a brutal workout. It was with great satisfaction that we then got to tell them that for at least the first three months their workouts were designed to prepare them for real workouts.
There are two points to that story. One, chances are you ain't nearly as good as you think you are because you have a largely untrained conception of what "good" is. And, Two, learning the fundamentals is what prepares you to become a player, not what makes you a player.
Did you notice anything odd about the title of this post? That isn't a mistake. If you are not proficient at the gunning part of running & gunning you might as well be a soccer player. This week's How-To focuses on the basics of learning to Gun & Run.
Functionally you need to be able to run laterally (side to side) and upfield (end to end) in both directions. This means you also need to be able to run & shoot with either hand and also be proficient at switching hands while running.
The basis for all those elements is the shooting platform; how you hold your gun. The fundamental doesn't change just because you are moving (and your gun may swing through a wider range than normal.) Many of the how-to videos cover this (and generally do so with reasonable precision) so all I will say at this point is that the two keys are a fixed base and a dominant guide hand. A fixed base is a firmly planted tank approx. in the area where the collar bone meets the shoulder. And a dominant guide hand should be the hand on the grip frame (or thereabouts.) So it isn't enough to be able to pull a trigger with either hand.
The next step is beginning to develop accuracy while moving. (This is where gun & run comes into effect.) It does no good to be lightning quick if you can't hit what you are shooting at. There are a couple of tricks that should prove helpful. Slow and steady. Always make sure your paint is on target as you attempt to move faster and faster. As soon as you lose accuracy, slow down. Only go as fast as you can accurately shoot. The speed will come in time. You can also try the heel and toe technique. Short steps planting the heel first--but softly--and let the lead foot plant gently. It is standard combat shooter technique which may prove useful for some players as they gain running & gunning proficiency.
Running & Gunning can also be further broken down in OTB, in game movement and making a bunkering run.
Ponder that awhile, Sunshine, and next time we'll go over a few of the drills that will help you at least look like you know what you're doing.
But before we get started I'm gonna tell you a story. (See, I can be nice, too.) Many moons ago I was a gym rat, working out 5 days a week, powerlifting and for the simple pleasure of it. One of the things the regulars always enjoyed was the response of most new guys coming in and being given a rudimentary workout. Usually, after a half hour or forty-five minutes they were exhausted and kind of proud of themselves for enduring such a brutal workout. It was with great satisfaction that we then got to tell them that for at least the first three months their workouts were designed to prepare them for real workouts.
There are two points to that story. One, chances are you ain't nearly as good as you think you are because you have a largely untrained conception of what "good" is. And, Two, learning the fundamentals is what prepares you to become a player, not what makes you a player.
Did you notice anything odd about the title of this post? That isn't a mistake. If you are not proficient at the gunning part of running & gunning you might as well be a soccer player. This week's How-To focuses on the basics of learning to Gun & Run.
Functionally you need to be able to run laterally (side to side) and upfield (end to end) in both directions. This means you also need to be able to run & shoot with either hand and also be proficient at switching hands while running.
The basis for all those elements is the shooting platform; how you hold your gun. The fundamental doesn't change just because you are moving (and your gun may swing through a wider range than normal.) Many of the how-to videos cover this (and generally do so with reasonable precision) so all I will say at this point is that the two keys are a fixed base and a dominant guide hand. A fixed base is a firmly planted tank approx. in the area where the collar bone meets the shoulder. And a dominant guide hand should be the hand on the grip frame (or thereabouts.) So it isn't enough to be able to pull a trigger with either hand.
The next step is beginning to develop accuracy while moving. (This is where gun & run comes into effect.) It does no good to be lightning quick if you can't hit what you are shooting at. There are a couple of tricks that should prove helpful. Slow and steady. Always make sure your paint is on target as you attempt to move faster and faster. As soon as you lose accuracy, slow down. Only go as fast as you can accurately shoot. The speed will come in time. You can also try the heel and toe technique. Short steps planting the heel first--but softly--and let the lead foot plant gently. It is standard combat shooter technique which may prove useful for some players as they gain running & gunning proficiency.
Running & Gunning can also be further broken down in OTB, in game movement and making a bunkering run.
Ponder that awhile, Sunshine, and next time we'll go over a few of the drills that will help you at least look like you know what you're doing.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Xball: Laning Off The Break 2
In part one of laning OTB we (and when I say we, I mean I) covered the core training concepts of first ball, fast ball and team ball. These form the foundation of your future ability to successfully lane off the break, Sunshine, so if you missed them go back and start over again. There's no point in skipping ahead. If your foundation is flawed it will effect everything you build on top of it.
This time around I'm crossing my fingers and hoping for the best (contrary to prior experience) and increasing the level of complexity while narrowing the margin for error. Scared, Sunshine? You're gonna need a high tolerance for frustration because it isn't going to get easier, it's getting harder. Listen up, Sunshine--no gun throwing, no heaving your goggles and definitely no crying so be ready to tell your teammates it's just sweat, maybe even a little blood, but not tears. (That goes for you too, girls.)
This time we're going to take a more in depth look at player positioning otb, stationary laning and living and lastly, maintaining an effective lane on the move. But first I want to take a moment to explain why these are the follow-up elements you should focus on. Part One focused primarily on the individual techniques involved and began touching on how that is incorporated in a team scheme. Part Two picks up where One left off and focuses on how to implement those techniques--and additional skills--within the first 5 seconds (or so) of the breakout. (A) Player positioning goes into more depth on how to set-up and take covered positions while laning otb. (B) Stationary laning is kind of a misnomer as what I mean is an extension of player positioning; the act of laning while moving into a covered position, typically the home bunker. And (C) maintaining an effective lane on the move refers to either a step out shooter, an edger or the first few steps for a player intent on actively running & shooting to their primary.
A. With a single home shooter this isn't usually an issue (though a quick look at the PSP Chicago layout might make you think twice.) With two shooters it is important that each laner knows the assignment and has planned in advance for how each will take up their position. As it is difficult to shoot effectively and retain as much cover as possible with two players in the same bunker the most common alternative is the stack. One player is low and tight, tucked up in the bunker while the second player is behind the first and centered so that the bunker provides the maximum angles of protection. The second player also tends to stand or crouch so there is an elevation difference as well between the two.
B. There are two issues here; shooting an effective lane and not interfering with the rest of the breakout. No planning or poor planning results in interrupted lanes, peeps running into each other, players shooting their teammates and so on. While that degree of chaos may not be the norm even something as seemingly minor as forcing the lane shooter to hesitate a second before aiming down the assigned lane almost always means no OTB kills that point. So there's two things at work here; getting on the lane as quickly as possible and sustaining that lane as the player takes cover (which frequently requires the player to move 10 - 15 feet or so.)
C. This is a variant of laning OTB for more advanced levels of play. (Realistically most teams are shooting most of their guns OTB but there is a huge gulf between simply shooting your marker and shooting to effect.) A step out shooter is shooting the same lane options (mostly) that the home shooter is. The object is to add a second gun OTB and delay the move of the step out shooter to the primary. The edger--using the base of the X to hide his intention--is focused on laning a home shooter who is expected to be focused on a wider lane. The player running & shooting isn't really a laner. In fact, he is the opposite, but the same skill set applies with respect to the speed and accuracy of acquiring the initial shooting lane.
How-To practice.
A. The best way is to go through the motions. Over and over. First, all players who will be home shooters laning off the break need to discuss how they will set-up in the home bunker. All the configurations to be used must be accounted for. Once the players know how they wish to set-up it's time to do it by repeatedly acting out coming off the board simulating the beginning of a point. Once you are satisfied the routine is set it's time to do some shooting. To keep paint usage low have teammates spot your lanes and go through the breakout motions shooting just the initial stream of paint. A dozen paintballs shot is plenty. (Adjust poor lane accuracy the same way you practice First Shot.)
B. As soon as the shooter combos are settled it's time to act out full team breaks off the board to assure that regardless of each player's action it all happens seamlessly. And, listen carefully, Sunshine, one successful simulated breakout isn't enough. Do it often enough so that y'all can do it in your sleep.
C. Now it's time for a little fun. You get to shoot paint. This drill can be done with 2 players, 4 players, 8 players or 10 players. The basic drill is one home shooter and one player running & shooting laterally. Again, it simulates the breakout. The shooter comes off the board shooting a lane. The runner comes off the opposite board running to a corner while shooting back at home to suppress the laner. With 8 players it's 4 on each end of the field; a runner to each corner and a home shooter both ways, snake and D-side. Players move thru the multi-player drill moving left to right so that everyone takes a turn at every phase of the drill. The 10-player variant adds two players at one end of the field to act as edgers making it that much more difficult to shoot an effective lane. This is an essential drill so learn to love it.
Lastly is the issue of commitment. Most laning fails because it isn't on target quickly enough. Add in the fact many players are more interested in staying alive than shooting an effective lane--mixed with poor or no preparation--and the commonplace result is players bailing out on their lanes almost before they've begun shooting them. End of the day all your skill and practice won't get the job done right if you will not commit to doing it right.
Next time (in a couple of weeks) I'll finish up on laning OTB by discussing how to find the lanes you want to shoot and how those lanes can change based on your breakouts (or making adjustments) when the opponent is having success.
This time around I'm crossing my fingers and hoping for the best (contrary to prior experience) and increasing the level of complexity while narrowing the margin for error. Scared, Sunshine? You're gonna need a high tolerance for frustration because it isn't going to get easier, it's getting harder. Listen up, Sunshine--no gun throwing, no heaving your goggles and definitely no crying so be ready to tell your teammates it's just sweat, maybe even a little blood, but not tears. (That goes for you too, girls.)
This time we're going to take a more in depth look at player positioning otb, stationary laning and living and lastly, maintaining an effective lane on the move. But first I want to take a moment to explain why these are the follow-up elements you should focus on. Part One focused primarily on the individual techniques involved and began touching on how that is incorporated in a team scheme. Part Two picks up where One left off and focuses on how to implement those techniques--and additional skills--within the first 5 seconds (or so) of the breakout. (A) Player positioning goes into more depth on how to set-up and take covered positions while laning otb. (B) Stationary laning is kind of a misnomer as what I mean is an extension of player positioning; the act of laning while moving into a covered position, typically the home bunker. And (C) maintaining an effective lane on the move refers to either a step out shooter, an edger or the first few steps for a player intent on actively running & shooting to their primary.
A. With a single home shooter this isn't usually an issue (though a quick look at the PSP Chicago layout might make you think twice.) With two shooters it is important that each laner knows the assignment and has planned in advance for how each will take up their position. As it is difficult to shoot effectively and retain as much cover as possible with two players in the same bunker the most common alternative is the stack. One player is low and tight, tucked up in the bunker while the second player is behind the first and centered so that the bunker provides the maximum angles of protection. The second player also tends to stand or crouch so there is an elevation difference as well between the two.
B. There are two issues here; shooting an effective lane and not interfering with the rest of the breakout. No planning or poor planning results in interrupted lanes, peeps running into each other, players shooting their teammates and so on. While that degree of chaos may not be the norm even something as seemingly minor as forcing the lane shooter to hesitate a second before aiming down the assigned lane almost always means no OTB kills that point. So there's two things at work here; getting on the lane as quickly as possible and sustaining that lane as the player takes cover (which frequently requires the player to move 10 - 15 feet or so.)
C. This is a variant of laning OTB for more advanced levels of play. (Realistically most teams are shooting most of their guns OTB but there is a huge gulf between simply shooting your marker and shooting to effect.) A step out shooter is shooting the same lane options (mostly) that the home shooter is. The object is to add a second gun OTB and delay the move of the step out shooter to the primary. The edger--using the base of the X to hide his intention--is focused on laning a home shooter who is expected to be focused on a wider lane. The player running & shooting isn't really a laner. In fact, he is the opposite, but the same skill set applies with respect to the speed and accuracy of acquiring the initial shooting lane.
How-To practice.
A. The best way is to go through the motions. Over and over. First, all players who will be home shooters laning off the break need to discuss how they will set-up in the home bunker. All the configurations to be used must be accounted for. Once the players know how they wish to set-up it's time to do it by repeatedly acting out coming off the board simulating the beginning of a point. Once you are satisfied the routine is set it's time to do some shooting. To keep paint usage low have teammates spot your lanes and go through the breakout motions shooting just the initial stream of paint. A dozen paintballs shot is plenty. (Adjust poor lane accuracy the same way you practice First Shot.)
B. As soon as the shooter combos are settled it's time to act out full team breaks off the board to assure that regardless of each player's action it all happens seamlessly. And, listen carefully, Sunshine, one successful simulated breakout isn't enough. Do it often enough so that y'all can do it in your sleep.
C. Now it's time for a little fun. You get to shoot paint. This drill can be done with 2 players, 4 players, 8 players or 10 players. The basic drill is one home shooter and one player running & shooting laterally. Again, it simulates the breakout. The shooter comes off the board shooting a lane. The runner comes off the opposite board running to a corner while shooting back at home to suppress the laner. With 8 players it's 4 on each end of the field; a runner to each corner and a home shooter both ways, snake and D-side. Players move thru the multi-player drill moving left to right so that everyone takes a turn at every phase of the drill. The 10-player variant adds two players at one end of the field to act as edgers making it that much more difficult to shoot an effective lane. This is an essential drill so learn to love it.
Lastly is the issue of commitment. Most laning fails because it isn't on target quickly enough. Add in the fact many players are more interested in staying alive than shooting an effective lane--mixed with poor or no preparation--and the commonplace result is players bailing out on their lanes almost before they've begun shooting them. End of the day all your skill and practice won't get the job done right if you will not commit to doing it right.
Next time (in a couple of weeks) I'll finish up on laning OTB by discussing how to find the lanes you want to shoot and how those lanes can change based on your breakouts (or making adjustments) when the opponent is having success.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Xball: Laning Off The Break
This is the first of the Xball How-To posts so we'll see how it goes. Laning off the break is one of the core fundamentals of xball. Despite that factoid most of you suck at it. (You do, so don't bother to make excuses and please don't try to tell me you're really good but 10.5 bps is just too hard because I know suck when I see it. And you suck.) If there was only one thing you and your team could do to improve learning to lane would be number one on the list because of the potential to take control of a point in the first five seconds with effective laning.
What's even more amazing about the magnitude of your suckitude is that it ain't that hard to learn how to do both right and well. But it does take a lot of practice. This time we're gonna focus on three basic concepts and I will give you a drill or two for each concept. After that you're on your own because I ain't gonna hold your hand or pat you on the head and tell you what a swell job you did.
The concepts are; first ball, fast ball and team ball. These form the foundation of your future ability to successfully lane off the break. There's more but this will keep you busy for a while if you take it seriously.
First ball means that when you come off the net at the sound of the horn you have a specific lane to shoot and the goal is to put the first ball out of your barrel right where you want every other ball out of your gun to go. Too many laners are really hosers--just spraying their paint and aiming as they watch the stream--and that's just pitiful and an embarrassment to the game. The drill is to begin each rep in the pre-horn position and swing the gun into position as if it's the start of point every time you do the drill. Once in position you pull the trigger once. Watch the ball. If your lane is off adjust it and fire again, one time. Once your gun is in the proper position to put paint along your chosen lane take note of your posture, the elevation of the barrel, etc. Then do it again and again until you can duplicate each and every time firing a single paintball.
Fast ball means the quicker your gun is in firing position the sooner the first ball will arrive on target and the more laning options you will have. Too slow to get the up and firing means your only real shot at an effective lane is to shoot wide. There are two elements to fast ball shooting; looking down your lane and moving the gun barrel vertically and not laterally. Fast ball uses the same basic drill as first ball but incorporates the new element of speed. (You must do first ball drilling first as well.) From the pre-horn position you must be looking where you want your lane to go and my preference is for the gun to be down and back (this means the hopper is almost upside down) so that on the horn the barrel is swept up in a vertical motion. Done this way the gun moves on only a single axis, making it faster and more accurate as the barrel sweeps up almost automatically to where your eyes are already looking. (The downside is it often seems a bit awkward to players used to sweeping their guns up and across.)
While the first two elements can be practiced individually team ball requires a team. The object here is to go through the breakout motions of coming off the net at the sound of the horn and accomplishing your first ball and fast ball technique so as not to interfere with a teammate or be interfered with. It is also worthwhile to extend the drill to include laning positions for when there are two or more players at home immediately off the break.
Those are the rudiments for learning how to be a killer off the break. We'll take the next steps next time.
What's even more amazing about the magnitude of your suckitude is that it ain't that hard to learn how to do both right and well. But it does take a lot of practice. This time we're gonna focus on three basic concepts and I will give you a drill or two for each concept. After that you're on your own because I ain't gonna hold your hand or pat you on the head and tell you what a swell job you did.
The concepts are; first ball, fast ball and team ball. These form the foundation of your future ability to successfully lane off the break. There's more but this will keep you busy for a while if you take it seriously.
First ball means that when you come off the net at the sound of the horn you have a specific lane to shoot and the goal is to put the first ball out of your barrel right where you want every other ball out of your gun to go. Too many laners are really hosers--just spraying their paint and aiming as they watch the stream--and that's just pitiful and an embarrassment to the game. The drill is to begin each rep in the pre-horn position and swing the gun into position as if it's the start of point every time you do the drill. Once in position you pull the trigger once. Watch the ball. If your lane is off adjust it and fire again, one time. Once your gun is in the proper position to put paint along your chosen lane take note of your posture, the elevation of the barrel, etc. Then do it again and again until you can duplicate each and every time firing a single paintball.
Fast ball means the quicker your gun is in firing position the sooner the first ball will arrive on target and the more laning options you will have. Too slow to get the up and firing means your only real shot at an effective lane is to shoot wide. There are two elements to fast ball shooting; looking down your lane and moving the gun barrel vertically and not laterally. Fast ball uses the same basic drill as first ball but incorporates the new element of speed. (You must do first ball drilling first as well.) From the pre-horn position you must be looking where you want your lane to go and my preference is for the gun to be down and back (this means the hopper is almost upside down) so that on the horn the barrel is swept up in a vertical motion. Done this way the gun moves on only a single axis, making it faster and more accurate as the barrel sweeps up almost automatically to where your eyes are already looking. (The downside is it often seems a bit awkward to players used to sweeping their guns up and across.)
While the first two elements can be practiced individually team ball requires a team. The object here is to go through the breakout motions of coming off the net at the sound of the horn and accomplishing your first ball and fast ball technique so as not to interfere with a teammate or be interfered with. It is also worthwhile to extend the drill to include laning positions for when there are two or more players at home immediately off the break.
Those are the rudiments for learning how to be a killer off the break. We'll take the next steps next time.
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