Front play | Back play | Throwing | Strategy
Below is a table of DDC-related terms. Some of these may have different meanings in other disc sports. They are described as they relate to DDC.
Use refers to how much a part of DDC the term is, from part of its core to something required only for completeness. The following scale is used:
Term | Type | Use | Synonyms | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|
Attack | Offense | ***** | An attempt to score against the opposing team. A single player can attempt to throw a Winner, or partners can coordinate in a Doubling Attack. | |
Back | Defense | ***** | The player who handles the Lead disc when defending against a Doubling Situation. The Back will normally look at the attack and then either play their disc first by throwing or tipping it, or tell their Front to play their disc first. | |
Backhand | Throw | ***** | A throw made with the disc right-side up and the hand around the rim with the fingers underneath the flight plate. It is the most common throw in the game and is typically thrown with hyzer (skip angle). | |
Brush | Defense | *** | A form of tipping where the outside of the rim is struck in order to propel the disc into the air. It's usually done with a hyzer throw, but a steep upside-down throw (that is likely to roll upon landing) can be brushed as well. Best done into the wind. | |
Burn | Offense | ***** | A low, high-speed Attack that typically lands in the front of the opposing court. The most common choice for a Doubling Throw. | |
Catapult | Throw | * | A Hook Thumb anchored to the forearm by the other hand. Used almost exclusively by John Kirkland. | |
Designated | Rules | ***** | Des | The team that must initiate after an impasse. |
Double | Rules | ***** | Two | Simultaneous contact of both discs by a single team, resulting in two points for their opponents. |
Doubling Attack | Offense | ***** | The throwing of both discs into the opposing court. A Lead followed by an Attack. | |
Doubling Situation | Rules | ***** | Attack Situation | The imminent arrival of both discs into the same court. The natural result of a Doubling Attack |
Doubling Throw | Offense | ***** | Attack Throw, Follow | The second disc of a Doubling Attack. It is often either a Burn or a Dump. |
Dump | Offense | **** | An Attack where the disc is thrown over the head of an opposing player who is near the front of their court, but low and fast enough to make it difficult to reach in the back of the court. | |
Escape | Defense | ***** | The successful return of both discs to the other court when faced with a Doubling Situation. | |
Front | Defense | ***** | The player who handles the Attack disc when defending against a Doubling Situation. The Front will normally wait for the Back's call, and either attack their disc with a Tip or Off, or Milk it. | |
Glazed Donut | Throw | * | A low-speed, limited-spin Attack throw where the disc starts by dangling vertically from the fingertips (with the flight plate toward the body of the thrower) before it is flung toward the other court. It starts out flying vertically but its lack of spin brings it up to hyzer or even flat. | |
Go | Defense | **** | You | A call made by a Back that indicates that the Front is to handle the Attack as quickly as possible, with either a Tip or an Off. |
Hold | Defense | **** | A call that tells the other player to catch and hold any incoming disc, usually made when it is clear that a disc will be out. | |
Hook Thumb | Throw | ** | An upside-down throw made while holding the disc with the flight plate facing away from the body and the thumb inside the rim. Has a flight path similar to that of a Scoober. | |
Impasse | Rules | ***** | When each team holds a disc. The Designated team must throw first. | |
Inflip | Throw | * | A low-speed, limited-spin throw made by throwing a disc backhand with a sidearm grip. The lack of spin makes it flutter up toward flat. | |
Initiation | Rules | ***** | The obligation for the Designated team to throw first after an impasse. | |
Jedi | Offense | * | A Doubling Attack where the Lead is a throw to the front of the court (often an air bounce to slow it down) so that it can be used as a pick for the ensuing Burn. | |
Lead | Offense | ***** | The first throw of a Doubling Attack. It must be in the air long enough to allow the Burn, which is thrown afterward, to catch up. That way both discs can arrive at the same time, increasing the difficulty of an Escape. | |
Milk | Defense | **** | Delaying the catch of an incoming disc in order to give your partner time to play theirs. | |
Off | Defense | **** | Quick Release | Catching and throwing the disc in a single quick motion in order to avoid a Double. Best done by catching the disc in a throwing grip. |
Offside | Offense | **** | Weak Side | Opposite of Strong Side. The side of the court where it is generally more difficult to get a burn to stay in. For example, a right-handed two-finger burn tends to roll to the left after it lands, maybe the left side the Offside. |
Proximity Attack | Offense | *** | A Doubling Attack where the Attack throw is placed as close as possible to the Lead, so that the opposing players must try to execute the Escape from the same space, possibly interfering with each other. | |
Rally Shot | Defense | **** | An Initiation throw made by the Des team after an Impasse. It is best to put it deep in the other court since it is the disc that will be thrown for an ensuing Attack. | |
Scoober | Throw | *** | A throw with a backhand grip made from shoulder height with the hand leading the disc and the flight plate facing away from the body. | |
Sidearm | Throw | **** | Forehand, Flick | A throw made with the non-throwing side of the body leading, using a grip with one to three fingers under the rim. |
Sneaker | Throw | ** | A low right-side up serve around the opposite server, in the hopes that it will get around them because their focus is on serving. | |
Solo Attack | Offense | *** | Solo Burn | A one-on-one Attack, usually made by the Des team when left short in the court, in lieu of a Rally Shot. |
Spread Attack | Offense | ** | A Doubling Attack where the Lead and the Attack throws are far apart, making it harder for the opposing team to coordinate their Escape. | |
Staker | Throw | *** | A throw made with a backhand motion but with the disc held with the thumb underneath and the fingers on top of the flight plate. | |
Strong Side | Offense | **** | The side of the court where it easier to keep a Burn in. For example, since a right-handed two-finger burn tends to roll to the left after it lands, its Strong Side is to the right. The Strong Side for a Scoober, Hook Thumb, or Staker burn is to the left. | |
Thumber | Throw | * | A throw similar to a Sidearm but with the entire length of the thumb place against the rim on the underside of the disc. | |
Time | Defense | *** | All Day, Throw Yours | A call made by a Back to tell the Front that they have enough time to catch and throw the Attack disc. |
Tip | Defense | **** | Tipping, Tap, Tapping | A call made to indicate that a player intends to knock the disc into the air to give their partner time to play the other disc, or the act itself. |
Two-Finger | Throw | **** | Hammer | A Sidearm thrown with an overhand motion. Can be used in any situation. Popular as a Burn or Dump. |
UD | Throw | *** | Upside-Down, UD Backhand | A throw made with a backhand motion with the disc upside-down and the thumb inside the rim. Mostly useful as a Lead, but can be used as a Burn. |
Wet Blanket | Throw | ** | A low-speed, limited-spin throw that is essentially a wrist flip with a locked wrist. When done well, flies normally and then moves chaotically as it loses spin. DDC's version of a knuckleball. | |
Wrist Flip | Throw | **** | A throw made with a sidearm stance with the thumb inside the rim and the hand leading the disc. Useful as a Quick Release when an upside-down burn is caught of the throwing hand's side. |