Limitations: An Unlimited Running Theme

I have been meaning to write a post or two on limitations: that one has got to know one's own limitations. But, I do not really have time to do it justice at this moment as ultimate beckons. But, let me just start and then continue over the next day or two or three.

Over the past several years, I have realized that one of the most important skills or talents one has to have in ultimate, particularly if one plays the position of handler (on offense, one is generally a handler or a cutter, with the former playing as one of three point guards/quarterbacks on the field with four cutters), is to know one's own limits. That is, one should not try to make throws that one does not have--don't huck it long backhand if one does not have a strong backhand, don't throw a hammer (an overhead toss) if one does not have a good hammer or the receiver is not a good hammer-catcher and so forth.

In ultimate, I have never been a speedster nor have I ever had much in the way of "ups." I am not tall and I don't jump very high. As a result, I have focused on my throws and my ability to catch the low pass (I can react reasonably quickly and I dive a lot). These days, as I play against guys who are much younger and much faster, I must focus more to get open, and I must be wilier on defense and perhaps give the person I am marking either more open cuts towards the disk or away as I cannot take away both. And I have realized that playing within my limits is the key to being successful, and I increasingly have noticed when other players go beyond their limits. Indeed, this is pretty easy to do when playing with my daughter's team, which has a few boys who fire away with the disk with no thought at all about what they can and cannot do.

So, in thinking about this, I once again realized a key limitation--I tend to show my reactions when other people are being, for want of a better term, unreasonable (ok, I am not as bad as this person). I know I should just be poker-faced and not react, but at meetings I find that I don't have great self-control in masking my reactions. Good thing I have tenure. Anyhow, this is just a start. Maybe more thoughts on this after I play tonight and my focus during the game will be to stay within and maximize my abilities.



PS Yes, this is quite narcissistic to investigate my own limitations, but if I don't overanalyze myself in my blog, who should I over-analyze?