Styles of Defense - Shutdown

I see a few different types of person defense in my head. These can each be used at any point during play, and switched between within even the same possession.

Shutdown
Poachy
Baiting
Help
Lazy

This post will examine the shutdown style of defense and how to execute it. Let me start by saying that I think everyone at the college level should strive for this style of defense before any of the others.

Your job in this style of defense is to prevent your mark from getting the disc. This can directly lead to blocks, but does not more often than not. Preventing your mark from ever being targeted can be just as good as actually generating a block and is how this defensive style manifests most often.

Shutdown defense can work in all situations.

The biggest factor, in my experience, in determining success at this style of defense is your footwork and athleticism. A good way to play this style of defense is to always stay on your mark's hip. This requires great footwork in order to stay with your mark through juke moves or hard driving cuts as well as speed and quickness to adjust to changes in their path.

You need to always be able to beat your mark to the disc. If you are closer to the disc, that means closer to your mark. A good rule of thumb is if you are within 1 pass, always be touching your mark.

Examples:
Your mark is cutting under and you stay right on their hip such that the thrower sees they are not open and therefore holsters the throw.
Your mark is cutting in the handler space and you force the thrower to look elsewhere for a reset.
Your mark is cutting out and you stay in position such that if a throw goes up, you will have the best path to the disc.

Probably video examples to come.