Thread: Swing Dodge??
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Old 05-02-2008, 01:36 PM   #4 (permalink)
Tigerlax29
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Just to clarify, there are two distinct moves that people frequently confuse. One is a swim move, which really isn't a dodge, more of a maneuver. It's used when face dodging instead of coming across your face or if you get in a bind and a d-man gets his stick between your stick and your body. It's done one hand with your hand right under the throat, and here's the key, you swing the stick leading with the head forward in a motion like a freestyle swim stroke (hence the name). I've heard it called a windmill too.

The other move is an overhead switch where, again one handed with your hand up by the throat, you switch hands over your opponents head with the butt end in the direction you are facing and the stick parralel to the ground. It's used in a split dodge instead changing hands across your front.

As a coach I don't really "frown upon" them when they're used properly. Typically both are best used by shortsticks when facing a short stick of equal or lesser height/size. It can be done against a long pole but it's more risky and less effective than just rolling away from stick side. Long poles also have a tendency to crack you in the ribs/armpit doing this maneuver. It can also be done against a bigger taller person but again it's riskier and it may get you laid out if they shove you at the right time.

I don't think it's really a hot-dog move but some people do because it tends to be an all or nothing move. You either completely break the D's ankles or you lose possesion. I'm pretty tall (6'3") so I tend to use it if I get a mismatch with a shortie or pull a double with the slide coming to stick side (180 degree swim move).

It can definitely be used to hotdog though, especially if you do it as a part of a combo like a swim move to an around the world or swim to a reverse roll shot. One of the funnier things I've seen was when we had a comfortable lead on a team, one of my LSMs swim moved a kid with his pole in the open field on a clear. It was hilarious and he totally burnt him.
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