Introduction

Hello, my name is Fooman. I've been playing Supraball in North America since May 2014 and Deathball since 2003, mostly as a defenseman. I have played in countless public games, pickup games, league games, and weekend tournaments. I would like to share my knowledge, experiences, and thoughts with you so that you may be the best team player you can be. These ideas are based around playing 5v5 Supraball as a team at the higher levels, pickups, and leagues. In low skill level matches your individual skills will determine your rank, but it takes 5 players on the same page to reach the top ranks. Like any sport, there are a few ways to play the game, and different schools of thought, but I feel my Supraball philosophies provide a good base on which to build for any player.

Positions

Supraball games are 5v5 with 1 goalkeeper, 1 defenseman, 2 midfielders and 1 forward. These positions are not locked in. At any point willing players may swap positions, but each player should know what attributes they have and what position is best suited for those attributes.

Goalkeeper - The goalkeeper cleans up the mess when the team's defense has broken down. Goalkeepers make the save and start the counterattack. Goalkeepers must have good predictive skills, great reflexes, and plenty of patience. A goalkeeper will only be engaged in the play 50% of the time, because of this goalkeeper is the least chosen position. Also, it really helps to have a low ping.

Defenseman - The defenseman keeps the opposing forward in check and runs the offense like a point guard. Defensemen must have good accuracy/timing and great predictive skill. The defenseman usually never scores and does not get much statistical glory, but they are instrumental in every play in some way. Note: the term "defenseman" refers to the position, and "defender" refers to any field player when the team does not have the ball.

Midfielder - The midfielders do a bit of everything. Defending, passing, boosting, blocking, scoring... they do it all. Midfielders must have good reflexes, good predictive skill, good accuracy/timing, and good scoring touch. Most players should start off at midfielder to get a good feel for the game in total.

Forward - The forward is the star scorer of the team. The team counts on the forward to make a goal out of a scoring chance. Forwards must have great accuracy/timing, and great scoring touch. Many players want to be the star on the team, but you should really be sure you have the skills to take on this role.

Attributes

I have identified 4 specific attributes in Supraball players. A man's got to know his limitations, and a Supraball player has got to know what attributes he posseses, which attributes he can improve on, and which attributes he has maxed out. The cold hard truth is that not everyone can be good at this game. Life isn't fair and some gamers just have a higher ceiling than others, but knowing what you are made of can put you in the best position to have fun playing Supraball.

Reflexes - Simple refelxes, everyone has them, including athletes and gamers. A younger gamer may be able to increase their reflexes. As one ages past his prime though, he inevitably gets slower. Most important for keepers since they have to quickly react to a fast shot. Internet latency comes into play here. A player with a 100 millisecond ping automatically has worse reflexes than the same player with a 40 millisecond ping. Supraball is a more ping-forgiving game than other FPS games, but it never hurts to play on a server where you have the advantage.

Predictive Skill - Contrary to reflexes, predictive skill is easier to aquire. The more you play Supraball the more patterns you will see in player positioning, accuracy/timing, and decisions. As your experience with the game increases, the more you will inately predict. At the highest level, a player may glance at the minimap in the bottom right corner, evaluate where all 10 players are, their direction of movement, and their speed. Evaluating all of this to make the correct play can mean a goal for your team. Knowing the offensive habits of your opponent can create a turnover. If you know that your opponent is a good predictor, then being unpredictable is a good option.

Accuracy/Timing - Accuracy and timing increase with practice. On offense, a player with good accuracy/timing can curve a shot inside the post, volley in a crossing pass, and curve a rolling shot on goal. On defense, a player with good accuracy/timing can bait a poor pass and get the interception, mark a forward close enough to get the turnover, and clear a hard shot away before it reaches the goalkeeper. Running some drills by yourself or with a friend can help improve these skills.

Scoring Touch - Scoring touch is what I call that extra ability that some players possess. It is the ability to get a shot away when there are 3 defenders around you. It is the ability to volley off the wall 5 times and get a shot on net. It is the ability to cherry pick your way into breakaways. It is the ability to dribble the ball right past a defender in good position to get off a shot or pass. I don't possess this as a player, so I don't know how to get it. If I had to guess, a lot of practice and looking at the middle radar.

Areas of the Field

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Scoring Area - $$$ - The scoring area is in front of the goal from which where 85% of goals are scored. Attackers need to make runs into the scoring area with or without the ball. Goals are scored here because the keeper has too many angles of the goal to cover and has to pick one. If you have the ball in the scoring area, you must shoot, time is limited.

Setup Area - ### - The setup area is a great place for a ball carrier to look into the scoring area for a teammate. Attackers without the ball should make runs into the setup area to receive passes and immediately look to the scoring area. Ballcarriers may want to try to set themselves off the front wall. Direct shots fron the setup area are easily saved, but rolling shots have a better chance of fooling a goalkeeper. If everything is covered, consider retreating for another attack.

Boosting Corridor - ^^^ - The boosting corridor is where most boosts are going to occur. No matter what is happening in the game, the best position is in the middle of the field where you are closest to the goals. If your team is in good defensive position, the closest teammate for a boost up is likely to be in the boosting corridor. If your team is attacking the goal, the closest teammate for a boost back will likely be here as well. This is also prime area for double/triple boosts. This is also the area to block boosts.

No Man's Land - - (Blank space in my picture) - The outer areas are no man’s land. Almost nothing good happens here. You are too far from the goal to shoot or pass. You are likely too far away from a teammate to boost. These zones are only good for relieving pressure and regrouping for an attack. Too often I see attackers hanging out here. They are waiting for a pass. The question I always have is “What are you going to do with the ball once you get it here?” Any shot you take is easily grabbed by the keeper. Any pass you make will be slow enough for opposing defenders to react to it. You are not going to juke your defender face to face. Your only good play is to move the ball to a teammate and attack the scoring area. IF YOU ONLY LEARN ONE THING FROM THIS GUIDE, DO NOT HANG AROUND IN NO MAN'S LAND.

Goalkeeper's Domain - *** - This is where goalkeepers can safely track down loose balls most of the time. Keeping possession of the ball is very important and while the defenseman is keeping the cherry picker in check, many loose balls will find their way to the goalkeeper’s domain. Be on your toes, and be ready to dodge out to both sides of the field to grab the ball.

This section covers skills and tips, mostly concerning individual play, useful at all levels of Supraball.

Offensive Skills

Receiving the Ball - Running with the ball slows you down, but if you recieve a pass while in the air, you will get a slight boost until you land. Jump right before catching the ball and use 3 more jumps to get maximum distance up the field.

Maximum Run Speed - Because running with the ball slows you down, you may want to pass back and forth with an open teammate so that you both spend as much time as possible at max running speed.

Volleys - Volleys are the best way to get a fast shot off. Hold down your shield and hit kick when the ball comes within your range. Holding shield will help ensure that you do not accidentally catch the ball and it slightly increases the range of time for the volley to connect.

Boop - Holding the shield without the volley will send a slow shot/pass where you are aiming if the ball hits your shield. Boops may be considered showboating/insult plays, but sometimes it works.

Rolling Shot/Pass - While on the ground a player may aim level, add curve, and add roll to a charged shot/pass in the same direction to add some serious curve to the ball. This can be useful in passing around a defender in good position or shooting on goal from a bad angle.

Using the Walls - The side and front walls can be used to make passes around defenders or use the front wall to set up a volley shot to yourself. You can also pass to yourself off the walls and use the catch momentum to increase your space on a defender. Buying just a little bit of time and space can open up better passing opportunities.

Pogo - Sometimes you can fool a defender by charging the gun, jumping in the air, and firing the shot straight down back to yourself. The defender may think you made a pass or shot. If he turns his head, you have the advantage.

Oops, I Changed My Mind - If you are charging up a pass or shot and you see an opponent jump the lane, shoot the ball directly at the nearest wall to pass to yourself and try again.

Juke - Completing a pass with a good defender in your face is not easy. Juke him left and right to open up space to get the ball around, over, or under him. If the defender is hanging in the air, pass over him when he runs out of jumps. You can also use all 4 of your jumps quickly to open up space over his head for a quick pass.

Slingshot - Without the ball, use your sucker to try to sling your way past a defender. This is hard to accomplish because the defender will likely kick you back, but sometimes you can get an extra boost if he is not paying attention.

Passing Quickly - I would say most players take 0.4 to 0.5 seconds to receive a ball and lock a pass to a teammate if they are trying to pass quickly and safely. If you are slower than this, then windows will close, defenders will get in better position. However, if you are faster than this, you can make passes that are unexpectedly fast and take a defender by surprise. Defenders get used to the average time it takes from a reception to a pass and make moves based on this time that disrupt an attack.

The Bomb - Getting kicked in the air has little effect on your positioning. Go to the top of the box and have your keeper bomb the ball here. If your defender plays the ball, hit him away and go for the catch. If he hits you, there is still a good chance you can catch the ball and turn for a quick shot or pass. If the keeper goes for the ball, you have a chance at an open net if you can make the catch.

Defensive Skills

Marking and Checking - If you are in man to man defense, get as close as you are comfortable with to your man and be ready to kick him if he moves towards you or if a pass comes in to him. You can cause a tunover by kicking him out of position enough to grab the ball or create a loose ball. Sometimes you can jump into the passing lane and intercept the ball before it gets to the receiver.

Sucker - Hold shield and pull button to create a vacuum effect that will affect the ball if it gets near you. This is good to use as you approach the ballcarrier, especially if he is on the wing. It can cause a loose ball or can make a locked pass go slightly off target, slowing down the opposing receiver. The downside is that you cannot catch the ball and there is a slight delay until you can kick. Also be careful in front of the goal. A pass/shot going wide may be pulled onto the goal frame.

Shield - Holding the shield button will prevent you from catching the ball. Useful if you have one hit of health. Unlike the sucker, you can kick through your shield. You can cause a lot of loose balls and turnovers with this technique. This is an especially good option in front of the goal.

Gun Watching - Be aware of which way attackers are facing. If they are in the scoring area they are likely facing the goal, waiting for a pass to volley. Keep then in check by kicking them back. Also, as you approach a ballcarrier near the wall, see if he is looking to cross or pass back. Attack the carrier from the direction he is facing to cause the most trouble.

Going for the KO - If you get close to the ball carrier, go for the KO by holding down the kick button. It will ensure the quickest two kicks. If you are marking a man and don't want to go for an interception, wait for the receiver to catch it and immediately go for the KO.

Preemptive Kick - Ballcarriers do not want to lose health, so they may pass before you enter the kick range. Perform a kick in the passing lane as you approach the ballcarrier and you may create a loose ball.

Recover to the Goal - If you get beat or lost in a fast pinball play, especially near the box, recover towards the goal line. You may be able to kick the ball off the line at the last moment as you get your bearings.

Get Rid of It - Sometimes a defender may unexpectedly get the ball under intense pressure. Sometimes the better play is to dump the ball to an open space instead of risking getting KOed.

Slingshot - Sometimes if you get beat, you may be able to slingshot yourself back into position.

3v1 - If there is a 3v1, force the ball to the wing by approaching the center attacker. Mark the center player, but be ready to jump in the passing lane of the far attacker. The ball carrier sees that you are marking the center attacker and thinks the far attacker is open, when in fact you have both attackers covered.

Scoring as a Defenseman - Defenseman do not get goals, usually. Opposing keepers and opponents in general love to quickly make a locked pass to the deepest forward/midfielder. If you are marking the deepest attacker closely, be ready for a locked pass and jump on the pass. Sometimes the keeper is out of position to the side, or goes to boost a teammate. If you can jump the pass, you have a good shot at volleying the ball at an empty goal.

Playing the Margins - When going up against skilled competition you will have to play the margins to force a turnover. Skilled competition makes few mistakes, so you need to bait passes that you can just barely get to. Bait a shot that you can just barely get to. Kick an opponent at the margin of your kick range to keep the best position possible. At high levels, matches are decided on the slimmest of margins.

Reception to Pass Timing - I would say most players take 0.4 to 0.5 seconds to receive a ball and lock a pass to a teammate if they are trying to pass quickly and safely. Get used to this timing and jump into the passing lane, or kick the man you are marking based on this timing to cause a turnover or loose ball.

Cherry Picking

Cherry picking is the job of the forward. While your opponent has the ball the forward should try to either hang out in the scoring area, or make constant runs at the scoring area. If your team gets possession the forward should be ready for a pass, usually locked. Jump, kick, and juke the defender to receive the pass in the scoring area for a quick shot. I see no use in cherry picking halfheartedly. If your team is going to do it, you need to be good at it and do it all game long, otherwise you are going to turn the ball over too much. It should be noted that an agressive cherry picker may be able to intercept passes back to both the defenseman and the goalkeeper. If you are not going to cherry pick, your forward should defend the opposing defenseman and interpect passes back to him.

Defending a good cherry picker can be difficult, but doing it properly can lead to quick counterattacks. Mark the forward as best you can, force him out of the scoring area. Make him catch the ball away from the goal and you will be fine. The defender may camp the box if he chooses. I would recommend the goalkeeper never go for an interception. A good cherry picker can beat the goalkeeper and shoot at an empty goal.

Goalkeeping

The goalkeeper's responsibilities are more limited than other positions, but not any less important. I know the least about goalkeeping, and I suck at it, so these tips come with less expertise.

Make Saves - Catch the easier shots from far away to maintain possession for your team. Kick away fast and close shots. The kick cone is your safest option because it's bigger than your catch radius.

Be a Passing Option - When the opponents are attacking, your teammates may get a hold of the ball under duress. Hold still and be an option for your teammate to pass back to. If you move it could cause an own goal. During a normal attack upfield by your team, be ready to receive a pass back from a teammate under pressure.

Track Down Loose Balls - Always be ready to dodge out and grab a loose ball. Maintaining possession is very important.

Love the Bomb - Get good at the long charged pass. If you can hit a breaking teammate in stride near the scoring area it can mean a goal. Low curved passes can work as well. Practice.

Beware Aggressive Opponents - Some opposing attackers will hang around and get in your face after you make a save. Be sure to have enough room to get your outlet pass away. Dodge around if you need to.

Boost Up or Block - If the ball is in a teammates hands upfield with space, you should boost other teammates up. Look for double boosts up as well, boost your midfielder towards your defenseman. You may also choose to block opponents' boosts back. Do this if you trust your ballcarrier to not pass back to you or an own goal may occur.

Assist in Defending - If one of your defenders gets beat near the box you should temporarily mark the attacker in the scoring area. This can confuse the opposing ballcarrier and buy your team time to recover.

Tricks

I don't recommend players rely on tricks, but everyone should try these tricks at the least and see if they are good at them. They work in certain situations.

Spins and Rolls - Strange things happen when you shoot a spinning or rolling ball at the wall or ground. Pass around defenders with a rolling ball instead of juking them. Fool a goalkeeper with a rolling shot. Perhaps you can harness physics to your advantage.

Dribble - Sucking the ball will allow you to dribble as long as you generally keep some forward momentum. Your run speed is the same as if you are carrying the ball, but sometimes you can dribble right past a defender if you jump, turn, and spin just right. The ball does not act normally while it is being dribbled, which can benefit the dribbler.

Spinning Sucker - I don't think this is very useful, but google Pogge Supraball. I think just grabbing the ball gives you better options, but I have seen some amazing turn around goals.

Bees in the Box - After getting knocked out you are invulnerable for a certain amount of time. This invulnerability was put in the game to allow attackers to get out of the p-box so that they do not get knocked out multiple times in a row. This invulnerability can be exploited to spend some time in the box harrassing the keeper, disrupting defenders, or waiting for a pass in the scoring area with no consequence for a few seconds.

Penix - Two attackers are following eachother upfield, front player possessing the ball. Shoot the ball against the forward wall and receive the boost. Volley a shot with great speed(Penix success), or catch it and make a decision(limp Penix). The Penix is an old Deathball move that has been made nearly extinct in Supraball. :(

Team Offense Philosophy

Get goals, right? Well, goals will happen, but I believe in getting chances in the scoring area. Good boosting, good passing, and possession are the 3 keys to offense in Supraball.

An offensive attack can have 100 different variations but there are some common situations in every game.

Odd-man Rush - 2v1 or 3v2 - Your team has the advantage in numbers upfield.

The ball needs to be moved up to these attackers quickly. Against well positioned defenders in this situation, the ballcarrier is going to have to make a great play. There are two good options: juke the defender and pass, or take the shot. The ballcarrier has to be able to read the defender(or defenders) and be decisive. Take what the defender gives you. Do not hesitate or pass to yourself off the wall. Doing so only benefits your opponents. They have more time to boost back if you hesitate. If you shoot the ball off the wall, you lose control of the ball for a short time and defenders can take advantage of this.

I recommend all attackers in an odd-man rush run straight at the goal and force the defenders to make their choice as early as possible. Run into the box if you can get away with it. Defenders know that many attackers never want to set foot in the box because they don't want to risk getting knocked out. So many defenders will play angles that cut off the top of the box, leaving angles underneath into the box open. If you have a team, run odd-man rush drills all the time. Your offense needs to be able to score in this situation because it is not going to get any easier for an offense.

Base Offense - 3v3 or 4v4 - The opposing team has boosted back well and numbers upfield are even.

Take your time and wait for the opportunity. Possession of the ball is important. If your team has the ball, your opponents cannot score. Also, not having possession for a while can make some players uneasy and they may take unnecessary risks, opening up space for your offense. It's perfectly okay to pass back to your defenseman or keeper to maintain possession.

If your opponents have 4 defenders back, pass to your defenseman so that he can draw one out and open up more space for your attackers. Use your defenseman like a point guard in basketball. While he has the ball and is not under pressure, the 3 attackers should be trying to beat their men by pushing, pulling, juking, and running across the middle. An attacker has beat his man if he gets behind his man, and is running towards the scoring area. If an attacker beats his man, the ballcarrier needs to get the ball to him as soon as possible for the shot, time is limited. Sometimes a direct pass will not work because the defender has jumped into the passing lane. Look for another open teammate to change the passing angle to the eventual shooter.

When the ball carrier gets pressure, other attackers should retreat to an open space to provide a passing option.

Be aware if an attacker gets into the box and gets knocked out. The defense may forget about him for a moment allowing for a pass to the knocked out man in the scoring area.

Attacking the middle of the field has two benefits. It is closer to the scoring area and you can boost back quicker if your offense turns the ball over. The most common mistake I have seen new players make is that they do not attack the middle, they get open to the outside because they want the ball. Having the ball near the wall is exactly where your opponents want you. There are no good offensive options from that location, the defenders have the angles covered. If the attacker is near the wall and a turnover happens, it's a long way to the nearest teammate for a boost back. So make runs as close to the scoring area as you can so you can catch the ball there and get a good scoring chance. Every split second you can get counts.

Watch for the Broomstick play. From the wing, perform a locked pass to a boosted teammate for a fast volley shot. This is usually available when your defenseman boosts a midfielder up through the middle of the field. It can also be available high in the air in the scoring area.

Team Defense Philosophy

Don't get beat. Everyone defends. Identification, good position, and pressure are the keys to defense in Supraball.

Identify your man(men) - The first thing you need to know is who your man is, or if you need to be covering two attackers. A look at your minimap should tell you everything you need to know. How many attackers? How many defenders? Where are the boosts coming from?

Positioning - Stay between your man and your goal and it will be hard for your opponents to get a good shot.

Switching Assignments - If your opponents make a crossing run, switch men with a teammate. If two defenders are covering one attacker then another attacker is open. Constantly reidentify your man.

Pressure - Stay close enough to your man to attack him, but far away enough to prevent a slingshot pull past you. If you get too close be sure to kick him away from your goal. Try to stay on the edge of hit/pull range.

Base Defense - 3v3 or 4v4 - Man to man defense. If everyone is in good defensive position, it is only a matter of time before you will get the ball. It could be a poor pass, a poor shot, a loose ball scramble, or a knockout. If a defender gets beat, the other defenders should be aware and play a zone until the beat defender can recover.

Odd-man Rush - 2v1 or 3v2 - Zone defense and retreat. This situation is all about buying time for your teammates to boost back. Judge where each attacker is and make sure you are in a position where you can get to both attackers before or as they enter the scoring area. If one attacker is too far ahead of the other, you may have enough time to get a hit on him or at the least kick him back, buying a little time. As they attack, your angles become worse and you have to make a choice. 1. Take the ballcarrier or 2. Take the open man. If you take the ballcarrier, turn and juke at the open man, then turn and attack the ballcarrier from an angle where you have either the pass, or the shot, or both covered. If you take the open man, juke at the ballcarrier, then turn and kick the open man away. I usually take the ball carrier. It's harder to make a shot past potentially two players than one, and it's hard to make a pass around a defender coming from the passing lane.

The general idea is all about waiting for the opponent to make a mistake and then counterattacking to get a 2v1 or 3v2 chance on offense. It may make for a low scoring game, but if you defend well, your team should only need 4-5 goals to win.

Boosting, Blocking, Loose Balls, and Timing Strategies

Boosting - A key mechanic of the game. Look at your minimap to identify teammates to boost or receive a boost from. Most boosts are going to happen in the center of the field. Defensemen/goalkeepers should boost midfielders up and forwards should boost them back.

Normal Boost - The booster should aim up while boosting for maximum distance. The boostee should jump immediately before the boost and use all 3 air jumps for maximum distance. The boostee should also round off his run as he approaches the booster. He wants to be moving in the direction of the boost when it happens.

Double Boost - If two players boost the same teammate, he will go faster than a normal boost. Keepers and defensemen may want to wait to boost up a midfielder so that he gets a double boost. Also, a boost in succession adds to the speed of the boostee.

Catch Momentum Mini-Boost - You can boost a teammate slightly by firing a hard charged pass to them. If the receiver is in the air when he catches it, he will get a slight boost in the direction the ball was heading.

Stacked Boost - If two teammates are close together and one has the ball with space in front of him, shoot a weak shot into that space and receive a boost. Pull the ball and take all your jumps for maximum distance upfield.

Banana Split Boost - With practice, it is possible for two players to boost eachother at the same time. Run in the direction you want to go along with your teammate, facing eachother. The angle you are facing is very important. Kick eachother and take all 3 jumps to get as much distance as you can. This boost gets more cumulative distance for the two of you than if one player boosted another up/downfield more directly.

Boost Awareness - Ballcarriers should be aware of pending boosts by their teammates. An early pass to two teammates that are trying to boost may cause a loose ball. If you have time and space, wait for the boost to occur and then make the pass.

Blocking - Just as good as boosting up your teammates is blocking your opponents from boosting. The defenseman and even a midfielder should block boosts if their team has numbers upfield and they are in position to do so.

Directional Boosting/Blocking - Know that kicking a player will kick him generally in the direction the kicker is facing. This can be useful in boosting around an opponent instead of into him.

Loose Balls - Loose balls can be good for your team or bad. They make for close plays that often lead to goals. The more you play, the more you will be able to identify which team is going to get possession by looking at the minimap. Boost to a loose ball if it is an option. Be aware though, sometimes the smart play is to not take all 3 air jumps. If it becomes clear that the opponent will get the loose ball, do not take all your jumps. Instead, land and recover to a defensive position.

Reassess Your Situation (Offensive) - Sometimes your team messes up so bad that it is possible to benefit. If you lose possession and your boosts back get blocked, the opponent will get a shot off fairly quickly. At some point in time, it becomes impossible for you to make it back to defense in time to affect the first attack. Consider having two cherry pickers at this point. If your team manages to make the save or deflect the ball upfield you will have a wide open 2v1 opportunity.

A Game of Waves (Defensive) - If you viewed a game of Supraball from up high(or the minimap) you would see both teams moving back and forth in waves depending on who has possession. Blocking boosts are disruptions in these waves. It causes an odd man rush for a limited amount of time. Defensemen should block boosts back until a point in time where the block will have no effect on the first attack. At this time the defenseman is actually causing an odd man rush position for the opponents. Too many blocks will not matter if your team scores, but if your team does not score you are in trouble. When this point in time comes, the defenseman should actually let the opponents boost back and get into good defensive position.

Winning Championships

Teams that follow the tips above will win games, but winning championships is another level.

Desperation - If your team is down by a goal or two and time is running out, pull out all the stops. Shift your defenseman up and pull your keeper for extra attackers as time is expiring. Getting the win or tie is more important than goal differential.

Milk the Clock - If your team is up by one or two goals as time is expiring, withdraw your forward and defend with everyone. Clog up the box and don't let anything through. If you have the ball, spread out all over the field and make safe passes.

Rotating Positions - Assuming that your players are good at multiple positions, you can choose to rotate positions as different situations arise. A defenseman may join the attack as a midfielder drops back. Rotations can confuse the opponent momentarily, possibly leading to a goal. Sometimes a teammate may not be accomplishing much and you need to try something different to get a spark.

Chemistry - Playing with the same teammates and knowing their tendencies is an advantage that you will want to get over the hump. Run drills with your team to build chemistry.

Trust - Trust in your teammates ability can allow for better teamplay. If every defender trusts that their teammates are covering their men properly, then each teammember can pressure their man harder and not look over their shoulder. If a midfielder trusts his keeper to make a good pass up to a 2v1, the midfilder can turn around and block. Chemistry and consistancy breeds trust.

Communication - Communication is another advantage. Use voice chat during games to communicate things a teammate may be missing. Talk about what you did right and wrong after a game without judgement to learn from your mistakes. Talk about why you made a certain choice and see if your teammates agree, or disagree strongly.

Emotions - Keep your emotions in check. This is a competitive game and the adrenaline is high, but keep a cool head and don't say something you may later regret.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed reading my tips and my strategies. Supraball is still in testing, but the gameplay has stayed steady for a while now. I will update this document in the future if necessary.

Care to argue? Do you have other strategies? I'd love to consider them. Start a thread in the Supraball subreddit. http://www.reddit.com/r/Supraball/

Don't have a team? Join us in IRC for pickup games or to schedule a scrimmage.

Europe - http://webchat.quakenet.org/?channels=supraball

North America - http://webchat.quakenet.org/?channels=supraball.na

www.supraball.net