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This is a point from the final of the Dream Cup in Japan, pitting the USA All-Stars (purple) against the Buzz Bullets (white).

From the position in this picture, Masahiro Matsuno is going to cut to the corner cone and try to receive a pass. Almost inconceivably, Martin Cochran is going to cover nearly the whole width of the field to get a layout block.

The person that Cochran is guarding is not on the screen; you can see in this picture that he is hedging towards the force side, but keeping his eyes on a guy offscreen to the left.

The moment the pass is completed, the situation looks dire for the USA All-Stars.

Matsuno, a Buzz Bullets legend (55 goals and 26 assists in 11 games at WUCC 2010, for example), has steps on Stubbs and the force side cone is wide open. Driscoll, marking the disc, neither helps Stubbs out nor marks the strike cut; this ought to be an easy goal for Buzz Bullets.

Offscreen, Martin Cochran has seen what Driscoll hasn’t.

Cochran comes charging across the field from so far away that the thrower doesn’t even consider him a threat, lofts his throw just a bit, and watches as Cochran turns it into an incredible layout block.

This is D with brains, not with brawn. It is an extremely athletic bid to actually block the disc, but what got him the D was having his head up, not being locked into guarding his own man, seeing the field, and putting out a ton of effort just for a shot at the disc.

When you’re on the field playing defense, don’t just see your guy. See the whole field. When you see somebody get open deep, don’t just watch the throw go up.

If you have your head up, you’re willing to work, and the thrower floats it just a bit or the receiver takes it just a bit too easy, you might earn yourself the chance to make a play like this.

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