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Communication & Game Calls Every team sport demands good communication between its players It encourages team harmony and flow. Communication enables a group of seven players to act in unison on offense and in concert on defense, greatly increasing the chance of success. Frankly, without communication, team strategy cannot exist. It is one of the six basic principles of good Ultimate. This section describes many of the audible calls that experienced Ultimate players use to signal to their team. These calls allow markers to recognize threats that they cannot see. They allow throwers to signal teammates and sideline players to alert on-field players of defensive lapses. They allow cutters to move loitering offenders out of their way; markers to signal fellow players when the stall count is high; struggling defenders to summon help; and defenders to switch their marks instantly in the midst of a play. This is a very important part of communication, which is one reason that the sideline is often called the eighth man. Communication as a framework Many of the terms noted in this section may seem obvious; your team may use several different calls. However, our intention is to encourage a basic framework of communication while playing Ultimate. Note that the sense of the terminology used below often depends on the context of the play (ie: zone defense). This section also lists the calls that relate to various infractions to the rules of Ultimate. The following topics are considered: Sideline Calls (Defense) Sideline Calls (Offense) Communication On Defense Communication On Offense Responsibility for Calling Infractions Terminology of Infractions

The defensive players on the sidelines can see which side cutters are threatening and where the greatest dangers are on the field. They are therefore in the best position to communicate these threats to the marker. This may include telling them which way to force, not to let the thrower break, to switch the force, to get their hands up or down, and so forth. It is best to let the defender call strikes since they are in a better position to be able to judge if they have been burnt.

It may be hard for the marker to make "Up" and "Break" calls loudly and quickly, either because they are out of breath or are more easily fooled by fakes. The players who are standing on the sideline can help their team by adding their voices to these calls. Also, the sideline has a better perspective on the game than the players on the field, so they can call to specific players.

Sideline Calls Sideline players in Ultimate are not passive. They are an essential part of game play. Calls from the sideline to markers, throwers, and other players can greatly influence the effectiveness of the team and the outcome of the game.

Types Of Calls

• Count aloud the passes (usually to aid the defensive team when the strategy calls for the form of defense to switch partway through the point).
• Assist the zone and markers with threats.
• Encourage players ("Come on, John! You got him!" or "Pick it up, John-you're dogging it!" or "Hot D!").

Game Calls

• Call "Last Back" (continuously remind whoever is last back).
• Call "Strike!" to alert a marker on the sideline that a dangerous sideline threat exists.
• Call "Get inside!" the offender of the player.
• Call "Up" at every pass.
• Call "Keep the force!"
• Call "No break!" "No huck!" "No strike!"
• Turnover (or T.O.): A shout to alert the team that a turnover has occurred.
• See Zone Defense below for additional calls.

Suggested Activities For Sideline Callers

• Hustle downfield with the flow.
• Patrol the opposite sideline.
• Acknowledge good play away from the disc.
• Help to call zone activity.
• Alert the defense.
• Call Poachers.
• Alert receivers.

The same principles stated for defensive players on the sideline apply to Sideline O. Opportunities and openings are often spotted first by active sideline callers.

Types Of Calls

• Alert handlers to potential throws.
• Notify receivers of cuts that become open.
• Encourage players ("Come on, John! You got him!" or "Pick it up, John-you're dogging it!").

Heckling According to the UPA, "Ultimate has a long tradition of good-natured heckling. Heckles are friendly barbs, typically from non-playing spectators." Whether you heckle from the sidelines or from the stands, we have selected some choice examples to share on our Art of Heckling page. The Art of Heckling ...

Game Calls

To it! Run towards the disc since there is a close defender.
Set up: Encourage receivers to quickly set up the stack.

Suggested Activities For Sideline Callers

• Hustle downfield with the flow.
• Patrol the opposite sideline.
• Acknowledge good play away from the disc.
• Help to call cutting lanes.
• Alert the handler of cutters.

Types Of Calls

• Markers are required to audibly count the stall.
• The defense should be particulary vocal during zone play. The hierarchy of communication is explained further below.
• Other communication includes requests for assistance or to announce a change in condition of the game.

Sideline Calls Sideline players in Ultimate are not static. They are an essential part of game play. Calls from the sideline to markers, throwers, and other players can greatly influence the effectiveness of the team and the outcome of the game.

Game Calls

Stalling: A call by the marker to initiate, reinitiate, or resume a stall count.
Time-out: Any player may call a time-out after a goal is scored and before both teams have signaled readiness to start play. During game play, the player with the disc must form a "T" with one hand and the disc to begin the time-out.
Check feet: (if near the end-zone or near the side lines)
Up: A shout to alert defenders that the disc is in the air. It is important for team mates to echo the call.
Force [Home/Away/Line/Middle/Straight]: A shout to alert defenders which force is being used. The call is sometimes suffixed with "Once" as in "Force Line Once" to indicate that the trap play force is only in effect until the thrower passes.
Huck! (or Up Long!): A shout to alert defenders that the disc has been thrown long.
Break: A shout to alert defenders that the force has been broken.
No break! No huck! No strike! A request to the marker to switch the force momentarily to shut down the specific cut.
Switch: A call to another player on defense to switch marks.
Help! A call for assistance by a player whose mark has successfully evaded him/her.
Turnover (or T.O.): A shout to alert the team that a turnover has occurred. It is important for team mates to echo the call.

Zone Defense

I'm going deep now: tells players that you are now the deep-deep.
You're good: There is no imminent threat behind you.
You've got one on your [left]: An offender is behind you [on your left].
Cheat in: You can be more aggressive in front since no offender is behind you.
Drop: Usually a call by the deep-deep to a wing during a zone defense to drop back to defend a deeper receiver.
You've got two: Two offenders are in your region.
[On your] left shoulder: Informs a player precisely where the offender is.
Crash: Informs a middle-middle of a popper coming into the cup.
Stay wide: Informs a wing to move to the sideline to cover their primary responsibility.
Left! Right! Informs a middle-middle which of the two holes in the cup has an offender waiting for the pass.
No break! Tells the on-point marker of the location of a threat on the break side.
No dump! Tells the on-point marker of the location of a threat close to the handler.
No huck! Tells the on-point marker of the location of a threat going deep.
Strike! Tells the on-point marker of the location of a threat of an open-side cut.

Hierarchy Of Communication

• Deeper players (in general) direct and warn the shallower players.
• Players at the same level communicate with each other.
• The middle person in the wall communicates with the adjacent defenders.

General Communication

All players should echo calls made on the field. (UPA XIX.F)

Types Of Calls

• The offense should be quick to repeat a call for an infraction. This is primarily to alert the handler not to throw the disc or to acknowledge the call.
• Most other communication relate to the status of gameplay.

Game Calls

Time-out: A call made by the thrower (after the pull). Any player may call a time-out after a goal is scored and before both teams have signaled readiness to start play. The player must for a "T" with one hand the disc to begin the time-out.
TO: Turnover.
Brick: A signal made by raising one hand into the air and calling "Brick."
Middle: A signal made by raising one hand into the air and calling "Middle."
Run Through: A call to another player to run past the disc without picking it up.
To it! A call to a receiver to run towards the disc since there is a close defender.
Set up: Encourage receivers to quickly set up the stack.
Disc in! The disc is now live and in play; the handler is looking for receivers to make cuts.
Poach: A reciever is not being marked and is requesting the disc (also used to draw the poach back to the receiver).

General Communication

All players should echo calls made on the field. (UPA XIX.F)

Who Can Make Calls? In Ultimate games without Observers, only players (the 14 people currently playing on the game) can make calls. However, the rules also limit some calls to specific players. So, who really is permitted to call infractions and time-outs?

General

Infractions: An infraction may only be called by a player on the infracted team who recognizes that it has occurred, unless specified differently elsewhere. The player must immediately call “violation” or the name of the specific infraction loudly. (UPA XVI.A)

Note: If an infraction is committed and not called, the player committing the infraction should inform the infracted player or team of the infraction. (UPA XIX.B)

Violations And Fouls

Marking Violation: Only the thrower may call a marking violation, and to do so must call out the name of the specific marking violation. (UPA XIV.B.6)
Foul: A foul can be called only by the fouled player and must be announced by loudly calling “foul” immediately after it occurs. (UPA XVI.H.1)
Pick: A pick can be called only by the obstructed player and must be announced by loudly calling “pick” immediately after it occurs. (UPA XVI.I.2)
Obstruction: If play is obstructed by competitors, coaches, spectators or objects within five meters of the playing field, any obstructed player or thrower in possession may call this violation. (UPA III.G)
Middle/Brick: Any player on the receiving team can signal for a brick or middle by fully extending one hand overhead and call “brick” or “middle” before gaining possession of the disc. (UPA VIII.B.6.d.2)

Time-outs

Team Time-out: Any player may call a time-out after a goal is scored and before both teams have signalled readiness to start play. (UPA VI.B.3) After the pull, only a thrower with possession of the disc that has survived ground contact can call a time-out. The thrower must form a “T” with one hand and the disc, and should audibly say “time-out.” (UPA VI.B.4)
Injury Time-out: Any player on the injured player’s team may call an injury time-out. (UPA VI.C.1) Any player on either team may call an injury time-out for a player who is bleeding or has an exposed open wound. (UPA VI.C.7)
Technical Time-out: Any player recognizing a condition that endangers other players may call a technical time-out during play. The thrower may call a technical time-out during play to replace a cracked, torn, deeply gouged, creased, or punctured disc; a warped, wet or dirty disc does not qualify. (UPA VI.D.1) Any player may briefly extend a stoppage of play to correct faulty equipment (e.g., to tie shoelaces or straighten a disc), but active play may not be stopped for this purpose. (Note: Play does not stop during a turnover even if the disc is out-of-bounds.) (UPA VI.D.2)

Line Calls And Contact With Ground

Best Perspective: If it is unclear whether a catch was made before the disc contacted the ground (grass is considered part of the ground), or whether a player’s first point of ground contact after catching the disc was in- or out-of-bounds or in or out of the end zone, the player with the best perspective determines the call. (UPA XV.E)

The Pre-Stall

Any defensive player may give the audible warnings (see below) of the pre-stall. However, only the marker can announce "disc in" after the pre-stall and then call the stall count.

Turnovers on the Playfield Proper: The pre-stall during the time limit to put a disc into play after a turnover when the disc comes to rest on the playing field proper consists of audible warnings of 10, and 5 seconds. (UPA XIII.A.3)
Turnovers outside the Playfield Proper: The pre-stall during the time limit to put a disc into play after a turnover when the disc comes to rest other than on the playing field proper consists of audible warnings of 20, 10, and 5 seconds. (UPA XIII.A.4)
Time-outs: The pre-stall during the time limits of a time-out consists of audible warnings of 20, 10, and 5 seconds. (VI.B.5.d)

Foul: A call made when contact occurs between players of opposing teams, except for incidental contact.

Terminology of Infractions In Ultimate, the actual name of the infraction must be announced OR the word "Infraction!" may be stated. The names of common infractions are described in this subsection.

Offsides: A call made by Observers or a team when the opposing team fails to maintain proper positioning before the pull.

Delay of game: An audible warning that can be made by a defender within 3 metres of the disc's location when the offense is delaying the game. Two seconds after the warning, the marker may call "disc in" and initiate the stall count. A "delay of game" warning may also be announced by any player after the pre-stall when the time limits for a time-out are exceeded by the other team. A player at the disc's location may then self-check the disc into play.

Stall: The call made by a marker when the stall is reached and play stops. Note that a Stall is not a violation in the UPA rules.

20-10-5 (during a pre-stall): The audible warnings by a defensive player (within 3 metres of the disc's location) that precede the marker's ability to initiate a stall count after a turnover.

Disc in: A call made by the marker before initiating a stall count after a delay of game or when the time limits after a turnover (10 or 20 seconds depending on whether or not the disc comes to rest on the playfield proper, including the pre-stall) to put a disc into play have elapsed.

In play: An announcement by the thrower during an offensive self-check after touching the disc to the ground to put it into play. "In play" is also announced by the defender closest to the disc during a defensive self-check. Finally, a marker may not wish to take possession of a disc after a disc is stalled. He may place the disc on the ground and, when the defense is ready, touch the disc and loudly announce "in play."

Fast count: A marking call made only by the thrower when the marker does not say "stalling"; counts at intervals of less than one second; or skips a number in the count.

Double-team: A marking call made only by the thrower when a defensive player other than the marker is within three metres of the pivot of the thrower without also being within three metres of and guarding another offensive player. Merely running across this area is not a double-team.

Disc space: A marking call made only by the thrower when the marker violates the legal disc space between them.

Vision blocking: A marking call made only by the thrower when the marker deliberately blocks the thrower's vision.

Violation (for a marking violation): An optional call made by the thrower when the marker commits a second marking violation during the same stall count but before the thrower is in the act of throwing. The thrower may also announce the actual name of the violation (for example: "Fast count!").

Play on: A call by players when play continues un-halted after an infraction.

Travel: A call by players when a thrower does not maintain a legal pivot on the field. Failure to touch the disc to the ground when required is also a travel violation. A MAC is another type of traveling violation.

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