SotG: Spirit of the Game. Your Ultimate Frisbee Portal to flying disc sports, games, training, tournaments, news, schwag & social networking

 

sponsored link

Frequently Asked Questions Topics This page is divided into two categories: a General FAQ (questions of general interest about the game of Ultimate) and a Technical FAQ (game play, rules, and equipment). Related Links SotG has several other closely related topic areas. The Academy of Ultimate contains a number of tips for improving game play. Our Play Ulti page has a section with interesting facts and trivia. Finally, our links page contains numerous URL's to other websites.

How many people play Ultimate in North America?

One estimate states that that over 100,000 people play Ultimate in the United States. Currently, there are approximately 20,000 active Ultimate players in Canada. Vancouver has the second-largest Canadian league (after Ottawa) with 3,500 members.

How long does a game usually last?

A typical game is played to 15 points and usually lasts about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.

What’s the difference between an observer and a referee?

Observers are non-players whose role is to carefully watch the action of he game and to perform any or all of the following duties: track time limits, resolve player disputes, censure or eject players for sportsmanship infractions, and render opinions on things such as line calls, and off-side calls. The difference between an observer and a referee is that in general observers only make rulings on infractions called by players and only after players have failed to resolve the issue themselves.

What equipment do you need in order to play?

Ultimate is one of the lease expensive sports to play. All that is required for a game is field space and a disc. It is recommended to wear cleats (such as soccer boots) as well, and collapsible cones are helpful for marking the boundaries of the play field.

Are all discs the same?

No. Ultimate is played with a 175 gram disc, which is heavier and sturdier than the recreational discs that most people are familiar with. The weight, diameter, shape of rim, and plastic all factor in the properties of disc flight. The UPA (Ultimate Players Association) has developed very rigorous disc standards to ensure that players have access to the highest quality discs possible. The Discraft Ultra-Star 175 gram disc is currently the official disc of the UPA. The Daredevil disc is also accepted.

How can I start playing?

Most cities welcome new players to their Ultimate leagues and pickup games. You can use our forum to ask about teams in your area. The UPA website (www.upa.org) offers links to many Ultimate clubs across the United States. The UPA has developed the Ultimate Instructional Kit (available through www.wrightlife.com) that includes 14 instructional discs covering the basics of the game, a skills and drills manual, and many other items that can help you start an Ultimate program in your community.

Want to improve your Playing Skills? The SotG Academy is a great resource for beginning and experienced players alike.

Will Ultimate ever become an Olympic sport?

The UPA and WFDF (World Flying Disc Federation) have been working to achieve the best presentation of Ultimate and other disc sports on the worldwide sport scene for some time. A major milestone in this effort occurred in 2001 when Ultimate was included in the World Games for the first time as a full medal sport. The current climate for inclusion of new events in the Olympic Games is not encouraging. The best possible scenario for disc sports is to continue our emphasis in each hometown, each state, and national community to build the sport at the grass roots level. We must work steadily to make our game better and stronger for our players which will make us increasingly more attractive to various global sports organizations.

What can we do if Sunday pick-up has a poor turn-out?

1. Drink beer at your favourite pub.
2. Play a game of Double Disc Court or Hot Box.
3. Run through some conditioning exercises and drills.
4. Drink more beer, while preparing a list of slurs and criticisms to share with your missing friends the next time you see them.

How hard can Ultimate be? After all, it's just a Frisbee?

According to one observer's tests using a GPS and heart rate monitor, his average heart rate was 126 bpm during one Sunday Ultimate session. His rate peaked at 183 bpm. In 2.5 hours, he recorded running about 3.5 miles, but most of it was sprinting (even though his position was not a deep end receiver).

Do people even care about the Spirit of the Game?

When asked about the importance of continual promotion and preservation of Spirit of the Game, 69% of survey respondents said “it is essential”, and 29% said “I care about it”. When asked about the current status of Spirit of the Game within the UPA competitions in which members compete, 20% said “thriving”; 58% said “surviving”; 14% said “suffering”; and 10% said either “don’t care” or overemphasized”. Reference: upaspc.blogspot.com/2007/04/assessment-finding-spirit-of-game.html

Who threw the first disc?

No one knows, but it was certainly long before plastic was invented. Discus throwing was one of the competitions in the first Olympics held in 776 B.C. Early discs were made of unwrought bronze and iron. They were made by pouring molten metal into a raw circular shape. The discs were revered by the Grecians. In fact, the winner of the discus event received the discus as his prize. Did you know 15th-century Indian soldiers used a lethal throwing weapon called a Chacarani? This item was a flat ring made of steel with a sharpened edge. They hurled a Chacarani at an enemy by spinning them on their fingers, but they were also thrown like a discus. In the early 1900s, workers at the Frisbie Pie Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut made pie tin tossing a regular activity. Since the firm was located near Yale University, it wasn't surprising that Yale students quickly heard about pie tossing and became interested in the fad.

When should you use the Clap Catch instead of the 2-Handed Rim (Lobster) Catch?

Times when the Clap Catch (Pancake) is preferred over the Lobster:

• High wind.
• Stationary or slow-moving receiver.
• Pass between waist and shoulders.

Times when the Lobster is preferred over the Pancake:

• Pass is not between waist and shoulders.
• Any layout.
• Where the defender is on your shoulder or a need to run through disc.
• I like the two-handed rim catch, but I pancake most things in my breadbasket whenever possible. I think the time for the lobster is ripe is on passes at head height or below the knees with a defender nearby. I think that you can get ready to throw more quickly using the Lobster, but that would be more of a tie-breaker than a primary reason.

General Rule:

• Clap Catch: Everything possible.
• Two-Handed Rim Catch: Side catches, front catches with a close defender, low or high throws.
• One-Handed catches: When you need to sky the disc; the disc is too far to one side; for layouts; and sometimes catching below the knees.

Contact: How much is too much?

Some physical contact during game play is unavoidable. If you get bumped and it does not make a significant difference to the game, just keep playing. If the bump made you fall over or drop the disc, then say “Foul” loudly. This will stop the game and then the teams can figure out what to do about the violation. Usually people will try to guess what would have happened if the foul had not occurred. Then the game will continue from this agreed-upon scenario.

The UPA rule II.states that incidental contact is contact between opposing players that does not affect continued play. It is largely unintentional and is so minor as to have no effect on the ability of players to ‘make their play’ either on the disc or in the act of moving around the field. Unintentional, minor contact can still constitute a foul in certain situations, but if the contact is negligible and does not affect your safety or ability to make your play, then it is “incidental” and probably not worth worrying about unless it reflects a consistent lack of control by a player.

Ultimate has the potential for injury caused by collision between players travelling at high/different speeds and in opposing directions. The risk of injury to players is exacerbated by differences in the mass of colliding bodies and is therefore especially significant in mixed Ultimate. Examples:

Situation #1: The T-Bone

Two or more players are unsighted with respect to each other and are converging determinedly on the disc. Who has the right of way? Some will say that the person who gets the disc first was in the right. However, if that comes at the cost of more than “incidental contact” and potentially serious injury for one or both players, then the UPA Rule XVI.H has been contravened by one or more players. Many times, one player will be in a much better position than the other to see the impending collision due to the direction of their approach to the flying disc. Where this is the case the unsighted player should be considered to be ignoring their obligation to fellow players required under XVI.H.3.c.2 by not looking around, and are thus committing a foul.
This foul can and should be called against the ignorant player without a collision having occurred. This call is open to abuse of course, you can claim you would have got the disc with a layout when you weren’t even close, but many rules of Ultimate are open to abuse and yet still function well because of the Spirit of the Game.
Equally, ignorance of an opponents position is abused. Larger (or stupider) players can easily intimidate others by ignoring their presence and charging for the disc anyway. This is “reckless disregard” with “harmful endangerment” and therefore a foul. But what if you’re tough and you choose to ‘take the hit’ and get the disc? Well, in that case, you have committed a foul by not avoiding the collision. If your opponent can still think after the collision they should call this. In whichever case, the collision should be avoided for the sake of safety, the foul should be called, and the disc goes back to the thrower. What happens to the stall count depends as always on who committed the foul and whether or not it was contested.

Situation #2: Hospital Throws

One (or more) player(s) are standing or moving slowly under a descending disc, waiting to try to catch it. Another player is running hard to get the catch or block. The players are somewhat aware of each other’s position but are focusing on the disc. In this situation, the player coming in fast is obliged to make the catch or block without causing anything more than “incidental contact” before, during, and after the arrival of the disc (and by implication, their contact with the disc).

What is more, the Principle of Verticality (UPA XVI.H.3.c.2) prevents a jumping player from jumping into the space above another player since that denies the player the ability to jump straight up into the space to which they are entitled. Furthermore it contravenes UPA XVII.B because the “path between take-off and landing points” was almost certainly occupied. A collision occurring as a result of a play on the disc is as much a foul as one occurring before anyone touches it.

What kind of gear do I need to play Ultimate?

Ultimate-specific boots (with cleats) are designed for the game (Gaia makes these). Good soccer boots are fine too, although some like the width of football cleats. Bring a light-coloured and a dark-coloured jersey to make it easier to divide into identifiable teams. Wear a cap if the weather is hot. If the evening is chilly, bring warm clothes to wear before and after playing and while on the sidelines. Some people find that wearing baseball batter's gloves help to keep their hands warm. Purpose-made Ultimate gloves from LookFly are also available.

Don't forget your disc. Collapsible cones are helpful for marking the boundaries of the play field. A minimum of 8 collapsible, triangular cones will mark out the two end zones. If you have 6 flat, round cones, they are often used to mark the perimeter line at the brick and the middle of the field.

You will definitely need a water bottle and possibly an energy bar or two to maintain your strength while playing.

What's a MAC, and how do I do it?

A MAC, also known as a "mack", actually stands for Midflight Attitude Correction. In the sport of Ultimate, it usually happens by mistake and is illegal if done intentionally to oneself.

To purposely and effectively MAC a disc, one needs to be aware of the direction of spin of the disc. The two possibilities are clockwise (originating from a standard backhand throw from a right-handed player) and counterclockwise (a sidearm throw from a right-handed player). Hard throws with lots of Zs (spin) are the best to MAC.

The correct technique is to have the disc thrown towards you very hard, to allow the disc to pass you (the MACer) on one side of your body, and, as the disc is perpendicular to the throw line, to touch the side of the disc very briefly. If the throw is clockwise, allow the disc to pass your right side (as you are looking at the thrower) and tap the top of the disc's platter near the outside of the disc at the point closest to you. The disc will then take a MAC, climbing upward. If the clockwise throw passes on your left, that tap will send it straight into the ground. Reverse everything for a counterclockwise throw. If the disc passes you on the left, tap the side of the disc, and it will take a MAC upwards. If the disc passes on your right, tap it on the side, and the disc will dive into the ground.

There are some interesting variations of the MAC, such as the foot MAC, which takes some practice. Hitting the disc on the outside edge from the thrower also adds to the level of difficulty.

When does play stop?

According to UPA II.S. Stoppage of play: Any halting of play due to a call, discussion, or time-out that requires a check or self-check to restart play. The term play stops means a stoppage of play occurs.

Note that play does not stop during a turnover or a pull, even if the disc is out-of-bounds.

The UPA XII states that the following results in a stoppage of play:

1. The marker’s count reaches the maximum number before the throw is released (XIV.A.3).
2. The thrower hands the disc to another player.
3. The thrower catches a legally thrown disc. However, it is not a turnover if another player touches the disc during its flight unless the thrower intentionally deflected the disc off another player.
4. The thrower calls a team time-out while the disc is live or in play when no time-outs remain.
5. An offensive player intentionally assists a team mate's movement to catch a pass. If a defender assists a team mate's movement to block or intercept a pass, the intended receiver is awarded possession.
6. An offensive player uses an item of equipment to assist in catching a pass (ie: throwing a hat or shirt at the disc). If a defender uses an item of equipment to assist in blocking or intercepting a pass, the intended receiver is awarded possession.

What causes a turnover?

The UPA XII rules on turnovers. The following conditions result in a turnover:

1. If a pass is incomplete.
2. If the disc becomes out-of-bounds other than as a result of a pull.
3. If the thrower accidentally drops a live disc or a disc in play without defensive interference and it contacts the ground before the thrower regains possession (considered an incomplete pass).
4. If a pass is intercepted by a defensive player that obtains possession of the disc.
5. If the marker’s count reaches the maximum number before the throw is released (XIV.A.3).
6. If the thrower hands the disc to another player.
7. If the thrower catches a legally thrown disc. However, it is not a turnover if another player touches the disc during its flight unless the thrower intentionally deflected the disc off another player.
8. If the thrower calls a team time-out when none remains while the disc is live or in play.
9. If an offensive player intentionally assists a team mate's movement to catch a pass. If a defender assists a team mate's movement to block or intercept a pass, the intended receiver is awarded possession.
10. If an offensive player uses an item of equipment to assist in catching a pass (e.g., throwing a hat or shirt at the disc). If a defender uses an item of equipment to assist in blocking or intercepting a pass, the intended receiver is awarded possession.
11. If a team is charged with an injury time-out that as not caused by an opposing player and the team's injured player does not leave the game.
12. If a player on the receiving team touches the pull before it hits the ground and the disc then hits the ground.

Note that a disc is not subject to a turnover if it is dead.