ULTIMATE DEFINITION/BASICS OF THE GAME

Ultimate is a fast-paced, non-contact sports played by both women and men of all ages, though you find that due to the high level exertion it is mostly played by those under 50. I have known some very good players over that age however so don’t let this article dissuade you if you are interested in joining in the fun.

The object is to score points by throwing the disc to your teammates until one of them catches it in the opponent’s endzone. The playing area is like a football pitch except the scoring is done in endzones (like American football) instead of goals. The Defense is doing all it can to keep the Offense from catching the disc. Any time a throw is not caught inbounds, whether it goes out of bounds, hits the ground, is knocked down, or is intercepted a change of possession takes place (called a “turnover”). Beware it is not that easy, a player cannot run with the disc. All progress must be made in the air.

The sport combines great features from many traditional sports. Running and scoring drives like soccer; pivoting, turnovers, and defense like basketball; passing like netball (in that you cannot run after the catch); diving like volleyball….

While a tournament format will spot teams of seven against each other on a large field of grass, the game is extremely flexible and can be played with fewer or greater numbers, on the beach or a small field (I have played indoors as well as on basketball courts). The key is to get some friends together, get a disc and some goal markers (an extra shirt will do) and get out and play.

One important element that is unique to Ultimate is the Spirit of the Game. Ultimate is born out of friends playing a great game together. That is the essence of the Spirit of the Game. Even at the World Championships there are no referees. Players are expected to play fairly and respect their opponents. As strange as it may sound this camaraderie helps move the sport from “good” to “Ultimate.”

For more information about how to play check out the 10 simple rules.