Ultimate frisbee is a fast free-flowing game played world-wide which combines elements of netball, soccer, grid-iron and touch footy. The basic aim is for the team with the frisbee to pass the disc up the field to others on their team and catch it in the endzone. At the same time the defensive team is trying to intercept it or knock it down. If they succeed, they get possession of the frisbee and are trying to score in the other endzone.
Unique to Ultimate, and central to individual and team conduct, is the underlying 'Spirit of the Game', which embodies the sportsmanship which has sadly been lost from other sports. Players on the field make their own calls when fouls etc. are incurred. When disputes arise, the frisbee returns to the player who made the last pass and the game resumes. The absence of umpires leads to the need for a good, honest spirit even when playing in highly competitive situations. Resulting from this, the 'Spirit of the Game' award has become a highly coveted award at tournaments. Players undertake to be competitive but fair and truthful, physical but careful, intense but friendly and courteous.
Ultimate is non-contact. Intercepting or knocking down the frisbee must be done without interfering with other players. In practice, a small amount of contact is unavoidable, but deliberate interference or aggressive play is not permitted.
There is no running with the frisbee. When a player catches the frisbee, they must stop as soon as they can. They then have 10 seconds to pass the frisbee to someone else on their team. The 10 seconds is counted out loud by a defender who marks them and tries to prevent them from getting an easy pass away. If they have not thrown the frisbee by the time the count gets to 10, a turnover results.
A turnover also results when the frisbee is thrown out of bounds, when it touches the ground, or when it is dropped. If it is knocked down, the team that threw the frisbee loses possession (unlike touch footy, where the last team to touch the ball loses possession).
The traditional playing field is about 36 metres wide by 64 metres long with 18 metre deep end zones, which can be varied to suit the number and fitness of players. Games can be played to points or to a time limit, although most games have a limit on both.
Ultimate involves a combination of speed, stamina and agility with the need for excellent hand-eye coordination. To become a competent player requires a great deal of practice in the various methods of throwing a disc, skills which are always made more complex in the presence of wind and rain. The 'field sense' skills required in Ultimate can be extended to most team sports and the absence of umpires promotes a good competitive but fair and honest attitude.
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