It is a frantic, fast-paced Frisbee free-for-all and it is catching on big time with athletes everywhere. The sport features elements of basketball, soccer and football while being played without a referee.
The concept promises ultimate excitement. The rules offer ultimate thrills, and the lack of supervision equals ultimate confusion. The sport is called ultimate Frisbee. It is called 'ultimate' because it is the ultimate sport according to many who have played it.
The game has its roots in the inner-city parks of North America, where tossing Frisbees became a pastime. From this humble beginning, a fast-paced, well-organized sport has grown to boast national and world titles. It has even found its way into the athletic programs of some universities.
A fellow by the name of Joel Silver introduced the idea for the more organized game in 1967, and devised a set of official rules in 1970. Ultimate Frisbee mirrors basketball because of the man-to-man coverage, but there is no traveling when you are in possession of the Frisbee. It is like soccer because of the positions and player movement on the field, and it is played on something similar to a football field.
In league play, the two teams of seven compete on a 40-yard by 70-yard playing field with 20-yard end zones. Players are awarded a point every time they cross the goal line and the game ends when one team reaches 15 points. Each point begins with opposing teams in their respective end zones. The defending team throws the disc to the offense. The disc can be moved in any direction by completing a pass to a teammate. Players cannot run with the disc, and the disc holder has 10 seconds to make a play or it is turned over to the opposing team. No physical contact is allowed between the players. When contact is made a foul occurs. When it comes to rules, the players rule. There is no whistle blowing referee. Ever!
Players are responsible for their own foul and line calls and disputes on calls are resolved among the players involved using a special code of ethics known as the Spirit of the Game.
Like many sports there is some communication terminology to become familiar with: Stable is a disc that goes straight when thrown flat - Overstable is a disc that turns left when thrown flat while - Instable turns right when thrown flat - Hyzer is when the disc tilts toward the ground to force it left, with a - Anhyzer the disc tilts to produce a curve from left to right. A player does a - Layout when stretching head-first to catch the disc, and a - Flick is a forward throw, while a - Hammer occurs when you throw the disc upside down over your head.
Jeffrey Taylor is the Associate Editor with Cornerstones Magazine.