Main Body
2. Rules
Ultimate has many intricate rules and regulations. USA Ultimate has done a nice job of teasing out the most basic rules and explaining them. Read through USA Ultimate’s website to learn more about the game and its rules.
Gameplay Introduction
Ultimate is a non-contact disc sport played by two teams of seven players with the objective of scoring goals. A goal is scored when a player catches the disc in the end zone that player is attacking. A player may not run while holding the disc. The disc is advanced by passing it to other players. The disc may be passed in any direction. If a pass is incomplete (i.e., hits the ground, is caught out-of-bounds, or is intercepted by a defensive player), a turnover occurs, resulting in an immediate change of the team in possession of the disc. An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through physical contact is a foul. Ultimate is self-officiated – there are no referees; players are responsible for making their own infraction and boundary (including scoring) calls.
Spirit of the Game
Ultimate relies upon a spirit of sportsmanship that places the responsibility for fair play on the player. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of mutual respect among competitors, adherence to the agreed upon rules, or the basic joy of play. Protection of these vital elements serves to eliminate unsportsmanlike conduct from the Ultimate field. Such actions as taunting opposing players, dangerous aggression, belligerent intimidation, intentional infractions, or other “win-at-all-costs” behavior are contrary to the spirit of the game and must be avoided by all players.
Playing Field
The field is a rectangle with an end zone at each end. An official regulation-sized field is 120 x 40 yards, with a playing field length of 70 yards and 20-yard end zones.
Players
- A team consists of seven players.
- A team may start and play a game with as few as five players. You can also play with as little as 3 on a team on a “mini field.”
- It is recommended that in Co-Rec play there is a gender difference of one, though this ratio can be adjusted based on the actual make-up of the teams. For example: three males and four females, or three females and four males on the playing field
The receiving team generally decides the ratio and the pulling team (throwing the disc to initiate play) must match it. If a team cannot match the gender ratio, they may play with fewer players, so long as they do not exceed the number of players of either gender on the opposing team.
Playing the Game
Length of Game
- A game is played to a point total, usually to 13 or 15 but can be adjusted.
- Halftime is taken when one team scores more than half the points. For example, if a game is being played to 13, halftime is when the first team scores 7 points.
Starting and Restarting Play
- A disc toss, will be conducted by representatives of the two teams. The winner chooses to either receive the initial pull, or select the e