What is Ultimate?
Ultimate, also sometimes known as Ultimate Frisbee, is a competitive team sport played with a flying disc. The sport was invented in the late 1960's by high school students in New Jersey. Ultimate has come a long way since then, with almost 5 million players worldwide, but the game is still very much the same.
The Ultimate field is 70 yards long and 40 yards wide, and has two end zones that are each 25 yards deep. Each team has 7 players on the field at a time. Points are scored when a player catches the disc in the opponent's end zone (much like a touchdown in football).
Play initiates when both teams line up on their respective goal lines, and one team "pulls" the disc to the other. The offensive team must then pass the disc downfield, trying to score a point. A player in possession of the disc may not move, except around a pivot foot. That player also must throw the disc within 10 seconds of obtaining it, as counted out by the defensive player guarding them. If at any time, the offensive team drops the disc or the defensive team gets an interception, possession is changed and the offensive team now becomes the defensive team, and vice versa.
Because there are no referees in Ultimate, it is important that all players follow a sportsmanship code called Spirit of the Game. Spirit of the Game encourages highly competitive play, but never at the expense of mutual respect among competitors, adherence to the rules of the game, or the joy of playing Ultimate.
The main governing body for Ultimate is the Ultimate Players Association (UPA), a nonprofit organization that manages the rules and regulations for the sport. They also host the UPA Championship series, which consists of Sectionals and Regionals tournaments, and concludes in a Nationals tournament. The UPA also has many programs to help promote and develop the sport at all levels of play.
For more information about Ultimate, visit Ultimate in 10 Simple Rules.
