Ultimate Frisbee
Preface
The purpose of the rules of Ultimate is to provide a guideline which describes the way the game is played. It is assumed that no Ultimate player will intentionally violate the rules; thus there are no harsh penalties for inadvertent infractions, but rather a method for resuming play in a manner which simulates what would most likely have occurred had there been no infraction.
In Ultimate, an intentional foul would be considered cheating and a gross offense against the spirit of sportsmanship. Often a player is in a position where it is clearly to his/her advantage to foul or commit some violation, but that player is morally bound to abide by the rules. The integrity of Ultimate depends on each player's responsibility to uphold the spirit of the game, and this responsibility should not be taken lightly.
I. Introduction
1. Description. Ultimate is a non-contact sport played by two seven-player teams. The object of the game is to score goals. The disc may only be moved by passing, as the thrower is not allowed to take any steps. Any time a pass is incomplete, intercepted, knocked-down, or contacts and out-of-bounds area, a turnover occurs, resulting in an immediate change of possession of the disc. A goal is scored when a player successfully passes the disc to a teammate in the endzone which that team is attacking.
2. Spirit of the Game. Ultimate has traditionally relied upon a spirit of sportsmanship which places the responsibility for fair play on the player himself. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of the bond of mutual respect between players, adherence to the agreed-upon rules of the gam, or the basic joy of play. Protection of these vital elements serves to eliminate adverse conduct from the Ultimate field. Such actions as taunting of opposing players, dangerous aggression, intentional fouling, or other "win-at-all-costs" behavior are contrary to the spirit of the game and must be avoided by all players.
II. Clarifying Statements
1. Phrases:
A. A "player" is any of the fourteen (14) persons who are actually participating in the game at any one time.
B. To "put the disc into play" means that the thrower establishes a pivot foot and is ready to throw.
C. "Where the disc stops" refers to the location where the disc is caught, comes to rest naturally, or where it is stopped from rolling or sliding.
2. There are no scrimmage lines or off-sides (except on throw-offs) in Ultimate.
3. The disc may be passed in any direction.
4. The rolling or sliding disc may be stopped by any player, but it may not be purposefully advanced in any direction. Possession is gained where the disc stops.
5. No defensive player may ever pick up the disc.
III. Length of Game
1. Time
A. Each half lasts for twenty (20) minutes of running time. Five minute half-time.
B. Each overtime period lasts for five (5) minutes of stopped-time.
IV. Substitutions
1. Substitutions can be made only:
A. After a goal and before the ensuing accepted throw-off;
B. Before the beginning of a period of play;
C. To replace an injured player(s).
V. Endzones
1. If a team gains possession in the endzone which it is defending:
A. The player taking possession must make the immediate decision to either:
1). Put the disc into play from that spot, or
2). Carry it directly to the closest point on the goal line and put it into play
from there. If this option is chosen, the player taking possession may not throw a pass during the approach.
B. To fake or pause after gaining possession commits the player to put the disc into play at that point.
VI. Scoring
1. A goal is scored when an offensive player completes a pass to a teammate in the endzone which his/her team is attacking.
2. In order for the receiver to be considered in the endzone after gaining possession of the disc, his/her first point of contact with the ground must be completely in the endzone.
3. A player cannot score by running into the endzone with the disc. Should a receiver's momentum carry him/her into the endzone after gaining possession, he/she must carry the disc back to the closest point on the goal line and put the disc into play from there.
4. A player must be completely in the endzone and acknowledge that s/he has scored a goal. If that player plays the disc unknowingly into a turnover, then no goal is awarded.
VII. Turnovers
1. An incomplete, intercepted, knocked-down, or out-of-bounds pass results in a loss of possession.
VIII. The Thrower
1. The thrower is the offensive player in possession of the disc, or the player who has just released the disc.
2. If the disc is on the ground, whether in- or out-of-bounds, any member of the team becoming offense may take possession of the disc. Once an offensive player has picked up the disc, that player is required to put the disc into play.
3. The thrower must establish a pivot foot and may not change that pivot foot until the throw is released.
4. The thrower has the right to pivot in any direction. However, once the marker has established a legal defensive position, the thrower may not pivot into him/her.
5. If the disc is dropped by the thrower without defensive interference, it is considered an incomplete pass.
6. The thrower may throw the disc in any way s/he wishes.
IX. The Marker
1. Only one defensive player may guard the thrower at any one time; that player is the marker.
2. The marker may not straddle (i.e. place his/her foot on either side of) the pivot foot of the thrower.
3. There must be at least one disc's diameter between the upper bodies of the thrower and the marker at all times. It is the mutual responsibility of both players to respect each other's position and not encroach into this area once it is established.
4. The marker cannot position his/her arms in such a manner as to restrict the thrower from pivoting.
5. Stalling
A. Once a marker has established a set guarding stance on the thrower, s/he may initiate a count.
B. The count consists of the marker calling "Stalling" or "Counting" and counting at one-second intervals from one to ten (1-10), loudly enough for the thrower to hear.
C. If the thrower has not released the disc at the first utterance of the word "ten" (10), a turnover and a check result.
D. If the defense decides to switch markers; and if the new marker wishes to initiate a stalling count, s/he must start again from "one" (1).
E. In the event of a stall, the once-marker, now offensive player, does not have to take the disc after the check. The once-thrower, now marker, checks the disc to the new thrower; if s/he does not want the disc, the marker "checks" the disc by placing it on the ground and calling "in play".
X. The Receiver
1. The Receiver is an offensive player either in the act of catching the disc, or not in possession of the disc.
2. Bobbling to gain control of the disc is permitted, but purposeful, controlled bobbling to oneself (i.e., tipping, delaying, guiding, or brushing) in order to advance the disc is considered traveling and is not allowed.
3. The Receiver gains possession by demonstrating sustained contact with a non-spinning disc.
4. After catching a pass, the receiver is only allowed the fewest number of steps required to come to a stop and establish a pivot foot.
5. If the receiver is running as s/he catches the disc, the receiver may throw a pass before the third ground contact after catching the disc without coming to a complete stop.
6. If the disc is caught simultaneously by offensive and defensive players, the offense retains possession.
7. If a pass arrives in such a manner that it is unclear whether a catch was made before the disc contacted the ground (grass is considered part of the ground), the player(s) with the perspective makes the call (usually the receiver).
8. If it is ever unclear whether a receiver was in- or out-of-bounds at the point of making a catch, the player(s) with the best perspective makes the call.
9. If an airborne receiver jumps and makes a catch, and is contacted by a defensive player before landing, and that contact caused the receiver to land out-of-bounds instead of landing in-bounds, the receiver must either call him/herself out-of-bounds, or call a foul on the defensive player
10. First ground contact determines possession. The ground can cause an incomplete pass, resulting in a turnover.
XI. Fouls
1. Fouls are the result of physical contact between opposing players. A foul can only be called by the player who has been fouled and must be announced by calling out the word "Foul!" loudly immediately after the foul has occurred.
2. The player initiating contact is guilty of a foul.
3. Throwing Fouls:
A. A throwing foul may be called when there is contact between the thrower and the marker.
B. Contact occurring during the follow-through (after the disc had been released) is
not sufficient grounds for a foul, but should still be avoided whenever possible.
C. When a foul is committed by the thrower or the marker, play stops and possession reverts back to the thrower after a check.
D. If the thrower is fouled in the act of throwing and the pass is completed, the foul is automatically declined and play continues without interruption.
E. If the marker is fouled in the act of throwing and the pass is not completed, play continues without interruption.
4. Catching Fouls:
A. A catching foul may be called when there is contact between opposing players in the process of attempting a catch, interception, or knock-down. A certain amount of incidental contact during or immediately after the catching attempt is often unavoidable and is not a foul.
B. If a player contacts an opponent before the disc arrives and thereby interferes with that opponent's attempt to make a play on the disc, the player has committed a foul.
C. if a player's attempt to make a play on the disc causes significant impact with a legitimately positioned stationary opponent, before or after the disc arrives, that player has committed a foul.
D. Dangerous, aggressive behavior or reckless disregard for the safety of fellow players is always a foul.
E. If a catching foul occurs and is uncontested, the player fouled gains possession at the point of the infraction. If the call is disputed, the disc goes back to the thrower.
XII. Violations
1. A violation occurs when a player violates the rules in a manner which does not result in physical contact (e.g., throwing a pass during an approach to the goal line; illegal guarding position by the marker; not establishing a pivot foot after carrying the disc in from out-of-bounds, etc).
2. A violation may be called by any player who recognizes that a violation has occurred. The player must immediately call "violation" or the name of the specific violation loudly.
3. Traveling:
A. The thrower must keep all or part of the pivot foot in contact with a single spot on the field. Should the thrower lose contact with that spot , the thrower has traveled.
B. If the receiver obviously takes more steps than are required to stop after a pass, that player has traveled.
C. If a receiver, after receiving a pass on the run, releases a pass after the third ground contact and before coming to a complete stop, that receiver had traveled.
4. Strip:
A. No defensive player may touch the disc while it is in the hands of the thrower. If a defensive player does so, causing the thrower to drop the disc, the thrower calls, "Strip".
B. The player then picks up the disc and play continues unhalted from the point where the thrower regained possession.
C. If a count was in progress as the disc was stripped, the count is temporarily halted until the thrower regains possession.
5. Double-Team:
A. Only one marker is permitted to guard the thrower.
B. No other defensive player may establish a position within three (3) meters of the pivot foot of the thrower, unless s/he is guarding another offensive player in that area.
C. Should the thrower recognize a double-team situation, s/he first calls "Double Teaming" as a warning. If the defensive team continues to double team, the thrower calls "Double Teaming" again, and it is a violation.