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 end zone they wish to defend.
• The other team is given the remaining choice.
• After a point ends, it is recommended that players begin the next point within 90 seconds.
• After a turnover, a player on the team becoming offense may immediately pick up the disc and put it back into play by establishing a pivot foot in-bounds.
• The second half begins with an automatic reversal of the initial choices.
• If the score is tied at the end of regulation, see overtime procedures in section VI.C.3.

Scoring

• A goal is scored when an inbounds player catches a pass in the end zone of attack.
• The team with the most goals at the end of the game is declared the winner.
•  If the score is tied at the end of regulation, play stops and overtime procedures are as follows: Regular Season Games: A 3-minute overtime period is played with a sudden death format. To begin an overtime period, teams must follow the rules for Restarting Play (VI.B.1-2). If no one has scored after the overtime, the game will be determined a tie. Playoffs: The overtime sudden-death period will continue until the first team scores.

Time-outs

• Each team has one 2-minute timeout per half.
• Time-out may be called only by the team in possession of the disc, except that either team may call time-out between points (after a goal, but before the ensuing pull).
• No time-outs during overtime.

Pull

• Play starts at the beginning of each half and after each goal with a “pull” — a player on the pulling team throws the disc toward the opposite goal line to begin play.
• Each time a goal is scored, the teams switch their direction of attack and the team that scored pulls to the opposing team.
• On a pull, players must remain in their end zone (not cross the goal line) until the disc is released.
• A pull may not be made until a player on the receiving team indicates readiness to play by raising a hand.
• After the disc is released, all players may move in any direction.
• No player on the pulling team may touch the pull in the air before a member of the receiving team touches it.
• If a member of the receiving team catches the pull on the playing field, that player must put the disc into play from that spot.
• If the receiving team lets the disc land inbounds anywhere on the field, her or she must pick the disc up at that spot.
• If the pull lands out-of-bounds the receiving team puts the disc into play at the point on the playing field, excluding the end zone, nearest to where it crossed the out-of-bounds line.

In and Out-of-Bounds

• The perimeter lines themselves are out-of-bounds.
• A disc is out-of-bounds when it first contacts an out-of-bounds area or anything which is out-of-bounds.
• For a receiver to be considered in-bounds after gaining possession of the disc, the first point of contact with the ground must be completely in-bounds. If any portion of the first point of contact is out-of-bounds, the player is considered to be out-of-bounds.
• If a player makes a catch in-bounds and momentum then carries him/her out-of-bounds, the player is considered in-bounds (to continue play, the player carries the disc to the point where s/he went out-of-bounds and puts the disc into play at that point). A tap in or check in is necessary as well to signal you are continuing play.
• The thrower may pivot in and out-of-bounds, provided that the pivot foot is in-bounds.

Turnovers

A turnover occurs when:

• A pass is incomplete (dropped, hits the ground, is caught out of bounds, blocked, intercepted). A receiver must retain possession of the disc throughout all ground contact related to the catch (if a player falls to the ground during a catch and drops the disc, it is incomplete).
• The marker’s count reaches the maximum number (10) before the throw is released.
• When a turnover has occured, any member of the team becoming offense may take possession of the disc.
• To initiate play after a turnover, the person picking up the disc must put it into play at the spot of the turnover. If the disc landed out of bounds, the offensive player puts the disc into play at the point where it crossed the out-of-bounds line.

Substitutions

May be made after a goal and prior to the ensuing pull, before the beginning of a half, or to replace an injured or ejected player.