What is ultimate frisbee?
Ultimate frisbee is a fast-moving, non-contact team sport played with a flying disc that blends elements of football, basketball, and American football. It’s played worldwide by 10 million people on grass, sand, and indoors.
What makes ultimate unique is its focus on fair play and sportspersonship. There are no referees, so players officiate the game themselves through mutual respect and a principle called the “Spirit of the Game.”
It’s often played in mixed gender teams, and can be played by all skill levels. To compete at the highest level, players require speed, agility and endurance, yet beginners find the sport easy to learn and fun to play.
If you’re new to the sport or returning after a break, come join our Beginners sessions. They’re open to all and a great way to learn and practice the basics.
The basics
An ultimate frisbee pitch is similar in length to a football or rugby pitch. There are seven players from each team on the pitch at a time.
The two teams begin standing in opposite endzones. The disc is put into play by one team throwing to the other team. This is called the pull.
Once in play, the disc may be moved only by passing. The player holding the disc must stay put (but may pivot on one foot). That player has 10 seconds to throw the disc. A defensive player, called the mark, can loudly count to 10. This is called the stall count.
When one team successfully advances the disc into the opposition’s end zone, that team scores a point.
Once a point is scored, the teams swap directions and the team that scored pulls to the other team.
If a pass is incomplete, intercepted, caught out of bounds, or the disc is not thrown by the ‘T’ of ten in the stall count, the opposing team immediately gains possession and tries to move the disc in the other direction.
The game is played until an end condition is reached, either a certain number of points (typically 15) or a time limit.
Spirit of the Game
There are no referees in ultimate. Players make their own foul calls and settle disputes according to procedures laid out in the Rules of Ultimate. Upholding the principles of ‘Spirit of the Game’ is essential to making the game work:
- Know the rules
- Avoid fouls and body contact
- Be fair-minded and respectful
- Have a positive attitude
- Show self-control
It’s also common to introduce yourself to your opponent at the start of game, complement them for good play or spirit during the game and review the game together as teams afterwards.
Hear more about the sport, spirit of the game, and the ultimate frisbee community around the world:
Terminology
- Pull: When one team throws the disc to the other team at the start of a point.
- Endzone: The area you have to catch it in to score.
- The Force: The player who is marking whoever has the disc. They are responsible for counting the 10 seconds the player has to make a pass (known as the stall count).
- Force Home: Forcing is a common defensive strategy where the defenders attempt to force the other team to only throw to one side of the pitch. The Home side is the side of the pitch with all the bags. Video explaining the force.
- Force Away: The Away side is the side of the pitch that doesn’t have all the bags. Video explaining the force.
- Deep: Towards the endzone (eg. away from where the disc is).
- Under: Towards the disc (eg. away from the endzone you’re trying to score in).
- Huck: A long throw towards someone who is running deep.
- Stack: A common offensive tactic where players start by standing in a line. The stacks can be Horizontal (eg. across the pitch) or Vertical (eg. up and down the pitch). You’ll often here these shortened to Horo/Ho and Vert. Short videos explaining: Horizontal and Vertical stacks.
- Hex: A different offensive tactic to Stack that involves players spreading out on the pitch and keeping the disc moving quickly. Short video explaining Hex.
- Match: Players will choose a player to mark at the start of the point and continue to mark them throughout (used to be called ‘man marking’, we use a gender-neutral term).
- Zone: A different defensive tactic to Match where players instead mark an area on the pitch. Tends to be used more often when it is windy. Short video explaining Zone.
- Dump: An easy backwards or sideways throw.
- Flick: Synonym for a forehand throw.
- Hammer: A throw that is released above your head.
- Break: A throw that goes in the direction the force is trying to prevent.
- Handler: A player who starts with the disc after a turn and generally makes themselves available to the player with the disc for an easy backwards throw (often called a dump throw)
- Cutter: A player who starts further towards the endzone than the handlers and makes runs (or cuts) to get free.
- Cap: The maximum score of the game, often 15 points.
To see how the game flows, check out this video of a game between USA and Canada in the 2024 mixed division world championships:
Improve your game
Here’s a list of resources where you can enhance your knowledge of the game:
Ultimate Skills videos – a list made by one of our members of some of their favourite ultimate skills and tactics videos.
UK Ultimate – The governing body of Ultimate in the UK: find out about the latest news and events from around the UK.