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UPA Rules of Ultimate: 10th Edition

2000-2001 Standing Rules Committee

Preface

The purpose of the rules of Ultimate is to provide a guideline describing the way the game is played. It 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 that simulates what would most likely have occurred had there been no infraction.

In Ultimate, an intentional foul is considered cheating and a gross offense against the spirit of sportsmanship. Often a player is in a position where it is clearly to a player's advantage to foul or commit some infraction, 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.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
  1. Introduction
  2. Definitions
  3. Field of Play
  4. Equipment
  5. Length of Game
  6. Time Outs
  7. Substitutions
  8. Starting and Restarting Play
  9. In and Out of Bounds
  10. Endzone Possession
  11. Scoring
  12. Turnovers
  13. Thrower
  14. Marker
  15. Receiver
  16. Violations & Fouls
  17. Positioning
  18. Observers
  19. Ettiquette
Appendix 1:Standard Field Diagram
  1. Introduction
    1. Description: Ultimate is a non-contact disc sport played by two teams of seven players. The object of the game is to score goals. A goal is scored when a player catches any legal pass in the end zone that player is attacking. Players are not allowed to run while holding the disc. The disc is advanced by throwing or passing it to other players. The disc may be passed in any direction. Any time a pass is incomplete, intercepted, knocked down, or contacts an out-of-bounds area, a turnover occurs, resulting in an immediate change of the team in possession of the disc.
    2. Spirit of the Game: Ultimate relies upon a spirit of sportsmanship which places the responsibility for fair play on the player. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of mutual respect among players, adherence to the agreed upon rules of the game, 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, belligerent intimidation, intentional fouling, or other "win-at-all-costs" behavior are contrary to the spirit of the game and must be avoided by all players.
    3. Captain's Clause: A game may be played under any variations of the rules agreed upon by the captains of the teams involved. In tournament play, variations are subject to the approval of the event organizer(s). Such things as length of game, dimensions of the field, number of players and stall count can easily be altered to suit the level of play. Before a game starts, each team designates one captain to represent that team in disagreements and arbitration.
    4. Event Organizers: Event Organizers may modify rules that relate to the logistics of conducting a game to suit the event. Examples of logistics include: The length of the game (game total), upper score limits (caps), time of game limits (time caps), half-time length, number of time-outs, starting time point assessments, player uniform requirements, Observer operations (within the scope of Observer powers as defined below). Any such changes must be established before the start of competition.
    5. General vs. Specific Rules: Many of these rules are general in nature and cover most situations of play. However, some rules cover specific situations and override the general case.


  2. Definitions
    1. Player: A player is any of the up to fourteen (14) persons who are actually participating in the game at any one time.
    2. State of the disc: The state of the disc describes the nature of play at any particular moment during the game. There are three states of the disc:
      1. Disc in play: A disc is in play any time the play may proceed without acknowledgment by the defense. The disc is subject to a turnover. To put the disc into play at a particular spot on the field means to establish the pivot at that spot on the field.
      2. Live disc: A disc is live when players are allowed movement, the disc is subject to a turnover, but the thrower cannot make a legal pass, (e.g., walking the disc to the spot where it is to be put into play or after a call is made but before play has been stopped).
      3. Dead disc: A disc is dead when play has stopped and can only continue with a check. The disc is not subject to a turnover.
      4. When a disc is in the air following a legal pass, the thrower’s team is considered the team in possession.
    3. Ground Contact: Ground contact refers to all player contact with the ground directly related to a specific event or maneuver, including landing or recovery after being off-balance (e. g., jumping, diving, leaning, or falling).
    4. Possession of the disc: Possession of the disc is sustained contact with, and control of, a non-spinning disc.
      1. To catch a pass is equivalent to establishing possession of that pass.
      2. Loss of possession due to ground contact related to a pass reception negates that player’s possession up to that point.
      3. A disc in the possession of a player is considered part of that player.
      4. The team whose player is in possession or whose players may pick up the disc is considered the team in possession.
    5. Pivot: A pivot is the particular part of the body in continuous contact with a single spot on the field during a thrower’s possession. When there is a definitive spot for putting the disc in play, the part of the body in contact with that spot is the pivot.
    6. Legitimate position: Legitimate position is the stationary position established by a player's body excluding extended arms and legs that can be avoided by all opposing players when time and distance are taken into account.
    7. Pull: A pull is the throw from one team to the other that starts play at the beginning of a half or after a goal. It is not considered to be a legal throw for scoring and has many special provisions. See VIII.B for more details.
    8. Brick: A brick is any pull that initially lands out-of-bounds untouched by the receiving team.
    9. Turnover: A turnover is any event resulting in a change of the team in possession.
    10. Event organizer: An event organizer is the person, persons, or entity organizing the competition, whether it is a tournament, tournament series, league, single game or any other type of Ultimate event.
    11. Line: A line is a boundary defining the playing areas. On an unlined field, the boundary is defined as an imaginary line between two field markers with the thickness of said markers. Line segments are not extrapolated beyond the defining markers.
    12. Offensive player: An offensive player is any player whose team is in possession.
    13. Defensive player: A defensive player is any player whose team is not in possession of the disc.
      1. A defensive player may not pick up a disc in play.
      2. A defensive player may not call for a pass from the thrower.
    14. Throw: A throw is a disc in flight following any throwing motion, including after a fake attempt, that results in loss of contact between the thrower and the disc.
      1. A pass is the equivalent of a throw.
      2. The act of throwing is the motion of the thrower that transfers momentum from the player to the disc and results in a throw. Pivots and wind-ups are not considered part of the act of throwing.
    15. Stoppage of play: A stoppage of play is any halting of play due to a call, discussion or time-out that requires a check or self-check to restart play.
      1. Play is considered to have stopped when the player in possession acknowledges the call. If that player gained possession after the call was made, play is considered stopped at the time possession is gained.
      2. The disc is not subject to a turnover unless the continuation rule applies.
      3. In general, before a check occurs, all players must resume their respective positions at the time of the call.
      4. The term "play stops" means a stoppage of play occurs.
    16. Best Perspective: Best perspective is the most complete viewpoint available by a player that includes the relative positions of the disc, ground, players and line markers involved in the play. Best perspective on an unlined field may require sighting from one field marker to another.


  3. Field of Play
    1. The standard field of play is a rectangular area with dimensions as shown on the accompanying diagram (Appendix 1).
    2. The standard field of play is a rectangular area 37 meters (40 yards) wide and 64 m (70 yards) long with 23m (25 yard) end-zones on either end. The Brick Mark is 18m (20 yards) from each end-zone midway between the sidelines.
    3. The playing field and surrounds should be essentially flat, free of obstructions, and afford reasonable player safety. Well-trimmed grass is the recommended surface.
    4. The playing field proper is the playing field excluding the end zones.
    5. The goal lines are the lines that separate the playing field proper from the end zones and are part of the playing field proper.
    6. The corners of the playing field proper and the end zones are marked by cones made of a brightly colored, flexible material.
    7. An additional restraining line is established at least five meters from the perimeter lines surrounding the field. Spectators and gear must remain behind this line to ensure the perimeter is safe and clear during play.
    8. All lines are marked with a non-caustic material.


  4. Equipment
    1. Any flying disc may be used as long as it is acceptable to both team captains. If the captains cannot agree, the current Official Disc of the Ultimate Players Association shall be used.
    2. Players may wear any soft protective clothing as long as it does not endanger the safety of any other player or provide unfair advantage.
    3. Cleats with any dangerous parts are not allowed. This includes metallic baseball cleats, track spikes, and worn or broken studs with sharp edges.
    4. Every player must wear a uniform or other clothing that distinguishes that player from the players on the other team. In tournament play, matching uniforms and numbered jerseys are recommended.
    5. Players may not use clothing or equipment to inhibit or assist the movement of the disc or another player.


  5. Length of Game
    1. Game to goals: A standard game is played until one team’s number of goals scored first reaches or exceeds 15, the game total, with a margin of at least two goals.
      1. Current scoring attempt: The scoring attempt in progress. A scoring attempt begins when the previous goal is scored and ends when a subsequent goal is scored
      2. Caps: Maximum score limits imposed before or during a game to limit the time required to declare a winner. The game ends when one team’s score first reaches the cap.
        1. A soft cap is a maximum score limit imposed before the event
        2. A time cap is a maximum score limit imposed during a game once a predetermined time of play has elapsed and after the current scoring attempt is completed.
        3. A hard cap is the ending of the game once a predetermined time of game has elapsed and after the current scoring attempt is completed. If the score is tied, the teams play until one additional goal is scored.
      3. The team with the most goals at the end of the game is the winner.
    2. Halftime occurs when one team first reaches, or exceeds, half the game total. Halftime lasts ten minutes.
    3. Overtime occurs when the score is tied at one goal less than the game total wherein the winning score will exceed said game total. Play continues until a two-goal margin, or a cap, is achieved,. (Example: In a game to 15 goals, overtime occurs when the score reaches 14-14 and the minimum winning score is determined to be 16).