About Ultimate

Ultimate History

Emerging from frisbee games played at camps in colleges, Ultimate was created in 1968 when students at Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey wrote down basic rules for the sport, including its defining Spirit of the Game. Ultimate soon spread to nearby high schools in the area and then colleges too. In 1975 Montclair created its first team, entering the small but growing community of Ultimate Frisbee. In the ensuing decades, the sport has spread from New Jersey around the world. Today it is played by millions of people in more than a hundred countries.

How Ultimate is played

Ultimate is a 7-on-7 sport, played on a large field that is 110 yards long and 40 yards wide with 20-yard endzones. The goal of each team is to catch the disk in their opponent's endzone. This is done by passing the disk between teammates to work the disc up the field. An important rule in Ultimate is that a player cannot move when holding the disk! If the disk hits the ground or the thrower does not throw the disk within 10 seconds, it is a turnover, and the other team gets possession of the disk.

See How to Play Ultimate in 2 Minutes

What is Ultimate? This is Ultimate.

What is Spirit of the Game?

In Ultimate Frisbee there are no referees. Instead, players call their own fouls. Because ultimate is a very competitive game and the players are given the power to call their own fouls, all players must follow a simple rule known as Spirit of the Game. Spirit of the Game is an actual rule in Ultimate Frisbee, not just a suggestion, and it states that all players must make calls in a fair-minded and truthful manner, explaining their point of view and listening to the opponents. However, sometimes foul calls cannot be resolved in this way as players might have opposing ideas on what actually happened. Because of this there is a system of "contests," that resets play to where it was before the foul occurred, giving neither team an advantage. This whole system of Spirit of the Game is very important to the Ultimate community and is taken very seriously. Because players must call their own fouls, it is important that every player understands the rules of Ultimate.

Why Ultimate? 

Ultimate has one of the richest and most supportive communities of any sport. The sport is entirely self-refereed and follows Spirit of the Game sportsmanship, which allows players to communicate and make calls for each other. The cooperation between players, coaches, and teams helps support and grow the entire community in a unique environment.  Ultimate is also one of the fastest growing sports in the world! If you wish to learn more about the rules of Ultimate and spirit of the game click on this link to find a simple and easy-to-understand "cheat sheet" on the rules. If you want to see some of the best clips from professional and college ultimate, click on the "This is Ultimate" link below. We promise you will not be disappointed!