Coaching Blog

Ultimate Frisbee is a high octane sport that requires all participants to be mentally and physically in peak condition. Yet due to the negative connotations associated with Frisbee throwing, it is often believed that Ultimate Frisbee is little more than a joke sport played between fraternity brothers. This is a description of the sport that can only been espoused by those who have never played or seen a game of Ultimate Frisbee. In actual fact, the sport is the antithesis of all you may believe due to its set of rules known as ‘The Spirit Of The Game’.

This single rule sets Ultimate Frisbee apart from other sports because there is more emphasis placed on playing fair than playing to win. To win a game by cheating is not a victory at all. Ultimate Frisbee has no mandated officials because the combatants trust one another enough to be able to make fair decisions. Those who play Ultimate Frisbee say that ‘The Spirit Of The Game’ imbues them with a great feeling. The only thing better than scoring is to score then call a foul on yourself.

Also, when an Ultimate Frisbee player commits a foul, ‘The Spirit Of The Game’ compels them to own up and accept their team’s punishment. If a player who has been fouled disagrees with the decision, they call ‘contest’ and discuss the situation with their opponent. ‘The Spirit Of The Game’ also extends to general conduct such as congratulating the opposition team on a good game, not complaining if they lose or gloat if they win.

‘The Spirit Of The Game’ ensures that Ultimate Frisbee is the ultimate sport in terms of sportsmanship and etiquette. These rules add to the excitement and fun of playing this sport. One can only hope that other sports will follow suit with players taking more accountability for their actions.

How does your team demonstrate The Spirit of the Game?

Everyone wonders, “What makes an athlete successful?” Is it the passion, just the lucky breaks or perhaps it is really bound by immeasurable skill? If you will ask the bigwigs of Ultimate Frisbee and convince them to spill the beans, they’ll say that while talent is vital, as well as the indispensability of having the “spirit of the game” and discipline, one reason behind a good number of talented Frisbee players is their determination to continuously improve.

This being said, how can someone be a better Ultimate player? Here are some of the things that an Ultimate player can do to improve his game:

Train Harder

Beyond memorizing numerous plays and honing your throwing, Ultimate players should also attend to other core aspects of their game through serious training., All passionate athletes are known to be training machines. Even just through self-evaluation, an Ultimate player can figure out what skills he needs to improve and submit himself to a training program that will escalate his level of play.

Upgrade your Equipment and Apparel

As an outdoor sport, playing Ultimate Frisbee requires you to have the proper gear to maximize your playing performance. In this day and age of innovations in sports technology, there are many areas when you can gain an edge: cleats and performance jerseys are two such areas. Normally, Ultimate players use soccer cleats as the movements mimic the cuts in that sport. And, Ultimate Frisbee jerseys – customized with your colors and logos – can really provide a mental edge.

Join the USA Ultimate Association

Ultimate Frisbee is a sport that gives way to forming a special bond among players – not just within the team but opponents as well. With the “spirit of the game” as one of the factors to thank for, this friendship that has developed between players on and off the playing field has given rise to the organization of USA Ultimate Association. An Ultimate player can be better at his game just by interacting with players from various locations.

Know the “Spirit of the Game” by Heart

What separates Ultimate Frisbee from other sports is the responsibility of players to referee the game on their own. An Ultimate player can achieve a higher and more mature level of play once he becomes one with the “Spirit of the Game”. This is easier said than done – understanding the “Spirit of the Game” goes beyond just knowing the technical definition. It should be what defines the Ultimate player himself.

Just like in any other sport, to become a better Ultimate player is to strive for excellence. To improve, an Ultimate player should have the competitive edge and dedication every time he steps into the field.

How will you become a better Ultimate player this season?

Creating a Tradition of Sportsmanship should be a central goal of any coach – especially Ultimate Frisbee where the spirit of the game is so important. A disturbing trend amongst youth team coaches is their propensity to not only tolerate poor sportsmanship but to actually advocate it. This ‘win at all costs’ mentality needs to be avoided at all costs in children. Failure to do this will create an individual who lies, cheats and steals in order to win. As coaches, we need to instill a winning mentality in our youth but not at the cost of fair play. Here are 10 ways to ensure kids grow up with the right attitude.

1: Being A Good Winner - This is an often overlooked trait and one which merits greater attention. Losing is bad enough but the feelings of sorrow and hurt are only exacerbated by having the winners gloat in your face. Always shake your opponent’s hand and congratulate them on a good game.

2: Taking Defeat Like A Champion - Sulking and throwing your toys out of the pram is not way to accept a loss. Just because you lost a game doesn’t mean you are a ‘loser’ but if you behave in a surly manner, that’s exactly what you will be. The best players in any sport will take defeat graciously, learn from their mistakes and bounce back stronger next time around.

3: Don’t Beat Yourself Up - If you make a mistake, don’t think negative thoughts about yourself and above all, do not insult your team mates. Accept responsibility for your error and move on.

4: Forgive And Forget - In team sports, there will be occasions when a blunder by a team mate costs you glory. Instead of abusing them and making them feel worse, pat them on the back and encourage them to do better next time.

5: Put The Team First - While it is important for each player to establish individual goals, remember that nothing is more important than the welfare of the team. Always look for a team mate in a better position to score rather than trying to claim all the glory for yourself.

6: Respect Your Coach - All coaches know that no player likes being taken out of the game but you cannot throw a tantrum just because you don’t agree with a coach’s decision. The coach always wishes the best for the team and will only make choices based on the what is best for the group as a whole. If you get taken off, accept your coach’s hand and sit on the bench supporting your teammates.

7: No Showboating - There may be occasions when your team is much stronger than the opposition. This is the scene for many players to start showing off their skills. Such behavior greatly disrespects the other team and will not be tolerated by most coaches. Play the game the way it should be played and your talent will become apparent without the need for showing off.

8: No Cheating - The biggest problem with a ‘win at all costs mentality’ is the fact that kids will start to believe that cheating is an acceptable part of the game. You should always play within the rules because a victory ill-won is worse than an honest defeat.

9: Respect The Officials - An umpire or referee is not there to spoil the fun. Their role is to ensure that the game is played in good spirit and within the accepted rules. It is sad to see professional players berate officials after a call goes against them. Respect their judgment and be civil after the match, regardless of the outcome.

10: Enjoy Yourself - After all, it’s only a game. Children should never have excess pressure placed on them. Winning is always secondary to enjoyment. Players who genuinely love playing the game will always bounce back quicker after disappointments than those who treat it as a life or death scenario.

The term ‘sport’ is supposed to mean the enjoyment of a game. Learning how to be sportsmanlike takes the pressure off you, your coaches, your teammates and the officials. Good sportsmanship is also a life lesson that can greatly benefit those who practice it.

What do you do with your team to create a tradition of sportsmanship?

Ultimate Frisbee Game

Ultimate Frisbee is a sport played with a 175 gram disc and has rules similar to those of American Football and Rugby. The team with the Frisbee must find a teammate with the disc by throwing it to them. Points are scored if an individual catches the Frisbee in the end zone. It is an extraordinarily popular sport in the United States with an estimated 5 million people participating in the sport.

Ultimate Frisbee is now called ‘Ultimate’ as Frisbee is a registered trademark. Ultimate was originally created by Joel Silver of Columbia High School in New Jersey in 1968. He made a proposition to the School Council regarding the creation of an Ultimate Frisbee team. Silver admitted that he only said this as something of a joke and he certainly did not foresee the sport’s popularity taking off like it did. The first game of Ultimate Frisbee took place between the School Council and The Colombian Newspaper in 1968 which was won by the newspaper by a score of 11-7.

The scoring rules of Ultimate Frisbee have not changed since its inception, but it has become more organized. When it was first played, there were no set number of players per team nor where there any sidelines. Modern rules have seven players per side with clearly defined measurements for the field and end zones. Players are also required to wear custom jerseys that differentiate each team.

In 1970, a team from Boston called ‘Nat Love Nine’ brought Ultimate Frisbee to the International Frisbee Tournament. Sports Illustrated covered the game in an August 1971 edition of their magazine. This national recognition caused the game to explode in terms of popularity. 1975 saw the first Ultimate Tournament called the ‘Intercollegiate Ultimate Frisbee Championships’. In 1984, the first College National Ultimate Frisbee tournament took place.

Ultimate is now played in dozens of countries around the world and has indoor, outdoor and beach versions. It is also an event in the World Games. The game is self-refereed which means the players have a responsibility to play fair. Ultimate Frisbee is known for its ‘spirit of the game’ as fair play is deemed to be more important than victory for the participants.

Why should I choose Totally Ultimate to Outfit my team?

Another Happy Team!

• Fast turnarounds on every product. No more waiting 4 -6 weeks for delivery of your jerseys!
• Free Customization on all Ultimate jerseys
• Detailed information about fabrics, sizing, ordering, rush jerseys – we want you to know as much as us!
• Expert, friendly service: We love taking your calls and questions! Call 877-660-8326
• Save money without sacrificing quality: Quality, technical products that come in 20% below the competition
• Sponsorship opportunities are available – we love supporting our teams!

Totally Ultimate is your source for Ultimate jerseys. We offer high quality jerseys, shorts and socks that includes a free number and logo. Other companies charge you up to nine bucks for something we give you free! Compare the fabrics, products and you’ll learn what other teams have learned.

Totally Ultimate is easier, cheaper and faster. From the time you confirm your order, we’ll turn around your jerseys in 1 to 10 days. It’s an industry leading promise.

A Sponsored Team

Totally Ultimate prowls for teams to sponsor. Yes, you heard us right…we’re on the prowl looking for teams to sponsor. Unlike other companies who only sponsor the most competitive teams or only college teams, we love to sponsor teams with everyday players who just love the game, head out whenever you can to play and compete in a few tournaments along the way. Players just like us. There are no long applications to fill out that go into the black hole of “Nowheresville.” Tell us on the phone that you want to receive additional discounts and we’ll hook you up. Sponsorships are limited.

What does a “Sponsorship” mean to our team?

• Your team will receive an additional 10% off your jerseys – which you know is already priced way below the competition.
• You’ll be featured on our blog as a “Sponsored Team.” As we ask that you send in a high resolution team photo and some action shots – we always love to know who we’re outfitting – we’ll put them up on the site as well.

What does Totally Ultimate get out of it?

• Exposure. We are asking for your help in getting the word out about our customer-driven company. We’ll print a TotallyUltimate.com logo on the full front with your logo. You can see it on the New England Ultimate jerseys we did for the Boston Invitational (at top). Essentially, it means that we’re sharing the full front logo. We’re honored to take the field with you and look forward to it.
• You agree to send in a high resolution team picture. We’d love it if you sent along pictures of your team in action too. We love to see the people we’re involved with out there. Plus, we think photos continue to help add personality to the site.
• If you have a website, it would be super cool if you posted a link back to us.

It’s really just that simple. We love to help out and keep the sport cost-effective for everyone. It just makes sense to us.

Totally Stress Free Jerseys

After fifteen years of outfitting sports teams all over the country – and internationally, Totally Ultimate has perfected the art of delivering high quality jerseys at an affordable price before your first toss! Allow our experience to seamlessly guide you through a successful buying experience for your team even if you’ve never ordered ultimate jerseys, need to customize your jerseys and don’t know how and need performance jersey on the shortest of timelines. We can help. The process we use, which is to educate buyers, blossomed with the volunteer buyer in mind. Our proven process will ensure you save time, money and tons of stress – or as we like to say: Easier, Cheaper, Faster. Our system ensures a buyer will be successful.

We realize that you face enormous pressure for selecting jerseys that are on budget, stylish, and will be available when the team needs more in the future. We offer distinct jerseys that will perform up to standard for your team. This is as much a social experience (heck, all of these people are your friends too, so you can’t mess it up!) as it is getting quality product on the field. At the end of the day – or at the first throw of the disc – the most important aspect of purchasing ultimate jerseys is to have them arrive when you need them.  As one client who had an unsuccessful experience with another company told us:

“The Bitterness of poor quality or an untimely delivery remains long after the sweetness of low price is gone!”

The Total Way is a holistic approach to purchasing jerseys. By following our proven method of purchasing Ultimate jerseys, you will identify – and fulfill – your needs far before it becomes a problem causing unnecessary stress. We’re amazed that other companies expect you to wait 4-6 weeks to receive your jerseys after you place your order. Who is ready and organized that far in advance? Our jerseys are available to ship normally within 3-10 days – and at no additional surcharges – fully customized to your specifications. Heck – we even provide free customization: numbers and a team logo are included in our pricing – something the competition will charge you for – that’s an outrage!

Don’t just take our word for it – do your own research. Then call 877-660-8326 to save pulling your hair out!

Hudson Jersey

Getting you onto the field for the first toss is a driving mantra around here. Our Total Rush program includes our best-selling jerseys that have the highest inventory levels and can be picked, printed and shipped the fastest. While most of our jerseys can be shipped within 7-10 days, including complete customization, sometimes teams require faster turnarounds. The Hudson and H23 jerseys are best for teams with strict deadlines; these jerseys are the ones you should consider first. Depending on stock and current production, the Hudson and H23 can ship in as little as 1 day – including your free customization.

Our industry-leading turnarounds on your team’s jerseys of 7-10 days until shipping leads the competition by an average of 20-30 days! Go and check it out for yourselves. We don’t think it is fair (or possible) to ask teams to wait 4 – 6 weeks until your jerseys are produced, printed and shipped – long after you’ll actually need them.

While the Total Rush program will get you onto the fields the fastest of any of our jerseys, any jersey you select can be produced and customized normally within 10 days – even if it isn’t currently in-stock. We invite you to call and speak with one of our customer service representatives to discuss your team’s timeline, budget and how we can help you. We’re available toll-free at 877-660-8326.