Coaching Blog

Will Ultimate Frisbee be Played in 50,000 Seat Stadiums Someday? - (Photo: Bizjournals.com)

This is a controversial question to answer, as I’m sure that many Ultimate Frisbee enthusiasts would have you believe that Ultimate is indeed already a major sport in this country, as the game is played in tournaments at college campuses everywhere and there has even been the formation of a professional Ultimate Frisbee league, the AUDL.  But will the sport ever take on the same prowess and scope as sports like football or baseball?  The question is a tricky one and its answer lies possibly in the roots of Ultimate Frisbee itself.

The main thing holding Ultimate from becoming a mainstream sport is that the game isn’t as serious as other major sports.  Many young athletes envision the dream of succeeding as a professional athlete as something that will come with great financial benefits ($20,000,000 contracts for NFL quarterbacks) or personal glory and recognition in front of millions of people (winning an Olympic Gold medal or World Series Championships).  For all of the passion and fun attributed t Ultimate Frisbee, such a result is out of the question, at least for the foreseeable future.

But that’s not to say that perhaps one day the game of Ultimate Frisbee won’t be recognized on the global scale.  The sport does have a World Championship tournament and has even seen some incredible Ultimate moments captured and displayed on Sportcenter’s Top 10 highlight reels.  Because of this, Ultimate Frisbee has grown immensely in popularity and become a game that more and more people play.

As with any young and developing sport, its growth must begin small and will have to continue to rise before it becomes something along the same level as the other major sports.  However, due to its core principles, I feel that Ultimate Frisbee will not and should not ever become a major American sport and here’s why:

Ultimate Frisbee was based around the counter-culture movement that rejects many of the aspects of major sports.  Ultimate is a great recreational game to be shared with friends.  Young soccer players and baseball players are often known to be extremely competitive and often times their lofty goals can get in the way of simply playing and enjoying the game.

The current form of Ultimate Frisbee is a beautiful sight.  Players often sport backwards caps or play with no shirts.  Could you imagine if any baseball players tried to attempt such a drastic change of dress code?  The outcry from fans would be tremendous and accusations of disrupting the integrity and tradition of the game would circle like vultures.

Additionally, the lack of Ultimate Frisbee being a major sport prevents other less than exciting prospects from entering into the game.  When’s the last time anyone involved in Ultimate was accused of using a performance-enhancing drug?  The game doesn’t even need referees most of the time.  However, with professional Ultimate Frisbee becoming a reality with the AUDL, referees are now being included into the games.  However, with good sportsmanship such a regular occurrence in the sport, such referees hardly need to be present.

Personally, I fear the development of the game because it could turn it into a major sport with the same issues as baseball or football.  I like the laid back nature of Ultimate Frisbee and hope it never changes.  But who knows what the sport will look like in 10 years though as it continues to progress.

The Passion of Ultimate Frisbee - (Photo: Vimeo.com)

Spring is finally here and the warm weather suggests but one thing to the people all over the northern hemisphere of our world: get outside and enjoy the sunshine!  The air is warm, the sky is blue, and birds are chirping about all the lands.  But one may ask, in this world that requires productivity in every activity, what should I do on this fine day outdoors?  The answer lies in the proud and distinguished teachings of Ultimate Frisbee:

Although Ultimate Frisbee can be among the most gladiatorial of sports, requiring immense physical exertion and the realistic possibilities of death itself, Ultimate Frisbee is also a treat to the more relaxed and mellow of sports enthusiasts.

Embracing the carefree environment around spring itself, Ultimate Frisbee can be taken at every pace.  Usually free form and devoid of precise positions, Ultimate Frisbee is a sport that everyone can realistically play. Even those who can barely throw a Frisbee can enjoy breaking up passes on the defensive side of the game.

Additionally, Ultimate Frisbee will give anyone a good run about.  Exercise is an important part of life, and the game enables people to work up a sweat and keep active.

Another fine part of Ultimate Frisbee, and being outside in general, is the opportunity to work up a nice tan.  Often played in minimal garments, people tend to go topless or wear short athletic shorts.  Everyone needs some time in the sun during springtime to add a bit of color to their skin, so partake in some Ultimate Frisbee and get tanned the real way, not in a tube of fluorescent lights or in a spray bottle…

Ultimate Frisbee will also give you the opportunity to meet people and make friends.  If you live near a park, there’s a good possibility that an Ultimate Frisbee game is taking place at this exact moment.  If not, pick up the phone, make a few calls, and make it happen!

Most everyone is looking for reasons to get outside this time of year so help people make that choice with a fun game of Ultimate Frisbee.  If you need to inspire them, just send over this article and let them find out too why Ultimate Frisbee is the sport of champions and for people who simply want to get outside, play an enjoyable game, and simply enjoy living their life.

Therefore, as the warm spring weather keeps getting hotter, you will find a pleasant activity to help you stay active, fit, sun-tanned, and in the company of your friends.  What else could anyone want for this time of year?  Money, fame, fortune, power?  No!  All that comes second to Ultimate Frisbee in my book.  So go outside, now, get off your computer and start living in the joyous freedom that nature has provided for us.  Ultimate Frisbee is the game of champions, so play like one and have a great day!

Please be advised the Ultimate Frisbee requires one open field, the purchase on one Frisbee, and a good attitude.

Get open for the Frisbee! - (Photo: Wickedlocal.com)

So you’re in the heat of an Ultimate Frisbee game.  You’re running around, trying to make a play, but then it hits you:  You haven’t caught the Frisbee in ten minutes, every time it comes your way a defender blocks your path and smacks the Frisbee to the ground.  After a while, your marker is totally in control of you and your teammates aren’t even looking to you as an option.  How can one shake their marker and find a way to make solid catches in Ultimate Frisbee?

Be shifty.  Defending someone in Ultimate Frisbee is no easy task as the player has to not only watch the game and see where the Frisbee is at all times, but they must also follow a player around the field and mark them tightly.  That gives the offensive player the advantage.  A smart Ultimate player knows how to catch their defender off-guard and slip off their radar, get open, and make a catch to help move the Frisbee up the field.

Read the defender.  Notice where their focus is.  The moment that they stop paying attention to you, break free, call for a pass, and catch it.  While their head spins around in search for you, you can have already received the Frisbee and helped your team take a step forward.

Another tip for catching the Frisbee is to read when you’ll be open and make the call for a pass right before you actually break free.  Since Frisbees take a few moments to travel to their intended targets, any delays in finding free space will limit your ability to be free and unmarked when the disc arrives.

Another way to help contribute to your team is to aim for shorter passes.  Instead of constantly breaking downfield for the home run play, try to shrink the game and help your team slowly and methodically make their way up the field.  Although such play doesn’t result in the big thrill of a 40-yard pass, it is a sure way to protect possession and get involved in the game.  With shorter passes, you will be able to elude markers better and increase the probability of a successful catch.

Also, if you are still having issues getting involved, play behind the Frisbee.  Sometimes when players get jammed by two defenders, they need the backwards outlet to keep possession and find space.  If you can adequately fill that support role you will help the team keep possession of the Frisbee and search for a new way up the field.  If the defense is focused on that area of the field, a smart back-pass can often enable you to find a huge pass on the other side of the field while defenders struggle to get back.  Being behind your team enables the whole field to open up for you and gives your teammates a safe option to pass back.

Getting involved can be a difficult process in Ultimate Frisbee.  Work on your fundamentals of catching and throwing so that you are a good teammate, and be the player that provides the solid option for your Ultimate Frisbee team!

Just Don't - (Photo: Hercampus.com)

Do: Do wear tennis shoes, or go barefoot.  Do be willing to play shirtless.  In fact, there’s nearly a 50% possibility that you will play shirtless.  Feel free to wear a backwards cap, because Ultimate Frisbee is cool, and you’re cool, so yeah, be cool.  And for that matter, definitely be cool.  Nothing ruins the bro high achieved at a fun-loving, free-tossing Ultimate Frisbee game more than someone who simply doesn’t know how to be cool.  Therefore, do bring a fun and pleasant atmosphere to the game. It is just a game after-all, so if you are the type of guy that shoves someone blatantly in the back in order to catch a Frisbee, and you’re also the kind of guy that gets all bent out of shape when that person calls for a foul, you may just want to stay away from the sport….or at least offer the guy a hand up, which would therefore be an act of admittance of your foul, which is definitely something that you should DO!  Also, another thing you should do is to take the game seriously.  Yes, Ultimate Frisbee is typically just for fun and bragging rights, but you should be willing to embrace whatever activity you happen to find yourself doing, so give it a real go.  Do dive for a Frisbee, they really do float ever so slowly to the ground.  Do jump up for 50-50 catches, and do swat away an opponent’s pass with every bit of your strength.  Ultimate Frisbee is a simple game to understand, and playing it to its full potential is the only way to understand the true meaning of spiritual chi. Therefore, be a do’er and do Ultimate Frisbee right.

Don’t: Don’t wear flip-flops.  I know they go real well with your cool backwards cap and bare-chiseled chest, but flip-flops will probably leave you on the sidelines with a pack of ice and a sprained ankle….just go barefoot.  Also, don’t call fouls every time someone beats you to the Frisbee.  Just because they are faster and stronger than you is no reason to claim illegal injustice!  Don’t try too hard to be cool.  Using outdated surfer terms will definitely not help anyone believe you are cool.  In fact, such verbatim is a dead give-away that you are most definitely not cool, and therefore faking being cool, which is simply not cool at all.  Don’t become a Frisbee-hog.  Just because you think you can always catch any Frisbee doesn’t mean you can, so please stop calling for the damn Frisbee every time any teammate gets their hands on it!  Any decent Ultimate Frisbee pick up game will include at least 13 players, so give some other people some opportunities to make plays.  And finally, most importantly, don’t be that guy who holds onto the Frisbee for a full minute at a time.  If you can’t find an open pass, just heave it into the endzone or toss it to your teammate right behind you.  It’s just Ultimate Frisbee after all.

Who says Ultimate Frisbee doesn't create highlight plays? - (Photo: Jbc07050.blogspot.com)

Ultimate Frisbee is probably the most peaceful sport played with the happiest groups of players.  Instead of egotistical maniacs running around the field with dreams of professional sports glory, Ultimate players accept reality as it is and simply enjoy a good exercise with a pleasant game that utilizes all the benefits of athleticism like speed, jumping, throwing, and catching.

The spirit of Ultimate Frisbee calls for great sportsmanship, something that is often lacking in other major sports like soccer and football.  Players in these sports repeatedly taunt and foul each other throughout the game and show great annoyance and frustration when their childish antics are penalized.  The silliness has led the NFL and colleges to require that 7 referees be present to organize the festivities!  That’s right, 7 referees are required to make sure players stick to the rules. Guess how many referees take part in an Ultimate Frisbee game.

0.  Yes, Ultimate requires absolutely no officiating because the game is built around positive sportsmanship and respect.  Players call their own fouls, whether they are the victim or are the perpetrator.  Such honesty leaves the game friendly and honest. Players don’t commit silly dives for penalty kicks like they do in soccer, because if everyone sees that lack of a foul, you will be discouraged from playing the game.  Ultimate Frisbee is for people that aren’t so completely concerned with winning that they take to cheating tactics in order to get their way.  Ultimate is for real people who simply want to play an enjoyable sport with their friends.

This is also a reason that Ultimate Frisbee players form such a tight-knit group of friends.  While other sports teams are filled with major internal competitions regarding who will be named captain or who will take the last second shot in the state championship game, Ultimate Frisbee players worry about what fun social activity the players from both teams will be partaking in after the game.  Antics and squabbles rarely come to the forefront of matches and players establish meaningful relationships with one another.

Another antic missing from Ultimate Frisbee is brawls.  Ice Hockey seems to be a sport entirely based around such fights.  Referees even let the fights continue and stand by to watch.  Baseball sees bench-clearing brawls almost as a tradition of the game, and pitchers often are sent out with the intention of hitting opposing batters to send “a statement”.  If anyone can find a video anywhere of an Ultimate Frisbee brawl, please post it here to make a counter-argument, but I suspect such footage is not in existence because such fights don’t happen in Ultimate Frisbee.

No, Ultimate Frisbee is all about sportsmanship and making great plays.  Players still compete and perform extreme acts of athleticism but because the lack of a superstar league with million dollar contracts, the stakes aren’t as high, and people who aim for personal glory and cash don’t bother with the game.  Therefore, Ultimate Frisbee harbors a friendly and respectful culture that keeps players entertained and loving the sport.

A Frisbee takes flight! - (Photo: Photoree.com)

Ultimate Frisbee places a massive importance on one’s ability to throw a Frisbee disc.  Players run up and down the field tossing the UFO-like object between each other and towards the opponent’s end zone.  However, simply being able to hurl a Frisbee in your preferred manner isn’t always enough to develop your skills into an all-around Ultimate player.  Various situations call for different types of throws, and becoming a master of throwing the disc, with a large variety of tools, is key to being a successful player.  Here are some of the different ways that you should learn to throw a Frisbee in order to be successful at Ultimate.

The standard backhand throw is the first that you should master.  It helps you get a good strong stroke from your arm and is the classic method of throwing a Frisbee.  However, there are certain tricks to learn, even with the basic toss.  The disc will fly in the direction of the side of the disk facing down, so depending on how you will want the Frisbee to fly, you should adjust your throw accordingly.  This is a great tool to learn in Ultimate Frisbee, because it enables you to throw the disc around and behind opponents so that it reaches your intended target.  Mastering the curvature of your throw will go a long way to helping your Ultimate team along to victory.

The forehand throw is another great tool to utilize.  For players who aren’t as strong, this throwing method is ideal because it generates power through the flick of your wrist.  Place your two forefingers inside the underside lip of the disc and ease it forward.  Not only does this help generate power but it also tends to curve in the opposite direction of forehand throws.  Additionally, this is a great throw to use if a player is pinned along a sideline, as it doesn’t take as much time or room to make a solid toss of the Frisbee.

The hammer can also be a good throw to try out in an Ultimate Frisbee game.  With a very strange, sometimes corkscrew path of flight, it can totally confuse defenders as it rotates towards its target.  Using this throw is tricky though and requires a lot of practice.

The upside-down throw is also one to trick defenders in Ultimate Frisbee.  Thrown just like its name, the resulting flight is more of a parabola that enables you to throw the Frisbee over groups of people.  This can be cleverly utilized for long throws and Hail-Mary type Frisbee passes.

There are countless other types of ways to throw a Frisbee but each and every one of them requires a lot of practice to perfect.  Therefore, go outside with a friend and try working on some of these new throws so that you can be a dominant force the next time you play Ultimate Frisbee.  Having an arsenal of throws to choose from will not only make you a better individual player but will also help your team come away victorious from more matches.

Ultimate Frisbee brings people together! - (Photo: Article.wn.com)

Although the creation of the AUDL (American Ultimate Disc League) has turned the casual sport in a professional game, many people still aim to play Ultimate Frisbee recreationally, but it can often become difficult to find a good league or group to play pickup games with.  Don’t get too down about it though, because the 21^st century had made finding fellow Ultimate players easier than ever.  Likewise, the popularity of the game seems to be expanding at an astronomical rate, like a disc flying across the sky!  Therefore, there are now more Ultimate Frisbee leagues than ever before, and nearly all are happy to welcome new players aboard.

Most cities and towns now have websites and clubs dedicated to helping Ultimate Frisbee players find fellow teammates to play with.  They also organize tournaments, and attending one as an observer is a great way to meet potential teams or people to play casually with.  Many Ultimate Frisbee teams are constantly looking for new players and can be very open to adding new members, especially as other people often quit or rarely attend due to other life events that take higher priority.

Similarly, a good place to meet prospective Frisbee tossers would be at a store that sells Frisbees and other related items in the game.  Hang around the Frisbee display for a little while and you’ll probably meet someone interested in the game or who may be a part of a league.  You just have to start talking to people and you’ll find exactly what you are looking for.

Sometimes it can prove difficult to get a team going, especially if you are new to an area or live in a very small town.  One thing I would highly recommend is that you start your own league.  Post flyers all around town that an Ultimate Frisbee team is starting up.  Tell your friends and co-workers and see if some people want to just play a pickup game one weekend. There may be tons of people around who are looking for exactly that.  Find a field you can play on, and arrange the team or league.  Enjoying anything takes initiative, and if you really want to play, there’s no reason you can’t find at least 5 or 6 other people that would like to play, even if it is just a pick-up game.  If things get serious in the league, be sure to check out Totally Ultimate’s great selection of jerseys, designed specifically for Ultimate Frisbee teams and leagues.

Obviously, Ultimate Frisbee finds most of its popularity through college teams, and so if you are in college, there is likely to be some sort of club on campus to join, but for people outside of that environment, leagues still exist, they are just a bit harder to find.  However, if you do find such a group, the experience will surely be rewarding, as Ultimate Frisbee players tend to be among the most healthy and happy athletes in the modern world.

Practice tossing a Frisbee - (Photo: Trianglewiki.org)

Ultimate Frisbee is a fun sport that groups of friends like to play with each other.  Sometimes it can get rather competitive but often it is just for fun.  Either way, sports tend to be more entertaining when you are good and Ultimate Frisbee is no different.  If you constantly play with your friends and are complete garbage, they will stop passing to you and you will not have as much fun.  So, if you are struggling in the game, here are some tips to improve your Frisbee skills.

Learn how to throw (and catch) a Frisbee!  Nothing is better practice for Ultimate than simply playing catch with a Frisbee.  You need to learn how to really throw the disc so that you can make solid plays for your team.  If you haven’t got a strong arm, refrain from going for long passes.  Often, Frisbees have a nature to tail off to one side if thrown by an amateur, so keep it simple.  Throw it to a teammate nearby and work your way up the field instead of going for the bomb.

Also, realize that there are a variety of different ways to throw a Frisbee, and they can each work in different situations, so try to be prepared by learning several different methods.  Also, you need to practice your throw so you can utilize how the disc tails off.  Knowing where the Frisbee will land is very important for lining up those long throws.

Also, focus on learning to catch a Frisbee.  Frisbees are tricky to catch because of their rotation and movement.  But, learning to catch them is something that only comes with tons of practice, once again highlighting the importance of playing catch with someone.  One tip also would be to start of by catching with your body.  Fingertip grabs do look nice but using your body to gain possession of the Frisbee is much easier and more secure, especially for beginners.

A general word of advice is also to simply be fit.  Ultimate Frisbee, like most sports, involves lots of running and sprinting.  You need to be in reasonable physical shape to compete so don’t hesitate to go for runs, or practice sprints, even on your own.  People often wrongly assume that Ultimate Frisbee is some sort of slacker sport, when in actuality it can wear players out just as fast as any other physical exercise.

Another tip to remember is to stay aggressive.  The primary goal of Ultimate is to get and keep the Frisbee, so players basically fight over the item.  You don’t have to start elbowing people, but you do need to play without fear and that means having a willingness to bump into people as you jump for the Frisbee.  A good way to think about this is to simply not think about the other people involved, just do everything you possibly can do to win control of the Frisbee.

So now you have some extra advice for how to play the wonderful game of Ultimate Frisbee.  I hope you take some of these tips to heart and start by heading outside and tossing a Frisbee.  It really is the best way to improve your game.

A Jersey for Ultimate Frisbee - (Photo: Totallyultimate.com)

Ultimate Frisbee has long been coined as the sport for everyone else.  Athletes who weren’t good enough for the baseball or soccer team are often times thought of as ideal candidates for Ultimate Frisbee.  But as the new sport gains momentum and spreads throughout the country, Ultimate Frisbee is becoming more and more a sport that people seek out and actually would prefer to play over more traditional sports like basketball.  As such, the game has taken on a whole new sense of legitimacy and outfitting your team with actual jerseys or uniforms will add to the camaraderie and make your Ultimate Frisbee team a more unified force for the upcoming season.

Uniforms have often been trademarks for any sports team.  Many teams have grown famous over the years for the clothing they wear.  The pinstripes of the New York Yankees are recognized nearly all over the world, and the Oregon Ducks football team has grown immensely popular with their brightly colored designs customized by Nike.  The team that plays have often become just a replication of the proud uniforms they put on.  Inspirational speeches by players often cry about the importance of representing one’s jersey and the team.

But Ultimate Frisbee has often lagged in regards to uniforms.  The laid back nature of the sport as a whole has often left players to be differentiated by a “shirts vs. skins” type of dress where one team wears no shirt at all!

However, Totally Ultimate is leading the charge of legitimacy for Ultimate Frisbee teams nationwide.  With a great variety of colors and designs, the company has been outfitting teams and even entire leagues with jerseys and uniforms for years.  As Ultimate Frisbee becomes more and more recognized as a real sport, team will need actual uniforms and we can provide exactly that.

Furthering the importance of getting jerseys is the arrival of the first professional Ultimate Frisbee league, the AUDL, which just wrapped up its inaugural year this past summer.  Complete with eight teams, there is now a true league of professional Ultimate Frisbee players and obviously these teams were outfitted with official jerseys.

But even on the smaller scale, there have been increases in Frisbee leagues, especially in the college world.  Universities have long been the playing grounds for the sport and many schools across the nation have Ultimate Frisbee teams.  All these teams need jerseys and Totally Ultimate provides them with exactly that.  Be sure to check out the selection and get your team prepped for the upcoming season!

Friends getting ready for a match - (Photo: Flickr.com)

Any sport with the name “ultimate” must have something special about it, and that is definitely the case with Ultimate Frisbee.  Frisbees have long provided a wonderful and casual outdoor toss game involving any number of friends who simply toss the disc across grass fields and quads worldwide.  But Ultimate Frisbee has bridged the gap between an enjoyable outdoor activity and competitive sports.

Ultimate Frisbee is the perfect game for those who have grown disillusioned with excessively competitive nature of more conventional sports like football, basketball, and soccer.  As players of these sports mature, the intensity of the game reaches a point where either you go professional or you quit.  Training becomes business-like and a huge emphasis is placed upon winning even in the middle school years.  As players grow, the game essentially becomes less fun for many of those who simply want a sport to play recreationally.

Enter Ultimate Frisbee.  Although the game is a competitive match with a winner and loser, the types of people that typically take part in the game are often much more casual and at ease.  Ultimate Frisbee, like the disc itself, is about a fun time with your friends and puts a huge emphasis on sportsmanship.

Because of the low-key nature of the game, few games have actual referees, and so the players themselves make the calls.  Anything controversial is simply replayed.  Therefore, there are no terrible calls by the referees and no one feels slighted when things don’t go their way.

There is a huge feeling of comradery within the team and that helps make the sport a pleasant one.  Also, there is still a healthy dose of physical activity in the sport. Players spend most of the game running and jumping which provides great physical exercise.  Also, with reduced pressure of needing to win, the players have fun and truly enjoy the sport.

Because there is currently no high-paid professional Ultimate Frisbee players, the game is played by those who simply love it, not aspiring athletes who have visions of immense fame and fortune.  This “down to Earth” mentality makes Ultimate Frisbee the best sport because the whole point of the game is to have a good time, not to beat the stuffing out of your opponent.

Therefore, if you’ve recently been cut from your high school sports team and still wish to continue playing a competitive sport, Ultimate Frisbee may be the game for you.  Popularity has soared in recent years, and most colleges have teams that compete in tournaments throughout the year.  Ultimate Frisbee is what sports are supposed to be about: friendship, running around, and great fun!