What is Ultimate?
Ultimate is a fast-paced, non-contact team sport that combines many athletic skills; the sprinting and cutting of soccer, vertical nature of volleyball and basketball, not to mention the awe-inspiring lay-out grabs of football! This sport of non-stop movement is often compared to football as the object of the game is to score by catching a pass in the opponents’ end zone. However, players may not run with the disc, but may pivot and pass the disc in any direction. Play transitions from one team to another when a pass is dropped or intercepted, caught or thrown out of bounds, or when a player holds the disc for more than ten seconds. You might say that the sport takes minutes to learn and a lifetime to master…try playing a few times, and you just might find out why! Check out this fact sheet for ultimate in ten simple rules.
How can I get involved?
Ultimate is played by thousands of people worldwide. In the US, the Ultimate Players Association, or UPA, is the sport’s governing body. The UPA maintains the sport’s official rules and sponsors official championships series’ at the high school, college, club, and masters levels, with separate men’s, women’s, or mixed (co-ed) divisions at each level. Play at this level typciall involves try-outs, conditioning practices, and travel to play other competitive teams.
Additionally, numerous cities across the country offer league play. Leagues provide organized play with regularly scheduled games over the course of a season, typically spring, summer, fall, and winter, and usually have a registration fee. The new Delaware Ultimate league will be a co-ed league, with spring, summer, and fall leagues. Check out the Leagues page for more information.
Pick-up games are another great way to get involved. Pick-up games have no set teams and folks come and go from week to week. Most Delaware pick-up games are beginner friendly, thus offering folks a chance to try out the sport without a lot of commitment. Check out the Pick-up pages for listings of games in Delaware. If you have questions, contact the organizer listed.
