If you have ever played ultimate frisbee, you know it is more than a simple game of throwing a disk from one player-to-another. Ultimate frisbee requires endurance, agility, and speed. And like all other sports, there are many strategies behind frisbee.
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History Lesson
It was first played by a high school student in Maplewood, New Jersey in 1968. The first competition took place in 1972, by Rogers and Princeton College. Today young people tend to pick up the sport during college as most schools offer an intermural league. Often a club team has more experienced players that compete against other schools.
Ultimate Frisbee Rules
Photo credit: Pensiero via Visual Hunt / CC BY-NC-ND
It is a team sport with 7 players on each side, typically. Players work together to get the frisbee from one side of the field to the other. Like American football, there is a kickoff, referred to as the “pull” or “throw-off”. Also, there are end zones where a person must catch the frisbee to score a point. The challenging part about frisbee is that you are not allowed to move while the frisbee is in your hands. The only exception is if you are running full speed. At that point, you can take a couple steps while slowing down. There are no downs or limits to how many times you can throw the frisbee before scoring. You can even throw it backward. A turnover occurs when the offense does not complete a pass and the frisbee hits the ground. If the defense catches the frisbee or knocks it to the ground while it is in the air, it is also considered a turnover. Like soccer, when a turnover occurs, the play does not stop. Hence, there is a lot of running involved. In my opinion, there is even more running than soccer. Every player plays defense and offense. A good frisbee player can play defense, throw, and catch. Once a point is scored substitutions may be made with fellow teammates.
One interesting aspect about frisbee is that it is played without a referee. You play through the honor system. Knowing when to call your own fouls demonstrates good sportsmanship.
Where Do I Play?
Salty Frisbee
There is a Facebook group called Salty Frisbee you can join. They play on Sundays at Playa Bogatell at 3:30 pm. This group is great for beginners and experts alike. They are super friendly and will help anyone who wants to learn the game. If you go, bring an extra red shirt!
The Ultimate Barcelona Peixets
The Ultimate Barcelona Piexets is another group that meets a few times a week and actually competes. They practice twice a week, one day on a grass field and another on the beach at Barceloneta. They welcome beginners, too!
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