Knowing the Rules

By Rachel Derscheid
Originally posted at http://melissajogibbs.blogspot.com/2009/02/knowing-rules.html
Reprinted with permission by Melissa Gibbs

After a weekend of some intense rules challenges in the college level of the game, I was all the more intent on keeping our team focused onto the effort of learning the rules of Ultimate to the best of their ability. Not only that, but keeping in the mindset of Spirit of the Game should ALWAYS alleviate disputes and I'm confident that, although two specific teams seemed distraught over something or other, all teams are present with a level of respect for each other and don't harbor an assumption that the opponent is "out to get you." I think we could all do well to remember that during even the highest of competition.

Our team opted out of our Monday practice after the Mardi Gras tournament and met Tuesday to discuss a little on the tournament but mostly on the weekly rules questions my Ultimate role model and coach has been giving every week. I already know the ISUC males have borrowed from this treasure and I see no problem in sharing Rachel Derscheid's efforts and knowledge out to any other Ultimate player who wishes to use it.

Knowing the rules to best of your ability is an extension of Spirit of the Game in one of it's best and purest forms. Do the work and be rewarded.

Spring 2009 Rules Questions

Beginner:
1. What are the minimum and maximum numbers of players allowed to start a game? (You can do per team or total number, but please specify.)
You must have at least 2 players on a team and may have no more than 7 (on the field). “A team must have a minimum of two players and a maximum of seven players on the field in order to signal readiness.” (VIII.B.3)

2. If a player catches the disc in the air and lands with one foot on the sideline and then momentum carries her out of bounds, what is the outcome?
This is a turnover. The player drops the disc & the opposing team picks it up, carries it to the point on the playing fields where the player crossed the line. They must tap it on the ground to put it in play.

3. If a player catches the disc in bounds and momentum carries her out of bounds, is it a turnover?
No. She must take it back to the point on the field where she crossed the perimeter line & tap it in play before she can throw it.

4. What is the definition of a foul?
Non-incidental contact that affects an opponent’s play on the disc. Additionally, “reckless disregard for the safety of fellow players or other dangerously aggressive behavior (such as significantly colliding into a stationary opponent), regardless of whether or when the disc arrives or when contact occurs is considered dangerous play and is treated as a foul.” (XVI.H)

5. Who may call a foul?
Only the player that was fouled. (XVI.H.1)

6. What are three actions that are considered traveling?
-Having your pivot foot lose contact with the ground after a pivot foot has been established.
-A player catches the disc and either speeds up, changes direction or does not stop as quickly as possible before establishing a pivot.
-A player receives a pass while running or jumping, and releases a pass after the third ground contact and before establishing a pivot.
-Purposeful bobbling (including tipping, delaying, guiding, brushing, or the like) to oneself in order to advance the disc in any direction from where it initially was contacted.
-The thrower fails to touch the disc to the ground when required (XVI.J)

7. What is meant by a “mirror half” or “mirroring at half time”?
At the beginning of the game, one team gets choice of whether to pull or receive, the other gets the choice of where to start. “Mirroring” means that the pulling team is now the receiving team & that teams start the second half on the opposite side of where they started. For example: Team A pulled downwind (let’s say from the north endzone) to start the game. After half, Team B will be pulling downwind, while Team A will be receiving and going upwind (from the south endzone).

8. If someone calls a foul on you, what are your options? (Be as complete as possible.)
Contest the foul. The disc goes back to the player who threw the disc.
Do not contest the foul. The disc goes to where it would have been caught.

9. What is a “pick”?
A pick occurs whenever an offensive player moves in a manner that causes a defensive player guarding (II.G) an offensive player to be obstructed by another player. Obstruction may result from contact with, or the need to avoid, the obstructing player.

10. What happens when a thrower calls a “fast count” (for the first time in one stall count)?
If the marker does not say “stalling” to initiate or resume a stall count, counts at intervals of less than
one second, or skips a number in the count, it is a fast count. Fast count, double team, disc space, and vision blocking are marking violations. When a marking violation is called, play does not stop. The violation must be corrected before the marker can resume the stall count with the number last uttered before the call minus one (e.g. “stalling one…two.. ‘fast count’ ..one…two…”). XIV.B.

11. What is a double team and who can call it?
If a defensive player other than the marker is within three meters of any pivot of the thrower without also being within three meters of and guarding (II.G) another offensive player, it is a double team. However, merely running across this area is not a double team. Only the thrower may call a double team. XIV.B

12. You are playing tough defense on a girl. The throw goes up deep. As you are both going after it, your feet get tangled and you both go down. The disc lands not far from you, but 15 feet out of bounds. Your girl calls a foul (Specifically, she says, “Foul, you tripped me!”). Should you or should you not contest? If you want to contest, what are the polite, concise arguments you would give your offender?

You should contest the foul, as the player did not have a play on the disc. Because she did not have a play on the disc, it is considered incidental contact, per the definition: Incidental contact: Contact between opposing players that does not affect continued play. (II.E & II.H) Of course, if you purposely tripped her or dove in front of your offender, that would be reckless and dangerous and would be considered a foul, per XVI.H.4.

Advanced:
1. What happens when a player calls a time out and the team has none remaining? (Be specific and complete- when and how can the disc legally make its next move)
If the disc is live or in play and the thrower attempts to call a time-out when the team in possession has no time-outs remaining, it is a turnover and play stops. (VI.B.6)

2. How many timeouts does a team get in a regulation length game? Does this differ from what “regular season” (pre-series) normally dictates?
2 per half. This will vary by tournament & the director of the tournament dictates this; often, it is one per half and a floater. Since it CAN vary, it is the responsibility of everyone on the team to know how many timeouts the team has remaining at any given point.

3. When, if ever, is an uncontested foul in the endzone a score?
If the receiver had possession and was fouled, causing them to lose possession (strip) or if it was a force out foul (the player was contacted in the air in a manner that made them land out of bounds when they would have landed in bounds without the contact. On an uncontested foul in the endzone where the receiver never had possession, the disc is tapped in at the nearest point on the playing field (just outside the endzone) to where the infraction occurred. (XI.A.2) I recommend also reading the entire section on receiving fouls, XVI.H.3.b. I suppose also that if the receiver calls a foul, but then subsequently catches the disc in bounds, it would also be a goal, but that should be obvious.

4. When does overtime begin and how many time outs does each team get in overtime?
Overtime begins when teams are tied at 1 less than game goal total (14-14 in a game to 15). Each team gets 1 time out regardless of the number they had before overtime. (V.C)

5. What is a hard time cap? (describe how the game ends)
A hard time cap is the ending of the game once a predetermined time of play has elapsed and after the current scoring attempt is completed. If the score is tied, play continues until one additional goal is scored. Example: at one hour and twenty minutes hard cap goes on. This is in the middle of a point and at the completion of that point, the game is over unless the teams are tied. (V.A.1.c)

6. When is the beginning of a point? (ignore the beginning of halves)
A point begins immediately after a score. (II.Q)

7. What is the maximum distance you can be from your offender to call a pick?
3 meters. You must also be guarding her, that is reacting to her movements on the field (can call it if it isn’t your girl, even if you were within 3 meters.

8. What should you do if you are being poached? (There are a variety of options here, you can offer me as many as you can think of)
Move to get the disc: go AWAY from your poacher to a spot the thrower can get the disc to you. This is often deep or breakside.
Draw your poacher back on to you by calling “poach” or running at her and then maintaining movement.

9. What is the legal positioning for members on the receiving team when they signal readiness for the pull?
All members of the receiving team must be in contact with the front endzone line & maintain position relative to one another (holding line).

10. There is a foul on a deep, floaty huck. Four people (2 offense, 2 defense) end up well into the endzone. One of the defenders in the endzone makes a clean D. The marker contests the foul. Where do the players set up (with perhaps special focus on those in the endzone)?
The players set up where they were at the time the throw went up (when the foul occurred). XVI.C.4.b.1

11. A pick is called in the stack just as a handler is cutting upline. The thrower does not hear the call & throws the disc to the handler for a successful catch. What is the outcome (be sure to note location of players for b) if a) the receiving handler was in the endzone
And b) the receiving handler was NOT in the endzone?
a) Score
b) The receiver keeps the disc & players resume the position they occupied at the time of the call. The picked player gets to recover ONLY the position they had (if they were 3 feet BEHIND their girl, they are still 3 feet BEHIND, not in front. Thus, the offender should usually be coming BACK to the stack (or the location of the pick. The only alteration would be slight angles so that there isn’t immediately another pick. XVI.I.3

12. On what count does a contested stall come in on? (by ‘come in on’, I mean what is the first number said aloud after the word “stalling”)
8. XIV.A.5.b.3.a (there is a beautiful chart)