Current USA Ultimate & NIRSA (National Intramural Recreational Sport Association) shall govern all intramural rules used for Ultimate Frisbee used by the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Intramural Sports reserves the right to make changes or additions to the rules or policies at anytime.

Facility

Ultimate Frisbee will be played at the Campus Recreation Complex.

Equipment

  1. Rubber and molded cleats, turf shoes, or running shoes may be worn. No metal cleats.
  2. Players must remove all jewelry.
  3. Teams must wear shirts or jerseys of matching color, or pennies.
  4. Any disc acceptable to both teams may be used. The standard competition disc is 175 grams.
  5. Athletic attire only. No jeans, pants with belt loops, cargo shorts.
  6. No hard and unyielding braces.

Game Time and Forfeits

  1. All game times will be posted in IMLeagues.com
  2. Forfeit time: 10 minutes after the scheduled time.
  3. In order for a team to win via forfeit they must have at least 4 players on site.
  4. If neither team is able to field the correct number of players, a double forfeit will be declared.
  5. If a team forfeits a regular season game they will be ineligible for the playoffs.

Players and Game Timing

  1. Teams should consist of 6 players, minimum of 4 to start.
  2. Two 20-minute running halves with a 3-minute half time. The clock will only stop for an injury or time-outs.
  3. Time-Outs
    • One 1-minute time-out per half. Time-outs do not carry over.
    • Time-out may be called only by the team in possession of the disc, except that either team may call time-out between points (after a goal, but before the ensuing pull).
    • No time-outs during overtime.
  4. SUBSTITUTIONS
    • All subs must enter field after a goal, out-of-bounds, halftime, timeout, or in the event of an injury.
  5. MERCY RULE
    • 10 goals at any time in the 2nd half, or 5 goals in the last two minutes.
  6. OVERTIME
    • Overtime will only occur in playoffs.
    • An untimed “Sudden Death” period. The first team to score a goal wins.
    • Team captains will flip a coin to determine who is receiving and who is defending first.
    • The goals that were being defended at the end of the game will not change.

Playing Regulations

Ultimate Frisbee is self-officiated. Players are responsible for making their own infraction and boundary (including scoring) calls.

Start of the Game

  1. Each game will begin with a coin toss between opposing captains. The winner chooses to either receive the initial pull, or select the end zone they wish to defend.
  2. Play starts at the beginning of each half and after each goal with a “pull” -- a player on the pulling team throws the disc toward the opposite goal line to begin play.
  3. After a point ends, players must begin the next point within 90 seconds.
  4. After a turnover, a player on the team becoming offense may immediately pick up the disc and put it back in to play by establishing a pivot foot in-bound.

Scoring

  1. A goal is scored when an in-bounds player catches a pass in the end zone of attack.
  2. Each time a goal is scored, the teams switch their direction of attack and the team that scored pulls to the opposing team.

Pull

  1. On a pull, players must remain in their end zone (not cross the goal line) until the disc is released.
  2. A pull may not be made until a player on the receiving team indicates readiness to play by raising a hand.
  3. After the disc is released, all players may move in any direction.
  4. No player on the pulling team may touch the pull in the air before a member of the receiving team touches it.
  5. If a member of the receiving team catches the pull on the playing field, that player must put the disc into play from that spot.
  6. If the receiving team allows the disc to fall untouched to the ground, and the disc initially lands inbounds, the receiving team gains possession of the disc where it stops if in-bounds or at the point on the playing field, excluding the end zone, nearest to where it crossed the out-of-bounds line.
  7. If the pull lands out-of-bounds the receiving team puts the disc into play at the point on the playing field, excluding the end zone, nearest to where it crossed the out-of-bounds line.

In and Out-of-Bounds

  1. The perimeter lines themselves are out-of-bounds.
  2. A disc is out-of-bounds when it first contacts an out-of-bounds area or anything which is out-of bounds.
  3. For a receiver to be considered in-bounds after gaining possession of the disc, the first point of contact with the ground must be completely in-bounds. If any portion of the first point of contact is out-of-bounds, the player is considered to be out-of-bounds.
  4. If a player makes a catch in-bounds and momentum then carries him/her out-of-bounds, the player is considered in-bounds (to continue play, the player carries the disc to the point where s/he went out-of-bounds and puts the disc into play at that point).
  5. The thrower may pivot in and out-of-bounds, provided that the pivot foot is in-bounds.

Turnovers

  1. A turnover occurs when:
    • A pass is incomplete (dropped, hits the ground, is caught out of bounds, blocked, intercepted).
    • The marker’s count 10 seconds before the throw is released.
    • When a turnover has occurs, any member of the team becoming offense may take possession of the disc.
    • To initiate play after a turnover, the person picking up the disc must put it into play at the spot of the turnover. If the disc landed out of bounds, the offensive player puts the disc into play at the point where it crossed the out-of-bounds line.

The Thrower

  1. Any member of the offensive team may take possession of the disc.
  2. The thrower must establish a pivot foot and may not change that pivot foot until the throw is released.
  3. The thrower may pivot in any direction, but once the marker has established a legal defensive position, the thrower may not pivot into him/her.

The Marker

  1. Only one player may guard the thrower at any one time
  2. The marker may not straddle the pivot foot of the thrower.
  3. There must be at least one disc's diameter between the bodies of the thrower and the marker.
  4. The marker cannot position his/her arms in such a manner as to restrict the thrower from pivoting.

Stall Counts

  1. The period of time within which a thrower must release a throw:
    • A player in possession of the disc has 10 seconds to release a throw.
    • The marker must be within 10 feet of the person with the disc before beginning the stall count.
    • The stall count consists of the marker counting to 10 audibly at one second intervals.
    • If the thrower has not released the disc by the count of 10, a turnover results. If this call is disputed, the thrower gets the disc back with the stall count coming in at “stalling 8.”
    • If the defense switches markers, the new marker must restart the count at one.

The Receiver

  1. After catching a pass, the receiver may take only the fewest number of steps required to come to a stop and establish a pivot foot.
    • Exception: If the receiver catches the disc while running, s/he may throw a pass without coming to a stop, but only so long as s/he releases the disc before the third ground contact after catching the disc.
  2. If offensive and defensive players catch the disc simultaneously, the offense retains possession.

Fouls and Violations

  1. When an infraction (a foul or violation) occurs:
    • The offending player loudly calls out the infraction (e.g., “Travel,” “Foul,” etc.).
    • A player called for an infraction may contest that call (by loudly calling “contest”), if that player believes that s/he did not commit the infraction.
    • After a call, play stops and players remain stationary until the parties have resolved the call.
    • If a call is not disputed, play resumes in a way simulating what most likely would have occurred without the infraction.
      • For Example: 1) If a thrower was fouled while throwing and the pass was incomplete, the thrower gets the disc back with a new stall count, or 2) If a receiver is fouled on a reception attempt and the pass is incomplete, the receiver gets the disc at the point that the foul occurred.
    • If a call is disputed and the players cannot come to a resolution, the play is redone with each player returning to the position s/he occupied when the disputed infraction allegedly occurred.

Infractions

  1. Foul: Contact between opposing players.
  2. Fast count: When the marker counts at intervals of less than one second.
  3. Double-team: When more than one defensive player is guarding the thrower within 10 feet.
  4. Disc space: If the marker touches or is less than one disc diameter away from the thrower.
  5. Travel: When a thrower fails to establish a pivot foot at the appropriate spot on the field, and/or to keep in contact with that spot until the throw is released.
  6. Strip: When a defensive player knocks the disc out of a thrower’s hands.
  7. Pick: Obstructing the movement of a player on the opposing team.

Positioning

  1. Each player is entitled to occupy any position on the field not occupied by another player.
  2. Picks: No player may establish a position, or move in such a manner, so as to obstruct the movement of any player on the opposing team; to do so is a pick.
  3. When the disc is in the air, players must play the disc, not the opponent.
  4. Each player has the right to the space immediately above him/her. A player who has jumped is entitled to land at the same point of take off without hindrance by opponents.

Player Conduct

  1. Acts of unsportsmanlike conduct:
    • Unnecessary roughness
    • Arguing with the supervisors,
    • Fighting, abusive language directed towards officials/opponents
  2. Warning: For unintentional unsportsmanlike conduct
  3. Ejection: For intentional unsportsmanlike conduct or following the issuance of a warning for a particular individual.