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About Disc Sports
Introductory information on disc sports:
Ultimate is a sport in which two teams of seven players compete to score points by moving the disc down a field into an end zone. Ultimate is similar to American football or rugby in that there are end zones, and similar to soccer or hockey in terms of the movement of the disc from player to player.
A key characteristic of Ultimate is that the disc must be thrown and caught for a team to maintain possession, so a missed catch or an intercepted throw constitutes a turnover and the other team regains possession. When the disc is caught, the catcher must stand still until he or she throws the disc to another team member. So the game generally progresses down the field--throw, catch, stop, throw, catch, stop, throw, catch, stop--until the disc is either lost due to a turnover or caught in the end zone for a score.
There are other rules pertaining to how long you can hold the disc before throwing it (usually ten seconds), what constitutes a regulation disc, how you are allowed to defend against the thrower or catcher, etc., but those are the basics.
Besides the official rules of Ultimate, it is noteworthy that the sport prides itself in maintaining a cooperative spirit. Players demonstrate a great deal of respect for each other, and nearly all Ultimate games, even in major tournaments, are conducted without referees (refs are certainly a hot topic right now!). Players call their own fouls, and there is a system for resolving disputes that usually works very well.
Ultimate is most popular on college campuses, but there are hundreds of primary and secondary school teams and plenty of Ultimate clubs (many of which are populated by former collegiate players). Participants range from casual players who head to the park for weekend pickup games, to hard-core enthusiasts who travel most weekends to regional or national tournaments.
Regulation Ultimate discs are 175 grams, and differ only in the color of plastic and the design stamped or printed on the top surface. New, white discs are used in regulation play, but any Ultimate disc can be used in casual games or throw-and-catch. Many Ultimate players collect discs, some of which become very valuable over time.
The
Ultimate Players Association
(UPA) has an excellent web site with rules, events, internet links, and other resources.
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Disc golf is an incredibly popular sport that is true to its name...it's golf played with discs, complete with tees, fairways, roughs, greens, drivers, putters, birdies, and bogeys. It's usually played on courses with nine or eighteen holes, and players tee off from concrete pads toward targets that are typically heavy wire baskets on poles with hanging chains to catch the discs.
Golf discs are about the same weight as Ultimate discs (165 to 180 grams), but are smaller in diameter and made of thicker plastic. There is an immense variety of disc models and weights available, with different designs optimized for driving, approaching, putting, curving left or right at different points in the flight, staying low to cruise under trees, throwing into the wind, etc. A professional disc golfer (or a serious amateur) might carry two dozen or more discs in his or her bag, with a few cherished favorites whose precise flight characteristics are extremely well known.
Most major cities and plenty of small towns have disc golf courses, with some fortunate municipalities boasting several. Many are official courses that have the blessing of the
Professional Disc Golf Association, and can therefore host sanctioned tournaments, but there are unofficial courses that range from low-key recreational courses set up by the local parks department to completely informal, often spontaneous courses that consist of trees, buildings, and other landmarks in a neighborhood or on a college campus.
There are professional players who compete in tournaments to win cash prizes, and many pros are sponsored by golf disc manufacturers and suppliers. But the vast majority of disc golfers are casual players who head out to the links on the weekends to toss plastic and have a great time.
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This is a classic disc sport in which teams of two or more players perform dynamic disc handling routines to music. A routine consists of a series of throws, catches, and stylistic moves, with the disc passed among teammates several times throughout the several-minute duration.
Freestyle players can often be spotted hanging out and jamming casually, but there are also formal competitions in which matches are scored by judges who award points for difficulty, execution, and style. Top freestyle teams display a fresh mix of classic and innovative moves, and although the sport is decades old, there are always creative new routines to be found.
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Some of the fastest growing and most exciting disc sports involves furry players with four legs. What better way to exercise with your pooch than a game of throw-and-catch at the park?
Most canine disc enthusiasts have a great time with casual play in the backyard or at the beach or in a park, but there is an ever-growing number of events and tournaments where dogs and their humans can really strut their stuff.
Artistic freestyle competitions, along with more technical events, provide jaw-dropping action and great fun.
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The cool thing about disc sports is that there are some really great established sports out there, like Ultimate, disc golf, and freestyle, but there are always new variations and entirely new concepts being invented. Flying discs were invented practically by accident when people started tossing upside-down pie tins around, and the proliferation of different disc games is testament to that pioneering spirit.
We'll be adding a few other sports here as we find time, starting with the classics like guts,
goaltimate, and canine competitions. If you have good write-ups of these or other disc activities, or if you create your own game, please
drop us a line!
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