Dear Chris Burke, et. al.

upa_rules_task_force@...

I enjoyed your article “The History of the Great Referee Debate” in the recent UPA newsletter.

I’ve been enjoying Ultimate since 1987 and when asked how to play Ultimate, I always start with the “Spirit of the Game”.   The SOTG is the context.  It is the vessel that contains and supports this thing we call Ultimate.  What is Ultimate?  It is far more than a game or a sport.  It is a community.  It is a very large international community that shares a common passion and spirit.  We value and respect each other because of our common belief in the SOTG.  Anyone who has played at an international tournament will recall the immediate bond that is shared between complete strangers.  That bond is not because of a plastic disc.  It is the SOTG that binds us.  The Spirit is greater than rules, money, media and even our egos (that love to win).  It is our Core Principle. 

Should we introduce referees at any level, we are saying that “losing” is more important than the SOTG.  To empower a referee, is to lose respect for yourself and your opponent.  It is to say that we are separate and at war, instead of one community in love, peace and Spirit.

This thing called “Ultimate” deserves better...

…and by the way, “FlatBall”?  Are we really considering changing the name to “FlatBall”?… damn, if we do… I’ll gladly support a referee.  At that point, all is lost.

Sincerely,

Chad Steele

Denver, Colorado

chad@...

Hey Denver, what are your thoughts?  Write to upa_rules_task_force@...