About Spirit of the Game

Ultimate has traditionally relied upon a spirit of sportsmanship
which places the responsibility for fair play on the player himself.
Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of
the bond of mutual respect between players, adherence to the agreed-
upon rules of the game, or the basic joy of play. Protection of these
vital elements serves to eliminate adverse conduct from the Ultimate
field. Such actions as taunting of opposing players, dangerous
aggression, intentional fouling, or other 'win at all costs' behavior
are contrary to the Spirit of the Game and must be avoided by all
players.

Spirit of the Game sets Ultimate apart from other competitive team
sports. For over 30 years, Ultimate has flourished, reaching a highly
competitive level, without the use of referees. In Ultimate, the
honor system works. Sure, human nature rears its ugly head from time
to time - just as in any sport, just as in life. Yet, one of the many
beauties of Ultimate is how, even amid the most difficult of
situations, utmost graciousness is allowed to meet that challenge
head on. Through this balance, Ultimate players are free to
demonstrate the most honorable and the most joyous sides of human
nature in sport.

Most Ultimate players care deeply about Spirit of the Game. The
organizational challenge for the UPA is to foster an environment
where the challenge does not become, "to see what I can get away
with". Rather than dictate what Spirit of the Game is or should be,
it is up to each player to do so for him or herself within the
context of the teams he or she plays with and against.

Ten Things You Should Know About Spirit of the Game

1. The golden rule: treat others as you would want to be treated.

Spirited games result from mutual respect among opponents. Assume the
best of your opponent. Give him or her the benefit of a doubt. You
would want the same for yourself. But if you are thick-skinned, do
not assume that your opponent is. Maybe you should think of this rule
as, "treat others as you would have them treat your mother."

2. Control: SOTG takes real effort.

SOTG is not just some abstract principle that everyone adopts and
then games run smoothly without effort. Close calls are made in tight
games. Hard fouls are committed. SOTG is about how you handle
yourself under pressure: how you contain your emotionality, tame your
temper, and modulate your voice. If you initiate or contribute to the
unraveling of spirit, the concept falls apart quickly. If you act to
mend things (or at least not exacerbate the situation) by following
(1) above, the game heals itself.

3. Heckling and taunting are different.

Ultimate has a long tradition of good-natured heckling. Heckles are
friendly barbs, typically from non-playing spectators. Heckling can
be fun, but taunting is unspirited and wrong. Harassing remarks after
an opponent's foul call or close play are NOT heckling: they are
abusive taunts which create unpleasant playing conditions and often
escalate to acrimonious disputes.

4. SOTG is compatible with championship play.

It is a fallacy to argue that the stakes are so important that some
aspect of SOTG can be cast aside. Time and again, great teams and
star players have shown that you can bring all your competitive and
athletic zeal to a game without sacrificing fair play or respect for
your opponent.

5. Don't "give as you got."

There is no "eye for an eye." If you are wronged, you have no right
to wrong someone in return. In the extreme case where you were
severely mistreated, you may bring the issue up with a captain,
tournament director, or even lodge a complaint with the governing
body. If you retaliate in kind, however, a complaint may be filed
against you. We recall point (1): treat others as you would have them
treat you, not as they have treated you. In the end, you are
responsible for you.

6. Breathe.

After a hard foul, close call, or disputed play, take a step back,
pause, and take a deep breath. In the heat of competition, emotions
run high. By giving yourself just a bit of time and space, you will
gain enough perspective to compose yourself and concentrate on the
facts involved in the dispute (was she in or out; did you hit his
hand or the disc; did that pick affect the play). Your restraint will
induce a more restrained response from your opponent. Conflagration
averted, you may resume business as usual.

7. When you do the right thing, people notice.

When you turn the other cheek, you know you've done the right thing.
You may not hear praise, there may be no standing ovation, but people
do notice. Eventually, their respect for you and their appreciation
of the game will grow.

8. Be generous with praise.

Compliment an opponent on her good catch. Remark to a teammate that
you admire his honesty in calling himself out of bounds. Look players
in the eye and congratulate them when you shake their hands after a
game. These small acts boost spirit greatly, a large payoff for
little time and effort.

9. Impressions linger.

Not only does the realization that your actions will be remembered
for a long time serve to curb poor behavior, it can also inspire
better conduct. Many old-timers enjoy the experience of meeting an
elite player who remembers their first rendezvous on the field and
recalls the event in detail. A good first encounter with an
impressionable young player can have considerable long term positive
impact.

10. Have fun.

All other things being equal, games are far more fun without the
antipathy. Go hard. Play fair. Have fun.