The Enjoyable Sport of Ultimate Frisbee

Throughout the past few years, the relatively new sport of ultimate frisbee has been sweeping the nation as well as the world. When the words "ultimate frisbee" are heard, many people may not have the slightest idea what the words are or mean. Perhaps a new remarkable kind of frisbee which can be thrown a mile or two or one which has amazing maneuvering capabilities. Some may assume it is nothing more than some ridiculous, unrealistic and silly game primarily played by boys just goofing off and having fun. But in a rather short amount of time, ultimate frisbee has actually become an official sport renown and loved all over the world.

For those of you who may be wondering what exactly it is, UF is a combination of a few other more popular sports such as Soccer, Basketball, American Football and Netball. It is played by two teams of seven players on a large rectangular shaped area of flat land with two end zones, one on either end, much like a football field. And like football, a goal is scored when a pass is received within the end zone. However, the difference is that the frisbee cannot be ran by the player holding it, it can only be thrown from one teammate to another. If the pass is not completed, whether it's from the disc going out of bounds, being dropped, or being intercepted, the opposing team takes possession and becomes the offense.

Just as most sports, UF is made up of just-for-fun teams as well as more serious players. Believe it or not, there are many different leagues and divisions of this sport, including a professional one. Over 50 countries have people who are regularly competing at a local, national or international level. UF requires a very high level of fitness, speed, endurance and stamina. Many separate games may be played through out one UF tournament. These physically demanding tournaments often take place anywhere between 2 and 5 days.

Maybe one reason for its growing popularity is UF is a non contact sport, meaning unlike football, players do not tackle one another. This certainly makes the game more approachable to those how aren't down for getting knock around or thrown onto the ground. If contact between opposing sides does occur, a foul is called, but it is up to the players to make up their own foul lines. Its simple rules make it a fun and easy way to exercise.