Despite the more-than-occasional rain, right now we are smack bang in the middle of summer and it is therefore that time of year again when Bristol’s fun-in-the-sun seeking population emigrate up to the Downs to indulge in a spot of picnicking, sunbathing, pimms-ing and yeah, you guessed it, Ultimate Frisbee-ing!

Although not (yet) enjoyed by the masses, this fantastically energetic sport is often compared to some sporting greats like football, basketball, netball and American football. While rookies may scoff at these comparisons, when it comes to team games, Ultimate Frisbee tops the charts for high-octane, get-the-blood-pumping sporting action. It was an Olympic sport in the Japan 2002 Olympics and is played by over 100,000 people worldwide! There are even 250 teams in Britain alone – pretty impressive I’d say.

Ultimate Frisbee is a non-contact sport and is played on a football sized pitch with ‘endzones’ at the far sides. Each team has seven players (mixed male and female) and players score by catching the disc in their endzone. If the disc is dropped on the ground, intercepted, knocked down by an opposing team member or caught outside of the play area, possession switches, which is known as a turnover. So while the offence attempts to work their way up to their endzone, the defence are doing everything in their power to instigate a turnover.

There is no set time or point amount that defines a win; instead this is determined before each game. Rather unusual you might think, yet one of the most remarkable aspects of Ultimate is that, even at the highest level, there is no referee. Players themselves are trusted to make accurate and fair decisions of fouls, even against themselves at times, and it is this that distinguishes the game from most others. Honesty is grounded within its very foundations, and the ‘Sprit of the Game’ is a term that means everything to the players.

I’m sure there are many of you out there who thought this sport was reserved for the socially inept (first thought – it’s a frisbee for God’s sake, how difficult can it be!?) and there may be some who haven’t had their new sport taste buds tantalized in the slightest. For all of you - go back to the pub and scream obscenities at the overpaid, over-idolised idiots of the Premiership. And for the rest; I’ll see you on the Downs!

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Steph Burns
Photos: Tom Styles