Introduction to Ultimate slang and Jargon
and a brief little intro on me :)
Welcome to this page! I assume you are reading this because:
I told you to (thanks for showing up if you did)
You are some random person that I have never met that seems to be intrigued by ultimate
You probably clicked on the wrong page/link
Regardless of who you are welcome! I wanted to give a brief introduction to who I am and what I intend to do on this page of mine.
I am Agasthya (aka Gus - it’s what everyone calls me since it is one syllable and makes life way easier). I am an undergraduate student studying Marine Biology in Wellington, New Zealand. I am originally from India but people do not usually guess that on their first attempt. Ultimate Frisbee has captivated me for the past 15 months, it is all because I bumped into a tall, friendly giant on the field on a sunny Sunday afternoon and the rest was history.
I have been playing Ultimate pretty religiously during these 15 months and have been bombarded with so much information that would usually overwhelm most people. Surprisingly, I was unfazed by it because I just enjoyed it so much and I kept asking questions when I didn’t get it. For a while now, I have passively taken notes at training to make sure I didn’t forget most of it. Now that it has all just accumulated in my head, I thought of making a “Dummies” guide to Ultimate with a little twist to it. It is being written by YOURS TRULY (dummy at ultimate frisbee, approaching decent standing soon).
Like all sports, ultimate frisbee also has a ridiculous amount of terminology which confuses newer players; it confused me when I first started. I genuinely think that after reading this little excerpt you will have a slightly better understanding of all the slang we use on a day-to-day basis. The list is pretty long, so get comfortable with some horrible explanations.
High Risk, High Reward
Pitties - These glasses are probably on everyone’s face at a tourney(tournament), they usually help you identify people who are absolute brats, but there are a few exceptions :)
Bundi/Bundies - A scientifically proven drink to be more potent than water itself. Everyone likes it, EVERYONE!
Callahan - This is the worst possible way an opponent can score on you. It is basically when you(your team has possession of the disc) throw the disc and your opponent catches/lands in your endzone with the disc. You want to avoid doing this at all costs (throwing a Callahan will instil sorrow into your soul as you are walking back to the sideline). I would insert an image of this situation but that would be embarrassing for whoever it is, I did it anyway, oops.
Spike - This is when you display all of your anger/joy on the disc. This usefully involves some sort of celebration after you score a goal. If you do decide to do this please make it innovative(it should be at the top of your priority list if you going to do it), it is very common to see everyone just slam it into the ground or kick the disc eye-roll.
Sideline - If you are on this line, you are bestowed with the greatest honour in the ultimate frisbee community and team, the option to lose your voice. So wear this badge with pride, because being a great sideline teammate may win or lose your team the game (source: Bro, trust me). But it is basically, providing your teammates with information that can help them get a block or score a goal.
Mini - The pinnacle of ultimate! It is way more intense but with usually 2/3 people on each team and the field is probably 10 times smaller. Very fun, though (proper ultimate is 7-a-side).
Boring Rule stuff (It is boring but you do need to know what it is, so READ it)
Endzone - The equivalent of a goal. I would compare it to the touchdown area in American football or the try zone in rugby. It is the space on the field where you score the goal. There is an end zone on both sides of the field.
Gender Split - only applies when playing mixed ultimate (i.e. men, women). There is supposed to be a set amount of each gender on every point being played, to provide everyone with equal playtime.
Stall count - This is when your mark (explained a little further down) counts from 1-10 because you can only have possession of the disc for a set amount of time. if your mark stalls you out (reaches 10) then the disc goes to the opponent team
Turnover - happens when someone or you mess up (i.e. throw the disc into the ground, get stalled out, your defender got an insane block, or you threw it straight to them)
Pick - This is a weird one. This usually happens when you are following your person around the field and someone player blocks/obstructs you from following the person you were assigned to. This is a thing because the person you were marking could gotten the disc without you pressuring them, which is pretty unfair.
Straddle - this is probably the most confusing one. It involves you catching the disc when you are on a line. But the definition as per WFDF (World Flying Disc Federation) is: “a line between a defensive player's feet comes within one disc diameter of the thrower's pivot point”
Strip - when someone snatches the disc out of your hand, usually when you trying to catch the disc
Contest - When you or someone else disagrees with whatever call you make (including fouls and 3-7)
Soft Cap - This is when there is a time limit imposed on the game duration as sometimes games can get pretty long. It also imposes a new score limit (usually it is first to 15 wins). The highest score achievable after the soft cap is imposed is +1 of the team with the highest score in the game. Assume Team A has 10 points and team B has 8 points, whoever reaches 11 points will win the game.
Hard Cap - This is after the soft cap time limit ends. Hard Cap is imposed after a set amount of time and is the last point of the game. If the scores are tied, there will be one additional point played to decide the winner of the game
Throwing terms (Ranked in order of coolness)
Flick - Forehand (imagine Roger Federer launching a frisbee without a racquet in his hand)
Off-hand - Ngl, this throw is elite chef’s kiss. You use your non-dominant hand to destroy your marker’s ego with this throw, hard to master.
Huck - Throw the disc as far as you can competition, as long as it is inbounds and preferably if someone can catch it in the endzone
Mack - When you give the disc a little tap to propel it just a little further because you probably couldn’t catch it
Hammer - A throw which you release above your head and the disc is in the air upside down
Blade - when there is an exaggerated amount of spin on the disc which makes it hard to catch. Great throw in indoors (highly recommended, indoors only)
Chicken wing - It is as weird as it sounds. It involves some ungodly shoulder moments which I wouldn’t endorse.
Pop pass - The most boring pass after the backhand. Why you ask? You ask your teammate to come within breathing distance and ask for a small little uplifting pass so you don’t bobble the disc out of your hand.
IO - Inside Out. It is when the disc has a curve on it. This allows you to throw around players. In an IO situation the disc would move like )( [first bracket = backhand, second bracket = forehand]
OI - Outside in would look like this ( )
High release - I personally do not like this throw because I can’t throw it easily, It is when you release the disc above the shoulder
Mercy Huck - another bailout option. Usually happens when the stall count is getting close to ten. It is better to throw the disc than let the opponents take it from where you were standing when you got stalled out.
Scoober - Don’t try this stupid throw until you are playing indoors. It is the downfall in most frisbee situations. It is similar to a hammer but flatter and shorter and not as high up in the sky.
Backhand - supposedly the easiest throw in frisbee. This is what you probably see when you see the happy family on a beach vacation throwing a frisbee around with their dogs (WARNING: this is an example, do not use that as a goal to achieve, those advertising companies need to hire better throwers).
Dot/Dime/Nice put - pinpoint accuracy on a throw. Or a visionary pass that most people would not have anticipated at all
Bullet - This would shave the skin of your hands; it is just a throw that is approaching you at the speed of light.
Dump - a bailout throw usually to someone who is behind you so you don’t get blocked by your mark
Swing - this is usually when you are trying to get some momentum to gain yards. It is the equivalent of stalling and wasting time because usually, defenders can’t catch up to the moving disc that quickly.
Reset - this is a throw that is usually to another handler to prevent you from getting stalled out.
Crocodile catch - clapping the disc to catch it. One hand above the disc and one underneath
Pivot - this is when you use one of your legs to move around your mark to make a throw. It is probably one the most fundamental things in Ultimate apart from actually knowing how to throw (Roger Federer's image shows which would be your pivot foot if you were right-handed)
Offensive terms
Pull - the starting throw of every point. This throw is usually assigned to the best long-distance thrower on your team. You want this to stay in the air for as long as possible as this allows your team to set up their defence on the opponent team.
Stack - These are offensive structures that are used to make it easier to pass the disc around to teammates. Imagine having six people just running within 3 meters of the disc asking for the disc, not ideal (plus you can defend that easily).
Horo (Horizontal stack) - It is a structure that is used to use the width of the field
Vert (Vertical Stack) - Similar to a Horizontal but instead it is just people standing in a straight line to take advantage of the length of the field.
Handlers - Most highly experienced players play this role. These players can usually huck with pinpoint precision and also have accurate throws. These guys are the ones who usually hog the disc in most points, but it is a team sport :)
Cutters - The most important role in the team (because I am one), you are the connection between the handlers as you usually gain yards on the field making it easier to score a goal. Effective cutters can win you games, remember that.
Bookends - A great way to start a tournament. This is when you get a defensive block and score the goal (i.e. catch the disc in the endzone) at the same point.
O-Line - Offensive Line is usually a set of players in the team that are better at offensive than defensive. Includes fast cutters and big huckers.
Brick - It is the cross on the field where play is reconvened from after the disc is pulled out of bounds
Iso - Isolating a player. This means that the team wants the first few options available to only go to the specific player is called an “iso”.
Defensive Terms
Mark - the opponent usually tries to annoy you when you are on the field by sticking pretty close to you. Their objective is to try to not let you get the disc from one of your teammates. Remember that the person who is annoying you would be of the same gender.
Match - the act of playing a marking defence. This is when everyone on the field is assigned to annoy(mark) on specific player for the whole point.
Bid - taking a chance at trying to catch the disc or to get a block
Layout - a super cool risky bid when you launch yourself off your feet to try and catch the disc (some layout D’s are personally my favourite)
D-Line - Defensive Line. usually consists of players who are willing to risk their bodies for blocks when necessary. Includes super athletic players who are good at applying pressure on the opponents. These guys also have great stamina.
“You are Hot’ - an accurate description of most ultimate players but unfortunately whoever is saying that isn’t flirting with you. It is when you have a chance to get a defensive block on the person you were assigned to annoy (mark).
Zone - this is a type of defensive strategy that includes covering space on the field rather than tailing a player on the field. It is very useful when the weather isn’t great.
Trap - Traps are part of a zone. This is a call that is usually made when you want to force the opponents into a corner of the field (the pressure can make them do stupid things)
Cup - a variation of the zone where 3 players from a cup-like structure around the person who has the disc which disallows them from throwing one direction completely
Power Position - Your aim as a defender is to prevent this from happening; happens when the person with the disc acquires the disc when they are in momentum. This allows them to put more power into their throw, you don’t want that.
Up the Line - This phrase is used when the thrower is usually running into free space (in front of the person with the disc) asking for a continuing pass to gain a better position
Strike - usually shouted at you when you are chasing someone who is trying to get a continuing pass which puts them into a powerful position to huck. This applies to the person who is marking the person with the disc because the intention is to get big and large (yes, it does include you flailing your arms) to prevent a throw from going up the line.
Roll - Rolling or Switching is when you and a teammate change the person you are marking (opponent you are assigned to) as it makes it much easier since their mark is closer to you.
Poach - Probably the hardest thing to master according to experts in the game. This is the act of playing zone while also playing match. It is complex to understand but it is when the defender proactively moves into spaces in the field to prevent a pass from going to another opponent. This usually results in some spectacular blocks
Force - which direction the defence is allowing you to throw
FM - forcing middle. No hard force.
No arounds - this usually happens on a sideline, where the mark allows
General things that help in understanding the game a little more
Break side - the side of the field which the mark is covering from the thrower
Open side - the side of the field which the mark is allowing you to throw into (refer to the Vert Stack Diagram)
Shimmy - The Jack Williams and Joe Penaia Smith special. It is a move most experienced players make to get their mark to move out of their way to make the throw easier.
Chilly - Calm down, don’t make any rash decisions. Usually said after a turnover happens
Sky/Roofed - It is the frisbee equivalent of “you just got schooled, son”, but in this case, you caught the disc over someone's head
Skybox - when a cluster of people are in the same spot fighting disc possession when it is in the air. Basically, everyone is trying to catch the floating disc.
OB - out of bounds
Stacked - absolutely cracked players in the same team. This could lead to a still unfair advantage. This is what you want when it is a Universe point.
Savage - playing without any breaks/subs (I don’t recommend doing this unless it is outdoors).
Taco’d - This is what happens to the disc when you spike it really well. It loses its shape and flying properties and looks like a taco.
Galaxy Point - this point decides which team takes half-time. Happens when the score is 7-7
Universe Point - the most intense scoreline in ultimate frisbee hands down. It can vary score-wise but is usually when it is 14-14. It is the same as a golden goal, whoever scores, wins. This is when you put all of your best players on the field to win this game from your team.
Whoever has got this far into reading this, I applaud you. For that reason alone I am going to reward you with a nice graphic that my friend found on Pinterest.
Pretty awesome right?
Anyway, I think that is a lot of information in one post alone, so soak it up until I come up with another extravagant essay on some other Ultimate Frisbee topic. See you all in the next post, hopefully.
