Ultimate Frisbee

Ultimate frisbee is a fast, non-contact team sport played with a flying disc. Two teams pass the disc up a field and score by catching it in the end zone they are attacking. You can't run while holding the disc, so the game is all about quick throws, clever movement and good teamwork. Most players just call it ultimate.

The field is a long rectangle with an end zone at each end. Each point starts with a pull, a long throw from one team to the other, a bit like a kick-off.

Once you catch the disc, you stop and plant a pivot foot. You can turn on that foot and look for a pass, but you can't run with the disc. The player marking you counts out loud, and if you haven't thrown it before the stall count runs out, the other team gets the disc.

If a pass is dropped, knocked down, intercepted or lands out of bounds, that's a turnover and possession swaps straight away. There's no contact, no tackling and no grabbing the disc from someone's hands. Catch it in the end zone and your team scores a point.

Ultimate is self-officiated, which means players call their own fouls and sort out disagreements between themselves. That only works because of the Spirit of the Game: play hard, play fair, respect the rules and respect the other team. It's essentially a fancy way of saying don't be a sore loser. Even at a high level, the sportsmanship matters just as much as the scoreline.

The backhand is the throw most people already know. You reach across your body and snap the disc out flat, with plenty of spin to keep it steady in the air. The forehand, also called the flick, is thrown from the side with two fingers under the rim, a bit like skimming a stone. Once those feel good, players move on to the hammer, an overhead throw that flips upside down and drops over defenders. Spin matters more than power. A disc with lots of spin flies straight and true.

Very. The rules fit on the back of a beer mat, and your Activity Leader will run through the basics and the key throws before anyone starts. Beginners pick up the backhand quickly, and cutting into space to get open for a pass comes naturally once you've watched a point or two. Expect plenty of running, a few glorious near misses and at least one catch you'll be talking about at dinner. Bring your competitive streak, and trainers.

You might also like Dodgeball, Capture the Flag and Field Games.

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