Competitive and friendly, challenging and addictive. There is no sport that compares to the unique dynamics of Ultimate Frisbee. Ultimate Frisbee (sometimes just called “ultimate”) is a non-contact sport that uses a flying disc and is often described as a combination of soccer, netball and American football.
It is an exciting, fast-paced game. When a player catches the disc they stop running and pass it to a team mate, with the aim of a team mate catching the disc in the team’s “end zone” to score. The game itself develops many fundamental motor skills such as running, leaping and the vertical jump. Ultimate Frisbee also develops hand-eye coordination and catching skills, as well as the unique forehand, backhand and overhead throwing skills needed to propel the Frisbee.
Eastern Ultimate, a social Ultimate Frisbee club, made its home at Elgar Park in 2003. The club regularly sends a mixed team to single day tournaments around Melbourne; however the backbone of the club is the weekly Thursday night “pick up” games. Pick up games are when anyone (from beginner to experienced player) can turn up and the club forms 2–4 even teams and plays a game of Ultimate. It’s fun, casual, and a great way to try Ultimate without any long term commitment. It’s also a good place to meet new people while getting a highly intense workout!
Players of Ultimate pride themselves as being a little different from athletes in other sports. That mentality is embodied in a concept referred to as the “Spirit of the Game”. The Spirit of the Game is the governing rule of the sport that trusts players to remain within the rules in an honest and friendly-yet-competitive environment. The unique aspect of Ultimate Frisbee is that it is self-refereed – even at the highest level. This means it is up to the players to settle any disputes about rules or fouls, while promoting huge respect between players of opposing teams.
Late in 2017 Eastern Ultimate began a summer junior Ultimate Frisbee program called “VicFlick” – one of only two junior Ultimate Frisbee programs in Victoria. The participation of Ultimate in schools has greatly increased to the point where students are looking for clubs to play with outside of school.
One of the best parts of the game of Ultimate is that it requires almost no equipment. With just a disc and a bit of space, you’ve got yourself instant access to an amazing game. Ultimate is cheap, versatile, one of the fastest growing sports in Australia. For more information go to www.easternultimate. com.au, see the club’s Facebook page (Eastern Ultimate Frisbee), or just come along on a Thursday night and join in the pick up game at Elgar Park, Elgar Road, Mont Albert Hill North.
Jacqui Allen
