By: Dane Yule, SFU Student

Hello readers of The Peak sports section,

Our Peak Sports Mailbag topic this week is Ultimate and our host is SFU Ultimate Frisbee Club president Dane Yule.  

Thanks so much to all of our readers for submitting their rowing-related questions, and my apologies if your question didn’t make it into this week’s edition. Usually, the Mailbag host will only answer three questions. Don’t worry though, as all questions submitted count for an entry into the raffle draw whether or not they are addressed in the Mailbag. Now, onto the questions!

Question 1: Can you briefly explain how a game of Ultimate Frisbee works and some of the most important rules to be aware of? – Kyle

Answer: The closest sport that I can compare Ultimate to is American Football — but without 60 pounds of padding. The goal of the game is to score points on the opposing team by catching the disc in their endzone. Each time a team catches the disc in the opposing teams endzone, they score a point. The first team to score 15 points wins the game. After catching the disc while running, you must immediately adopt a stationary position. While holding the disc, you are not allowed to move. The disc holder then has 10 seconds to throw the disc to a teammate, or else it is turned over to the other team.

Question 2: Can you explain what Spirit of the Game in Ultimate Frisbee is? – Shannon

Answer: Spirit of the Game is at the heart of Ultimate and is a defining characteristic of the sport. Ultimate relies heavily on Spirit of the Game by putting the onus of sportsmanship and honourable play on the players themselves. Highly competitive play is encouraged with a play-to-win mentality, but you play with respect for yourself, your teammates, and your opponents. You understand and learn the rules, and play with integrity and honesty in mind. Spirit plays such a large role in the sport that at many tournaments and in many leagues, the most spirited player from each team is given a reward and recognition of some kind. 

Question 3: What is the best/easiest way to give Ultimate Frisbee a try on or around the Burnaby campus? – Sydney

Answer: There are a few ways to try out Ultimate in Burnaby. I highly encourage people to come check out the Ultimate Frisbee Club here at SFU. We practice two to three times a week on the Burnaby campus. Both newcomers and experienced players are welcome to come play with us. You can get in touch with us at Club’s Day, or check out our facebook page, SFU Ultimate Club. If that’s not enough for you, there are a number of ways to play outside of campus. You can check out the Vancouver Ultimate League, which organizes pickup games, or you can look for a team to play with in their seasonal leagues. 

If you would like to participate in future editions of the Peak Sports Mailbag and be entered in a raffle for an end-of-semester prize, here’s what you can send to [email protected]: 

• Sports-related questions that our weekly host will answer
• Weekly theme ideas to guide our questions

Or: sign up to host the Mailbag (and get paid)!

Thanks to all of you SFU sports fans for blowing up my inbox!

Next week’s theme is: SFU Hockey

Next week’s host is: Michael Lenko

Send in your questions to [email protected].