Catch the Spirit 2023 Rules - 4v4 Edition

Submitted by Jamie Millage on

The tournament rules will be the 2020-2021 USAU rules, subject to the following modifications.

  1. Number of Players: Each team has 4 players on the field, in the ratio 2:2 (male:female).
  2. Substitions and Scoring
    1. Pull the disc only to start the game - there is no half-time.
    2. On a turnover, players can bring the disc up to the goal line from the point where it went out of bounds or was turned over. After a score, the disc must be played from where it lies.
    3. Brick mark is set at 2m in front of the endzone line.
    4. After a point is scored, the disc is left in the endzone at the spot in which it was caught. Play restarts in that same endzone (i.e., no pull after every point). The team that was scored upon checks the disc in play once the defence is ready
    5. Maximum 30 second delay between points. Play resumes when either:
      • 30 seconds have elapsed, or
      • Both teams are ready through a check.
  4. Game Time:
    1. Length of Game: Time slots for each game are ~30 minutes long. Once the previous game has finished, the clock will be reset to 35 minutes and when it runs out, the game is over. There are 5 minutes allotted from the end of one game to the start of the next. It is up to the two teams to get the game started in a timely manner. Games should be underway as soon as possible (i.e. limit your on-field warm-up to 5 minutes).
    2. Time-Outs: No Timeouts.
    3. Half Time: when the game clock runs down to about 18-20 minutes (give or take a bit), finish the point and take a half time break (1 or 2 minutes). To start the second half, switch ends and have the other team pull.
    4. End of the Game: When the final buzzer (air horn) sounds, the game is over (unless the score is tied). If the disc is in the air when the buzzer sounds, count the catch if the pass is completed. If the score is tied when the buzzer sounds, finish the point.
  5. Stall Count: The thrower has only eight (8) seconds to make a throw. If the thrower is still holding the disc when the stall count reaches 8 (the "eigh" of "eight"), it's a turnover.
  6. Marker: When taking position, the marker must allow at least an arm's length plus a disc's width of space between him/herself and the thrower (B division only).
  7. Out-of-Bounds: If the disc hits the side netting or other object outside of the field of play, it is out-of-bounds and a turnover results. Play restarts from where the disc went out of bounds.
  8. Spirit:
    1. Each team must assign a spirit score to their opponent at the end of each game. Spirit forms will be provided for teams to fill out. Team captains should get input from all teammates and not determine the score based solely on their own experience during the game.
    2. Cheering the other team after each game is very strongly encouraged. If there is a tie, the Spirit Champion will be determined by a cheer-off at the end of the day.
    3. Swearing, trash talking and other types of disruptive behaviour will result in the offending player(s) being ejected from the tournament.
  9. Tie Breakers: To determine the seeding for the playoff rounds, tie breakers will be applied in the following order until the tie is broken: (a) head-to-head result; (b) spirit score; (c) goal differential; (d) goals scored; (e) goals allowed; (f) disc lag.
  10. Equipment: Players must wear running shoes or non-metal sport cleats if allowed. Street shoes and barefoot play are not allowed.
  11. No Blood: If a player starts bleeding, s/he must sub off immediately and cannot rejoin the game until the wound has been treated and the bleeding stopped.

Suggestions & Reminders

Coaches, since some of your teams are new to ultimate and since most of you have probably not played under the "continuous play" format, here are a few suggestions which will help make things run more smoothly (in no particular order). Also, if you are not familiar with the rules of ultimate, the UPA 11th edition rules are freely available on the internet. Alternatively, we can send you the simplified rules used by the TDSB high school league.

  1. Roster Size: As we are no longer offering junior memberships to Catch the Spirit participants there are no longer any limits on team roster size. But all participants must have a completed 2020 Junior Waiver in order to participate in the tournament.
  2. Substitutions: Encourage your players to substitute frequently. Because there are no natural breaks in the game during which they can catch a breather (e.g. watching the other team walk to the other end of the field after your team has scored), players tend to stay on the field longer than they should. Also, the best time to substitute is while your team is on offence, (i.e. immediately after the other team turns the disc over or scores). The worst time to substitute, especially if the player is far from the bench, is right after your team scores - this usually results in a quick goal being scored against your team.
  3. Defence: There are no restrictions on the types of defence you can play. If you want to play zone, be our guest. Just remember that there is rarely time to set it up, and since there is no wind, throws tend to be more accurate. It is very rare for teams in the TUC indoor leagues to play zone defence.
  4. Uniforms: Have your players bring an alternate shirt/uniform to make sure that both teams can be easily distinguished on the field. If your uniform is dark, have all the students bring a white/light alternate shirt. If your uniform is light, have all players bring a dark alternate shirt. If both teams have similar coloured shirts, have the captains flip a disc for colours before flipping for possession & ends.
  5. Spirit Scores: There is a spirit award for the team with the highest spirit score at the end of the tournament. In case of a tie, the winner will be determined by a cheer-off. We will be providing a form for teams to fill out which includes 5 categories, with scores for each category in the 0-4 range. To make all your players think about spirit, they should all be involved in determining the spirit score assigned to you opponent. One good way to do this is to have all the players stand in a circle and using the fingers of one hand, indicate a score from 0 (poor) to 4 (excellent). Another reason for getting everyone involved is that spirit is a subjective concept. Also, each player will have a different experience over the course of a game. On occasion, issues arise between opposing players on one part of the field, which affects their enjoyment of the game, yet their teammates are unaware of any problem. Speaking as a team captain and coach, my teams rarely give a perfect spirit score because we use this method for determining the score and a perfect score can only be reached by unanimous agreement.
  6. Waivers, Rosters, & Fees: When you arrive, make sure to bring the completed TUC liability waivers and any outstanding tournament entry fees to our registration area. Since players will likely want to change and warm-up before the first game, you should plan on arriving at least a ½ hour before the start of your first scheduled game, which means around 8:30 am for first round games. Directions to the stadium can be found on the TUC web site.
  7. Food & Drink: Food and drink (except water) are NOT allowed in the dome! There is a water fountain near the entrance for players to refill their own bottles. There is an area in the clubhouse where students can eat their lunch or snacks - we recommend that players bring their own lunch. There are some restaurants within a 10-minute walk of the facility on the Danforth.
  8. Miscellaneous: Have someone bring a camera and take a team photo for the yearbook - especially if your team is the spirit champion or the tournament champion. Players should bring their own lunch. An athletic therapist will be on-site to provide first aid treatment and advice.

Enjoy the tournament and always play with Spirit!