On foot blocks

[kiwdulkas]

Is it considered a foot block when a player who is not the mark intentionally uses their foot/leg to block a pass? For example, I make a pass to a team mate and a defending player, who is neither marking me nor the team mate receiving the disc, raises their leg and blocks the disc. Is this a foot block?

I tried looking in the 11th edition rules, but could not find anything regarding foot blocks. Thanks!

[cut-chemist]

My understanding is that 'no foot blocks' is a discretionary rule instituted at the league level, so you won't find anything about it in the 11th edition rules. I think that the idea is to prevent hand injuries (it really is a crummy way to end up out of commission, both for ultimate and for jobs etc.). So probably the common sense interpretation is that if you're not the marker, and if no-one's hand is anywhere near it (except your own), then it's OK to block the disc down with your foot or leg. Then again, if you can reach it with your foot, this sounds like a good opportunity for a gratuitous layout. It looks way better and is less likely to warp the disc.

[tugbo]

The rule is
"A foot block is defined as an attempt by the defender within 3 metres of the thrower to block a throw with his/her foot or leg raised off the ground."

It is not in the 11th edition rules. Foot blocks and the "contact" rule are the two additional rules that are used in TUC. I guess time caps and gender matching rules are other additional rules too.

As to your original question,
"For example, I make a pass to a team mate and a defending player, who is neither marking me nor the team mate receiving the disc, raises their leg and blocks the disc."

No, it is not a foot block. Doesn't meet the 3 meters requirement. There's an earlier discussion of this rule at http://tuc.org/index.php?name=PNphpBB2& ... ic&t=14068

[GregS]

Foot blocks and the "contact" rule are the two additional rules that are used in TUC.

You're right about everything to do with foot blocks, but the contact rule is semi-official. I'm not sure exactly the status, but it's being used at all USAU sanctioned events, and will be included in the 12th edition.

[jacklilwall]

The following changes have been approved for use in the 2013 College, Youth, and Club Series as experimental rules:

End zone Size - End zone length will be shortened to 20 yards. This change allows for consistency with WFDF rules used in international competition and increases the number of field sites that can be used for ultimate.
Contact Call - If contact occurs between the thrower and marker that would constitute a foul under XVI.H.3.a but the thrower does not release the disc, "contact" may be called. Play does not stop and the marker resumes the stall count at "one". Other than resetting the stall count to "one" after the first instance, the "contact" call is treated as any other marking violation. The marker may contest the "contact" call by calling "violation", which stops play. If the thrower calls "contact" after beginning the throwing motion and subsequently releases the disc, it is treated as if the thrower called "foul".

These experimental rules were brought in at the end of 2012, so in my mind if they haven't removed them by now, they will likely be in the 12th edition rules... whenever they come out (probably after the rules summit at WUCC in August).

As for the gender matching rule. That has always been a rule for offence to decide the ratio.

[Peeters]

The Contact call was also introduced for the CUC series last year and is in the books again for this year.

Gender Ratio isn't officially in the book either, but leagues/tournaments/CUC Series have instituted it with "offence dictates" fairly widely.