If you have a little bit of interest in sports, you must have seen and played this game once in a life. Frisbee was once considered as a casual sport and kids could be seen throwing a disc towards their partners in narrow alleyways and streets. But very few would have believed that soon this game would gain worldwide recognition as a competitive sport.
Anyway, Frisbee is a low-contact team sport played with a flying disc. The game of Frisbee was developed in 1968 by students of Columbia High School in maplewood, New Jersey. The unique thing about this game is since its beginning, the game has resisted empowering any referee with the rule enforcement. Instead, this game relies on sportsmanship.
According to a report, till 2012, there were 5.1 million Frisbee players in the United States. Due to its simplicity, and the entertainment and fun it brings, the game of Frisbee is played in different environments. From grassy parks to big and small beaches, the game of Frisbee can be played anywhere with very little equipment and struggle.
Object of Playing Frisbee
The object of Frisbee is to pass the flying disc to any of your teammates who is at the end zone, or you can do it yourself by taking the frisbee ahead by passing each other to the end zone. And if the game is limited to a specified time frame, the team that scores more goals in the given time is declared winner. Or, if both the teams have set up a specific goal limit, the first team to score that number of goals will be declared the winner.
How to Play?
Frisbee is played between two sides having the same number of players. It involves a frisbee which is what every player chases throughout the game, both teams have their own sides and end zones to protect. Players score points by taking the frisbee into their opponent’s end zone.
Moreover, there are rules dictating how long a certain player can hold a frisbee and what are the legal ways to pass or get possession of the frisbee, not complying with any of the rules of the game result in losing possession of the ball. Make sure you have read and understood every rule discussed below before starting playing Frisbee.
General Rules of Frisbee
- An average team can have 12-18 players for a frisbee game. Out of which, only 7 players field for each side.
- Substitutions can only be made after the goal or throw-off.
- Frisbee match starts with a pull, one side throws off the disc to the other.
- There can be half-times to allow players to rest a bit. There is no specific time limit for these half-times.
- The game starts with a throw-off after half time.
- Once you have caught the disc, you can’t run any further. You can pivot your one leg only once and then you have to throw the disc at any cost.
- If your pass is intercepted or caught by the opposition, the possession will be given to the other side. The same is true if the pass is dropped on the ground.
- A player gets 10 seconds to pass the disc to his team mate, if he fails to do so, the possession of the disc will be given to the opposite side.
- Once the goal has been scored, both teams change ends.
- The goal is scored by taking the frisbee in your hands to the opposition’s end zone.
- The game is purely played in a sportsman spirit, so the referee has a very little role to play.
- The defender (marker) is supposed to make the stall count. If the defender counts those 10 seconds quickly, then the player is awarded 10 more seconds to pass the disc.
- In case of any infringement, the disc is given to the opposite team.
- This is a non-contact sport and the defenders stay at least 3 meters away from the disc holder.
Time Duration of Frisbee
As mentioned above, there is no such time limit. However, if the teams want to restrict the game to a specific number of minutes, they can certainly do so.
Frisbee Playing Field
In competitive games, the length of a Frisbee field is 64 meter long and 37 meter wide. Moreover, there are 23 meter wide end zones at each end, where the team has to take the frisbee to score a goal.
Frisbee Playing Equipment
The beauty of this game is that it is played with almost no equipment. All you need is a frisbee disc and you are ready to play.
This frisbee disc is a gliding toy or sporting item made of injection molded plastic. It is roughly 8 to 10 inches in diameter.
In casual games on streets, you can see kids using any random sporting item as a frisbee disc. That’s what makes this game super easy, inexpensive and exciting at the same time.
Referee
Although the game of Frisbee promotes “Spirit of the game” and it is probably the only sport that can go on smoothly even without officials. But referees are always present in the ground and they only interfere when a conflict occurs between the two sides.
Otherwise, in normal circumstances, a game of Frisbee would keep running smoothly with every player accepting his mistake without any argument.
Famous Frisbee Tournaments
The most famous Frisbee tournaments are held at domestic level in countries like Japan, Thailand, USA and a few more where it is popular. International tournaments are also held but the game is yet to gain any significant popularity at international level yet.
Governing Body
The World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) is the international governing body for the sport and its responsibility is to sanction international level events, establish uniform rules, setting of standards for and recording of world records.