Ultimate (frisbee)

I love Ultimate. It is such a beautiful game to watch and be a part of. The wind, the arcing throws, the geometry, the flow of the game. It's gorgeous.

I especially like that Ultimate, as a whole sport, promotes hard play and competition that brings out the best in people. Ultimate has no referees, ever. From pick-up games in Piedmont Park to the World Championships, players call their own games. And the culture of Ultimate is that people play with respect, even as they play hard. So people who are jerks don't fit in. Competition, yes, and yet the competition is all within the bounds of what's called The Spirit of the Game (SOTG). The Official Ultimate Players Association guides define the SOTG thusly:

• Ultimate has traditionally relied upon a spirit of sportsmanship which places the responsibility for fair play on the player. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of the bond of mutual respect between players, adherence to the agreed upon rules of the game, or the basic joy of play. Protection of these vital elements serves to eliminate adverse conduct from the Ultimate field. Such actions as taunting of opposing players, dangerous aggression, intentional fouling, or other 'win-at-all-costs' behavior are contrary to the spirit of the game and must be avoided by all players.

I find Ultimate hopeful because it is a place where people of all political, religious, chronological, gender, cultural, and racial backgrounds and persuasions can come together, have fun, play hard, and get some good exercise. And yet Ultimate takes place under the agreed upon tenets of the SOTG. In this divisive election season, I offer these observations about how Ultimate can bring us all together, Left and Right:

Republicans should celebrate Ultimate because it proves that a group can exist and progress towards their goals successfully with NO OUTSIDE REGULATION of any sort. No Big Government. Hell, no government at all. Take away the top-down rules and people and groups will excel and push each other to be the best they can be.

Democrats should celebrate because Ultimate proves that the good nature and intentions of individuals and groups really is what ties people together and orders the society. The SOTG is evidence that the essence of people really is good, and that this innate good nature really can be the backbone and structure of a successful society. Love, respect, and tolerance, when nurtured by the group and allowed to thrive in the proper environment, are all that are needed for a robust democracy.


See, we can all get along. Let's go play some Ultimate!