Rules

Rules and Amendments for Ultimate

Please take a look below to find:

MODS amendments to the USAU rules for our outdoor leagues and events.

MODS amendments to the USAU rules for our indoor leagues and events.

The complete set of USAU rules with links to printable and downloadable documents.

2020-21 Rules

USA Ultimate recently completed revisions and updates to the Official Rules of Ultimate. The Rules Working Group and Spirit, Officiating and Rules (SOAR) Committee took into account extensive feedback from the community in devising the 2020-2021 Official Rules of Ultimate, which was approved by the USA Ultimate Board of Directors on August 27, 2019.

The 2020-2021 Official Rules of Ultimate will be officially in effect beginning January 1, 2020. All USA Ultimate competition in 2019, including the club postseason series and the 2019 National Championships, will use the 11th Edition rules. Outside of USA Ultimate competition, event organizers and tournament directors are free to incorporate any or all of the updated rules between now and the end of 2019.

2020-21 Rules	HTML version of the 2020-21 rules
Substantive Changes from the 11th Edition	Section by section overview of the major changes from the 11th Edition

MODS Winnipeg Ultimate League Rule Amendments

Winnipeg uses an amended version of the rules for our recreational leagues. The full list of rules can also be found below, with reference to USAU rules at the bottom of the page.

Winnipeg Ultimate League Rule Amendments to USAU 2020 - 21 edition rules

Default Rule

If a captain is unable to field a full team for a scheduled league game, that captain must contact the opposing team's captain a minimum of 24 hours prior to scheduled game time and must receive confirmation from that captain acknowledging the need to reschedule/cancel. Confirmation must be in the form of a conversation or email reply. The team that forfeits their game will have one of their two performance bonds cashed. If the captain that is unable to field a team does not do this, then both of the team's performance bonds will be cashed. Any further incidents of this nature will warrant further attention.

Gender Ratio

All mixed teams must have no more than 4 players of a gender on the field at a time, except in Master’s league, in which there is a minimum of 2 players of each gender. MODS is now using Gender Rule A in all of our Mixed Leagues.

Spirit Foul

The Spirit Foul rule has been removed from MODS amendments and replaced by the Spirit Timeout.

Dangerous Play Foul

The Dangerous Play Foul amendment has been removed as the update to the USAU 2020 - 21 rules no covers our amenment properly.

Footwear

Players must wear closed toe athletic footwear to compete in any MODS sanctioned events or games. Players may not play in their bare feet.

Darkness/Time Caps

In the interests of player safety, games will have a hard time cap to ensure they end before darkness. Both teams should agree on a timepiece to be used to determine the cap at the beginning of the game or as soon as it is apparent the game may need to be capped. When the hard time cap is reached, the point in progress may be played to its conclusion, after which the game terminates, regardless of the score (Exception: if it is a playoff game and is tied after the end of this point, one more point may be played to determine the winner). Players are encouraged to start games promptly to avoid the need to cap games.

Roster

In order for a player to be deemed eligible for playoffs, that player must have played a minimum of four regular season games (summer) and also be on that team's official roster. If a team wishes to involve a player who is not on the roster in any game (playoff or regular season), that team's captain must receive the other team captain's permission prior to the start of the game.

Observers

Observers will attend some WUL games. When an observer is present they will have the following duties: Watching games closely and assisting players in understanding the rules, including answering questions on rules and pointing out any incorrect applications of the rules. Monitoring game start times. Resolution of disputes: If players disagree on a call and are unable to resolve the dispute between themselves, one player may request a ruling from the observer. The other player(s) involved will be asked if they agree to go to the observer; if they do, the observer may give a ruling and that ruling is binding. If the issue is solely the interpretation of a rule, observers will give rule clarification. Players are encouraged to resolve their own disputes even when an observer is present. Observers may temporarily remove players from a game if they are being overly aggressive either physically or verbally, as per a spirit foul. Observers will make active line calls (in- or out-of-bounds and in/out of the endzone) when in position to make the call. All other calls remain the responsibility of the players. This includes line calls where the observer is not in position to make the call.

Rule Changes (with references made to USAU 2020 - 21 edition sections)

I.D.

Length of game: 15 points

Upper score limit: 15 points

Time of game limit: See ‘Darkness/Time Caps’ above

Half-time length: 5 minutes

Number of time-outs: 3/game, with a maximum of 2/half

Starting time point assessments: 1 point/5 minutes

Game start time: 7pm*

*Scheduled game start time may be earlier later in the season and for fall league; games at some fields may start later. Check scheduled game start time on website.

III.A.

End zones are 18 metres (20 yards) deep.

III.E.

If the field of play is not lined, half-field cones are added exactly half-way (35 yards) between the end zones and the end zones are marked with double cones.

IV.A.

Only white Discraft or Daredevil brand discs may be used.

IV.C.

Golf cleats are not permitted. Close toed shoes are required; barefoot play is not permitted.

V.A

No game can exceed 17 points (Point Cap)

Once the Hard Time Cap is reached, the point in progress is completed and the game terminates, even if tied.

V.B.

Half-time occurs when one team reaches 8 points. Half-time lasts 5 minutes.

VI.B.

Teams are limited to 3 time-outs per game, with no more than 2 of those being taken in any half.

VI.B.1.

RULE DOES NOT APPLY.

VI.C.1.

An injury time-out can be called by any member of EITHER team. If the time-out is called by a member of the opposing team, play is resumed in the same manner described under VI.C.7.a.

VIII.A.4.

This rule applies to the scheduled game start time (as described above for rule I.D.).

VIII.B.3.

Each team must have a minimum of FOUR players to begin and continue a game. These could be of the same gender.

VIII.B.8.

If this occurs within twenty yards of the endzone the receiving team is defending, the disc is put into play AT THE RECEIVING TEAM'S BRICK MARK. (amendment eliminated)

XVIII.B.

Observer duties in the WUL include:

Monitoring game start time

Resolution of disputes when players on BOTH teams agree to go to the observer

Temporary removal of players from the game if they are being overly aggressive either physically or verbally.

Active line calls (in- or out-of-bounds and in/out of the endzone) when in position to make the call.

VIII.B.4.e

RULE DOES NOT APPLY.

VIII.C.4

RULE DOES NOT APPLY.

MODS Indoor / Winter Rule Amendments

Due to the change in available space, indoor Ultimate is played under different rules.

MODS Indoor Rule Amendments

Winter / Indoor League Rule Amendments

Length of Game

Games are played to time rather than points. (Section V in 11th edition rules is irrelevant)
Games last until the end of the allotted time slot. The end of the slot is reached as confirmed by a mutually agreed timepiece, if a point is in progress when the time ends, play ceases immediately and the point is not completed. Exception: If the game is a playoff game AND the score is tied when time runs out, complete the point in progress to determine a winner.
Regular season games may end in a tie after the last point. If the game is a playoff game and ends in a tie after the last point, play one additional point to determine the winner. In a playoff game a point can't be started in the last 60 seconds of the game unless the score is tied.
There is no requirement to win by two or more points.

Time-Outs

There are no team time-outs in indoor (VI.B). Injury time-outs, and equipment timeouts to replace a broken (not merely warped) disc or to correct hazardous or illegal equipment, are allowed.

Out-of-Bounds

If a disc hits a wire between fields, a banner or any object outside of the playing field it is a turnover and is considered to have become out of bounds where it contacted the object. (IX.E). If the disc hits any part of the ceiling over the field, the disc is dead at that point and is put into play on the field nearest to where it contacted the ceiling. Note if the disc crossed the perimeter line before contacting the out-of-bounds object, it is returned to play at the point where it last crossed the line (IX.H.1).
If a pull lands out-of-bounds without being touched, or hits anything outside the field (including overhanging wires, banners and curtains) before being touched, it is out-of-bounds at that point and may be taken either at the brick mark (see above) or at the middle of the field parallel to where it became out-of-bounds.

Stall Count

For indoor the stall count is reduced to 7. (Disc is down on the "S" of seven)
After a call that stops play, the count is resumed as follows:
- After a pick, contested foul or violation, offsetting calls, or unresolved calls: Count reached plus 1, or 4 if over 3
- After a contested stall: 5
- All other calls stopping play: Count reached plus 1, or 6 if over 5