A Spirit Story - The Circle

As part of our monthly series on Spirit of the Game, MODS is taking a look at the traditions, people and elements that make Spirit such an important piece of Ultimate and how Ultimate players identify. This month, we're taking a look at the Spirit Cirlce... a common tradition in Ultimate, so why not other sports? And where did this tradition begin? Is it just for newbies, or elite teams? We try and answer some of these questions in our summary piece below. Thank you to everyone credited in this article for advancing conversations around Spirit of the Game and Ultimate tradition.

The Spirit Circle

An Ultimate tradition to end the game and experience...

Spirit Circles are a gathering of the teams and their athletes once the final point is played and the game is done. The rituals and the makeup of the conversations in that circle really vary from group to group, league to league and team to team, but there are some pretty consistent elements to the ritual...

• First - Everyone is included from the teams. This normally means coaches and injured players join those who have just played... it's all about inclusion.
• Second - We alternate team members to form the circle. The goal is to have an alternating pattern all the way around, so everyone is mixed up. Then we lock arms in a shoulder to shoulder type of way that feels like family or close friendship.
• The Other Essential - Players from both teams take a turn saying something positive about the experience and other team. This is also the place to discuss any problems that arose during the game… this is the place to settle the disputes, walk away informed and leave the frustrations of competition behind.

It takes a couple minutes, but it wraps up the game the only way and Ultimate player knows how... with spirit, with friendship and with kindness to others in the community. These circles can often have prizes or awards for the other team or the most spirited people in the games. They can have songs made up about the game and opposition. Sometimes there's dances or chants... but regardless of the makeup of the circle, everyone leaves smiling.

What are Spirit Circles (as explained by the World Flying Disc Federation / WFDF)?

Spirit Circles are a good way to positively connect with the other team and to resolve possible conflicts. After a game is over both teams form a joined circle with alternating players. This circle can be used to highlight some positives and/or discuss issues that might have occurred during the game.

If, during a game, a team’s Spirit Captain believes that either or both teams are failing to follow the Spirit of the Game, he/she may call a Spirit of the Game Time-out. During the Spirit Time-out all team members of both teams will form the Spirit Circle in the middle of the field. The two opposing team Spirit Captains shall separately discuss all current issues with adherence to SOTG, determine ways to rectify those issues, and then convey the agreement to the spirit circle. A great example can be found at the Philippines – USA game in Dubai.

The best players in the world find value and growth through spirit circles (as reported by Skyyd Magazine)

Even the World Champion Ultimate Frisbee team, Seattle Riot, claims that these Spirit Circles make them better athletes, better people and argues it can be used at every level from youth to world class. In this panel, members of the team describe how a hollow, poorly-spirited win at Regionals led their team to embrace Spirit circles as a way to build relationships with other teams. The reigning world champions use Spirit circles to exchange honest (and even unpleasant) feedback on everything from strategy to rules discussion. These circles are integral to both performance and attitude improvement in the sport of Ultimate Frisbee and can be used in other sports as well.

Thank you to USAU for giving us some simple and quick tips to get your team started:

• Following each game, rather than lining up to slap hands, the two teams gather into a circle, alternating players on each team, facing inward, with arms around the shoulders of the person next to you. 

• One or two people (often team captains) on each team will talk briefly about the game. Usually the losing team goes first, then the winning team.

• Things to talk about can include how the game went, how your own team played, what the other team did well, who on the other team played well, and anything else that might be worth communicating…even if it's something you think could be done better (and don't forget to look in the mirror on this). 

• After each team has had a chance to talk, the winning team takes a step into the circle and walks around counter-clockwise to slap hands with the players on the other team.

That's it! It's pretty simple and definitely an experience that brings teams together and puts the game and the experience in perspective. It’s all about respect for each other and the experience of bringing out the best in each other through competition. It’s also about building relationships and seeing opponents for what they really are: part of the same community that loves ultimate. Please note that this is not meant to replace other post-game traditions you may have (e.g., cheers, games, photos, gifts or trading gear).