The Ultimate Game
By Casey McGuire-Turcotte
Special to the Advertiser
Legend has it that ultimate, often referred to as ultimate Frisbee, was so named because it combines parts of each sport to form its own "ultimate" sport.
Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser
You score in an end zone as in football; you constantly run as in soccer; and you play defense, as in basketball.
"Ultimate teaches us to play games like we should live our lives," says Buffy Cushman, treasurer of the Hawai'i Ultimate League Association. "There really isn't anything like it."
But perhaps the most refreshing aspect of this outdoor activity is what it doesn't have in common with other sports.
"There are no refs in ultimate," says Buffy Cushman, treasurer of the Hawai'i Ultimate League Association and an avid ultimate player. "There is a certain amount of trust between players to love the game enough to not cheat and to uphold the 'spirit of the game.' "
The spirit of the game is more than just a utopian ideal — it's in the rulebook. It states that "competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of respect between players, adherence to the rules, and the basic joy of play."
Cushman, a graduate student at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa, believes the spirit of the game is what draws athletes to the sport.
"This is a game we're playing because we love it, not because we want to cheat the ref," Cushman said. "A lot of the people who play ultimate are amazing athletes who could play a much more glamorous game if they wanted to, but they choose to play ultimate because it's so pure."
Ultimate is played on a 40- by 70-yard field with two 25-yard end zones.
• Where to start: www.hawaiiultimate.com • Contacts in Hawai'i: O'ahu: Postmaster@hawaiiultimate.com. In Kailua and Windward, David Moore at 263-8597 Maui: Tom Seif, tom@condosmaui.com or tom@t-link.net Big Island: For ultimate, David Gelber (808) 933-2753 or beegwave@hawaii.rr.com. For disc golf, Rob Nasworthy (808) 982-9178 or ctropics@interpac.net or William Waters at unapl@hgea.org Kaua'i: Jim or Lori Middlebrook at jimlori@aloha.net Moloka'i: Wesley Gonzales at wesleyg@informix.com
Teams are made up of seven members who advance down the field by throwing and catching a disc. Like in basketball, running with the disc is illegal (traveling), although players are allowed three steps to slow down after catching the disc.
ULTIMATE GUIDE
While throwing the disc is one of the primary skills, "throwing can be learned," Cushman said. "It's all in the wrist."
Each score counts for one point, and games usually end at 15, lasting between 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
The Hawai'i Ultimate League Association was established in 1993 to provide continuity and organization to the ad-hoc disc activities taking place in the Islands. HULA encourages and promotes disc-related activities, including ultimate and disc golf.
HULA president Mondo Chun says there are over 140 players currently registered for ultimate league play.
The World Ultimate Championships were held at the Waipi'o Soccer Park last summer, attracting 2,000 of the best ultimate players from around the world.
"We had teams from Europe, Japan, Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Brazil and Venezuela," Chun said. "It was an incredible opportunity for our athletes."
Two years ago, HULA began its Learning League, a free league designed for beginners. It teaches the basics of the game, and allows people to experience the sport and the "spirit of the game" before stepping in to the competitive arena.
All ages and experience levels are welcome.
"Ultimate teaches us to play games like we should live our lives," Cushman said. "There really isn't anything like it."
For more information on HULA, the sport of ultimate, or the HULA Learning League, visit www.hawaiiultimate.com for contact numbers and practice information.
