UFX/Upper Valley Ultimate is a group of Ultimate Frisbee enthusiasts who have been organizing adult (age 15+) co-ed playing opportunities in the Upper Valley area since 2000! We welcome players of all levels, are passionate about the sport and are always looking to attract new players, especially women!
Ultimate Frisbee is a non-contact team sport played with a flying disc on a playing surface similar to a football field with end zones in which a team scores by catching a pass in the other team’s end-zone. It combines the non-stop movement and athletic endurance of soccer with the aerial passing skills of football. A player must stop running while in possession of the disc. From where the disc was caught, a pivot foot is established and then the disc holder has 10 seconds to release a pass to any other teammate on the field. Ultimate is a transition game in which players move quickly from offense to defense on turnovers. That occur when a pass is dropped, intercepted, goes out of bounds, or when a player is caught holding the disc for more than ten seconds. Games are typically played to a pre-determined score or time. Although Ultimate resembles many traditional sports in its athletic requirements, it is unlike most sports due to its focus on self-officiating, even at the highest levels of competition. This concept, called Spirit of the Game, is integrated into the basic philosophy of the sport, written into the rules, and practiced at all levels of the game from local leagues to the World Games. It means that the players are responsible for knowing and enforcing the rules. Players on the field call their own fouls/violations and open discussion occurs if there is any question regarding a call to ensure fair play. All of this information and more can be found at http://www.usaultimate.org/about/.
In addition to offering informal pick up play twice a week from the spring to the fall, UFX/UVU has also been organizing a more formal Summer League for nearly ten years that has grown in size from 4 teams to 6 teams. Teams usually consist of 14 players and we use a 5-2 (five men and two women) format on the field. Teams simultaneously play each other multiple times over the course of the 10 week league, which wraps up in the final weeks with playoffs and a championship. The Summer League welcomes players of all experience/ability levels, including beginners, and participant ages may range from 15 – 50+. This is a co-ed league – each team will have a minimum of 2 women on the field during each point. Players register as individuals and are asked to fill out a skills survey. We take that varying experience/ability levels information given and form teams that are evenly matched.
Player attendance is essential and registrants will be asked to be on a substitute list if they will miss more than 4 weeks of the league. We focus on building team camaraderie, developing skills and strategies, and encouraging Spirit of the Game through the teaching of the rules. Engagement of all players, Spirit of the Game, and having fun ALWAYS take precedent over winning. However, it should still be noted that this is a competitive league, and more advanced strategies will be encouraged as the league progresses. New players are highly encouraged to attend a pick up session prior to playing in the league to develop basic skills and make sure that a slightly more formal/competitive playing environment will be right for them. Cleats are highly encouraged at all levels!