Ultimate Dictionary

Below is a selection of words you might hear in tryouts or practices, but aren't a complete list of all Ultimate-specific lingo.

For a more comprehensive list, check out this list from ultimatefrisbeehq.com

Terms:

Bid: A particularly impressive move a player makes to reach the disc.

Break: When the team that starts the point by pulling -- the defense line -- scores that same point.

Break side: The half of the field that is cut off by the mark's force. If the mark is forcing flick, then throwing a backhand would "break" the mark.

Brick mark: The spot on a full-size field where pulls that go out-of-bounds are brought to in order to tap the disc in.

Calling lines: When the defense side picks the players they will guard for that point. Someone on the defense team will call out "Zero," after which players will each call out a number 1 through 7, which correspond to the 7 players lined up on the opposite side of the field. The "1" player is the left-most player, and the "7" player is the right-most one.

Chilly: Telling someone to take their time before throwing when they are in possession of the disc.

Clear out: Cutters are often told to "clear out" if they make an unsuccessful cut. This means to get out of the lane and return to the position they were in before they made their cut. This is so that another cutter can attempt to get open.

Cut: A sudden move a player makes to get open for the disc. An in-cut would be towards their thrower, an out-cut would be away from their thrower.

Cutter: A player who primarily stays downfield and moves around so they can receive a handler's throws to gain yards.

D: The shortened version of the word "defense."

Disc: Another name for a frisbee.

Disc-in: When the disc comes out of play (after it goes out of bounds, or a turnover occurs), the mark will tap the disc and call "disc-in", after which the disc is officially in play and the mark can begin the stall count.

Downfield: The area of the field closer to the end zone your team is trying to score on.

Dump: The second handler that is not in possession of the disc and waits nearby (usually upfield or parallel to) the thrower. If the thrower cannot find any open cutters downfield, they will toss to the "dump" to reset the stall count or gain better field positioning.

Fast count/stall: A call the thrower can make if their mark is counting fast, after which the mark has to drop the count by two seconds and then resume counting.

Flick: The more common name for a forehand throw.

Force: What throw a mark blocks when guarding a thrower. When forcing flick, the mark blocks the backhand throw and allows the flick to be thrown -- which means that they would be standing on the thrower's left side (if the thrower is right-handed). Vice versa for forcing backhand.

Some teams will choose to call "force home" or "force away" instead of flick or backhand. In these cases, forcing home would mean that you stand on the side of the thrower so that you are facing the "home" side, which would force the thrower to pass to the half of the field closest to the "home" side. Vice versa is true for "force away."

Hammer: A throw using a flick grip but released above the head and thrown with a motion similar to throwing a baseball.

Click here to learn more.

Handler: A player who primarily stays upfield and throws to cutters to gain yards.

Huck: A long throw of any type.

Lane: The unguarded space on a field a cutter moves towards.

Mark: The player guarding the person in possession of the disc.

Pivot foot: If you are right-handed, your pivot foot would be your left one. If left-handed, your pivot foot is your right one. Throwers must keep their pivot foot on the ground while in possession of the disc, or a travel could be called on them.

Pull: The first throw off to start a game or to start a new point.

Scoober: A type of throw held with a flick grip but released at the shoulder level, at the opposite shoulder from the throwing hand.

Click here to learn more.

Stall: The count to ten that the mark does. Once the "t" in ten is said, the mark can call "stall" and the disc is turned over.

Turnover: When the disc comes into possession of the defense, whether by an interception, an incomplete pass, or from a stall or foul call.

Upfield: The area of the field farther from the end zone your team is trying to score on.

Photo Credit: Ultimate Frisbee HQ, Ultimate Frisbee UQ