Photo: Sébastien Crête, AUM
When it comes to team sports that are easy to organize and very economical in terms of equipment, ultimate is hard to beat.
“All it takes is a gang of friends, a Frisbee, four orange cones (or any other object on hand) to mark off a playing area and your sportsmanship at its best. And there you have it, the ultimate game can begin,” says Marie-Hélène Audet, general director of the Fédération québécoise d’ultimate.
Since the beginning of the 2000s, the fever of this sport has spread to the four corners of the province. “The federation today has more than 5,500 adult players across Quebec. And this number increases by 15% each year,” underlines Ms. Audet. Leagues for adults – mostly mixed – tournaments and championships are emerging in several municipalities and neighborhoods. Montreal, Quebec and Sherbrooke are among the cities where the sport has solid bases.
To think that it all began in the courtyard of Yale University, in Connecticut, in the early 1940s. To relieve boredom, young students would throw pie pans from the Frisbie Pie Company at each other. Marketed in its plastic form by a Californian company from 1948, the old mold officially became the frisbee. Very popular on beaches and in parks, the disc inspired, 20 years later, the ultimate team game. Note that our French cousins call it “the ultimate pass”.
In addition to the little equipment it requires, this sport without a referee stands out for the simplicity of its rules. Halfway between football and basketball, ultimate favors the passing game and involves scoring in the opposing zone. A player scores when he catches the Frisbee in the end zone. Note that it is forbidden to move around with the frisbee in hand. As soon as a player has it, he has ten seconds to pass to one of his teammates.
Officially, ultimate is played seven against seven. But everyone can adapt the formula in their own way. In other words, if you’re looking to do a not too complicated activity during your next BBQ with friends, take out the frisbee.
For information: www.fqu.ca
