These are the bare essentials of the language of Ultimate to make any beginner sound like they really know what they’re doing! These 15 basic terms are common for beginners to hear and have NO idea what they mean. Each word alongside it will have:
- A definition for beginners.
- A common misunderstanding of the term to avoid making.
- An example of how you would hear it used from a teammate or opponent.
Bid –
- Any attempt to catch the disc.
- Not to do with EBay or attempting to buy anything.
- “Hey dude, nice bid!”
Break –
- When you are marking a player you try to force them to throw the disc in a particular direction. If the offensive player throws past your force in the direction you were blocking off then that is a break. If a player yells ‘No break!’ Then it is important to block off that area.
- Not to do with hurting any opposing player.
- “NO BREAK NO BREAK NO BREAK!!!”
Callahan –
- The Holy Grail of Ultimate. A Callahan is when you catch an opponents throw inside their end-zone to score. The best feeling for the scorer, the worst for the passer.
- Not a call to a particular person called Callahan.
- “It’s okay buddy don’t cry, everything’s gonna be all right, it’s only a Callahan.”
Cut –
- A cut is making a deliberate and committed run into space to receive the disc.
- Again, do not hurt anyone by cutting them.
- “Guys I need you to cut! Cut now he’s on stall 7!”
D –
- D means defence.
- Your teammate is not practising the alphabet.
- “Get on D!”
Disc –
- Players of Ultimate do not call it a frisbee – it is a disc.
- Just always call it a disc!
- “Throw us the disc dude!”
Force –
- Putting on a force is when you are marking an opposing player and you are trying to make them throw the disc in a certain direction. You can force forehand or backhand.
- This is not a call to shove the opposition.
- “Right guys we’re forcing backhand this point.”, “Wait what direction is that?”, “Just stand on the left-hand-side of your mark ok.”
Hammer –
- A type of high throw where you hold the disc with a forehand grip releasing from above your head.
- A hammer from your toolbox is not required for the game of Ultimate Frisbee.
- “You really need to improve that hammer man…”
Layout –
- The moment any player can look like a god. A layout is a dramatic dive/throwing of yourself onto your front in an attempt to catch the disc. If you are a beginner and you get a chance to layout, go for it. No matter the result you will get respect for trying.
- This is not a complaint about the layout of the pitch.
- “Oh man that layout was sick! Shame you didn’t catch the disc.”
Poach –
- If you hear an opponent shout this you may be in trouble. Yelling poach tells everyone you are in acres of space and you want to receive the disc. If your mark yells this then you’re not doing your job properly.
- Your teammate does not want their eggs done in this fashion.
- “I’m poached, I’m poached!”
Pull –
- The beginning throw of a new point. This can either be high and floaty or fast and angled.
- Do not drag your teammate towards the disc.
- “Anyone want to pull? No? Okay fine I’ll do it!”
Sky –
- Another thing you don’t want to happen to you. Being skied is when two players are jumping for a disc in the air and one severely out-jumps the other.
- Don’t spend the game admiring the clouds after this call.
- “Damn you totally skied that guy!” or “You need to work on your jumping after being skied like that!”
Stall Count/Out –
- As a defender if you start marking the opposing player with the disc you begin a stall count. This is where you start counting up to 8 (outdoors) in this fashion “Stalling one, stalling two etc.” If you reach the end of “Stalling eight” you can then yell “Stall out!” which results in a turnover and posession for your team and a crisp high-five from a teammate.
- Do not look for a farmers market stalls.
- “The stall count is up to 8 outdoors mate.”
Strip –
- A type of foul. If you catch the disc and have control of it then someone knocks/pulls the disc out of your hand you can call a strip and you get possession of the disc again.
- Do not remove any items of clothing to music.
- “Strip!” “Nah man I had the disc first!” “I definitely had control of the disc before you took it, it’s a strip.”
Turnover –
- Possession of the disc switches to the other team.
- Don’t lie on the ground and roll over like a dog.
- “The disc hit the ground, that’s a turnover!”
There are of course many more important terms but this would be a good list to start off with for anyone wanting to get into the sport!
THE ULTIMATE SPORT 
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