Essential Lingo for Beginners: Part 2

This is part 2 of the most important basic terms to learn to get into playing Ultimate Frisbee! Understanding what these next 10 terms mean and how to use them will make any beginner look like a seasoned veteran! Each word will have alongside it:

1.  A definition for beginners.
2. A common misunderstanding of the term to avoid making.
3. An example of how you would hear it used from a teammate or opponent.

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Blade –

1. This is a type of throw which is very difficult to catch! The disc will be coming at you very quickly and angled vertically.
2. Nobody has brought a knife to the game, don’t panic.
3. “That hammer was a bit bladey, you’ll need to level it off next time.”

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Clear Out –

1. This shout is called when an area of the pitch (usually the end-zone) becomes over-crowded and the player holding the disc wants people to move out of that area to create more space to get a throw away. If you hear this call, get out of the busy area and out of the throwing lane (see Throwing Lane).
2. You’re not being told to leave the pitch, just the area of the field you’re currently occupying.
3. “”Clear out guys, get out of the endzone!”

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Endzone –

1. This is the rectangular area at each end of the field like in Rugby and American Football where you score points by catching the disc .
2. This one is pretty self-explanatory actually.
3. “Drive to the end-zone! Go, go, go!

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Flick –

1. Flick is the other name for your forehand throw. If you are asked to force flick, it means you should stand on the right of your mark to make them throw a forehand.
2. Nobody is dressed as Flick from Bugs Life and you’re not about to have your ear pinged by someone.
3. “Force flick this point. That means force forehand.”

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Iron Man –

1. If you’re playing on a team with no available subs then you are ‘Iron-manning’ the match. This is very hard to do as Ultimate is such a demanding sport.
2. Tony Stark has not landed on the pitch.
3. “This next team we’re against is Iron-manning. Move the disc quickly and let’s try to tire them out.”

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O –

1. If you’re on O it means that the next point you are attacking, i.e. you are on offense.
2. Nobody is shocked by something they’ve seen.
3. “Next point on O, you’re playing iso.”

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Pancake –

1. A pancake is when you catch the disc with one hand flat on top of it with the other flat on the other side i.e. clapping your hands to catch the disc between them. It is the easiest, most solid way to catch the disc.
2. Nobody has made pancakes beside the pitch sadly.
3. “Pancake it, it’s the easiest way to catch the disc.”

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Swing –

1. Swinging the disc is passing it across to the other side of the field. A player will have to make a cut to receive the disc and create the necessary space.
2. There isn’t a playpark nearby.
3. “Swing it to the right!”

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Taco –

1. This is the word to describe the terrible moment your lovely disc becomes warped or bent out of shape. This can happen if someone blades it into the ground, if a dog steals it or from general long-term usage.
2. Nobody has any tacos sadly.
3. “Aww man that’s rough. Your disc is well and truly taco’d.”

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Travel –

1. Travel is a foul call. You cannot move when holding the disc in Ultimate other than to pivot so if you move that extra step, ‘Travel’ will be called and the other team takes possession of the disc just like in Netball.
2. Nobody is telling you to take a holiday.
3. “Travel!! You took a step off your standing leg.”

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Thank you for reading once again! I hope this piece was informative and fun! Please give it a lik, share it with someone who needs to learn these basics and send me some feedback if you have any about my writing so far! Thanks!

All photo credits go to Alberto Rossi.