Sierra Leone Flying Disc Association
YOU ARE IN CHARGE
on the field and in life
Spirit of the Game is a key principle of Ultimate Frisbee. Not having referees even on World Championship, it's responsibility of every player to self-officiate the game. Everyone is expected to know and play according to the rules, avoid body contact, prevent injuries, be fair-minded and communicate with positive attitude and respectfully, to own team-mates, opposing team players and fans.
Instead of relying on verdicts of external referees, it's honour of every player to take responsibility for their actions and play fair at all costs. Spirit of the Game teaches independence, ability to listen to different opinions, efficient communication and to take right decisions. It's no surprise ultimate players apply the same approach in life too.
Samuel Jordan Kamara
"For me, Spirit means a chance to be the best version of myself. Opponent is not my enemy, it's my partner to always improve - to play better so I can win without cheating, and to control my mind. It's easy to get overwhelmed by emotions and competitiveness, but Spirit leads a way to stay calm, respectful and do what's just and right."
Mabinty Henry
"I love how ultimate can be highly competitive while friendly and fair game. It's refreshing to play on high level without having to worry about arguing or someone breaking the rules. Spirit of the Game helps to keep the game enjoyable for everyone, and it is amazing to be surrounded by like-minded people who care about their impact on the world around them."
BUT WHY IS IT THAT IT REALLY WORKS?
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Any time there is an issue between players (e.g. foul), the game is stopped and the involved players briefly discuss the matter.
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After both players explain their point of view, they either agree on what happened (and then the game continues accordingly), or they agree to disagree - in that case the disc returns one throw back and the game continues from that point.
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After every game, both teams meet for a "Spirit Circle" during which they provide feedback on the game and have time and space to discuss conflicts and other issues that occurred during the game in more detail.
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On larger tournaments and national leagues, it is common teams score each other on their Spirit of the Game. This is scored in five areas: Knowledge and use of rules, Avoiding body contact and dangerous play, Fair-mindedness, Positive attitude and self-control, and Respectful and efficient communication. The team with the best result is awarded with the Spirit of the Game prize which is highly-regarded and teams often celebrate it same as if winning the tournament itself.
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In case any team has continuous issue with receiving poor Spirit of the Game results from others, tournament officials or even national associations can get involved - assisting the team on improving their rules knowledge and application of the Spirit of the Game principle. Because you can only play as long as others are willing to play with you - and in the absence of referees, they would do that only when they believe you can play fair same as everyone else.