Victoria Ultimate Players Society

VUPS Summer League Rules and Policies

 

SUMMER LEAGUE RULES

All VUPS Summer Leagues will use the currently accepted rules of the Ultimate Players Association (11th Edition), the full version of which can be found at:

http://www.upa.org/ultimate/rules/11th

Other online formats are also available at:

http://www.upa.org/ultimate/rules/11th_links

 

PLAYER EXPECTATIONS

It is expected that all players in all Victoria Ultimate Leagues will display and abide by the principles and guidelines of the Spirit of the Game that makes our sport of ultimate so great. Just so you don't forget, here is the Official statement from the 11th Edition UPA rules:

"Ultimate relies upon a spirit of sportsmanship that places the responsibility for fair play on the player. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of mutual respect among competitors, adherence to the agreed upon rules, or the basic joy of play. Protection of these vital elements serves to eliminate unsportsmanlike conduct from the Ultimate field. Such actions as taunting opposing players, dangerous aggression, belligerent intimidation, intentional infractions, or other win-at-all-costs behavior are contrary to the spirit of the game and must be avoided by all players."

 

Players are also expected to:

 

1. Register and sign/check-off a VUPS liability waiver form before Monday (midnight) April 25th to avoid late penalties. Payment (in full) must be received before games start, May 3rd and 4th.

  • Not registered? Not playing.
  • Not paid? Not playing.
  • No waiver? No play.
  • Deadline for regular registration with regular fees is 12am, April 25th. A $50 penalty applies to all registrations processed after this time.
  • We trust that all players will act in good faith in this regard. Abuse of our trust will not be looked upon kindly (see #5 below). If you're just passing through town, see our pick-up policy below. Moved to Victoria mid-season, and still want to get in on the action? Contact the league coordinators (vups.league@gmail.com). 

2. Play safe

  • Non-cleated footwear (i.e. running shoes) is permitted but discouraged due to the increased risk of injury. No metal-studded cleats. No bare feet.
  • Be aware of your physical space on the field to try to prevent collisions/harmful contact with other players - "I was going for the disc" is NOT a valid reason for initiating contact with another player. From the official rules, section XVI.H.4:

"Reckless disregard for the safety of fellow players or other dangerously aggressive behavior (such as significantly colliding into a stationary opponent), regardless of whether or when the disc arrives or when contact occurs is considered dangerous play and is treated as a foul. This rule is not superseded by any other rule."

  • Early and late season games often run out of sunlight. Please consider 'calling a game' if field lighting or weather conditions (e.g. lightning) present a likely hazard to players.

 

3. Respect teammates, opponents and the sport of Ultimate (SOTG!)

  • Be on time. A team that cannot field a full line of 7 players (4:3 OR 3:4 for co-ed) at the start of a scheduled game time may have points counted against them as per the rarely enforced section VIII.A.4 of the official rules:

"If only one team fails to signal readiness for the start of a scheduled game, the opposing team may be awarded goals by the event organizer at a rate of one goal for every five minutes elapsed after the posted start time"

  • Be on time. A forfeit may result if your team cannot field seven players (minimum two of each gender in CO-ED) within 20 minutes of the start of a scheduled game time. It doesn’t matter if additional players show up later during the game. Note also that even if your game starts late your game will still end at its scheduled time.


    • Captains, discuss a potential default before the game starts! Please be spirited and respectful - discuss a forfeit in advance (e.g. 15 minutes after scheduled start). Spirited 'exceptions' are welcome (e.g. allow a team to start with six players); however the two players of each gender is a fixed requirement. If an agreement cannot be reached then the team with fewer than seven players and/or fewer than two of each gender (co-ed only) forfeits automatically 20 minutes after the scheduled start time.

  • Co-ed is a 4:3 (Male or Female) league.
    • Offense (receiving team) sets the gender ratio. Gender matching not required (e.g. 4M:3F on offense; defense may play 4M:3W or 3M:4W, but not 5M:2W or 5W:2M).
    • Each team must field a minimum of two players of each gender to avoid forfeit.
    • Offense may call 5:2 if (and only if) they have a three or fewer of one gender in attendance. A 5:2 is intended as a rest break only for these players.
    • It is in poor spirit to force a team to play short a player or to force a team to bench a surplus of one gender.


      Captains, please discuss (before the game) whether teams are expected to match gender. If an agreement cannot be reached then teams should adhere to the above expectations.

  • Learn the rules of Ultimate. In ultimate, you are the referee. Generally speaking, the referee should know the rules of the game he or she is officiating, don't ya think?

  • Practice "Spirited" self-officiating. In ultimate, you are the referee. Ultimate may be the only sport in the world where the referee is actively trying to win the game. This is not an easy situation to manage at the best of times, let alone when out of breath, surging with competitive hormones, and having your judgement "challenged" by the other team. As such, disagreements will happen. At these times, do your best to display the finer points of Spirit of the Game: Sportsmanship. Integrity. Respect. If there is a disagreement over a foul call, say "I contest" and allow the game to resume. Defer to the player with 'best perspective' when the outcome of a play is in question. If you do not understand a foul (or any other call) ask for clarification from a more experienced player or league coordinator.

  • Wear a shirt/jersey during game play - a dark shirt, or a light shirt (ot team-themed attire). "Skins", (ie, not wearing a shirt) does not count regardless of complexion, skin tone, and/or excessive tanning. Or lack of tanning. Seriously people: Everyone (guys and gals) is required to wear a shirt when on the field. And some sort of pants :)

 

4. Respect the playing field and the local community/neighborhood

  • Fields for Ultimate are VERY hard to come by in Greater Victoria. We want to make a positive impression and set ourselves apart from other field sports to ensure that we are 'welcomed back' to fields we are currently privaleged to have in our inventory.
  • No littering or public urination. Please use the appropriate recepticals for the aforementioned issues if provided. Keep control of any dog brought to the field, and clean up their poop. Pick up and remove your garbage, recyclables, and any noticeable field hazards.
  • Our fields often border private homes and/or share space with public/school parks and playgrounds. As guests of the community, please be courteous to other users of parks/fields.

 

5. Contact VUPS for game related concerns or opportunities

  • Contact league coordinators (vups.league@gmail.com) to communicate problems, incidents or concerns that you (or your team) encounter so that we may address them. These include issues surrounding "spirit of the game" (e.g. defaults, dangerous play) or field problems (e.g. hazards, permit conflicts).
  • Extreme and/or repeated reports of taunting, dangerous (physical) play, non-compliance with player expectations etc. will result in disciplinary action, which may include one or more of the following: a polite chat; an official warning; an alteration of win/loss record for the team; an individual's suspension from the team and/or league.
  • Captains, please report any serious injuries that occur.
  • Do you live near a beautiful park/green space that can fit 3 or more fields, and have noticed that it never seems to get used? Let us know (dates/times of inactivity are helpful) as VUPS is actively trying to increase its field inventory.

 

PICK-UP POLICY

Players visiting town and/or players looking to pick-up with another team are allowed to play if all of the following are met:

  • both captains are aware and agree to the use of pickups
  • individuals picking up/dropping in that have not already done so as part of registration must sign a VUPS waiver
  • Please note: for individuals not registered for VUPS Summer league, or for individuals registered for one league but picking up in the other, picking up the first time is free. Second time will cost ya. Third time, well, you'd better register. Partial season pro-rates are available upon request. Cost is $8/week (one league) or $12/week (two leagues)
  • Teams that knowingly permit frequent pick-ups by non-registered players may have their win/loss record altered and/or be disqualified from play-offs.
  • Pick-ups are an absolute last resort. For the time being, only Female players may be picked up. No Male pick-ups. See below for pick-up restrictions and recommendations:
  • Pick-ups are NOT permitted if you can field three registered women. Only pick up a player if you are at risk of forfeit/two or fewer women. Picking up a player from Tuesday league? Their first game is free. After that they need to register for Wednesdays or pay a drop-in fee. Does an opposing captain have a plethora of eager-to-play ladies? Do you know of a co-ed team that always has 6-7 women show up? Consider sharing. Co-ed League is a RECREATIONAL league. Spirit of the Game and Fair Play come first! Try picking up from within Wednesday League before looking elsewhere. Be honest and let the other captain know if you are fielding a pick-up player. Better yet, be courteous to your opponent ahead of time. Contact the opposing captain so that 1) they can try to pick-up if they are also short, or 2) they can veto your choice if it's truly felt to be unreasonable. We are confident that captains will be fair in their selection and use of pick-up women. Try to pick up newer women. Don't pick up a game-changing ringer as this will skew the game and team balance for everyone.

  • THERE ARE NO PICKUPS ALLOWED DURING LEAGUE PLAYOFFS. Rosters will be checked and non-rostered or unregistered players will not be permitted to play. No exceptions.