What is ultimate frisbee? What to know about the non-contact sport with no referees

Are you looking for the high intensity of football or basketball, but without the contact and no referees? Look no further than ultimate frisbee.

Ultimate frisbee is a self-regulated, team sport that utilizes flying discs on a grass field. The objective is to score a goal by catching the frisbee in the opponents' end zone.

Although the sport is commonly called ultimate frisbee, it is officially known as "Ultimate," because the term "frisbee" is trademarked by the Wham-O toy company.

Here's everything you need to know about ultimate frisbee, from the scoring system to the rules and whether or not it is an Olympic sport:

What is ultimate frisbee?

Two teams of seven compete against each other on a grass field, similar to the length of a football field or rugby pitch, only narrower. Each team is assigned one end zone to defend at the opposite sides of the playing field.

Each team can score a goal by catching the disc in the opponents' end zone.

The game was created in 1968 by students at Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey.

Ultimate frisbee rules 

The player with the frisbee, called the thrower, is not allowed to take a step or run with the disc. Instead, the player has to throw the disc without moving a pivot leg to advance it. The thrower has 10 seconds to release the disc. It is up to the thrower's receivers to catch the pass. A receiver must stop as soon as they catch the frisbee. If the frisbee touches the ground, is caught by a defender on the opposing team or goes out of bounds, then the pass is incomplete and possession goes to the other team.

If a team is able to advance the disc into the opponents' end zone it counts as a goal. A team must score a pre-determined number of goals, usually 13,15 or 17 goals, to win the game.

What is 'The Spirit of Game' in ultimate frisbee?

There are no referees in ultimate frisbee.

Instead, the game is regulated by its players, who call and dispute their own fouls. Fair play relies on sportsmanship and the "spirit of the game," which is, according to the World Flying Disc Federation: "Spirit of the Game is the mindful behavior practiced by players worldwide prior to, during and after a game. It encompasses attitudes and skills such as good knowledge and application of the rules, fair-mindedness, safe play, and spatial awareness, clear and calm communication, and positive and respectful attitude towards teammates, fans, and opponents, in a mutual effort to protect the basic joy of play."

Is ultimate frisbee an Olympic sport?

No.

Ultimate frisbee was recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in August 2015, meaning the sport is eligible to be included in the Olympics, although it will not be considered for the 2024 Paris Games or the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

“WFDF is surprised and disappointed to not have been included in the shortlist of potential additional sports invited to submit a proposal for inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Program,” WFDF President Robert Rauch said in a statement last year. "We at WFDF will move on and continue to develop our sport on a global scale and will work to ensure that we are as interesting to the organizers as possible when decisions about the Program for the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane are being made.”

What is beach ultimate frisbee?

It is similar to ultimate frisbee, but played on sand instead of grass.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ultimate frisbee: What to know about the non-contact sport