Account Management
 

Indoor Ultimate Rules


Preamble


This system was invented in order to allow players to get more playing time in the 1-hour game, end arguments about capping games, and make better use of the limited time available for games. This format will provide a faster paced game, more time playing during the hour, as well as a good workout.


Gameplay


Each game consists of four 12-minute quarters. There is a 1-minute break between quarters. The clock does not stop at any time during the quarter, except for a timeout.


Teams alternate pulling every quarter. Teams switch end zones only after halftime.


Games must start at their scheduled time and end at most 55 minutes later (four 12-minute quarters, 1 minute between each quarter and two 1-minute timeouts per team per game). No exceptions. We have the facilities for an exact period of time, so it's not fair to the people playing later rounds if the earlier games go long. The captains of the next round are not being jerks by insisting that their game starts on time.


Gender Ratio


Unless otherwise specified by a coordinator, the default gender ratio for PADA indoor leagues is 3 guys and 2 girls on the field at a time.


Substitutions


Subbing is done on the fly (hockey-style). The player entering the field must remain out of bounds until the player leaving has slapped his/her hand, at which time the leaving player is out and must remain out of bounds. Don't be obnoxious if they miss hands or something like that, but physical contact between the two is the best way to eliminate any ambiguity and resulting arguments.


In the rare event that a team has too many players on the field, teams should make every effort to remove the extra player as quickly as possible. If there are too many players, play stops and the team with too many players must remove players from the field until they are at the correct ratio. If that team is on offense, the defense then gets 5 seconds to set up as they choose. If a turnover occurs while the defense has too many players, or if a goal is scored while the offense has too many players, the disc goes back to the thrower. If a goal is scored while the defense has too many players, or if a turnover occurs while the offense had too many players, it stands.


Substitutions are allowed any time players may move on the field (disc is live) and during timeouts. During a timeout, you may not sub the player with the disc. If the mark is subbed, the stall count resets to 0.


Pulls


Pulls can be any throw (i.e. they do not have to be upside down).  If the disc hits a net or goes out of bounds, there is no brick, but the disc may be walked up to the goal line (at the spot closest to where the disc hit the net or went out).  Once a pull has hit the net, it is treated as if if it has hit the ground, meaning if an offensive player touches the disc as it falls but does not catch it, it is not a "dropped pull."  If the offense catches the pull in the air, they must put it into play where they stand (or at the closest spot if they caught it out of bounds).  Catching a pull off the net is treated as an OB pull and may be walked up to the goal line.


End of quarter/game


If the disc is in the air when the clock expires at the end of any quarter, the quarter ends when this pass is resolved (i.e. the disc is caught, intercepted, or hits the floor or out of bounds area). If the disc is not in the air when the clock expires, the quarter is over as soon as the clock expires.


For the first three quarters, if a foul or violation occurs in the last 20 seconds and play stops (i.e. there is no continuation), the timekeeper should always reset the clock to 20 seconds before restarting play.


If a foul or violation occurs in the last 20 seconds of the game and play stops (i.e. there is no continuation):

  • If the losing team called the infraction, the timekeeper should reset the clock to 20 seconds before restarting play, regardless of whether the call is contested.

  • If the winning team called the infraction and it is not contested, the clock should continue to run.  If the infraction is contested, the clock should reset to 20 seconds before restarting play.

  • If the game is tied (neither team is winning), the clock must always reset to 20 seconds.


In all cases where the clock is reset, play resumes with a defensive check.  It is NOT up to the timekeeper to start the clock on his/her own.  Please wait for play to begin before starting the clock.


Scoring


When a team scores, the scoring player puts the disc on the ground at the location where they caught the goal (their first point of contact in the endzone).  If the disc ends up at a different spot, it should be moved back to the spot of the goal.  The other team puts the disc into play going the other way, as if it were a turnover in the end zone (play where it lies or walk to goal line). Since possession of the disc is transferred immediately, the scoring team cannot call a timeout after a score.


Winning


The team with the higher score at the end of the game wins; no win-by-2.


If the score is tied at the end of the game, the game ends in a draw. There is no overtime or sudden death during the regular season. See the Playoffs and Finals section for overtime rules during playoffs.


Field Dimensions


The field area is the area inside the perimeter of the field, as defined by the lines on the turf. If the field is flush to the wall on any of its sides, that wall is the perimeter of the field (pretend there’s a line under the wall). The walls or nets around the playing field are not considered to be out of bounds, but the disc cannot touch them while it is in the air. If a disc makes contact with any walls or nets around the playing field while it is not in anyone’s possession, it is a turnover and the defending team assumes possession at a point closest to where the contact was made. Players may make incidental contact with the walls/nets around the field, but they may not use the walls/nets to assist them. "Assist" means that the outcome of the play would have been different if the wall/net were not there. For example, a player cannot catch a disc and then bounce off the wall to land inbounds.


End zones should be about 5-6 yards deep.  Tee’s and Ampro both have a painted line at a similar distance from the back lines, and should be used to line up cones.


Timeouts


Each team gets two 1-minute timeouts per game. Only the team on offense may call a timeout.  During a timeout, you may not sub the player with the disc. If the mark is subbed, the stall count resets to 0.


Stall Count


The stall count goes from 1 to 6. A player is stalled when the defender says the S in "six". If there is a contested stall, play resumes with the stall count at 4 ("stalling 4"). On a contested foul, play resumes with the count at one more than the previous count, or 3 if the count was above 2.

All stall counts, initiated or re-initiated, begin with the word "stalling".


Please try hard not to count fast. Fast counting is never good but it is even worse with a short stall count and small field. Captains, please remind your team to count slower.


Restarting Play


In general, all players are encouraged to restart play as quickly as possible.  When safety is a concern (e.g. injured player on field, or if a sharp or hard object presents a threat), restarting play takes a back seat, but in all other situations, it is the responsibility of both teams to put the disc into play.  There are no official rules to this end (other than those already present in USAU 11th edition rules), but here are some basic guidelines:

  • After a score or turnover, the team now on offense should restart play within ten seconds (unless it goes out of the play area or gets stuck in the net) and always as quickly as reasonably possible. Marker may warn "delay of game" and begin stalling if offense does not put disc in play in a timely manner. (This is as if the O player is standing over the disc in normal rules.)

  • On normal stoppages (travel, pick, fouled thrower on incomplete pass), play should be restarted as soon as both teams are ready and in position.  Offense should not delay putting the disc into play by (e.g.) having the thrower put the disc behind their back and call a play.  Again, marker may warn "delay of game" if this occurs.

  • After time-outs, play should be restarted with a defensive check.  However, once the offense is set, if the defense does not appear ready to put the disc into play, the thrower should give warnings of 10 and 5 seconds before restarting play with a ground tap.


Assessing Points


At 3 minutes before the scheduled start time of your game OR whenever the field is made available (whichever happens LATER), if your team is ready to play, you may start the clock at 15:00 and buzz the horn.  When the clock hits 12:00, the game has begun; if you are ready and the other team is not, put 5 people on the line, buzz the horn again, and tell the opposing captain (or anyone on the other team if the captain is not present) that you intend to assess points.  If the other team is not on the field after 1 minute (11:00 on the clock), you may asssess one point by buzzing the horn.  You may continue to assess points every minute until the other team has at least 2 players on the field.  If your team has had points assessed against you, you may spend one or both of your timeouts for 1 point each (effectively making it as if you had used your timeouts at the start of the game).


Timekeeping - self


In a self-timekeeping league, for each game, the teams involved should flip discs or otherwise fairly decide which team will be responsible for timekeeping (keeping score and timing the game).  The team in charge of timekeeping should have this document handy in case they need to look up any rules regarding setting or restarting the game clock.


Timekeeping - assigned


In leagues with assigned timekeeping, We will assign a non-playing team to time keep each game.  When your team is assigned, it is your responsibility to find someone to keep time and score for the game.  Please do not shirk these responsibilities or take them lightly!


Reporting Scores


Score reporting will be done through the PADA website. Go to the schedule and click the report score button next to your game. This picture may be helpful:




Playoffs and Finals (Overtime Rules)


During playoffs, overtime will work as follows:


When the fourth quarter ends, the game will stop momentarily. Play stops at the moment time expires. If time expires when disc is in the air or the thrower is in the act of throwing, play continues until the outcome of that pass is determined. Any throw(s) thrown after the time expires are moot. After play stops, if one team has a higher score than the other, that team wins (no win-by-2).


If the score is tied, the game is now in overtime.  Offense and defense may set up as in after a timeout (please don’t waste time by huddling up to call a play).  Play restarts as soon as both teams are ready: with a defensive check at the appropriate spot (where it is if on playing field proper, or the closest spot to the playing field proper to where it is or where it went out of bounds).  The stall count remains the same unless it is above 3, in which case it comes in at 3. Play continues until one team scores (sudden death). That team wins.


To clarify, if the last throw before play stops is completed (but not a goal), the team on offense maintains possession. If the last throw was a turnover or a goal, play restarts with the other team on offense.


If you are confused about when finals rules apply, ask the coordinators.


Other Rules


The "contact" rule is in effect:


Contact Call - If contact occurs between the thrower and marker that would constitute a foul under XVI.H.3.a but the thrower does not release the disc, "contact" may be called. Play does not stop and the marker resumes the stall count at "one". Other than resetting the stall count to "one" after the first instance, the "contact" call is treated as any other marking violation. The marker may contest the "contact" call by calling "violation", which stops play. If the thrower calls "contact" after beginning the throwing motion and subsequently releases the disc, it is treated as if the thrower called "foul".


For anything not covered here, 11th edition rules apply.

If there are any questions or disputes about the rules, please email the winter league coordinators as soon as you can so that we can resolve the issue and notify the other captains. We don’t read the PADA forums, so if you bring the issue up there, we probably won’t see it.