Welcome to ultimate!
This short guide is for parents with players participating in spring UDL youth ultimate frisbee.
Hello ultimate parents! Ultimate is a fantastic sport for kids due to its non-contact nature and its self-officiation, which requires players to understand the rules and to work out any conflict on the fields themselves. Here are a few key things to know about the season ahead!
// Schedule:
All intramural ultimate sessions will be on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30pm at the baseball fields just to right of the high school. All Yarmouth ultimate players will be met by coaches outside YES at dismissal time and will walk the kids up to practice. Our season begins Monday, April 28th and ends on Wednesday, June 4th.
Please note- most intramural sessions will be with all-Yarmouth players at the high school, but on Wednesday, May 28th Monday, June 2nd, we will travel to Falmouth to play against their intramural program players. That game will be from 5:30-7pm and will be held at the Superintendent Soccer Field across the street from Falmouth High School.
To find a detailed Google Calendar for all ultimate events, please visit the Yarmouth intramural schedule page.
// What to bring to practice: Players should be appropriately-dressed for the weather in athletic wear. Cleats are not required, but highly recommended. Play It Again Sports in Portland has cheap cleats. Players should also bring water bottles.
// When do the frisbees get in? Every registered player gets two discs- a 175g Discraft Ultrastar as well as a 145g Jstar, which will arrive in the middle of May.
// Rain policy If the weather is warm and rainy and we don’t get canceled by the Rec. Department, we will hold practice. If it’s cold and rainy, we’ll most likely cancel. And if it’s thundering, we will most certainly cancel. All cancellation notifications will go out over email and we will update our Google Calendar.
// Volunteering to help coach If you would like to help as a parent volunteer coach, please email Shea Gunther at sheagunther@gmail.com. You do not need ultimate experience to help- we have roles available for those without playing experience.
// What is ultimate? It’s just the best sport. Ultimate is a team sport, played 7v7 at the high school and adult levels and 5v5 at the youth level. Teams move the disc around a field setup like a football field- with end zones on either end- trying to score by catching it in their end zone. Players cannot run with the disc and the other team tries to get it back by catching or knocking it to the ground, or if the offensive team drops or throws it to the ground.
There are no referees in ultimate and players are expected to know the rules so that they can call their own fouls while working on violations by themselves on the field. Our sport is underpinned by a beautiful idea called Spirit of the Game, which says that players should play with honesty, integrity, and mutual respect for each other to ensure fair play even in the most competitive moments.
// Code of Conduct We have high standards in ultimate for fair play, honesty, and kindness. Specifically, this is what we expect from our community:
Players:
• Be kind, be honest, and play fair.
• Respect your teammates, your opponents, and yourself.
• Listen to your coaches and do your best to learn and improve.
• If you disagree with a call, talk it out calmly and respectfully.
• Pick each other up- on and off the field.
• No bullying, no teasing, no excluding. Ever.
• Bring your best effort and a good attitude every time you play.
Parents & Guardians:
• Cheer loud & cheer kind- support all players, not just your own.
• Let the coaches coach and avoid giving instructions from the sideline.
• Focus on effort and growth, not wins and losses.
• Communicate openly and respectfully with coaches and staff.
• Help create a welcoming and inclusive space for all families.
• Make sure your child shows up on time, ready to play, with a good attitude.
Coaches:
• Lead with positivity, patience, and fairness.
• Teach the game and also teach the values behind it.
• Build up every player, no matter their skill or experience.
• Handle conflict and mistakes with calm and care.
• Keep learning and growing as a coach.
• Create a team culture where everyone feels safe, respected, and included.
When everyone holds themselves to these standards, we create the kind of team we all want to be part of- one that values joy, effort, growth, and connection.
// Coaches and contacts
UDL Head Coach Shea Gunther | 207-518-8447 | sheagunther@gmail.com
UDL Ultimate Development League of Maine 