Preamble

 

This system was invented in order to allow players to get more playing time in the 42 minute game, prevent arguments about capping games, and make better use of the limited time available for games.

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Safety

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We are not at Nationals. This is meant to be a competitive but fun tournament. Avoid the temptation to do something glorious if it puts others players or yourself at risk. No one wants to start the season with an injury. 

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Our commitment to safety extends to emotional safety as well. Disagreements should be handled respectfully by all players. 

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Reckless disregard for the safety of fellow players is considered dangerous play and is to be treated as a foul, regardless of whether or when contact occurs. This rule is not superseded by any other rule. If uncontested this must be treated as the most relevant foul.

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Gameplay Overview

 

Each game is 42 minutes.  The clock does not stop at any time during play, including for a timeout. Halftime is 2 minutes and is taken immediately following the first score after the game clock shows 21 minutes. See Time Outs below.

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Games must start at their scheduled time. They end 42 minutes later when the clock times out. There are 8 minutes between games. 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. 

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Timeouts

 

Each team gets one 1-minute timeout. The clock does not stop however, so make an effort to respect the time. 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. Timeout may not be called during the final 4 minutes of the game.

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Gender Ratio

 

Unless otherwise specified by a coordinator, the tournament ratio is 3 DoMs/ MM and 2 DoWs/FM 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 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.

 

Teams pull at the start of the game and at half. It is 'make it, drop it'. There is no pull between points. Once a team has scored, the disc is placed on the floor at the spot the score occurred. The defense then takes possession to become the offense and initiates play at the spot the disc lays. The disc is not walked up to the end zone.  Teams switch end zones after halftime.

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End of Game

 

If the disc is in the air when the clock expires the game 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 game is over as soon as the clock expires.

 

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, a sideline timekeeper should reset a 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.

 

 

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). Since possession of the disc is transferred immediately, the scoring team cannot call a timeout after a score.

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Field

 

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, though that would be amazing. I want to see Bobby Owens do that...

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Stall Count

 

The stall count goes from 1 to 7. A player is stalled when the defender says the S in "seven". 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 12th 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.

 

 

Winning

 

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

 

If the score is tied when the timer ends and the horn blows, one additional point is played, but has a maximum time of 3 minutes. A sideline player must set a phone timer. After 3 minutes, the game is a draw.

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Reporting Scores

 

Score reporting will be done through the TD or an assigned person. Point differentials will matter, so each team captain should verify the final score of each game before reporting.

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Determining a Tournament Winner

 

The team with the best record will win the tournament. 

 

If 2 teams have the same record, their head to head match will determine the winner. If that match was a draw, the team with the highest point differential of all games will win.

 

If 3 or more teams have the same record, the team with the highest point differential of all games will win.

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