Early in a recent ultimate contest between the maroon-shirted Killer and the white-shirted Squalodons of Krill, a maroon player sent the disc soaring deep into the end zone. A player from each team tracked the white orb as it sailed through the dusky sky, jockeying for position as it descended toward Earth. Both players leapt for the disc, but the taller maroon player hauled it in for the score.

The other player appeared to turn an ankle as he landed and crumbled to the ground in pain. Wasting no time to gloat or celebrate, the maroon player quickly pulled his opponent to his feet and helped him limp off the field to a chair on the sideline. The play demonstrated both the athleticism of the game and the good sportsmanship that characterizes the Seacoast Ultimate league.

The summer league consists of 10 teams that meet at Stratham’s Cooperative Middle School for weekly contests on Wednesday evenings. The 2008 season comes to a close with a final tournament on Saturday, Aug. 9.

“The tournament is mostly about having fun,” said league commissioner Mike Arsenault. “We try to promote it as being really friendly.”  

Each of the 10 Seacoast Ultimate teams consists of a blend of experienced players and newcomers to the sport. Unlike more formal clubs, the local league places camaraderie over competition and strives to get less experienced players involved in each game.

“We’ve definitely tried to gear it toward the newer players, because otherwise they just get lost,” said Arsenault, captain of team Orca.

Currently a Nottingham resident, Arsenault helped start Seacoast Ultimate several years ago. It started with casual pickup games between friends who enjoyed the sport. As attendance grew and crowds of up to 40 people started showing up to play, Arsenault decided it was time to form an organized league.

Now in its fifth season, Seacoast Ultimate has grown steadily each year. Despite minimal advertising, new players have gradually arrived through word of mouth. There are now about 160 players divided into 10 teams.

“The past few years, we’ve had to grow every year by two teams just to accommodate the new people,” Arsenault said.
The 2008 season began in early June, with teams competing on five athletic fields surrounding the school on Academic Way in Stratham. Following the weekly contests, which begin around 6 p.m. and wrap up around 8 p.m., players are invited to socialize at a number of sponsor venues in the area. On July 30, players congregated for post-game food and libations at Las Olas in Exeter and Flatbread Company in Portsmouth.

“We try to have a good game on the field and get everyone together afterward,” said Matthew Packard, captain of team Fin.
Although the league keeps track of each team’s record, they all start fresh with the day-long tournament beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning. The tournament winner will lay claim to exclusive bragging rights, but it’s all in good fun. Even in high stakes games, teams make a point of passing the disc to novice players and giving them helpful pointers.

“It’s fun. It’s good exercise. It’s a really good spirited group of people,” said Christine Bussiere, of team Narwhal. Bussiere had never played ultimate until her boyfriend, also a member of Narwhal, convinced her to sign up for the league. “I didn’t know anything about the game. A lot of people here grew up with it as a culture,” she said.

But the more experienced players at Seacoast Ultimate have made Bussiere and other newcomers feel welcome. She said even opponents have given her tips during games, putting ultimate veterans and rookies on the same footing.

“One of the reasons I like summer league is because we do have that mix,” Packard said.

Packard is one of a number of participants who started playing ultimate competitively at the University of New Hampshire. UNH now has an official ultimate team, but it began as an informal club called SOL. What did the acronym stand for? “Sweating out liquor,” explained Narwhal player Dylan Smith. UNH at first sought to distance itself from the team but embraced it as its popularity grew, he said.

The alternative sport has far-reaching appeal, borrowing elements from a variety of more mainstream sports. Teams pass the disc and move up the field like a soccer game, pausing only when a dropped disc forces a change of possession. Players run a variety of routes to get open, cutting toward the middle of the field or sprinting deep along the sideline, like wide receivers in football. The team without the disc can adopt a man-to-man or zone defense, similar to basketball.

The official ultimate rulebook is surprisingly lengthy and detailed, but the basics of the game are fairly simple. The rectangular field is 40 by 70 yards, with 25-yard end zones. Each team has seven players on the field at a time, with substitutes waiting on the sidelines. One team starts the game by launching the disc toward the opposite end zone, like a kickoff in football. The opposing team then takes possession and moves the disc up the field by passing it. Players can pass in any direction but cannot run with the disc. A team scores by completing a pass into the opposite end zone. If a player drops a pass or has it knocked away or intercepted, the opposing team takes possession and heads in the other direction.

Physical contact between players is prohibited, including picks and screens. Games are self-officiated without referees, trusting the players on the field to be honest and fair. Each score is worth one point, and games typically go to 15, with a win margin of two and a cap of 17.

Veteran players implement a variety of offensive and defensive strategies, communicating with teammates to execute plays. When a long pass is thrown, strident shouts of “Up!” alert other players that the disc is in the air. Captains regularly shout instructions at their players, and teams often huddle up between scoring drives to plan their next attack. The more skilled players can toss impressively long, arcing throws that initially seem way off the mark but curve back to land in the hands of a distant receiver.

There is even an extensive ultimate lingo with terms describing various techniques and throwing styles. A “huck” is a long throw that generally covers at least half the field. A “flick” or “forehand” is a pass thrown from the right side of the body for a righty, or the left side of the body for a lefty. In a “stack,” all the players on one team line up in the middle of the field and alternately make cuts to get open. Dylan Smith said his secret to success is the “push pass,” a slow-moving forehand throw that covers relatively short distances. “That’s my claim to fame,” Smith said.

Arsenault, who has not played this season because of an injury, was vocal from the sideline as Orca battled team Blue at a recent game. But even as he shouted instructions, the mood remained lighthearted. Arsenault laughed easily throughout the game, even when his opponents rallied from behind to tie the score at 10. 

Although they all ran hard, the players seemed only mildly concerned about the score of their games. And, although certain players excelled, no team seemed to have an unfair advantage over the others. Even rookie Christine Bussiere reeled in a scoring pass during Narwhal’s game against team Beluga.

After the matches, it was off to one of the sponsor venues for food and beer. In addition to Flatbread and Las Olas, other sponsoring establishments this year included the Portsmouth Brewery, Margaritas in Exeter, La Festa in Dover and The Friendly Toast in Portsmouth. In exchange for the extra business and some advertising on jerseys, the sponsors help pay for the T-shirts, fields and other expenses. Other funding comes from registration fees, which are $25 to $35.

Seacoast Ultimate is also sponsored by the Ultimate Players Association, a non-profit organization based in Boulder, Colo., that helps govern ultimate leagues around the country. Seacoast Ultimate is the only official UPA league in New Hampshire, but Maine’s Portland Ultimate has close to 30 teams in its summer league. There are also more competitive clubs in the area, including one in Manchester called M.U.F.F. (Manchester Ultimate Frisbee Friends). 

Hardcore ultimate players can also participate in a number of tournaments, including Live Freeze or Die, an annual outdoor winter tournament held each February at the University of New Hampshire. Seacoast Ultimate holds an indoor winter league that typically begins in mid-November. Registration will start in October.

Seacoast Ultimate is open to all ages. Arsenault noted that one former team consisted entirely of Dover High School students and their coaches. Some former high school participants are now team captains.

“Especially in the New England area, the leagues tend to be very small and very informal,” Arsenault said.

Arsenault’s team wound up losing its recent contest against Blue by a score of 15-13. Players on both teams shook hands and exchanged congratulations after the game. There appeared to be no hard feelings, and besides, the teams could meet again during the ultimate tournament on Saturday.