Exorcizing the Spirit of the Game

by Cindy Stowell

We’ve all played in an ultimate game gone bad. Every third throw sparks a foul debate that invokes both the uncertainty principle and Godwin’s Law in the same sentence. During the stopped play, other players on the field either stare at the turtle-shaped clouds out of boredom or tear off their hats like they are about to charge the mound. And then the thrower calls a time out not to discuss strategy, but to complain to teammates about how the mark is a total jackhole (but, you know, said with naughty words). The spirit of the game has become a ghost.

In UPA’s 11th edition rules, the discussion of spirit of the game starts with: Ultimate relies upon a spirit of sportsmanship that places the responsibility for fair play on the player. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of mutual respect among competitors, adherence to the agreed upon rules, or the basic joy of play.

Maybe not everyone has the same definition of sportsmanship and that is what causes the problems. I think sportsmanship consists of calling fouls only when I am sure that they happened, and handling disputes calmly, without raising my voice, cursing, or arguing. If something is contested, big deal — there are rules telling you how to handle that. However, to me, spirit of the game is more than simple sportsmanship. It includes part of the ultimate culture. Spirit of the game is cheering a deserving team for a well-played, spirited game with poorly written poetry and badly sung songs. Spirit of the game is, on occasion, dressing up in costumes that may be the very opposite of performance-enhancing. Spirit of the game is tournament parties where people can forget what happened between teams (…because alcohol tends to do that…).

I have been playing ultimate in Austin since 2000, I’ve participated in college nationals, and played many a winter, spring, and summer league. I feel like things just aren’t what they used to be. Maybe this is just me telling kids to get off my lawn, but it seems like both the sportsmanship and some cultural aspects of the game are fading, in competitive and relaxed venues. I think the last time I sang a post-game cheer for a team in summer league was in 2005. For the country as a whole, sportsmanship has declined to the point that observers settle disputes. Despite your opinions regarding the necessity of observers, the fact that when they are present they are often called upon to settle disagreements indicates that people are more reluctant to follow the rules governing contested calls.

So, is this perceived drop in spirit of the game really happening? Are some pockets of the country more spirited than others? What role does geography play? Is it only natural for sportsmanship to decline with increasing competition? Was the adoption of observers an inevitability? These questions will be explored in upcoming Scoober issues. (That’s right. I just effectively said “Tune in to next month’s episode to find out the exciting conclusion”.) Do you have an opinion on these questions? I’d love to hear it. Email me at cindy.stowell@gmail.com

In the meantime, think about how fun it is to play a game in which sportsmanship and good will abound. Think about how you can foster the ultimate community and culture (check out Gary’s article about Fresh Faces).

Cindy received the spirit award for Lady Marmalade at college nationals, 2002, but still mumbles under her breath on many occasions. She mostly feels bad about this. Mostly.