Rules for Collisions

When birds collide...

Article by Greg Sitz

When two players collide equally while going for the disc, is it a foul? Really? On who?

Imagine the fairly common scenario when a receiver is cutting deep and has a couple of steps on the defender. However, the disc is thrown short and the offensive player has to “come back” to the disc. Simultaneously, the defender turns around and tries to deflect or grab the disc. They collide equally because they are both rushing to the same spot. Foul? No foul? On who? Can both call a foul on each other and both contest each other’s call? Does the player with the best-positioning (the defender, in this case) get to call the foul?

Let’s Break It Down and Get You People Some Answers

Our working assumptions will be that contact occurs that significantly interferes with the ability of a player to make a play on the disc and a foul is called. That is, the contact is not just ‘incidental.’ So, what are the rules? (Note that the rules make no distinction between receiver and defender in terms of rights to make a play, so I will try to avoid making any such distinction except to describe typical examples.)

The first question to answer is...were the players playing the disc? If the answer is no for either them that player is likely guilty of a foul. Not playing the disc means that one player's movements are intended to block an opponent, irrespective of where the disc is. That is a foul. Likewise, if a player loses track of where the disc is, and accidentally runs blindly into the other player...foul. And saying, “I didn’t mean to do it,” will win you no reprieve; whether a foul occurs or not has nothing to do with a player’s intent.

OK, both players are trying to make a play on the disc. Next question, did one player 'go through' the other to get to the disc? That is, was the contact initiated or caused by one player’s action? Again, if the answer is yes, that player is likely guilty of a foul. "I got the disc first," is not a defense here. (This often occurs on a comeback cut with a trailing defender who tries to come around the receiver.) A subtle but important nuance here involves the type of movement on the part of the players. If one player is reaching to catch the disc and the other swings to make a block, and that swing results in contact, it’s a foul on the swinger. In cases such as these, the fouler probably knows what happened and really has no legitimate grounds to contest.

Simultaneous Contact

Now, we get to the very common situation described in the rules as 'players simultaneously vying for the same unoccupied position.' Lots of contact, bodies sprawling, etc...but if neither of the points above apply (neither going through the other, neither swinging instead of reaching), there is no foul. For example, if two players are running roughly parallel and simultaneously dive into the space in front of both, it’s probably not a foul.

One more important nuance that may need consideration...the rules also use the language 'when time, distance and line of sight are considered.' In other words, if a player is running full speed near another, and that other player steps into the path of the first, it is a foul and an 'unoccupied space' argument won't get you off the hook. Not only is it a foul based on the 'play the disc' rule, but likely a ‘dangerous play’ foul as well.

Consideration of these rules make the play that the spectators hate easy to call: the floating 'hospital pass.' Players playing the disc? Reaching not swinging? Not crashing into someone's space? No Foul! Say it with me, people, “No foul.”

You Know You Know

All of these situations can call for active participation on the part of teammates in order to get to the right outcome. The players involved may very legitimately feel that they were fouled and it need not be the case. The player with the best perspective on a play is often one who is not directly involved. It is really not so hard for a teammate to say that, “Yes, there was significant contact, but it was simultaneous,” or, in fact, “...the opponent made a clean play.” Or, going the other way and saying, “Yes, you got the disc, but you totally creamed the guy.”

In my experience with college ultimate, these types of contact fouls are ones in which observers make a big difference. Teammates often don't want to be seen as unsupportive, and they understandably want their team to possess the disc, so they are not very likely to say anything even when they have an opinion. Fortunately, these are relatively easy calls to make as an observer and there are usually few objections.