the only mode of play anymore. So talking about self-officiated play as “the way we make decisions in Ultimate” is not only inaccurate, but just does not convey the increasing (and fascinating) complexity of this issue.
THE AWESOME POTENTIAL I am convinced these two components,
if framed and communicated correctly, could transform the way we manage and market our sport, and radically change the way in which we are understood and received by the general public. However, we have serious work to do to get there.
I BELIEVE WE ARE HERE TODAY
1.Just because we have SOTG as a guiding principle, we are not morally superior to other sports, yet we act like it. We are not the only sport to emphasize principled sportsmanship, and we are not suffi- ciently mindful of that fact. Some of us have not displayed the appropriate level of humility and awareness, especially to the outside world. We have a tendency to come off as self-righteous, holier than thou, and frankly, simply naïve and annoying. On the other hand, the fact that we
elevate, value, and reward key compo- nents such as sportsmanship, fair play, and respectful camaraderie among op- ponents is extremely unique in the world of sports. I believe we do not use it suffi- ciently or describe it with enough preci- sion to optimize its potential. Sure, many parents and kids say SOTG is the reason they love, support, and play Ultimate. But we can do much better and must go a great deal further out into the world to capture the minds, hearts, and imagina- tions of the masses. We have to commit to completing this piece or we severely hinder our progress. We need a com- pelling, precise, and dynamic definition of SOTG that we can teach, market, and reinforce. Enough squishiness!
2. Our sport is in transition and we have to acknowledge it. Self-officiated play is not the only decision rule we use.
Use of observers is on the rise, and ex- perimentation with expanding the role will increase. Yet self-officiated play is certainly still the predominate mode – indeed most people may go their whole lives without ever even playing with observers in pick-up games, leagues and tournaments around the country (and world). Even at the highest levels of championship competition, self-offi- ciated play is alive and well, but we are seeing a pull towards experimentation with more active observers. What concerns me is that when
we talk about observers we seem to apologize for their existence, as if we tried to be capable of pure self- officiated play, but failed, so we came up with this lukewarm solution that’s not really as bad as refs. This is ridiculous and weak. We should be selling the concept
of innovation in the area of officiation like Apple sells I-Pads. Not just within Ultimate but within the world of sports. We have been searching for and experimenting with new solutions to endemic problems that exist in all sports that address universal challenges like unfair outcomes, poor sportsmanship, and lack of player accountability. We could bring the value of personal responsibility to the forefront like no sport has done before. This is our competitive advantage and we need to embrace it. THIS is revolutionary. The question is, how can we use
SOTG and self-officiated play to make Ultimate stand out as the most exciting, ground-breaking, boundary pushing sport in the world?
CALL TO ACTION
1. We need to get the definition of SOTG right - I have never been fully satisfied with anything I have found attempting to define Spirit of the Game. I know people have tried to capture the concept in words, but I have always felt it has missed the mark. The ambiguity continues to cause unending
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disputes in the USA and worldwide Ultimate communities about what it is, how to display it, and whether it means anything at all, not to mention how it affects our reputation. I do think the problem is largely due
to the way we conflate sportsmanship and self-officiated play. And I think we have been a bit lazy about defining our terms. I believe the fact that we have not advanced our concepts with the times makes us fairly deserving of our carefree hippie, barefoot stoner, recreational game-playing reputation. But Ultimate is growing fast, and if we want to take the sport to the next level and capitalize we had better develop a sharp, shared definition we can all agree on, be proud of, use easily, and acknowledge as one of the most compelling calling cards of Ultimate. If we don’t define SOTG well, how can we possibly hold individuals or teams accountable to any standard?
2. Spirit of the Game has historically been defined, modeled, and passed down with the help of rituals like the energy circle, post-game cheers, and spirit circles. When these were widely practiced, new and old players alike had a concrete and reliable place to connect with opponents and put a healthy perspective on their competitive experience. But these practices have faded and are no longer widely relevant. A new SOTG-based ritual or two that could become a built-in part of Ultimate at any level is certainly worth thinking about. My local high school basketball league starts every game with each starter getting announced, then running over to shake the hand of the opposing coach. They often hug after years of competition. This is simple, but sets a great tone without having to espouse a thing.
3. We must continue to experiment with various forms of self-officiated play. Developing the role of observers and various applications is one important path. But there are others and we should explore all creative options
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