SEATTLE — Ultimate frisbee is one of the fastest-growing sports in North America, and Seattle has a team competing at the highest professional level.
Terry Holiman joined the women's professional team The Tempest in Seattle to learn about the sport.
The Tempest are defending champions of the Western Ultimate League (WUL). Hungry to repeat, they hope to clinch a playoff spot against the Utah Wild on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The game starts at 7 p.m. and is the second match-up in an ultimate doubleheader.
The Cascades, Seattle's men's pro team, will host their home opener prior to the women's game. They take on the Salt Lake City Shred at 3 p.m., also at Memorial Stadium.
If The Tempest can fight their way back into the championship round, they'll compete in front of a home audience. The Western Ultimate League Championships are coming to Seattle June 3-4 at Memorial Stadium.
Ultimate Frisbee 101
"Ultimate" is a fast-paced non-contact sport, played by two seven-person teams on a football-sized field. The main objective is to catch the disc in the end zone by passing the disc to progress up the pitch. The game incorporates the big plays of football, the field movement of soccer, and the pace of basketball.
Basic Rules
-- You cannot walk or run with the disc.
-- Each time the offense catches a pass in the defense's end zone, the offense scores a point.
-- The teams change ends after every goal.
-- If the disc hits the ground, regardless of who touches it last, the other team gains possession.
-- The disc can also be intercepted or caught outside the pitch to cause a turnover of possession.
Terry Hollimon is a former running back for the UW Huskies and co-host of the Barbershop Show - follow him on Twitter!