Getting It Wrong

This post is a bit of a ramble and not as tight as we'd like, but I guess our brains are still a bit on holiday. Still hopefully thought provoking ...

One of the things you need to get your head around in Ultimate is that you’re going to get it wrong. It’s one of the things about Spirit of the Game that people often overlook.

In Ultimate, we don’t pretend that there’s an impartial referee who’s always right (even when he’s wrong).

Unlike other sports, you’re a referee.

But like other sports, as many spectators will tell you, referees can get it wrong.

This is why our sport allows players (other referees) to contest decisions.

So its also important to remember this when you’re judging spirit. People are going to get it wrong – on your side and on the opposition. In judging spirit you have to remember that people usually get it wrong through accident – its not malicious.

I know I’ve certainly been there – making the wrong call in the moment, realising it later, and the hardest part - acknowledging this to your team-mates and the opposition.

You’re more likely to make a wrong call in the heat of the moment – this is one of the challenges in Ultimate. You have to stay in control, but it seems many players are looking for that extra couple of percent that comes from getting all-hyped-up.

Getting hyped up is fine – you just need to remember that your judgement can be impaired as a result, and you’re more likely to get it wrong.

The more we recognise that you can get it wrong, and keep doing our best to work together to get it right, the happier we’ll be.