Fall/Winter Indoor Rules

These rules apply only to our Fall Indoor and Winter Indoor Speedpoint leagues.

  1. USAU 2024-2025 Official Rules of Ultimate will apply except for the following amendments. Remember, Spirit of the Game! Because of the confined space of indoor ultimate, please take extra precautions to avoid contact in every way possible.
  2. In most leagues, teams must have at least 2 men and 2 female-identifying athletes on the field at all times. Because of the gender ratio (typically 8:4) on each roster, games are typically played 4:2. However, for a TUC 3:3 gender league, teams must have at least 3 open roster designation athletes and 3 female-identifying athletes on the field at all times. Any differences should be discussed between captains at the beginning of each game.
  3. Stalling:
    1. Stall counts are to 8 NOT 10.
    2. If the thrower has not released the disc at the first utterance of the word ‘eight’ it is a turnover.
    3. The thrower may contest a stall call in the belief that the disc was released before the first utterance of ‘eight’. If the stall is contested:
      1. If the pass was complete, play stops and possession reverts to the thrower. After a check, the marker resumes the stall count at 6.
      2. If the pass was incomplete, it is a turnover; play stops and resumes with a check.
      3. NEW: Discussions regarding contested calls should be limited to no more than 30 seconds.  If consensus between both parties is not achieved, then the disc will automatically return to the player who most recently had undisputed possession of the disc.  This rule has been enacted to help ensure disputes are dealt with in a timely fashion, and to prevent teams from purposely delaying the game.
    4. General Rules:
       
      Violation or call
      Stall count
      (1) Uncontested defensive foul or violation
       
      1
      (2) Uncontested offensive foul or violation
      Count reached plus 1, or 7 if over 6
      (3) Contested foul or violation
      Count reached plus 1, or 5 if over 4
      (4) Offsetting calls
      Count reached plus 1, or 5 if over 4
      (5) Unresolved calls
      Count reached plus 1, or 5 if over 4
       
    5. Specific Rules:
       
      Violation or call
      Stall count
      (1) Pick
      Count reached plus 1, or 5 if over 4
      (2) Marking violation
      (no stoppage)
      Count reached minus 1, no ‘stalling’
      (3a) Contested Stall
      (first call)
      6
      (3b) Contested Stall
      (second and subsequent calls when due to a fast count)
      5
      (4) Defensive technical time-out
      Count reached plus 1, or 5 if over 4
      (5) Offensive technical time-out
      Count reached plus 1, or 7 if over 6
      (6) Obstruction within 5 metres of playing field
      Count reached plus 1, or 7 if over 6
       
  4. Footblocks are not allowed, unless specifically agreed upon by the captains before the start of the game.
  5. Scheduled game times include warm up. Teams may elect to not have a half. The end of a game is determined by time, not by the score. Games can end even if the score is tied. At most venues there will be a time clock to indicate the start time of each game - please stay off the field prior to your start time. For finish times please finish your last point at the indicated finish time on Zuluru. The game is over at the indicated finish time, teams do not finish the point. For games taking place at the Downsview Hangar which has a buzzer - when the buzzer sounds the game ends immediately.  If the disc is in the air when the buzzer sounds (Downsview) or when the time hits the cap, the result of that throw (completion or turnover) stands. The only time teams should play out the point is if it is a playoff game and the game is tied.
    As a courtesy to teams that play after you, please leave the field promptly. There is absolutely no "Ultimate Time" in indoor! Captains from the next time slot (if applicable) are allowed to cap the game if it infringes upon the start time of their game, regardless of the score or remaining time on the clock.
  6. There is no pull after a point. When a team scores, the receiving player acknowledges that he/she has scored a goal and the disc is immediately placed on the ground (upon scoring, the scorer should endeavour to place the disc on the ground nearest where the point was scored). The offense must put it into play from where it was placed by the scoring team (live disc) and cannot walk the disc up to the front of the goal line, UNLESS specifically communicated by the TUC Leagues Chair (potential exceptions for Rec or Youth Leagues, etc). The offensive team has 8 seconds to take possession of the disc. After 8 seconds elapse, a defensive player within three meters of the disc may announce "disc in" and then initiate and continue the stall count, but only if a defensive player has given audible warnings of eight and four seconds (pre-stall).
  7. Re-Starting Play:
    1. If the disc comes to rest on the playing field, a member of the team becoming offense must put the disc into play within 8 seconds after it comes to rest. After 8 seconds elapse, a defensive player within three meters of the disc may announce "disc in" and then initiate and continue the stall count, but only if a defensive player has given audible warnings of eight and four seconds (pre-stall).
    2. If the disc comes to rest other than on the playing field, the player retrieving it must put it into play within 16 seconds. After 16 seconds elapse, a defensive player within three meters of where the disc will be put into play may announce "disc in" and then initiate and continue the stall count, but only if a defensive player has given audible warnings of sixteen, eight and four seconds.
      • If the disc is not reasonably retrievable within 16 seconds (far out-of-bounds or under a bleacher, etc.), the player retrieving it may request another disc and any delay or pre-stall count is suspended until the offensive player receives the new disc.
    3. If an offensive player unnecessarily delays putting the disc into play (i.e. is within 3 metres of the disc and is taking their time to pick it up, standing over the disc, etc.), a defensive player within 3 metres of the disc may issue a delay of game warning instead of calling a violation. If the behaviour is not immediately corrected, the marker may initiate and continue a stall count, regardless of the actions of the offense. In order to invoke this rule, after announcing “delay of game”, the marker must give the offense two seconds to react to the warning, and then announce “disc in” before initiating the stall count.
  8. Players substitute on the fly. The designated "substitution" area for each team is at the midline of the field. Every player entering the field must "high five" the outgoing player on the sideline before entering the field. This obviously does not apply during injury substitutions.
    1. Note that all teams must adhere to the minimum gender requirements for that league, but are not required to match the opposing team's gender ratio.
    2. If the offensive team is playing with more than six players (or the agreed upon gender-ratio), it is an automatic turnover and all players return to where they were at the time the error was made (guided by what is most fair). If a point was scored with more than 6 players on the field, the point does not count.
    3. If the defensive team is playing with more than six players, the offensive team retains possession and the additional defensive player(s) leave the playing field immediately.
  9. When the disc hits an object (wall, ceiling, player on the sideline) it is out-of bounds. A turnover results and the play starts on the playing field proper, closest to the point where the disc went out of bounds. NOTE: a disc hitting the ceiling net, at the Downsview Hangar only, is considered in-bounds - hitting the rafters is out of bounds.
  10. The end zone is much smaller, approximately 5 metres deep.
  11. If a disc is thrown or rolls out the back or side of the end zone, it is to be put into play at the front of the end zone, straight ahead of where it left the end zone.
    When the disc remains in the end zone after a turnover, it can (a) be put into play where it lies or (b) be walked up straight ahead of where it lies in the end zone, and put into play at the front of the end zone. Note: pausing or establishing a pivot where the disc lies precludes the offense from walking the disc up to the front of the end zone.
  12. At the beginning of a game (and the second half should there be one), both teams line up at the back of the end zone for the initial pull.
  13. If the pull lands out of bounds, it may be played at either: (a) the point on the sideline where it crossed; or (b) in the middle of the playing field proper closest to where the disc went out of bounds. If taken from the middle of the playing field, the receiving team must announce ‘middle’.
    If the pull lands in bounds but rolls out of bounds on the field proper, it is put into play at the point on the sideline where it crossed.
    If the pull lands in bounds but rolls out of bounds from the endzone, it is put into play at the point on the front end zone line closest to where it rolled out.
  14. Each team has 2 timeouts per game. Teams may also stop play to explain rules to newer players. Timeouts cannot be called in the last 5 minutes of the game; doing so results in a turnover.
  15. There is a lateness penalty. A team that is NOT ready to play 5 minutes after the scheduled start time may be assessed a penalty of one point for every 5 minutes . If after 20 minutes a team is still not ready to play the game may be forfeited and the default score will be 6-0. The penalty may be enforced at the discretion of the team that is ready to play.
  16. Both captains must report game score and spirit score each week using the online scoring system.
  17. To foster a fun competitive league, cheers are encouraged after a game. Remember SOTG (Spirit of the Game)!

Substitutions

Substitutes for all leagues MUST be current registered members of TUC.
For individual signup (HAT) leagues, if a player is unable to make a game, a substitute who is also registered in the hat league may be used. If a team needs to find a sub from outside of the HAT league, a sub of equal or lesser skill may be used as a replacement, however that sub must be cleared to play by the opposing captain. If you have to miss a game, please inform your captain so that he/she may make arrangements. For the playoffs opposing captains must be informed of substitute players and may refuse if the substitute is a stronger player than the one absent (see playoff rules below).

League & Playoff Participation

See the League & Playoff Participation Rules.

Cleats

Metal cleats are not allowed under any circumstances. At the Downsview Hangar NO CLEATS of ANY type are allowed: running shoes or turf shoes only!

Plastic/rubber cleats are allowed by TUC on the following fields: Cherry Beach, Crescent School (Innes Field), Downsview Park (outdoor turf fields), Lamport Stadium, Monarch Park Stadium, Upper Canada College, Lakeshore Collegiate Dome. (Not all fields may be in use in any given season.) When in doubt or where the policy does not clearly indicate, TUC policy is no cleats.