by Ben Thompson, LICSW, BCD

In a recent segment on NPR’s Morning Edition, shortly after the NFL referees returned to work, sports commentator Frank Deford spoke about his belief that officials are “a big deal—and in every sport.”  He went on to say that “without capable referees, no sport got nothing ‘cause they ain’t got a game.”

He’s wrong.

In the game of Ultimate, where players toss a flying disc to one another with the goal of getting it into the opponents’ end zone without a drop or interception, there are no referees.  Responsibility for fair play is placed clearly on the shoulders of the participants.  Highly competitive and enthusiastic play is encouraged, but never at the expense of mutual respect among players, a commitment to sportsmanship, adherence to the agreed upon rules, or the basic joy of play.  You won’t hear an official’s whistle at an Ultimate game because the sport is guided by an honor system that actually works.  It is called “the Spirit of the Game” and it has been in existence for over 40 years.

In Ultimate, the golden rule of treating others as you would want to be treated is of paramount importance.   As in all sports, close calls are made and fouls are committed.  What’s different in Ultimate, however, is that the players themselves are responsible for making their own calls and handling any disputes that arise.  There is no “eye for an eye.”  If a player feels that he or she has been wronged, they have no right to wrong someone in return.  Instead, participants resolve their differences in a respectful manner before play resumes.

I can’t think of a game that better exemplifies Williston’s mission of inspiring students to live with purpose, passion, and integrity—especially integrity.  That’s just one reason I look forward to the day when Ultimate becomes a sanctioned team sport or athletic option at our school as it is at Northfield Mount Herman, The Gunnery, Miss Porter’s, Taft, Loomis Chaffee, Deerfield Academy, and many other institutions.  With no referees, minimal equipment costs, and a field that can be set up almost anywhere using just eight orange cones, it certainly isn’t a budget buster.  It is, however, a healthy and honorable alternative to the traditional sports that have been mainstays of secondary school athletic programs.

Mr. Deford, who later in his NPR commentary noted that “the refs are the ones who make it all possible,” might actually alter his view if he had the opportunity to witness this special game in which the players—not the officials—are in control.  Ultimate, perhaps more than any other sport provides us with a model for living and playing, both on and off the field.