What do you think of when you hear the words “Ultimate Frisbee”?

Does the image of hippies tossing a plastic disk across a beach come to mind?

This image may have accurately represented Ultimate Frisbee in the past—but this is no longer the case.

The sport (yes, sport) is played by highly competitive and hard-working athletes who often suffer injury in the name of the game.

Ultimate has been growing and expanding rapidly across the U.S. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association ranked Ultimate as one of the fastest growing sports in the nation. In the past year, two professional leagues were established: the MLU and AUDL.   

The sport has garnered enough attention that it is now aired on ESPN.

So what makes the sport unique?

First and foremost, it is self-officiating, meaning there are no referees.  Sounds ridiculous, right?

Well, the ability for players to work out fouls with each other fosters the spirit of the game, such attention to sportsmanship is the basic philosophy of Ultimate.

It is also one of the only sports to encourage equal participation of both men and women. The game is often played co-ed.

Hopefully as the stigma and stereotypes of Ultimate Frisbee are shaken off, the sport can truly flourish.