Travels

When a player catches the disc, they must establish a “pivot” (one spot of the thrower’s body, generally the foot, that remains on the ground). If that pivot is ever lifted completely off the ground or slid along the ground before the disc is thrown, it is a travel.

Things to remember about travels

• Be vocal. Any player on the opposing team may call travel.
• Stop. When a travel is called, play is stopped upon completion of the throw (if the travel happened during the throwing motion).
• Back to thrower. If travel is called and the thrower releases the disc, play is stopped after the outcome of the throw. If the throw was completed, the disc is returned to the thrower. If the travel is not contested, the stall count resumes at one above the last number uttered. If the travel is contested, the stall count resumes at one above the last number uttered, or 6 if it was over 5. If the throw is incomplete, call “play on.”

Additional forms of travel:

• if a player catches the disc and then changes direction or speeds up or does not come to a stop as quickly as possible.
• if a player catches the disc and throws after their third point of ground contact if they do not establish a pivot
• if a player bobbles or deflects a disc to gain yards in any direction on purpose before catching it.

Here's a video created by Ultimate Canada all about traveling:

Picks

Those of you who have played or watched basketball are familiar with picks. The concept is the same in ultimate, except the complete opposite: you aren’t allowed to use them!

A pick occurs when an offensive player moves in a way that it prevents their defensive player from guarding them. The defensive player must be within 3 metres of their check to legally call a pick.  Generally, this happens when an offensive player runs through an area near other players, and their defender is forced to stop, slow down, or change course so that they don’t run into another player.

When picked, the defensive player who was obstructed yells “pick” loud enough so everyone on the field can hear them. Other players on the field should echo the call. Play stops when the thrower acknowledges the pick, or the outcome of one throw after the pick took place is decided.

If a pick is called and the thrower still has possession of the disc, the defender who was obstructed is allowed to move to the same relative position (distance) they were from the person they were defending before the pick was called.

If the thrower does not hear the pick call, and the throw is incomplete, players should call “play on.” If the throw is complete, but the result of the throw was not affected by the pick, the throw stands, and play restarts with a check. If the throw is complete, and the result of the throw was affected by the pick, the disc is returned to the thrower, with a stall count one above the previous number, or 6 if the count was above 5.