Ultimate Frisbee Association facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ultimate Frisbee Association

Sport	Ultimate
Founded	2010
Inaugural season	2012
No. of teams	24
Country	United States (22 teams) Canada (2 teams)
Most recent champion(s)	Minnesota Wind Chill (2024)
Most titles	New York Empire (3)
TV partner(s)	watchUFA.tv
Official website	watchufa.com

The Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA) is a professional sports league in North America. It's where skilled players compete in the game of Ultimate. The league has 24 teams. These teams are split into four groups: South, Central, East, and West.

Every UFA season, teams play 12 regular games. These games happen from April to July. After the regular season, the best three teams from each group move on. They play in the playoffs, which is a knockout tournament. The season ends with the UFA Championship Weekend. This big event takes place over two days in late August.

The UFA started in 2012. It was first called the American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL). In 2024, it changed its name to the Ultimate Frisbee Association. The New York Empire team has won the most championships, with three titles. The Minnesota Wind Chill are the current champions. They won the 2024 UFA Championship Game.

History of the UFA

How the League Started

The UFA was created by Josh Moore in 2012. Back then, it was known as the American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL).

The very first AUDL game was played on April 14, 2012. The Connecticut Constitution team won against the Rhode Island Rampage. The first championship game was on August 11, 2012. The Philadelphia Spinners won that first title. They beat the Indianapolis AlleyCats.

In its first year, the league had eight teams. They were divided into Eastern and Western groups. Jonathan "Goose" Helton was named the league's best player (MVP) for that first season.

Growing the League

After its first year, the league quickly grew. In 2013, even though some original teams left, the league expanded to twelve teams. By 2014, there were 17 teams. This included a new West Division. The league also made a deal with ESPN3. This meant more games could be watched on TV.

In 2015, the league grew even more, reaching 25 teams. Many new teams joined from different cities. That same year, something special happened. Jessi Jones became the first female professional ultimate player. She played for the Raleigh Flyers. In 2017, Jesse Shofner became the first woman to be on a team's full season roster. She even scored two goals in her first game!

Over the years, some teams left the league, and new ones joined. In 2020, the season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Canadian teams played in their own series due to travel rules. By 2022, more new teams like the Colorado Summit and Salt Lake Shred joined.

New Name!

On January 17, 2024, the league announced a big change. It officially became the Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA). This new name came from a partnership with the company that owns the "Frisbee" brand. New logos were also designed for the league. In 2024, the UFA started streaming its top weekly games for free on YouTube. The 2024 season ended with the 13th Championship Weekend. It was held in Salt Lake City, Utah.

After the 2024 season, the Portland Nitro team changed its name to the Oregon Steel. The Dallas Legion team stopped playing. In January 2025, the league announced new team groupings. They also welcomed a new team, the Vegas Bighorns.

How the Game is Played

The UFA has some special rules. These are a bit different from the usual Ultimate rules.

The playing field is larger in the UFA. It's 53 and a third yards wide and 80 yards long. The end zones, where teams score, are 20 yards long. Games are divided into four quarters, each 12 minutes long. There's a 15-minute break at halftime. If the score is tied, teams play a five-minute overtime. If it's still tied, they play another overtime where the first team to score wins!

Some key differences from other Ultimate games include:

• The UFA uses referees to call fouls and keep the game fair.
• Players have 7 seconds to throw the disc after catching it (called a "stall count"). In other leagues, it's often 10 seconds.
• There are penalties for moving too much while holding the disc (called "traveling").
• Teams can have more than one player guarding an opponent (no "double-teams" rule).
• Penalties are given for too much physical contact.

Meet the Teams

The UFA has 24 teams. They are split into four different groups, or divisions. Each team can have many players on its roster. However, only 20 players can be active and play on game days. All UFA teams are based in North America.

Current Teams

Past Teams

• Team was a founding member of the UFA

Champions Through the Years

Star Players (MVPs)

League Leaders

• Josh Moore (2012–2013)
• Steve Gordon (2013–2018)
• Steve Hall (2018–2024)
• Tim DeByl (2024–present)

See also

• Major League Ultimate – a league that used to exist alongside the AUDL
• Premier Ultimate League – a women's ultimate league
• Western Ultimate League – another women's ultimate league