Wild Weekend Preview and Ultimate Primer
- pughmags
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
By Margaret Pugh
The Utah Wild are heading into their final home game of the regular season, and it's a doubleheader this Saturday. The Wild will face the Arizona Sidewinders at 4 p.m., followed by the Salt Lake Shred taking on the Vegas Bighorns at 7 p.m. One ticket grants access to both games, and re-entry is available.
If you haven’t made it to a Wild game yet this season, this is the one you won’t want to miss.
The Wild are hungry for a win, still searching for their first victory of the season and hoping to secure it on their home turf. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to speak with Zach Nebeker, one of Utah’s coaching interns, to get more insight into what fans can expect from the team.
Nebeker has played Ultimate every summer since their senior year of high school, in addition to organizing local leagues and serving as a referee for the Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA).
According to Nebeker, mental grit and resilience have been key elements in the team's preparation.
“The Wild want to stay focused on playing their game rather than letting the other team dictate how the game will be played,” Nebeker said.
That focus has been clear. While still searching for a win, the Wild have shown remarkable resilience by pulling off big plays throughout the season. This is not a team to count out.
Let’s Talk Ultimate.
If you’re new to the sport or need a refresher ahead of this weekend’s doubleheader, here’s your crash course.
A Brief History
Ultimate, as we know it today, was developed by Joel Silver in 1968, two years after Ed Headrick filed the first mechanical patent for the flying disc. The game was introduced to the student council at Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey. The first official teams formed in New Jersey high schools in the early 1970s.
The Ultimate Players Association (UPA) was founded in 1979, and the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF), the sport’s international governing body, followed in 1984. You can find a more in-depth look at Ultimate’s history on the WFDF website.
Today, Ultimate is played by more than 100,000 players across 30-plus countries.
The Basics
The Pull: Each point begins with one team throwing the disc to the other to initiate play. Teams line up in their respective end zones beforehand.
Possession: The receiving team gains possession where the disc lands or when they catch it directly.
Movement: Players advance the disc by passing. A player has 10 seconds to throw after gaining possession.
Turnovers: These occur when the disc hits the ground, goes out of bounds, or is intercepted.
Scoring: A point is scored when the disc is caught in the opposing team’s end zone.
Fouls: A foul occurs when a player initiates contact that affects play.
Unlike other sports, Ultimate is largely self-officiated. Aside from the UFA, Ultimate relies on observers, not referees. Nebeker explained that players are expected to make most calls themselves, and observers step in only when disputes can’t be resolved.
Nebeker recommended USA Ultimate’s “10 Simple Rules” guide for anyone new to the sport. It’s a great way to quickly understand the basics, next to watching a Wild game, of
course.
About the WUL
The Utah Wild are part of the Western Ultimate League (WUL), which was formalized in 2020. However, the league’s inaugural season didn’t take place until spring 2022 due to the pandemic.
The WUL's mission is to increase accessibility, promote the visibility of underrepresented athletes, and foster inclusion and equity within the sport. The league currently includes seven teams across the western U.S., with the Oregon Soar joining most recently in 2024.
The Wild’s Unique Reach
“What’s unique about the Wild is that we cover a larger area than any other team, pulling players from Utah, Idaho, and Montana,” Nebeker said. “Some teams might have travel players from out of state, but the Wild truly consider those states part of our team and community. We even sponsor events in Idaho and Montana.”
Nebeker highlighted Morgan Williams as a player to watch.
“She’s new-ish to the sport, but she brings intensity and athleticism that I think will be a big part of our success this season. I’m excited to see what she can do,” he said.
Williams has indeed been making an impact, alongside standout players like Cori Bigham, Eva Hayes, Lily Terpstra, and Amy Norris but really this is team with so much talent, not any one player can be highlighted enough.
Even after their second matchup with the Colorado Alpenglow, the Wild remain competitive and come ready to play. You can catch past and upcoming games on the WUL YouTube channel, so you won’t miss a moment of the action.
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