Burlington Ultimate

Date/Location

The tournament will take place on Friday, February 26, 2010, from 5 PM to 10:30 PM at the Fieldhouse in Shelburne, VT. Please visit the Resources/Directions page for directions.

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Bids

The cost per team is $180 and it includes indoor play time, tasty snacks, and precious flair. To hold a spot for your team, send Daron Byerly an email at daronbyerly@gmail.com and mail him a check made payable to the GMDA at:

263 Hildred Drive
Burlington, VT
05401

Email is good notice, but no check, no spot.

Max. 9 players per team. Teams must be mixed (2M/1F on the field the entire time) but the actual team ratio is up to each team. Recommendation: 6M, 3W.

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Videos & Pics

Check out this semi-instructional video created in February 2010 from footage from 4C07 and 4C08:



Also, watch this five-minute video of the 2008 finals. In the red, Cho Cold (Burlington) plays Dartmouth 08s. Courtesy of James M. Kim:



(Note: You may need to reload your browser or wait a little for the embedded videos to show up.)

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Seeking Volunteers

If you have the night free and would like to help run the event for a small cash thanks and a free piece of limited-availability flair, please let Daron Byerly know via email at daronbyerly@gmail.com. We could use 5 people to keep scores and people to help set up and close down.

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Tournament's History

In 2002, 4 Corners was developed to be played on the FUTSAL courts in the Williston Fitness Edge. The surface felt a lot like a thin, sand-coated dish towel laid over a concrete slab. That’s probably because the surface was a thin, sand-coated dish towel laid over a concrete slab. But at least people could do something ultimate related in the dead of winter.

The game was created for the small space in which it was contained and designed to provide the maximum physical challenge given the limited time to play. Lines which are OUT in ultimate were IN for 4C and straddling them was okay. Teams should be small and subs taken on the fly to make it tough. When it’s the only event in winter, it should be done right so we made t-shirts and had loud music and lots of food.

Originally, teams came from Burlington, Lower Canada, Dartmouth, Middlebury, and UVM but by 2008 we had teams from NH and Boston and players for Maine. Usually battling in the finals for the ice cream trophy was a Bryan Cho-themed Montreal team. This honor was soon contested by a LoG-based Wet Blanket. As the tournament started drawing talented out-of-towners we had a year of DoG vs Slow White in the finals. Dartmouth proved particularly capable at the game in 2008.

- Daron Byerly, 02/24/10

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List of Teams

This year there are 8 teams playing for the title. 2 pools of four will lead to championship and consolation semis and finals. In seeded order, the teams are:

1. BLUE. This team is led by Slow White veteran Chris Farina and will no doubt carry other nasty players looking to drive up, look good, and win. Truth is I have been swinging on Farina’s nuts ever since he was trying out for Chuck Wagon. His first step speed coupled with Ginsu throws make him super deadly especially in this cage-match style game. The question for the evening will be who are the other 8 players that show up with him? 4 Corners favors a deep team over just a couple sick players, so rounding out the line with some Nashua Summer League All Stars may not be enough to take the title.


2. GOLD. This team is organized by Burlington/ UVM’s workhorse Sam Parker. Recent notables of Sam’s include beating good winter league teams nearly single-handedly, without subs. Of course it should be noted that Em Knudsen played a key role in said knockdowns and she will be on GOLD as well, probably high-release backhanding opponents to death. This team is heavy-up on Wagon/ Shack and more importantly, Wet Blanket. This team knows the rules and the flow and should have cool heads on both sides of the disc. Since the weakness for this team will not be its roster, it might be its tenacity. About 2/3rd’s of the team might be thinking about their TPS reports rather than hustle. Time pull off your Wrinkle-Free Dockers, GOLD, you have some cutting to do.


3. “With Fire” / MAROON. First, great name. And I don’t pretend to know what “With Fire” references exactly, but Ruckus and I have developed a meaning for Fire as a necessary catalyst for on-field vitality and it might not be far off from Matt Luck and Laura’s intention. This team is the new Burlington hip clique and can be found on the same league team as well as under the same roof. Awwww, so cute. But don’t be fooled by all of the positive vibe, one earth, community crap. “With Fire” is expecting to cut you down, albeit spiritedly. I suspect that we’ll see a pretty deep roster of veteran utli players and I expect Matt Luck to get downright Asian on the dance floor. Lapping their opponents is the default nature of these players, but the question for this team is how well can these dangerous deep cutters transform their swing-and-huck skills into dicey, lateral handler-juke heavy flow? I guess we’ll find out.


4. BLACK. Why did the colorful Pete Nevin pick to be BLACK? I always think of Pete as a Blue or a Green guy. BLACK may be a signal that his team is ready to run this town. Pete’s team will likely be made up of Burlington’s Old Guard. The Harmony. The Fat Angel. The Uncivil Union. If the right veterans come out of the cobwebs as they are expected to, this could be the first year that such a squad rallies to the top since 2003. Cagey handlers will be everywhere and with Burlington’s tallest ultimate player, Joe Wager, posting up in the center circle, Pete’s got a team ready to do some damage… as long as there is a steady supply of Metamucil.


5. “Lisinz to Chill”/ PINK. “Lisinz” is one of two Middlebury College teams in the tournament and I have no visibility into their roster, but it should be noted that Middlebury College is in a period of strong contention for Nationals for both the Men’s and Women’s teams.


6. “Tiger’s 21st Mistress” / GREEN. Another Middlebury team. I seeded them behind “Lisinz” only because of the color choice- doesn’t the real Middlebury go for pink first? Perhaps these two teams will meet in the finals- and that might be better off for the rest of the field- if only one makes it I’ll feel sorry for their opponent who will instantly feel like they are the visiting team- like you are Bret Favre in their Super Dome- when the Middlebury spectation-support engine goes into full effect. Just leave the keg at Sachem, please.


7. “Future Biathletes of America” / BROWN. One of the first bids into this year’s tournament came from the responsible Chris Cahill, AKA Chimpo, AKA Med Student AKA Maven’s life saver. He’s a multi year 4C veteran and a first round pick in Burlington league drafts. He’ll be teaming up with fellow Med student Anna Meyendorff and together they will host a variety of well-educated players hailing from Fletcher Allen, Hanover, and Amherst, Mass. These locales alone are home to some very talented players, making this mostly out-of-town team a complete wild card and an obvious dark horse pick. Sorry other teams in Pool B, but this question mark squad could easily kill your bid to the playoffs.


8. “Hux Capacitor” / WHITE. I am psyched that Dartmouth College will be present again at 4 corners and especially since this will be a team made up mostly of new ultimate players. Their organizer, James, deserves some special recognition as he was all over 4C 2008 both playing and shooting video. I’ve made a special exception for this team to carry more than 9 players given this young team’s high level of interest and in recognizing Dartmouth’s participation in prior tournaments. I expect plenty of Dartmouth enthusiasm and geeky style. Obviously if this is mostly new players they could be quickly cut down in such a skill-driven game as 4C, but hey, you only get better by playing up.

- Daron Byerly, 02/24/10

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Rules for 4 Corners Edited 2/13/10

Synopsis:	Simply stated, 4C begins play like Hotbox and ends like Boot. After a completion or ’clearing’ into a circle in the center of the field, to score a point the team must, with the disc, knock down any one of four cones positioned one at each of the four corners of the playing field. Subbing is on the fly and play is non-stop under the watchful eye of a timekeeper. Stall is at 7.
Field:	Roughly 20 meters by 30 meters, with a circle in the middle with a 3 meter radius. 4 cones placed at each of the corners of the field.
Gender Format:	2M, 1F: No exceptions.
Timed Game:	Pool play: 38-minute games: Two 18 minute halves with a 2 minute halftime. Semi’s and Finals: 30 minute games: Two 14 minute halves with a 2 minute halftime.
Starting and Re-Starting Play:	Beginning of the game/ after half: At the beginning of the game, one team (offense) begins with one player at any cone with the disc as the thrower. The other two offense players may line up anywhere. Defense signals ready, and may begin stalling at the horn. There is a mirror after half. Make sure to start on time: At the start of the game or after the half or a timeout, the team that has possession of the disc must start at the start of the horn/ end of the time out. The defending team may begin the stall count right at the horn/ end of the timeout.
Stopping Play:	The play only stops for halftime, timeouts, or serious injuries when a player cannot be removed from the field. The clock does NOT stop for timeouts (a timeout takes time off of the clock.) Due to the tight schedule, the clock does not stop for injury. In the event of an injury, the player is helped off the field and immediately replaced. If the player cannot be replaced, the game is over and the team that cannot replace the injured player loses the game. If a player is injured to the point of needing serious attention and cannot be moved from the playing field, the captains will come to a solution. The TD has the final word on the outcome of the game.
Scoring:	After the offense clears the circle, they can then score by knocking down a cone with the disc, either by throw or by swipe. The cone must be fully knocked over. If it is simply pushed back but still upright it is not a score. However, if the cone tumbles and somehow lands upright, that is a score. Points: A team receives 1 point for knocking down a cone with the disc from anywhere outside of the center circle. A team receives 3 points for knocking down a disc from a throw from inside the center circle. (Since straddling is “in”, a player with one foot in the circle or one the line is in the 3-point range. See Unique Rules about 4C below.) Don't accidentally knock down a cone: If any team, offense or defense, accidentally fully knocks down a cone, they are the “guilty” team and 1 point is automatically awarded to the “innocent” team. Play begins with the “guilty” team with the disc at the cone that was knocked down. (NOTE: if a cone is knocked down by either team prior to offense clearing the circle, it is not a point, but the guilty team must set the cone back in its proper place before the disc is cleared in the center.) Defending a cone, preventing a score: After the center circle is cleared, a defender may beat the offense to a cone and tap it (not pick it up and hold it) to indicate it cannot be knocked over. The thrower may not try to push the defender away from the cone to try to score. The defender who taps the cone must mark the thrower forcing into the center of the field (not trapping.) This is to avoid unnecessary physical play at the cone and to reward good defense. As soon as the defender leaves touching distance of the cone, it is no longer protected and may be used to score. After a score: 4C is NOT make-it-take-it. After a score, the opposing team begins at the cone where the score took place. The team that just got scored upon must set-up the cone where the score took place.
Turnovers:	Like Ultimate, upon a turnover, play begins immediately with the other team as offense. If a turnover occurs with the disc resting or caught in the center circle, the disc must be cleared out of the circle with a completed pass then back into the center before scoring at a cone.
Timeouts:	Note that all timeouts expire when there 5:00 minutes or less remains on the clock in the second half. For example, if a team calls a timeout with 5:35 remaining in he second half, defense can begin stalling right at 5:00. No team may use a timeout with less than 5:00 on the clock in the second half.
End of Game:	If the disc is released before the buzzer sounds but successfully knocks over a cone (assuming it has been cleared) the point counts (like basketball.)
Overtime:	If there is a tie at the end of a game, it becomes sudden death- next point wins. Team captains perform a disc flip to see who starts with possession. The game clock is not used.
Rules from Ultimate that apply:	General concepts such as fouls, violations (including picks), marking, and player space are maintained, as are definitions of completions and turnovers. In general play this like Ultimate but on a smaller field.
Unique Rules to 4C:	Stall: Stall is at 7. Meaning of the lines: The line and straddling line are considered IN, so if you straddle the border, or straddle the center circle when catching you are considered ‘in’ or ‘cleared.’ If a player catches a disk while toeing or straddling any line, (inner circle line or playing field line) the play is good and counts as “in.” An example of this: a player is stationary with one foot on the line and another out, this player is in bounds (or in the circle) upon catching a disk, therefore play continues. Subbing: Tag-team subbing. Subs are on the fly and must come from the center of the subbing sideline, not from the edges. Players must physically tag in/ out to sub. If there is no tag out, play is stopped and then checked back in once both teams are ready. Poaching: A defender is not allowed to remain inside the circle if the player he/ she is guarding is roughly 3 meters away from the circle. Furthermore, blatant poaching “right outside” of the center circle is discouraged. In the past this has been difficult to enforce. Delay of Game: At a turnover, the new offense should not take excessive time to get to the disc, but any player on the new offense may defer picking up the disc to another teammate further away.

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Après-Tournament Social Gathering

Nothing planned at this time.

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Schedule/Format

Click here to see the schedule.

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