Current Aerobie Rules


These are the rules as written by "founder" Aaron Lauve:

There are two sets of rules by which the Aerobie Club plays (and countless bastardizations depending upon the mood of the players and the circumstances under which questionable events occur). For want of better terminology, let us call them F? Style and Football Style. There are many similarites, and only a very few differences, which we discuss first. So we may be more concise with the language below, please adopt the following equivalences: offense = offensive team = team with possession of the aerobie = team currently attempting to score defense = defensive team = opposing team = team currently defending against a score

Different Versions
F? Football
(the original & best) (the somewhat inferior substitute)
Points occur when offense tosses aerobie into opposing team's goal (a soccer style goal). Points occur when offense completes a pass to a member situated within the opposing team's endzone.
If the offensive team tosses the aerobie out of bounds instead of into the defending team's goal, possession switches to defending team, and they are given the aerobie at mid-field . If the offensive team tosses the pass all of the way out of the endzone and out-of-bounds, then the rule to the left applies. If instead it lands uncaught in the endzone, then the opposing team receives the aerobie at the front of the endzone.
If the offensive team tosses the aerobie out of bounds on its own side of the field, the opposing team gets the aerobie in the corner, as in the soccer rules. If the offensive team tosses the aerboie out of bounds on its own side of the field, the opposing team gets the aerobie at quarter-field (as getting it at the corner would essentially guarantee a score).
The offense may score on toss-off: if, as during regular play, the aerobie enters the opposing team's goal. No scoring is possible on toss-off
The out-of-bounds rule below does not apply to the endzone: the offense must complete a pass within the rectangular region setup as the endzone.


Common Rules:



Overview:

The game is played in two halves of 40 minutes each*. [*Current rules: we play anywhere between 25-40 minute halves depending on the day.] The playing field is officially a soccer field. Points are scored as described above. After a score, the scoring team gives the aerobie to the opposing team in the following manner: the scoring team must line up along its own out-of-bounds line (the opposing team may be anywhere on their half of the field) and toss the aerobie before running downfield to defend (somewhat like the football "kick-off")---let us call this the "toss-off". There are technically no out-of-bounds on the sides of the field, only at the ends of the field. The game is traditionally played without a goalie, but no such rule is written down on the books.

Change of Possession:

If the offensive team fails to complete a pass, the defensive team takes up possession at the point where the aerobie lands. There is a de facto out-of-bounds line for the sides of the field, here is where it is used. The offense may complete passes as far out of bounds as it wishes. However, if there is an incomplete pass that lands out of bounds on the side, then the opposing team may assume possession at the out-of-bounds line (bringing the aerobie to the in-bounds line via a perpendicular path from where it landed). If the offensive team tosses the aerobie out-of-bounds at the end of the field, the opposing team is given the aerobie at midfield. While a score is allowed on toss-off---in f? style---this is not allowed when play resumes at midfield. At least one pass to a teammate must be completed before a score attempt.

Guarding:

The person defending the passer must stand two-arms'-lengths-plus-an-aerobie away. The passer has an unlimited amount of time during which to make the pass. The receivers have the "right-of-way," i.e. jumping in the way of the receiver's path is not allowed. Moreover, the defenders guarding the receivers musn't make contact that would interfere in any way with the receivers chance to catch the pass (e.g. small bumps and nudges are acceptable if both have equally-established position, but running over the receiver on your way to block/intercept the pass is not). Significant breaches of this last rule result in the offense retaining possession of the aerobie (at the point where it would have been caught). Finally, when guarding around the goal, the defense is allowed only to put the goalie and one other defender between the passer and the goal. If the defense is "accidentally" breaking this rule, the passer may yell "clear" and force this situation to occur before continuing searching for a receiver (or a goal shot).

Passing:

The receiver must be farther away from the passer than the defender is allowed to stand to receive a pass. If the pass hits the ground but skips back into the air and begins sailing again, the receiver may still catch it for a fair catch; if the aerobie bounces back into the air, the aerobie is considered grounded and a change of possession results.* [*Skips are no longer allowed.]

Possession:

If a receiver and defender are vying for a pass, whomever gains control of the aerobie first is awarded the aerobie. When it is a tie, the call goes to the offense. If the defender knocks the aerobie out of the receiver's hand after the receiver has established control, pass interference may be called and the offense resumes play at the point of the infraction. If the defender manages to knock the aerobie out of the receiver's hand before he has complete control, this is not pass interference, but a good play; way to go!

What constitutes complete control?

Firstly, if a player has closed his hand completely around the ring, then the aerobie is controlled. There will be times when a defender knocks it away still---some of us have weaker grips than others---it is always the receiver's call as to whether or not the aerobie was truly grabbed. If the receiver opts for a ringer-catch, he is a foolish individual. The aerobie has the tendency to (a) ring around the hand/arm and (b) fly right back off. Making it worse is the defender knocking at the aerobie, most certainly causing (a) and possibly (b) above. On the other hand, if the aerobie is not resting in the crook of your elbow, a defender should not be allowed to snatch it off your arm and say you did not catch the aerobie. The defining line between catch and tough-luck is very blurry. The official rule shall be: if the aerobie is past mid-forearm, then this is a catch. Unofficially---since neither the receiver nor the defender will be watching this particular mark---the rule goes as follows: if the receiver feels significant abrasion as he loses control of the aerobie, the aerobie was far enough down his arm to count as a catch, if not, then the defender has made a good play.

Exceptions:

When the game must be played on a shortened field, we often waive the defense's right to receive possession at midfield (on out-of-bounds changes of possession)---opting to give it to them at quarter-field so as not to make for an overly high-scoring game.

Boundary Lines:

The "f? rules" definition of out-of-bounds, in-bounds, score, no score. out of bounds in bounds a goal no goal The "football rules" version of the previous point. If on an attempt to score, the aerobie lands within the goal area (uncaught), then the opposing team takes possession at the goal-line. If in the above situation, the aerobie is even scarcely touching the out-of-bounds line (see the "f? rules" illustration above), then the aerobie is considered out-of-bounds and the opposing team takes possession at mid-field.

Tricky Points:

Offensive team blunders
In the f? style, if the offensive team tosses the aerobie and it lands in their own goal (either via a deflection or strong wind) then a point is scored for the opposing team. In the football style, if the offensive team tosses the aerobie and it lands in their own goal area, then the opposing team receives the aerobie at quarter-field.
Defensive team rewards
If the aerobie is knocked out-of-bounds by the defending team, then it is treated as any normal out-of-bounds pass* [*if the person was defending a goal shot, the defenders take it at midfield. Else they take it on the goal line.] (In particular, they may get the aerobie at midfield even when they were technically the ones who caused it to go out-of-bounds). If the aerobie lands and rolls, possession is taken where the aerobie stops rolling.* [*This rule has sometimes changed to take it where it lands.] This means if it rolls out of bounds, the other team gets it at midfield (or at the corner depending upon which team threw it out-of-bounds). This means if the aerobie rolls out-of-bounds and back into bounds the aerobie is taken where it stands (in bounds). However, no point can be scored on an aerobie rolling into the goal, in this case the aerobie is considered to have stopped just short of goal, and the opposing team takes it there ( In the case that the aerobie makes it into the goal in flight then rolls out, this is considered a score). If the aerobie is caught in midair as it is heading out-of-bounds (f? rules) Possession is determined by where the receiver leapt from. If the receiver lands with the aerobie out-of-bounds, then the possession obviously goes to the other team. If the receiver is in-bounds when he/she leaps, then the aerobie is ruled in-bounds and if he/she can pass it to a teammate before landing, it will be a fair toss-and-catch. If the receiver is out-of-bounds when he/she leaps, then the aerobie is ruled out-of-bounds when caught.
The "football rules" version of the last point.
All of the above comments apply for plays concerning the back end of the goal (the out-of-bounds line). If the receiver leaps from within the goal area, catches it in mid-air, and lands out-of-goal, this is not a point. If the receiver leaps from out-of-goal, catches the aerobie in mid-air, and lands in the goal area, this is a point (provided both feet are in the goal area).