If my over-45s football league refereed themselves, every second match would end in a fist fight.

But in Ultimate Frisbee, that’s literally the rule. Even at the elite level!

Players call their own fouls. They debate it on the field. And at the end, the opposition gives you a Spirit Score. Like Uber ratings, but for sportsmanship.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Strong spirit. Weak deodorant.”

And it works. Their unique culture means players regulate themselves.

Quite a contrast with soccer/football! Imagine Lionel Messi calmly discussing the merits of a penalty claim with the French back four in the World Cup Final. Whole nations would revolt.

I edited this episode on a flight from Brisbane to Melbourne last night. While pondering the merits of introducing referees into more general aspects of life, I saw a guy in hi-vis with a whistle start issuing fouls to dodgy drivers in the passenger pick-up lane at Tullamarine. Until the whistle came out, hardly anyone was following the rules.

But life doesn’t usually come with umpires and whistles. Most of the time, we have to referee ourselves.  

In this week’s Fink Tank Col and I discuss how self-refereeing shapes frisbee, and what it teaches us about trust, culture, and not being an arsehole.