Captains have a number of responsibilities in all of our leagues. It’s not a hard job, but it’s one that is critical to Mile Zero Ultimate’s success, growth and level of spirit!
1. Entering the Scores
Scores need to be entered after every game within 48 hours! After that, the game is considered a forfeit!
How to Enter Scores:
1. Login at MileZeroUltimate.com/z or by clicking the link to the right
2. Under your upcoming/recent games, you’ll see a button that says ‘Submit’
3. Select – Played / Cancelled / Forfeited
4. Enter scores
5. Fill out the spirit questionnaire
6. Add any comments
7. Submit an incident report if needed
7. Submit an incident report if needed
- You can delegate this responsibility to another team member by making them an Assistant Captain on your team roster.
- If there is an issue with entering scores, please contact us at hi@milezeroultimate.com
- If a game is defaulted, the score is 7-0, with the “winning” team getting max spirit scores and the defaulting team getting averages across the board.
2. Communicate with the League and Team
- Communicate with the league on any discipline, roster or scheduling issues.
- Pass along any information from the league to their team.
- Communicate with teammates on game time, schedules, etc
3. Rules & Policies
As Captain, you should be the rule master, the policy master… and you should lead your team with spirited behaviour at all times! Trust me, a quick read through this website (where all our policies are stored) and you’ll save yourself a lot of arguments on the fields.
4. Pre and Post Game
Have a quick talk with the opposing team’s captain for the following reasons before and after games:
Pre-Game:
- Flip a disc to determine which team will pull first/choose their endzone.
- Agree upon a start time, if both teams are present and ready, and agree upon when to take halftime. Half time by default follows USAU rules, with the exception that it is to be a 5 minutes in duration, as opposed to 10 minutes. Teams/Captains can however agree at the start of the game to use an agreed upon time in place of points.
- Clarify and agree upon any rule changes that may be requested from either team (as per the Captain’s Clause)
- Make sure the field is set up for the official start time of each game. Cones should be placed 1m from any soccer posts. For 7 on 7 Leagues, set the field as close to official size as possible: 70 yards x 40 yards, with endzones 25 yards deep. Some fields will have lines painted for an ultimate field, but some will not.
- Ensure there are no conditions (lightning, for example), which make the field unplayable.
- Communicate to the other Captain any subs you have playing with you.
- If a player wants to record a game or take photographs, we recommend acting in good spirit and confirming this is ok with the opposing Captain.
Post-Game:
- At the end of each game, consult with your team and choose the Spirited Player of the Game for the opposing team.
- Gather your team in a post-game Spirit Circle and let the other team know who the spirit players was and offer any positive and/or constructive feedback on the game. Although it may sometimes be uncomfortable, Spirit Circles can be a useful tool for having a conversation about any spirit issues that may have occurred during the game.
- Many teams also use this opportunity to engage in a spirit activity/game.
5. General Team Duties
- Adhere to the agreed upon times for halftime and timeouts.
- Maintain an adequate roster throughout the season and acquire subs as necessary (and ensure they are eligible to play)
- Ensure an adequate number of players on the field for the official start time of the game.
- Contact the opposing captain/team rep and Board for purposes of rescheduling/forfeiting if an adequate number of players can not be guaranteed for a game.
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In Leagues where teams are built by the Board, we encourage Captains to aim for equal playing time among players. Players should first consult with their Captain if they feel playing time is not equal. Then, if the player truly feels it is still necessary, they may file a complaint with the Board.
6. Discipline and Conflicts
- Represent the team in disagreements and discussions throughout play.
- Remove any of their own players from a game if they were involved in a physical altercation.
- Minimize, contain and immediately address any incidents of dangerous play on their team.
- Submit incident reports to the league at hi@milezeroultimate.com (including disciplinary issues – spirit, physical, policy/rule – and field conditions). You can also use the incident reporting tool when entering scores.
7. Safe Conditions
Be pro-active in stopping play if there is thunder/lightning, the fields are too wet, have standing water or are being torn up due to play. If a field is found in poor or unplayable condition before a game, or the field is damaged during a game, the captain is expected to file an incident report.
8. Inclusion
Encourage equal participation between all members of a team, regardless of gender or skill level. Check out the Inclusion section of our website for more details about our inclusion efforts.
9. Understand the Captain’s Clause
One of the rules of Ultimate is the Captain’s Clause which: Allows two teams to play the game under any variation of the rules that they wish, as long as they agree on it prior to the game.
There are a number of exceptions in MZU Leagues, Captains cannot make agreements that change the following:
- Team/gender composition
- Any rule which impacts the safety of the players/teams
- Players serving a suspension
- Players involved in physical alterations
- Player eligibility (subs, age, etc…)
- Game length and end time