SF Rec League Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find out if I made it into the league(s)?

With our online registration system, you'll know right away if you successfully registered. You'll receive on screen confirmation and an email stating your status. If the league you want to play in is full you'll be offered the chance to add your name to the wait list for that league.

Update for Spring 2010 - Due to new policies for field rental adopted by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission, SF Rec League is now giving priority to San Francisco residents for registration in our Leagues.

Please note that your spot in the league is not guaranteed until your payment is received. All checks must be received by (not postmarked by) the deadline. PayPal payments must also be received by the specified time and date to guarantee your spot.

If you have questions about your sign-up status, send an e-mail to rosters (at) sful (dot) org requesting status. Make sure you include your full name.

You will receive a "Welcome" email a few days before the league is scheduled to begin letting you know your team assignment, the name of your captain and other important information. This email usually goes out a day or two after the payment deadline.

Will I automatically be dropped from the league if I do not pay?

No. Anyone whose payment has not been received by the deadline may not be eligible to be drafted. Do not assume that you will automatically be dropped from the league if you do not pay (particularly if you are a woman). Please do us the courtesy of notifying rosters (at) sful (dot) org if you cannot play.

I lost my invoice, how do I pay for the league?

Please login and then click on the Account Statement link on the Player Home Page. Follow the directions for payment.

What methods of payment to you accept?

We accept credit cards through PayPal and personal checks/money orders.

How long does it take for my payment(s) to be updated in my Account Statement?

All payments are entered manually. Please allow up to 7 days for your check or PayPal payment to be received and recorded by SF Rec League. You can login to the SF Rec League site to view your latest account statement online.

What if I've registered but can't/don't want to play?

As long as you notify your Captain or rosters (at) sful (dot) org prior to the first game that you will be unable to play the season, you can get a refund. Someone from the waiting list will take your place. Please let rosters (at) sful (dot) org know when you drop, no matter how far we're into the season. We replace players throughout the entire season, but we can't replace you if we don't know you aren't coming back.

At this time our website does not have the functionality to allow players to withdraw themselves from events or wait lists. Please send an email to rosters (at) sful (dot) org if you would like to drop out or have your name removed from a wait list.

I signed up for the wrong event. Can I switch nights?

If you would like to switch leagues you must register yourself for the event you want to play in and then send an email to rosters (at) sful (dot) org requesting to be dropped from the other event. At this time our website does not have the functionality to allow players to withdraw themselves from events or wait lists.

Do have to be a member of the UPA to play in the SF Rec League?

NO. Effective September 2009 just in time for Fall 2009 League, we no longer require membership with the UPA to play in our leagues, hat tournaments, or clinics. Another change is that you'll have to sign and submit our new Bay Area Disc Association liability waiver in lieu of the old UPA waiver that we used to collect.

We realize that the lifting of UPA membership requirements is a big departure from the past. Please look over this informational page if you need clarification.

Can I request to be on the same team as someone else (aka "baggage")?

SF Rec League games are always at the same time and location within each league. Therefore, transportation, child care and other logistical issues are not impacted by allowing or not allowing baggage requests. Our primary concerns when creating teams are to have balanced league for competitive play, and to distribute players able to teach or coach those new to the game throughout the league. In addition, having couples who are both experienced players on the same team can create a problem since they are likely to miss the same games and dramatically affect their teams play.

Because of this, the only time we consider requests to place two people on the same team is in mentor situations when an experienced player is bringing in someone new to the sport. If you are mentoring a new player and would like to be placed on the same team both of you need to send an e-mail to our Registration Coordinator at reg_coord (at) sful (dot) org. Be sure to include your full name and the full name of the person you want to play with. Requests must be made before the payment deadline. We do our best to honor these requests but do not make any guarantees.

Where am I on the waitlist? Do I really have a chance of getting in?

In order to maintain team balance, we replace dropped players by matching people of the same skill level and gender. We also try to maximize the number of people who get to participate, so players currently playing on the other day/night (when there is more than one day of play in a given season, which we typically offer during spring and summer) are generally not pulled in off the wait list. We add players throughout the entire season, so you could be added at any time. We'll contact you the moment a spot opens up. Please do not write and ask where you are on the wait list.

If I recruit a woman to play will it help move me up from the waitlist?

No, for several reasons. Prior to the initial draft, we believe that sign up order has to be a primary consideration in pulling people off the wait list. Once the draft has occurred the most important issue is replacing players in a way that will keep the teams as balanced as possible.

Also, we do not want women to put off signing up until after a wait list has formed for men in order to help friends who happen to be on the wait list, or have women who are not actually interested in playing sign up just to get men off the list.

I'm in High School- can I play?

Yes! Please let rosters (at) sful (dot) org know if you are under 18 and we'll send you a link to the extra paperwork you need to submit.

Do teams ever practice?

Nope. The only time you are expected to show up is when your team plays once a week.

If I'm not registered to play in either league can I pick up?

No. Unlike other many other leagues, the SF Rec League does not allow pickups.

How competitive is the SF Rec League?

All of our leagues are beginner-friendly. There are experienced players on each team, but there are also many novices, too. We stop play to explain rules, hold a moratorium on Zone Defense for the first three weeks of each season and do many other things to make it conducive to learning the game. All teams are balanced by skill level.

Do I have to be in good shape to play? I haven't played a team sport since college! I've never played team sports before!

Ultimate is easy to learn and hard to perfect, so it's a great sport for beginners or for veteran athletes looking to master something different. Even if you've never thrown a disc before, you can learn to play Ultimate. You don't have to be a triathlete, but there will be a lot of running and some sprinting. If you aren't already in shape learning Ultimate might just inspire you to become so.

Why not just play pickup? It's free after all.

Pickup is great and abundant in San Francisco, but it isn't always the best option for beginners. Some pickup games can be more intense, the rules aren't always followed or taught, the fields aren't always graded for sports and the level of play can actually be higher. At some point in time, we will post an updated pickup games list not just for San Francisco, but for all of the geographic areas served by Bay Area Disc Association.

SF Rec League Seasons and Tournaments

During the winter season (Jan - March) we usually don't run any leagues. Instead we try to host one-day Hat and invitational Club team tournaments. After the majority of our first Winter League was rained out in 1999, we decided to only run our leagues for only two seasons per year: one in the Spring, the other in the Summer. In 2003 we restarted our Fall league on the weekends. In Midwinter 2004 we naively gave winter another shot. Needless to say were were rained out a lot. We did not host a winter league in 2005. Our sister league, the SFUC, hosts a high-level Winter League in San Francisco. We'll leave winter to the pros.

SF Rec League History

The SF Rec League held its first season in the Spring of 1999. It grew out of a pickup game that had been running in Golden Gate Park on Saturday mornings for several years, which was later formalized by Peter MacDonough into a small Winter pickup game at the Moscone Center in 1998. It started with 4 teams in that first league and expanded to 8 for the Summer 1999 season. In Summer 2000 we doubled again when we started playing two nights a week. Fall season generally only has one league.

Is the SF Rec League a non-profit?

Not yet- but with the help of our friends at Latham & Watkins we will be. Thanks to the efforts of a couple of our attorney players L&W took us on as a pro-bono client.

Who is involved?

SF Rec League is run entirely by volunteers. We have eight volunteer Captains in each league who help run our teams every season and many other volunteer captains and officials who help with our tournaments. In addition to the Captains, the league is run by the following volunteers.

• League Directors - Ted Spieth and Elizabeth Murray
• Registration Information Coordinator - Jerry Weltsch
• Webmaster - Edwin Yang
• Rostermaster - Charlotte Sanders
• Clinics - Steve Pockross
• Spirit Mufti - Stephen LaBonge
• Scores & Schedules - Eric Arons
• UPA Liaisons - Dan Girellini

Where Does my Money Go?

All money collected goes to support the league. The majority of your fees pay for field rental from the SF Park & Rec Department. We hired a programmer to help implement our online registration in 2001 & 2002, but all technical planning and other work on the website is done on an unpaid, volunteer basis. Other expenses include team t-shirts, discs, insurance, field equipment, clinics, and tournaments. No money goes to any of the league officials.