In Ultimate, which description best defines a handler?

• A. A player who runs patterns to get open for a pass.
• B. A defensive specialist guarding the deepest cutter.
• C. A player tasked with officiating the game.
• D. A player who routes the offense but does not handle the disc.

Answer: (C)

In Ultimate, a handler is the player who controls the disc and directs the offense, serving as the primary person who throws the majority of passes and sets up the next play. Handlers start plays from the backfield or middle of the field, keep the disc moving, and reset the offense when needed, choosing where the disc goes next based on the defense and the cutters’ movement. This is different from someone who runs patterns to get open for a pass—often called a cutter—who focuses on creating receiving opportunities; a defender’s role is to guard and stop the offense; and officiating isn’t a standard on-field player role in most formats (Ultimate is self-officiated by the players). So the best description of a handler is the player who handles the disc and orchestrates the offense.