By Jamison Watt
On May 9th, Erbil hosted our region’s first-ever all-women’s Ultimate Frisbee tournament. Four teams of female players from Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, Mosul, and Erbil competed across eight matches of this up-and-coming sport, which inherently promotes fair play, the spirit of the game, gender equality, and the development of peace-making skills. As the coach of Erbil’s newly formed team, the Khanzad Queens, I witnessed firsthand how Ultimate Frisbee is laying the groundwork for healthy development in the Kurdistan Region.
“Everyone, both men and women, benefits from physical exercise and playing sports,” said Sarah Kerner, captain of Mosul’s Nineveh Whales team, which won the tournament championship. “Team sports are essential for building character, mutual respect, and community. The first-ever women’s tournament is a huge step in encouraging and empowering women and girls to play sports.”
“The first step is always the most valuable and courageous,” said Soma Rostami, the spirit captain of Erbil’s team, the Khanzad Queens. The spirit captain leads the team in good sportsmanship, fair play, and respect for opponents. “For the women who played here today, these pioneering actions provide courage and a sense of worth, demonstrating that women have freedom, value, and choice.”
While the sport inherently teaches principles of fair play, self-refereeing, and the spirit of the game, many coaches and players in the region have taken this a step further by awarding players who demonstrate the best sportsmanship in a game or tournament.
“The biggest change I’ve noticed in this game is that young players are learning communication skills and appropriate behavior,” said Benni Splitt, a coach who has led dozens of Ultimate Frisbee trainings for youth around Duhok. “Often, those from a football background exhibit a lot of negativity, and there isn’t constructive communication on the field. After a few training sessions, we see that they change their behavior, and I’m optimistic that this will positively impact their lives.”
There are no referees in this sport, so players are encouraged to respectfully and briefly share their views on close calls or potential fouls with an opposing player. If an agreement cannot be reached, play will be resumed from the point just before the disagreement or potential foul occurs. During this discussion, all other players must remain silent to respect the process and avoid escalating tensions or shouting matches.
“Self-refereeing sends a powerful message that every player is responsible for their own integrity, respect, and accountability,” said Rayan Bakr, a player on the Sulaymaniyah team, Jamana. “It builds a sense of trust that is rare in other sports. That’s what sets frisbee apart and makes not just the game but also the players special.”
“It’s truly incredible to think that just a year ago, we had only 5 to 10 women playing frisbee, and now we have a tournament of our own,” Rayan continued. “It’s empowering to see so many women dedicating their time to lead, compete, and grow in a completely new sport. Creating a space solely for women to improve shows how far we’ve come, and being a part of it feels historically significant.”
Ultimate Frisbee has only been played in the Kurdistan region for seven years, but its future looks promising. This emerging sport is changing traditional sports culture. Instead of shouting over fouls, players are encouraged to communicate and resolve conflicts peacefully. Additionally, where male dominance often prevails, Ultimate Frisbee offers a platform for the empowerment and development of women. This sport may be on the brink of fostering significant change throughout Kurdistan beyond the playing field.