Playing in the mud

A vintage QC Ultimate photo. 

Today's pickup game should have been rained out. The field was awful, it was muddy and rained hard the entire time. It was also amazing. Not because it was good Ultimate, but because it was a reminder of what it was like to play before practices and teams even became an idea for me.

For the first time in a long time I didn't wear cleats. Since I was going to be sliding around anyways might as well embrace the muck. Best decision I have made in Ultimate in a while. I was so worried about just standing up there was no time to think about playing well.

In all honesty, I forgot how often I fell down. Most of the time it was on accident, and once I even landed on my butt which did not feel good. It probably looked hilarious though. And that is why today was so fun. It was completely ridiculous, and so funny that it turned into a great time.

It was like playing with friends during high school. Most players didn't have or didn't wear cleats and it didn't matter. We were just outside enjoying one of our favorite games.

Players were joking around, trying new throws and enjoying a game that did not matter in the slightest.

So I recommend that all Ultimate players toss their cleats aside every once in a while. Stop worrying about the next league game or tryouts and just play.

Frisbee weather is barely perfect

Just about every Ultimate player knows that Frisbees like warm weather, a little wind and clear skies. Every player also knows that playing in the perfect Frisbee weather basically never happens. You learn to play in less than ideal conditions and prepare for things to be worse than expected.

Weather is something players learn to accept as the wildcard for pickup, tournaments and league games. This is especially true for players in the Midwest.

Spring league this season in Champaign-Urbana was plagued with schedule changes. Games were rescheduled in the hopes of finding better weather, but it  never came. We played in some the worst conditions I've experienced with wind and cold almost each time out. It is a bad sign when a consistent rain during a game is good weather.

The sun finally came out for Finals to cap a cold season with a beautiful finish. That's Ultimate weather though. Sometimes it waits for the perfect moment.

For my team, Stack to the Future, I am proud to announce we usually managed to play well even with the weather against us.  

This is a new blog but, what conditions have readers experienced? Is it better out West or East? And what are some of the best and worst weather you've played in?

The Frisbee Family and why I play

For me Ultimate Frisbee is about family, and why I play centers around that belief. The short answer is because it's fun. I love to play and the people I have met along the way. But this would be a real short story if that was it. The long answer starts back in high school.

I started playing Ultimate thanks to the encouragement of my parents and sister as a way to get a shy freshman out of the house. Imagine that, being told to play by your parents like it was a chore or something. I had never seen the sport and like many new players could barely throw. I could run though, and after feeling like the least athletic kid in school for years I finally had something. 

Back then I knew little about the strategy of the game except to find an opening and to get there fast as I could. So, that’s what I did. Any chance I could get I was off and running, and so was my unofficial career in the sport.

As I gained more experience my skills improved and my passion grew as well. I played throughout high school and into college. It was always a fun hobby and of course great exercise. I attended practices and pick-up games as much as I could, but that was the limit of what I did. Work and school kept me from doing much else.

It was not until I moved out on my own and started living in Iowa that Ultimate took on a greater meaning. I found the local group in the Quad Cities, and was quickly welcomed. For such a small community the Ultimate scene was amazing. There were entire families that came out and everyone was included regardless of age or gender. No one was turned away. It was one big Frisbee family and I felt at home. 

We bonded on the field and off it as well, and supported each other. Over the years as many of us moved away, including myself, the QC Frisbee family is something I took pride in being a part of.

Eventually I went from being a young player soaking up information to a teacher. I will always enjoy playing, but now I enjoy sharing my experiences with others. One of my fondest memories is winning a league title with a team of players that I watched grow and learn the game first hand.

Frisbee continues to be about family and friendship. I would not be the person or player I am today without the people I have met because of the sport. Even though I am usually sore after games and the speed isn't what it was I still love it.  My goal now isn't just to keep playing, but to continue to teach others about the game. 

That means showing them how to play while also helping new players understand that this sport, our sport, is about the connections you make. Anyone can be a good Ultimate player. It takes a unique person to be a good player and person. That's the lesson I learned and the one I hope to pass on.