Club Spotlight: Ultimate Frisbee

Published 1 year ago -


By Kyle Sorgi, Staff Writer

As we’re witnessing the gradual ease of restrictions at Assumption, campus life is taking on a much more vibrant and active presence now than during a Zoom- and COVID-filled era not too long ago. With that, it’s great to see several clubs and activities back in the mix of daily life (which I’m sure everyone that was home all of last year—or on campus amid strict protocols—missed). One activity that I am proud to say is back in action is Ultimate Frisbee, a club sport that may slip under the radar from time to time but is no less fun or rewarding to be a part of.

For that are unfamiliar with the sport, imagine ultimate frisbee like soccer but substitute the soccer ball with a plastic disc and remove the clock. Instantaneous changes of possession, marches down the field to score singular points, and length of games largely dictated by weather and pace of scoring comprise a self-officiated sport that prioritizes durability, communication, and specific roles. Typically, games reach halftime when either team scores seven or eight points first and are won by the first team to reach fifteen points. There are other intricacies to the game that would be exhaustive to elaborate upon, so we’re going to stick with this big picture to understand how this generally works.

This year, Club Ultimate Frisbee is led by me and Sean Kennedy (both seniors), who stepped into leadership roles early into this semester after an unplanned transfer of captainship. The team comprises twenty players on its roster but is open to anyone interested in frisbee or simply willing to broaden their horizons and try something new (regardless of past experience). Since the start of the semester, the team has routinely held practices two times per week while the weather has allowed and intends on holding weekly indoor practices later on in the Plourde once the construction of its courts is finished.

Aside from practices, we try to engage with other ultimate frisbee programs because a large part of our schedule lies in games and tournaments that we must initiate with other schools. Since Sean and I joined frisbee freshman year, the team has had the privilege of hosting games against Becker (defunct) and Norwich, while travelling to Stonehill and Saint Anselm for tournaments featuring schools that sent undergraduate and/or alumni squads. All of these past affairs took place before the pandemic restricted travel to other campuses. However, Assumption Ultimate was able to head up north for a tournament at Plymouth State and return undefeated

with three victories and its first tournament win in program history weeks before the pandemic in March 2020.

Since then, it has been difficult to coordinate with other teams because of school-by-school protocols and students (such as myself) choosing to stay home for part or all of last year until campus life loosened up. Once it did this fall, frisbee emerged back on the scene! On Saturday, October 23, we visited Saint Anselm for an in-conference scrimmage and came home with an eight-point victory to begin the year undefeated! We are also hopeful to host a game against Assumption alumni who played on the team before and contributed to revitalizing the program altogether shortly before my arrival at Assumption.

As a senior, becoming a captain of ultimate frisbee has invigorated a deeper passion towards the team. A greater appreciation has shown itself through taking on new responsibilities and actively collaborating with Sean and the rest of the team. Being a player for three-plus years has been a great experience through not only developing my frisbee skills, but because of the people that I have had the honor of getting to know. Now, stepping into a leadership role calls for a stronger effort in that department that I will not shy away from. I’ll admit that I didn’t really imagine myself in this position until stepping into it, but now that I am here, I can’t picture it any other way.

The goal of ultimate frisbee is to create a fulfilling experience through inclusivity in a positive environment. I also hope that current (and potential future) members are able to share my joy and enthusiasm for being part of clubs and organizations on campus. If any of this is what you’re looking for in a new club experience, then give ultimate frisbee a shot (or toss).

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