The 'ultimate' sporting experience

My only experience with competitive Frisbee involved a game at the end of high school in which my science research class combated the math research kids for the coveted title of champion. I emerged with a black-and-blue bruise on my leg, and that was merely from practicing before the game began. The impact of the competition was equally devastating.

I felt slightly skeptical as I trekked out to West Windsor field to join a Women's Ultimate Frisbee practice one Thursday afternoon. When I arrived, nine students — about half of the team — were running on the field, throwing a Frisbee from person to person, while simultaneously trying to block each other and make certain that no player held the Frisbee for more than three seconds. The fast-moving scene was more complex than I had anticipated.

But Co-Captain Amy Wickner '05 patiently taught me the basics of the passing techniques that her teammates employed in their energetic, intricate drills. We began with the backhand, tossing the Frisbee, or "disc," back and forth over a 10-foot distance. Next, Wickner introduced the forehand, or "flick," nicknamed for the wrist-flicking motion that gives the toss its necessary spin. I managed to propel a wobbly Frisbee toward Wickner—more the result of pushing the "disc" into the air than perfecting the technical "flick," but an accomplishment nevertheless. Armed with new knowledge of how to balance the Frisbee in the "V" between my thumb and forefinger, I had thrown my first forehand — a landmark moment in Frisbee history.

Co-Captain Rosalind Echols '05 explained the setup of the game itself, which she compared to soccer. The players must pass the Frisbee between them to transport it along the field. Points are scored when a team member catches the "disc" from within the end zone.

In the course of practice, I made the common mistake of moving my left foot even though I was tossing with my right hand, which Wickner pointed out as she explained the Ultimate Frisbee rule that a player must plant on the ground the foot opposite the Frisbee-holding hand. Pivoting around the planted foot allows for limited movement, but "traveling" — running with the Frisbee — is strictly forbidden.

She also advised that Ultimate players "be conscious of the field, the field space and the others around you," citing teammate cooperation as an indispensable ingredient of success in Ultimate Frisbee tournaments.

The Women's Ultimate Frisbee Team — a club athletic organization — travels to other universities to compete approximately every other weekend. From Sept. through Nov., the club plays in four or five tournaments; the same is true for the March-through-May season, according to Echols. The spring also sees the Ultimate Frisbee Championship Series, at which the team has the opportunity to garner a spot at Nationals.

Echols deemed the Ultimate community a sort of "subculture" unto itself. "Since good spirit is so important to the game, you meet a lot of nice people from other teams," she said. Seeing familiar Ultimate players from other universities, she added, provides an added bonus when traveling to off-campus competitions.

Echols views the game as "a great sport for starting out, because a lot of the girls who play in college haven't played before, so you don't feel like you need to be a superstar." I suppose I have a bit of my own practicing to do. At the very least — armed with my new Ultimate knowledge — I will no longer injure myself while tossing a Frisbee. Hopefully.