Living the dream, Frisbee style
It’s four o’clock on a Wednesday. You are slightly tired from the days’ events, and you just want to catch a quick nap before trying to type the intro of your Western Civ. paper that’s due in an hour, or maybe you need to go shopping because the 72 pack of ramen that you bought finally ran out.
While most people utilize the late afternoon as a time to catch a break from their busy schedules, a select few choose to use this time quite differently. They suit up in the stylish athletic attire of their choice, grab some hydration, perform a few minutes of private ceremonial meditation and head to the field in front of the school to engaging in the recreationally intense activity that can only be known as ultimate Frisbee. While it might just look like a group of odd college students chasing around a disc for an hour, the Mar yville College Frisbee Team has been one of the college’s most dynamic groups, to say the least.
Although Kin Takahashi may not have written any manuscripts on the subject of ultimate, the team certainly has had a vibrant histor y, and in earlier years, even had a strong and competitive reputation. While the dynamics of the program has slightly subsided, the Frisbee team still strives to maintain the team’s activeness. This aspect certainly remained true with the team’s dynamics last year with captain Mark McMillin.
The Scot’s Frisbee team provided a solid presence in the three tournaments they competed in, and even ended up winning the B pool in South Carolina’s “La Cucaracha” tournament. After coming off a very successful year, the future of the Frisbee team now lies in the hands of the young captains Rob Deighton, aka “Super Star,” and Sam Turpen, aka “Voodoo Hands.”
But with a new year comes a new challenge: recruiting new players. Unfortunately, the ten experienced senior players that were the foundation of the team took their leave at the end of the year, and now the main goal of the team has shifted into recruitment. Deighton commented on the main goals of the team at this point in time.
“We really are just focused in getting players out there,” Deighton said. “With that being said, Frisbee is a really great way to have fun and get some exercise and everybody is encouraged to play.” With recruitment being the main goal, Deighton explains what it takes to play ultimate Frisbee.
“The strength of a Frisbee champion lies in endurance and dedication,” Deighton said. “That’s where people become skilled. Even the people who aren’t naturally athletic can still become great players at ultimate and live the dream.”
When Deighton was asked what that phrase actually meant he had no comment. However, Deighton did have this to say when he was asked what the first thing that came to his mind was when he heard the word “Frisbee.”
“Scholarship, respect and Integrity,” Deighton said. “Oh, wait, that’s what’s on the covenant stone. Umm…teamwork?” Teamwork does seem to be a central concept in ultimate Frisbee, seeing that the team must rely on the passing from each other in order to score; but, even though there can be a ver y strong competitive presence in the sport, it can also be a great way to create new relationships and long lasting friendships.
Veteran player Patrick Dalton has the following to say about his experience in ultimate. “It has certainly been a joy for me to play ultimate,” Dalton said. “It’s just a time where everybody can bond with each other just by throwing a Frisbee around. There are not a lot of activities that can recreate that kind of experience.”
With the numerous strong social and physical benefits, it’s almost hard to seem like the team would be missing a lack of players. Hopefully, with a little extra effort, the team will experience better times and be able to relive the golden years of what was once one of the most well-known groups on campus. In the end, if you happen to be hankering for an activity to do on a sunny weekday afternoon around four o’clock, you might want to consider coming out and living the dream.