A frisbee could be a Super Bowl, though it's really more of a super cup. An ultimate disc can hold a whole lot of liquid.
Sunday, February 05, 2017
Saturday, February 04, 2017
Trent Dillon, Conscientious Rejector of Pro Ultimate
Trent Dillon recently shared this principled rationale for not seeking to play in the semi-professional ultimate league. Trent played for Philadelphia Spinners (MLU) in 2014, won the 2016 Callahan Award with Pitt, and, most recently, won a World Championship at WUGC 2016 and played with Seattle Sockeye in USA Ultimate's 2016 club season.
Below is text of Trent's email to Seattle Cascades' invitation to tryout for the AUDL 2017 season:
"I want to let you [know] that I will not be trying out for the Cascades this year and why.
I have not played in either pro league since 2014. My rationale for abstaining has been consistent and singular over the last few years, but have done a poor job of communicating this rationale to the pro league owners and managers in my cities - hence this email. I'm fearful that pro league (and now just the AUDL) are leading the sport down a path that will result in the loss of important cultural/social values in ultimate. Self-officiation and equal opportunity for men and women have been bleakly represented in the AUDL's current product, and I'm worried that if the AUDL continues to match economic projections without these values, the league's investors will only support a product that looks like what it was built upon—all men, refereed, on a wide field.
I understand that I'm totally preaching [to] the choir here. Although I'm not familiar with what happens behind closed doors-I'm thrilled that you and your siblings have been working for these changes from within the league. However, I just don't see how my efforts as a player can help in this regard. In fact, I think the best (and perhaps only) way to encourage AUDL reform is if men's players abstain from playing and voice their concerns publicly and also directly to their owners. It seems like AUDL is still dependent on the ultimate community for revenue; if the community can manage to negatively impact the league's bottom line in the name of gender equity and self officiation, it would inspire the league's executives to rethink their dismissal of our community's values in their product.
If the AUDL were to clearly provide a plan or intention to incorporate self-officiation and equal opportunity for women into their league, I would support the league wholeheartedly. However, after five years of the same product, AUDL has done little to show me that they are interested in actually making changes to the league that reflect the preferences and values of the community..."
Below is text of Trent's email to Seattle Cascades' invitation to tryout for the AUDL 2017 season:
"I want to let you [know] that I will not be trying out for the Cascades this year and why.
I have not played in either pro league since 2014. My rationale for abstaining has been consistent and singular over the last few years, but have done a poor job of communicating this rationale to the pro league owners and managers in my cities - hence this email. I'm fearful that pro league (and now just the AUDL) are leading the sport down a path that will result in the loss of important cultural/social values in ultimate. Self-officiation and equal opportunity for men and women have been bleakly represented in the AUDL's current product, and I'm worried that if the AUDL continues to match economic projections without these values, the league's investors will only support a product that looks like what it was built upon—all men, refereed, on a wide field.
I understand that I'm totally preaching [to] the choir here. Although I'm not familiar with what happens behind closed doors-I'm thrilled that you and your siblings have been working for these changes from within the league. However, I just don't see how my efforts as a player can help in this regard. In fact, I think the best (and perhaps only) way to encourage AUDL reform is if men's players abstain from playing and voice their concerns publicly and also directly to their owners. It seems like AUDL is still dependent on the ultimate community for revenue; if the community can manage to negatively impact the league's bottom line in the name of gender equity and self officiation, it would inspire the league's executives to rethink their dismissal of our community's values in their product.
If the AUDL were to clearly provide a plan or intention to incorporate self-officiation and equal opportunity for women into their league, I would support the league wholeheartedly. However, after five years of the same product, AUDL has done little to show me that they are interested in actually making changes to the league that reflect the preferences and values of the community..."
@qxhnz @claireyahtzee @being_ulti certainly not a statement, but I sent this email to the Cascades GM when tryouts were announced: pic.twitter.com/Q5SccpfZND— Trent Dillon (@touchdowndillon) February 4, 2017
Friday, February 03, 2017
WIRED Recommends Ultimate Frisbee Instead of Football
WIRED magazine - a fan of the Frisbee - published a parenting guide in its July 2016 issue. Jim Gaffigan, W. Kamau Bell and Kelly McEvers are some of the contributors lending parenting advice. The sports advice from Luke Whelan caught my eye.
Produce an Alt-Athlete
Nerdlets aren't built for football (and there's that concussion thing). But they shouldn't Minecraft all day long - they need to master teamwork! Spatial relationships IRL! The possibility of obscure scholarships! These combos will give you most of the benefits of big-name team sports without the bone-jarring jocktitude.
According to this sports calculation: combining crew + chess + ultimate Frisbee would equate to football.
In addition to throwing spinning things long distances, ultimate is a field sport with players who possess speed, agility, endurance, and requires both hand-eye and analytic aptitude - just like in American football.
Produce an Alt-Athlete
Nerdlets aren't built for football (and there's that concussion thing). But they shouldn't Minecraft all day long - they need to master teamwork! Spatial relationships IRL! The possibility of obscure scholarships! These combos will give you most of the benefits of big-name team sports without the bone-jarring jocktitude.
According to this sports calculation: combining crew + chess + ultimate Frisbee would equate to football.
In addition to throwing spinning things long distances, ultimate is a field sport with players who possess speed, agility, endurance, and requires both hand-eye and analytic aptitude - just like in American football.
Thursday, February 02, 2017
San Francisco FlameThrowers Partner with Revolver
While one AUDL West Division team is newly single, San Francisco has agreed to partner up.
San Francisco FlameThrowers announced a "multiple year partnership to compete in the AUDL" with their city's elite men's club ultimate team Revolver. The FlameThrowers have historically rostered San Francisco/Bay Area Revolver players, this new partnership now solidifies their relationship.
Similar to Seattle's Cascades-Sockeye previous partnership, training and practices will be coordinated between the AUDL team and the club ultimate team which completes in USA Ultimate's Triple Crown Tour.
The FlameThrowers won the 2016 AUDL regular season division crown with a (11-3) record, but lost in the West Division Championship. Revolver took 2nd place at USA Ultimate's 2016 Club Championships.
San Francisco FlameThrowers announced a "multiple year partnership to compete in the AUDL" with their city's elite men's club ultimate team Revolver. The FlameThrowers have historically rostered San Francisco/Bay Area Revolver players, this new partnership now solidifies their relationship.
Similar to Seattle's Cascades-Sockeye previous partnership, training and practices will be coordinated between the AUDL team and the club ultimate team which completes in USA Ultimate's Triple Crown Tour.
Wednesday, February 01, 2017
Do Over: January 2017
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