By Chesney Monroe
Staff Writer
Ultimate Frisbee is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and one of Union’s newest clubs. Union Club Ultimate, an Ultimate Frisbee organization, has been rising in popularity among men across campus since last fall.
Jesse Dahms, freshman undecided major, said he has always loved Frisbee and played all the time in high school and is the captain and student president of the new team.
“There are so many students here [at Union] that love Frisbee,” Dahms said. “I started talking to people about how to get a team going, and we got it passed as a student organization. We practice, travel and play in tournaments on some weekends.”
When the team first started, an interest meeting for students drew more than 40 people. The team had tryouts last fall and now has 15 players.
The game of Ultimate starts with seven players per team. Each team lines up on its own end of the field.
Once both teams have indicated that they are ready to start, the defense throws the Frisbee to the offensive team.
Each player is allowed 10 seconds to pass the disc and may not run with it. If the disc is dropped or blocked, the opposing team gains ownership.
To win a point, the team with the disc has to complete a pass on the opposite end it started on.
Dahms said the team has been trying to get practice times on the Union practice fields, but times usually are reserved for soccer.
“Right now, we [practice at] the field by White Hall two or three times a week,” Dahms said. “It isn’t very safe. There are rocks and bricks that we trip on occasionally, but we make do with what we have.”
Dahms added that Toby Brown, assistant director of wellness services and intramural coordinator, is Union Club Ultimate’s faculty adviser and supports the team in any way he can.
Shelby Nicholas, freshman photojournalism major, said she hopes there is a big enough demand for a women’s team next fall.
“I played both lacrosse and Frisbee in high school, and when I heard Union had a team, I got really excited,” Nicholas said.
Nicholas added that a Facebook group dedicated to Union students playing pick-up games of Ultimate Frisbee exists but she hopes Union starts a women’s competitive team next fall.
Dodgen Swanson, junior sports medicine major, is a member of the team and said his favorite part about playing is the competitiveness and relationships he has built with others on the team.
“My high school had an ultimate [Frisbee] team, so that’s when I started playing,” Swanson said. “I could play for hours without getting bored, [and] I have developed some awesome relationships with the guys that I might not have formed outside of Ultimate.
“Being around each other for seven plus hours a week for practice and also traveling together for tournaments plays a huge part in how tight we have become.”
