Ultimate Frisbee was popularized by some dirty hippies. We all saw the womynists and the naked stoners duke it out for the school title at the fictional PCU. These images of ultimate Frisbee are hilarious, but antiquated and inappropriate in a time where the sport is exponentially gaining legitimacy worldwide.
While just as in any sport, you can find a broad range of "athletes" (I need only to turn to my friends who enjoy a drunken game of intramural basketball once a week), ultimate Frisbee appeals to a variety of people, and offers many levels of competition. The Tufts ultimate Frisbee program falls into the most competitive category, played by serious athletes who train as such and have gained regional and national recognition. Many are former soccer, lacrosse, baseball and field hockey players.
What differentiates ultimate Frisbee from other sports, and also draws such unfounded criticism, is the self-officiating aspect of the game. Ultimate is governed by what is known as "The Spirit of the Game," which encourages players to play fairly and with good sportsmanship while adhering to the rules and regulations. Players make the calls on the field, and if there is a dispute, an "observer" is referred to in order to resolve conflicts.
Based on this aspect of the game alone, it is ludicrous to contend that ultimate Frisbee is not a sport. Do we define sports by the presence of an official who rules the field and on the premise that the players will violate the rules? Instead, look at the athletic aspect of the game, and ultimate Frisbee certainly offers this. Additionally, at a time when violence in sports has reached a ridiculous level, should we not be looking to sports that champion fair play as a guide for the way things should be?
Despite contentions clearly guided by frustration and not by fact, the suggestion made for ultimate Frisbee to have its own field is actually a beautiful one. Yes, ultimate Frisbee should have its own field. In fact, this is usually not a problem. This year, Tufts installed a beautiful turf field across from the gym, making an excellent all-weather playing surface for many sports. This field benefits the entire Tufts community, as it strengthens the Tufts athletics program and adds to the school's appeal in recruiting new athletes. Unfortunately, the construction of this field and general renovations to the field around it has rendered much of the surrounding space unusable for this year. Traditionally, the ultimate Frisbee teams have practiced in this space, as it is one of the few that can accommodate a full-sized ultimate field.
Simultaneously, ultimate has seen a surge in participation. Two men's and women's teams make for a total of at least 75 students playing ultimate at Tufts. The E-men are one of the best teams in the country, and the E-wo are serious contenders for College Nationals this year.
This means a serious need for practice space while our fields are unavailable. As a result, many compromises have been made; the A-teams practice in the early morning and late at night, and the B-teams practice on shorter fields (such as Fletcher field).
Far from bemoaning the fact that we must make these adjustments, we are thankful to the athletics department, especially Rick Miller, for making it possible for us to play. We appreciate their recognition of ultimate Frisbee as a competitive club sport. We are also thankful that we attend a university that funds and accommodates to the best of its ability a broad spectrum of intramural and club sports. We, in turn, have to make compromises occasionally in order to keep all of these programs running. Let us enjoy this beautiful spring and share the fields to the best of our ability, keeping in mind how privileged we are to have these facilities at all.
This weekend, Tufts ranked among the top teams in Boston, and looks forward to being among the best in the region. We are proud to have two amazing B-teams that also came out strong, and we are proud to be among the best teams in New England.
Lauren Fein is a senior majoring in psychology and is a co-captain of the Tufts Women's Ultimate Team.
