Australian AUUltimate
October Two Thousand and Two
Winter’s Over! Summer at Last!
Newsletter of the Australian Flying Disc Association Inc Page 2 Contacts Australian Flying Disc Tasmainan Flying Disc New South Wales Flying Disc Association Inc Association Association Inc
PO Box A1086 Email inquiries: PO Box A1086 Sydney South NSW 1235 [email protected] Sydney South NSW 1235 [email protected] Queensland Ultimate Disc President - Simon Farrow [email protected] President - Jonathan Potts Association [email protected] Treasurer - Lisa Waters Treasurer - Tom Brennan [email protected] [email protected] President - Matt Boevink Secretary - Liz Blink [email protected] ACT Ultimate Association [email protected] Communications Officer - Emma Spranklin Chair of Selectors - Simon Wood [email protected] GPO Box 842 [email protected] Canberra ACT 2601 National Events Director - Ashley Scroggie Victorian Flying Disc [email protected] Association President - Catherine Moyle Newsletter Editors - Jason de Rooy and [email protected] Shannon Wandmaker PO Box 549 Treasurer - Anthony Perry [email protected] Collins St West [email protected] Universities Co-ordinator - Martin Laird Melbourne 8007 [email protected] Got Something to Say? Insurance Officer - Colin Wagstaff Email inquiries: [email protected] [email protected] Anti-Doping Officer - John French President - Paul Egan Do you have any news, photo’s, [email protected] [email protected] competition reports or competition Treasurer - Simon Gorr previews you’d like to share? Western Australian Flying Disc [email protected] Association Maybe you have some tips on tactics, Northern Territory Ultimate nutrition, fitness or beer. P.O Box 149 Frisbee Osbourne Park 6017 Or perhaps you just want to share Western Australia Email inquiries: some creative prose or poetry. Email inquiries: [email protected] Whatever it is, send it in to the Editors [email protected] Coordinators President - John Damiani Matt Ward at [email protected], and [email protected] James Smith experience the joy of seeing your name Treasurer - Mel Barter up in lights...well, up in print at least. [email protected] Australian Ultimate Page 3 Welcome
Contents Page
Who’s Who 2 Who to hug where you are…
Editorial 3 Who to hug for this little thing...
Contents 3 You are here...
News 4 On the web with Finnish vodka for the young ‘uns
What Now for Australian Ultimate? 5 Comments from Gran-mastah Brennan Editorial Worlds Washup 6 Chugging down some Brown spirit Well, here we are with our first edition of AU - Australian Ultimate - the Newsletter of the Australian Flying Disc Association (whew, Victoria 7 that’s a mouthful). Busting at the Seams Australian Ultimate Frisbee is a great thing, and the people who Canberra 7 play are just wonderful, yadda, yadda, yadda … actually, if you’re Capital Capers reading this, you probably know all that stuff. So let’s talk about something else. Gold Coast 7 When we got the nod from AFDA that we had the editing job, we Perverse sexual practices in the surf and sin city said, “Holy shite! How are we going to fill 16 pages with crispy wholesome Aussie Ultimate goodness, in only six or so weeks?” Mania in Tas. 8 [note, this quote is a fabrication, the first of many - eds]. Fortu- The devil’s in the detail nately many of you came to the rescue and sent us stuff (thank you thank you three times thank you) - so much that we couldn’t They play Ultimate in Townsville now! 9 fit it all in! So let us apologise straight up and commit to printing Getting hot and sticky in North Queensland it in the next issue. While we’re apologising, if we’ve made any mistakes this issue, we’re sorry - let us know and we’ll publish Newcastle News 10 any corrections next issue (time has been short this time Everything you were afraid to ask about around).
Northern Birth 11 Speaking of the next issue, we’re starting now - so have a look Debbie doin’ disc in Darwin through this edition and tell us what’s missing and what you think of it, or even start sending in words and pictures - NSW Junior Development 12 [email protected] The kids are alright… Jason wishes to thank: Nicole, Housemate Jerry, Fleischman, Finafin, all the ACT Ultimate Crew (I’d name you all, but I’d Halibutmunchen 2002 13 probably forget someone), Stan Lee and all the politicians who Actung! Queensland Uber Alles! visit Canberra.
Australian Uni Games 14 Shannon wishes to thank: Lizzie Borden, Robert Hegyes, Students drink, party and, oh yeah, throw disc Homer J Simpson (Homer J, you’re a genius), Adam Smith, Brett Easton Ellis, and all the people who worked on the production What’s in a Name? 15 line at Mazda 15 years ago (that faux woodgrain still looks And you thought naming your first born was hard... great).
Challenge Radio 15 This edition was produced to the music of Nirvana, REM, Boney The 12 Tourney Challenge and Shaun on the Wireless M, Blink 182, Madness, Britney Spears (it was getting late), Split Enz, the Bloodhound Gang, Weezer and NOFX… The Back Page 16 …and brought to you by the letter M. Look, up in the sky … its Superhat! Jason and Shannon October, 2002 Page 4 News adfa.com Website Trash Talk 5. Since next year and the year after are afda.com continues to host Trash Talk, the likely years that circa ’85 or later Relaunched AFDA’s on-line news service, which folk will start uni and most likely be provides members with current news items exposed to ultimate, we are keen for The web-site of the Australian Flying Disc about the happenings around Australia. various league organisers around the Association was recently relaunched, country to keep WUJC2004 in mind, reminding us all why your grandparents Every member is encouraged to contribute and keep an eye open for possible didn’t play Ultimate, they didn’t have the to Trash Talk, and though it is moderated to starters internet to keep them up to date! prevent irrelevant, inflammatory or 6. “We” are looking to obtaining assis- offensive posts, pretty much anything else tance - financial and personal – from AU spoke to webmastah Jonathan Potts written in clear English will be approved. Ultimate and non-Ultimate groups to [well, we didn’t, we just ripped some text of So what are you waiting for? not only get to Finland, but to get the the site, but we’re sure Pottsie won’t mind - team together to play in Australia, as eds] who was understandably over the Archive they may come from all over the moon at the Sydney A-List launch party. The AFDA website also acts as an archive country. Again, if you have an interest, [Again, this is possibly a fabrication – eds.] for information about Australian Ultimate, go say g’day at the group website including: National champions, Australian 7. While 2004 will hopefully be the representative teams, Rob Hancock Award inaugural year to get an Australian you can join AFDA online, winners, AGM minutes, Executive deci- team to go, it would be great to be edit your membership sions, photographs, copies of newsletters able to get a team to each biennial (like this one), media sightings, Constitu- championship as this would form a details, and eventually be tion & policies, and so forth. A lot of this good stock for improved and on- able to register for information is incomplete at the moment, going WUC representation, as well as so if you can fill in the gaps please provide being a hoot for the players that go. tournaments and leagues feedback to the webmastah.
“The most obvious change to afda.com is Birthdays Finland to Host 2004 the new look. It may not be the snazziest This writer’s personal favourite however, is Worlds site out there, but it’s functional, has a the birthday list. Nobody will have an With Jonathon Potts and Staff Writers drop-down side menu for simple naviga- excuse for forgetting, as all member tion, and a search engine to help you find birthdays will be listed on the front page of At the recent World Flying Disc Federation what you’re looking for,” said Pottsie. the site on their special day! Ages are, (WFDF) Congress in Hawaii, Turku in fortunately or unfortunately, unavailable. Finland was named as host of the 2004 The site has links to the various Australian World Ultimate Championships. Australian regional websites, making it the best first players can officially start getting excited. step for finding out about Ultimate around World Juniors 2004 the nation. All you need is to remember With Bruce McNaughton and Staff Writers afda.com. [Don’t add .au at the end, this Finland takes you to the Australian Funeral You young folk out there (or those with Director’s Association site! – eds.] young folk) may have an interest in the upcoming World Ultimate Junior Champi- Member Benefits onship (WUJC) 2004, to be held in Finland “The most important aspect of the new along with WUC. website is that the AFDA Membership Turku Database has been put on-line.” There is still some confusion about birth- rights and the likelihood of getting an That means you can join AFDA online, edit inaugural Australian Ultimate team to the your membership details, and eventually Juniors, but “we” are keen to give it a go... be able to register for tournaments and and the beat goes like this: leagues. 1. WUJC is an open team and a women team thing. If you look at the Latvia This is a blessing for state and national website from 2002, you’ll get a feel for administrators, as member’s now have the the style and fun of the tourney (Latvia responsibility of keeping their details WUJC) current, meaning the membership data- 2. If you are born 1985 or later, you’re a base will be up-to-date and easier to shoo-in - start saving administer. 3. If you are born 1984, we’re looking for dispensation as an inaugural team for The tournament site is an internationally Members will be able to look up some some older players renowned sports complex, which will details of other members, and add to the 4. There is a communication group for feature the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2003 news and tourney sections of the website. information and rain dancing (Yahoo! [this is a very big soccer tournament, for This should avoid having all those less- Groups : pov_international), so if the uninitiated]. It’s close to the city centre than-likely Mexican tournaments clogging you’re eligible at 3 or 4, drop in say and most accommodation and includes a up our calendar. g’day continued page 5 Australian Ultimate Page 5 What Now? For Australian Ultimate? women as well as the men. In our case, from page 4... there were probably five superior teams in stadium with a capacity of 8000 seats. The With Tom Brennan the men’s division. While we lost games tournament will accommodate up to 86 against other teams, with more cohesion teams in 5 divisions (Open, Women, As is usually the case with Australian and big game practice I believe they were Mixed, Juniors, Masters). teams after another World Champs, we try all winnable. and do a bit of a brain dump to see what If we want to take that step into the top tier In contrast to 2002 Worlds, the tournament we have learnt. I’ve gone through a few of teams, it’s going to be difficult. There are plans to provide a range of accommoda- areas that are worth looking at, both for the two main things we need to do. tion from camping to hostels to luxury good things and the bad. While they are hotels. from the point of view of Feral, I watched The first is a challenge, but achievable. We the other Aussie teams play, and many of need to increase the level of athleticism of A 700 seat dining hall will be established the comments hold true. our teams. This is something we have been on the tournament site, providing daily trying to do at Nationals level, by picking breakfast and dinner. Transport will be Tactics rookies with athletic potential but not much provided to all accommodation, and there Pros: We’re right up there. Tactically, each in the way of skills. Hopefully if we can will be social events every night. time we go to Worlds there appears to be continue this “policy” the general level of less and less we can learn from other athleticism in representative teams will rise. The history of Turku is visibly present. parts of the world. In fact, we would now Some of the public seem to be ahead of most of the world in The second is a bit tougher. We need to buildings still in use, such thinking about the game. Few of the play more at the highest level. There’s as the cathedral and the opposition teams adapted well to changes simply not enough high level play in castle, date back 700 in defence or offence. In one memorable Australia, so in the short term that means years. game, we played a 3-pass backhand clam travel. The best way of doing this is to get a to man nearly every defensive point. Even team of Australians, based in a US/ As night falls, the pulse of at the end of the game, our opposition still Canadian city, playing and training for a full the city hardly eases. hadn’t worked it out and continued to let us season. Expensive? Yes. Realistic? Turku is home to such shut them down on the transition. Possibly. Enough Aussies already spend a internationally well-known season or two in the US and play ultimate. artists as JS-16, Darude Cons: Lack of game practice. We don’t It’s not too far fetched to see a team based and the Bomfunk MC’s so have a chance to try many of our strate- there sometime in the future. it’s a kickin’ place for all gies against good opposition before you b-boys and fly girls. Worlds. Competitive games at training Further down the track we can hope that within your team are all very well, but only Australia can support a “super league”. The tournament is show your own susceptibility against However, looking at Canada this seems a scheduled for 7th - 15th specific tactics. Feral fared best here by long way off. Despite its large player base August 2004, and playing five competitive games in North and proximity to the US, Canada only Australia is planning to America prior to the tourney. However, five supports one top tier team in the open send teams in every games is no substitute for seasons of fine division, Furious George. division. tuning against quality opposition. If we can make these things happen then I So get training (with both disc and bottle) Throwing Skills think we can see an Aussie open or dye your hair a Scandinavian blonde, and Pros: The hammer. We used it effectively women’s team in the semi finals at Worlds. book your flights now. to get the disc off the downwind sideline, particularly against junk. No other team we played or saw used it even half as much.
Cons: General level of skill. While our top throwers were competitive with the top throwers on opposition teams, our skills as a team were deficient. Arguably it is a credit that our teams placed as well as they did, given our weakness here. All of the Aussie teams struggled in the wind. Our general inability to break forces with crisp throws seemed to be the biggest problem. We need to learn to continue to throw the pass even if we have been fouled.
General One gratifying thing is that we are now only outclassed by a handful of the top North American teams. I think this applies to the Page 6 Worlds Washup Seven teams went from Australia, and seven teams came back, Open their knees skinned, their legs aching, their skin tanned, their livers King Brown, an all-star Aussie combo, were arguably the triumph abused, their brains full, their hearts proud and their heads held of the tournament for Australia, taking out the hotly contested high. Honolulu, HI, USA had never seen their like. Spirit Award for the third time in a row! They managed a venom- ous 20th after being seeded at 14. In the Open Allotment, Australia was represented by Feral, King Brown and the Action Men. In the Women’s Division, Freya and Seven Green Bottles held the Aussie flag high, and in the Mixed Portion, Wanderlust and Down Under Pants carried the hopes of our great nation.
The fields were awesome, the weather was warm to hot with only a couple of timeslots affected by rain, and the wind was medium to stiff almost every game [ick - eds]. There were 120 teams in 4 Divisions, around 2200 people, 30 fields and no nearby booze [that’s probably why I didn’t go - eds].
Mixed Wanderlust, and all star mix of hard playin’ guys and gals, went into the 40 team Mixed Portion seeded at 22. Winning some and losing others, they came in a roving 31st. Their spirit was high, coming in 11th.
Down Under Pants, another posse of hot Australian properties, were looking darn fine to the organisers, who seeded them at 19. The partying must have taken its toll though, with the Pants Feral, based in Sydney, came into the 40 team Open Allotment th coming in 33rd, and 31st on Spirit. seeded a tidy 15 , and through much grit and toil, managed a ferocious 14th, and 11th in the Spirit stakes.
The Action Men, boasting a core of Canberrans and every player bar one new to Worlds, also showed the universe how Australia values the Spirit of the Game, taking 3rd in the Spirit rankings. As an unknown quantity, they were seeded at 36, and finished 38th, collecting prized wins nonetheless. “the Aussie men are definitely the best ambassadors for their country of any country in any division” Others A few Aussies were out there playing for other teams - Michael Cummings played for Clapham who came in 11th in the Open, Alistair Don played for Chevron Action Plash who picked up 15th in the Mixed, and our kiwi colleagues, Sweet As and Pukana excelled, coming in 7th and 8th respectively in the Mixed, the highest ranked non-US teams.
As Leon Smith has noted in his wisdom, “the big message to take away from … WUCC 2002 is that King Brown must be putting something in their opponents’ water (well done guys, 3 [Spirit wins] in a row is a record that will take some beating), and the Aussie men are definitely the best ambassadors for their country of any country in any division … Yay for us!”
Women’s Freya of Sydney went into the 24 team Women’s Division seeded Perth to Bid for World Clubs 2006? 11, and stepped up to finish the tourney at 7th, and a 15th in the Spirit stakes. Freya were the only non-American team to make the The Western Australian Government recently indicated a willing- Top 8 - well done gals! ness to financially back a bid for the WUCC2006 tournament.
th th Seven Green Bottles also of Sydney finished 10 after seeding 8 . More news as it comes to hand. Picking up 6th in the Spirit stakes was a sweet result. Australian Ultimate Page 7 Vic ACT Bond Busting At The Seams These sessions have been a huge success Capital Capers and are probably the main reason why In Victoria beginners keep coming back week after What’s been happening in Canberra? With Paul Egan and Martin Laird week, and bring their friends along with Well, we put in a successful bid to host them. Nationals 2003, just finished our Winter So, what’s been happening in Victoria League, and have happily welcomed back lately? Nationals has been and gone, and Thanks to funding from Sport and Recre- our teams and players from the Hawaiian we had a lot of fun having everyone come ation Victoria ($13800 over the last two World Clubs. It is our pleasure to invite you to visit us. It was a hectic week for years), we can now pay people to lead all to come to Canberra next April for the everyone, especially Ash, who put in such coaching sessions, act as Division Coordi- 2003 Nationals! an amazing effort to keep the tournament nators and mark out lines on the fields. running smoothly. These have all helped increase the Winter in Canberra is fairly chilly so for professionalism of the league and puts us Winter League we head indoors to the After it was over, we thought we could in a competitive position with other sports. lovely courts of the Australian Institute of relax a bit, have a short, casual league Sports. This was the largest Winter through Autumn, then put our feet up for a So, as the weather gets warmer, we’re League ever, featuring 12 full teams, well-earned break while we hibernated turning our attention to the Melbourne including many new players. Congratula- over Winter. Boy, were we wrong! Hat. Cath Bowker is the TD again and is tions to Hux Sux, who defeated Special K planning for the biggest and best Hat yet in the final, and to the Sonics, who picked Ultimate has boomed in Victoria, with the - the SuperHat! We can’t wait to see you up the highly desired Spirit prize. number of people playing almost doubling all in Melbourne in December. in six months. Thankfully now though the sun has returned, and we’ll be outdoor at the A Winter league was started due to lovely Dickson Fields on Tuesday popular demand and has had over 60 nights until Christmas. people regularly turning up to play each week, no matter how cold the night. We’ve And we can’t sign off without recently started our Spring league and now mentioning our much loved ACTion have over 150 people playing each week, Men team, who ventured beyond our spread across 3 divisions and 17 teams. shores in search of sunshine at the We’ve never been bigger! World Club’s in Hawaii - guys, you did as proud, as did Joy Lee, Jane Irving So how did we do it? Having Ultimate in and Adam Mortimer, who played for the Australian University Games has other teams but we’ll keep claiming certainly helped and there are now active as our own. clubs at Melbourne, Latrobe and Monash Universities. All three Uni clubs have See you all here for Nationals 2003! recruited tons of new players and have put in a lot of work to get to Adelaide. Complete Bondage - the Gold Coast’s Bond University However, Uni students have only ac- With Lisa Watson and Staff Writers counted for about half of the new players in Melbourne, with the rest turning up after Next time you’re on the Gold Coast, on your second honeymoon or something, make hearing about Ultimate through word of sure you drop by Bond Uni for a game of Ultimate. Pickup is on twice a week on the mouth from their friends. More importantly, rugby oval - Monday and Wednesday nights from 7.30pm until pub-time. the league structure has been changed to make it more welcoming for beginners. There’s always new people as the Uni operates on a trimester system and has a high student turnover. We get lots of beginners and experienced American exchange We’ve introduced two club leagues on students out to play with us every term. Generally 15 to 30 players show up. Monday nights - Division One, where experienced players can get their fix of If you’ve ever been to a tournament with us, you’ve probably noticed - being named hard, competitive games, and Division Two Ultimate Bondage helps, but so does being the only team that appears to enjoy for intermediate players, where we have dressing up in fishnet stockings or nurses uniforms [at least publicly - eds]. deliberately restricted the number of experienced players on each team, giving We play in the Brisbane TLC, try to organise occasional exhibition matches against intermediate players plenty of disc. Byron & UQ, and Dale Patterson organises an Oz vs. Rest Of The World game each term. Wednesday nights are more casual and have been a great introduction for new We haven’t traditionally strayed too far from home to play, because we live on the players. We’ve introduced beginner and fabulous Gold Coast, but we sent a team to AUG in lieu of Halibutmunchen this year. intermediate coaching sessions before the games to teach new people the basic skills A few of our regulars (including one woman) played at Nationals this year: Phil Stocks, and some more advanced plays for Brian Petteys, Ben Franettovich & Maylin Chuah. Well done kids! experienced players. Page 8 Mania in Tas With Jeremy Day and the Tassie Crew For example, in the Winter Solstice clarify the rules but also looks after your Tournament (TD Shavawn Donoghue), four kids while you play Ultimate. Greetings from the southernmost strong- hat teams (of 6 players each) played in the hold of Ultimate in Oz! We are from full round robin, but in the final, teams We have cool trophies: A huon pine cutting Hobart, Tasmania, and we hold the current ranked first and fourth in the round robin board for the league winner and a myrtle national spirit titles for both open and were combined to play against the (Antarctic beech) cutting board for the spirit women’s divisions. combined second and third ranking teams. winner. This system allowed seven-a-side Ultimate We are a small (less than 50 regular with subs, which rarely happens in Hobart. We also have a number of awards: Cherry players) but diverse group of Ultimate Ripe award for the most stylish player in players (aged between 15 and 40- In the Autumn Equinox Tournament (TD the grand final, chosen by the previous something), and we reckon there is one Mamoru Matsuki), three hat teams (of 7 recipient; Violet Crumble award for the thing that sets us apart from the rest of players each) played in a format in which a player who recruited most number of new Ultimate players: A huge proportion of key whole team was substituted after every players; and TimTam award for the most players have families with small kids and/or point. The team that just won a point improved new player. plays other sports regularly. Therefore, stayed on and played the next point playing Ultimate on weekends and against the team that was on the sidelines. Here are some of the highlights from the evenings, which is a commonplace leagues. Taking advantage of long daylight phenomena in other cities, do not really Leagues hours, we played spring and summer suit many players here. We have been enjoying playing in social leagues on Monday evenings at a nice leagues for one whole year now, and have park near a beach. Because of this wonderful reality of life, we had a league in each of our four beautiful have to be creative about playing and seasons which are characterized by rain in In the spring league grand final, Blue- popularising Ultimate in Hobart. Let us tell the spring, winds in the summer, more rain tongue narrowly defeated Red Rocket you how we have been managing. Rangers. The Rangers, however, took the spirit prize, defeating Bob (after Bob Brown Tournaments of the Australian Greens) by a single point. Leaving your kids and partner at home and playing Ultimate all weekend is not Leslie Tse received the Cherry Ripe award something all of us can do. So, instead of for falling over so elegantly when catching having one huge tournament that takes up the disc. Matt Petrie won the Purple a whole weekend, we tend to run smaller Crumble award for recruiting the seven tournaments more frequently. new players. We do not yet have separate We witnessed Semigoth defeat Moulin Rouge in the summer league final. competitive leagues in Whitewash took the spirit prize. Sarah Hobart, but we try to cater for Glover won the Cherry Ripe award for dominating the game towards the end. more competitively oriented Kerryn Herman won the Violet Crumble award. The captains chose Lucy Line as players the inaugural winner of the TimTam award.
The Tasmanian Two-Hat Tournament (TD and mud in the autumn and icy rain and The Autumn league introduced Ultimate Jemery Day) has become a regular gusts in the winter. We have played five- or under lights for the first time in Hobart. Icy October event since 1999. After four six-a-side outdoor Ultimate in spring, rain and muddy grounds discouraged successive October Two-Hats, we can summer, and autumn leagues and four-a- many players, but those who played in the claim to have traditional rights to the side indoor winter league, with four teams autumn league had a blast and lots of tournament slot in the 2nd weekend of each in all leagues. slides (or caught cold). October. Unlike other spring tournaments, the Two-Hat is still small and focuses Leagues have proven to be a good way to The grand final was played between largely on local players, although in 2002 introduce Ultimate to new players. Nearly Gingerbread People and White Knights. around 25% of players were from inter- 50% of players in the spring league were When time was called, the scores were state, mostly from Melbourne. new. Leagues also provided additional locked at 9 all. There were a few turn- opportunities to play Ultimate for those overs, but eventually Matt Foster of the While a two-day tournament may attract who cannot regularly make the lunch time People caught the final goal while sliding more interstate players, we do not want to pickup games or weekend tournaments. on his knees right in front of the cheering discourage local participation, so up till crowd. now, we have retained a one-day tourna- We currently have two junior players, Lucy ment format. Line and Nathan Glover, and we hope to White Knights took the Spirit prize. Matt recruit more junior players this year. We Foster inevitably won the Cherry Ripe We also run Half-day Hats, and it is in also got school kids helping us with the award. Kerryn Herman won the Violet these Half Hats, we get to use our creative cheers. Moreover, we got the league minds. organiser who not only keeps time and continued page 9 Australian Ultimate Page 9 Townsville Tales With Anna Lashko By the time this goes to print, we will have been to Halibut in Brisbane. The only Ultimate started in Townsville in 2000 when remaining member of last year’s uni games Jason Mackenzie, an American student team (remember the Salad?) is Anna, the doing his PhD at James Cook Uni, got a now president. Making the trek from bunch of friends together and started Townsville with her will be Ann Ferguson, playing in a local park. Stuart Kennedy, Paul Denyer, Chris Cuthill, Reid Turner and Jenny Dechaine, to meet As word spread of the frivolity in the park, up with some Brisbanians to make up our and more people turned up, this bunch of team, the Box Jellies. players (mostly other graduate students) affiliated with the university in 2001. We have a very cool Ultimate website, thanks to our previous web guru Nick By this time, there were a couple of pick-up Timms, so check it out at www.jcu.edu.au/ games a week, both in Strand Park, a soc/Ultimate/home.html public park which is about 50m from the beach (great for swimming after games on We’ll be updating it after Halibut! stinkingly hot and sticky summer… or spring, or autumn… nights) and offers the Mania in Tas (cont from page 8) Competitive Ultimate picturesque backdrops of Castle Hill on We do not yet have separate competitive Crumble award for the second season in a one side and Magnetic Island across the leagues in Hobart, but we try to cater for row, and Felix Kennedy won the TimTam water. more competitively oriented players by award. running (1) training on every other week- A JCU team (Jason Mackenzie, TK Pool, end (8-10am), (2) CSIRO/Uni Challenge, The Winter league introduced Indoor Amber Roegner, Anna Lashko) and friends and (3) Tasmanian Ultimate Champion- Ultimate to many players. Also in this Anita Beck, Megan McCann, Paul Kelly ships. and Sue went to uni games in Newcastle in league, team registrations were allowed for the first time. It took sometime for every- 2001, learnt lots of Ultimate rules, made The CSIRO/Uni Challenge is a seven-a- one to get used to playing indoor ultimate, some new friends, toured the local hospital side Ultimate held less frequently than but eventually teams started to develop (courtesy of a broken arm), and took away once in a blue moon. When they feel like their own style. the Spirit prize. For those of us who went they are ready, the non-title-holders will to the tournament, it was a huge eye- issue a challenge to the title-holders who No Name Yet (mostly uni undergrads) took opener. To see teams with plays (offensive have four weeks to answer the challenge. and defensive!), as opposed to our advantage of their speed and shotgun approach and were unstoppable in the first As the trophy, the winner gets to keep a half of the league. In the second half, The head of an emu (Don’t worry. It’s not a real Boffins (uni postgrads and staff) and Algae one.). The Tasmanian Ultimate Champion- (rest of the world) capitalised on their ships are organised by Ian Warren. There experience and showed effective defence are two fixed teams, and they play against against No Name Yet. each other every fourth Sunday (8:45- 10am). In the final, No Name Yet mixed quick attack with more patient offence and Administration defeated Algae. The Boffins and TAFI We are re-organising the administration of (Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Ultimate in Tasmania. The Tasmanian Institute) Tiger Sharks shared the spirit ‘Brownian motion’ style, and to see the Flying Disc Association (TasFDA) was prize. Jeff Dunn took the Cherry Ripe skills of some of the experienced players affiliated with the AFDA long ago, but it is award by showing innovative defence and really changed the way we looked at based in the north of Tasmania and is the inaugural Chapa Chaps Guts award. Ultimate. currently focused on disc golf. Craig Mundy took the Violet Crumble award by recruiting five new players. Mike This year, Jason finished his PhD (hooray) Given the success of the first year of Steer (of Tiger Sharks) took the TimTam and departed our shores (boohoo), leaving leagues in Hobart and four consecutive award. Townsville Ultimate in the hands of the years of Two-Hats, and the first bid (though Australians. We now play games three unsuccessful) to hold the Nationals in TAFI Tiger Sharks and the captain Craig times a week: twice a week at uni during Tasmania for at least a decade, moves Mundy deserve a special mention. With the semester and on a Sunday evening have been underway to form and incorpo- five new players, they were able to win only (7pm if you’re ever in Townsville) in Strand rate the Tasmanian Ultimate Association. one game during the round robin. How- Park. Someone will be there for a throw 52 Are there any good constitutional lawyers ever, all sharks improved immensely and weeks of the year! We’ve had a lot of help out there who would care to proof read our developed such a great team spirit, and from QUDA this year, including coaching draft constitution? here in Townsville so that we appear to they defeated The Boffins in the 3rd/4th decider: They played the best offence in have some kind of a clue when we get to The TasFDA web page http:// indoor ultimate in Hobart. Well done, Tiger Halibut. Big thanks to Matt Boevink and www.afda.com/tasfda/ is regularly updated Sharks!! Roger Church for their help there! on Ultimate events in Hobart. Check it out! Page 10 Newcastle Notes With Katherine King Leanne Tats Favourite Ultimate Play or throw - Partial to (the John that broke the camel’s back) Of beer, wine and spirit… the dreamy layout D Favourite Ultimate Play or throw - Fakery Two years ago I started playing ultimate, Hacky-style - She has the moves, has and trickery dragged there one dark September perfected the pooshooter Hacky-style - Boat footed kickery evening kicking and screaming by my little Award - token female award Award - Overeater’s anonymous award sister because the game is ‘fun’. Quote - ‘the first advantage to doing the Quote - ‘I eat so much that I have to learn play this way is to appease Phil’ to cook it well’ Since that time I have played in excess of Luci Tim fifteen tournaments, been on about fifteen Favourite Ultimate Play or throw - Anything Favourite Ultimate Play or throw - Levita- road trips (including of course the that involves a lot of running. tion, matrix style, always catches the disc Melbourne hat), slept on floors, camped in Hacky-style - Katie style tae kwon do kicks despite the fact it always seems as though picnic areas and random spots on the side Award - Commitment award he has leapt way too early. of the road, created over fifty cheers, eaten Quote - ‘Sna-winka’ (caught on video whilst Hacky-style - bucket foot stalling a lot of frisbee food (we all agree that sleep talking) Award - most unfortunately timed fractured longest day wins that competition) and of James clavicle (5weeks before EUG) course indulged in the occasional jug of Favourite Ultimate Play or throw - the Quote - ‘Come dressed as your favourite ‘essence of frisbee’ (Beer, as it is affection- outside-in forehand of fire international terrorist’ ately known). Hacky-style - socceresque Sturt Award - The world’s worst pants run award Favourite Ultimate Play or throw - The give Had I known that this whole sport would Quote — ‘I am sure that Jenn wont mind if and go have consumed so much of my life would I we put our wedding back a week so that I Hacky-style - partial to the inside of the have started playing? Well yes and no, no can play at AUC’ foot kick. on account of my studies at least... Johnno Award - Consistency in the face of However my internship preferences for Favourite Ultimate Play or throw - The adversity award (plays with no eyesight next year were pretty much based on the thrusting mark and the layout D correction for his really really bad eyesight.) availability of ultimate frisbee training close Hacky-style - Duff-man (more thrusting) Quote - ‘Think Positive’ by. Award - Rubber bones award Steve Quote- - ‘get up timmy, it’s not like you Favourite Ultimate Play or throw - Run hard Newcastle have broken your collarbone’ (he did) and get it John J. Hacky-style - TBA So I am to talk to you all about the Favourite Ultimate Play or throw - The Award - Neil Diamond’s Heart of gold Newcastle club and the funny stuff that we cross field pass award do... So here is the Newcastle team up Hacky-style - Kicking and smiling Quote - ‘This game is great, I can’t believe close and personal. I have taken an Award - Tippy toe marking award they don’t have this back home’ (in opportunity to write a bios on the Quote - (we’ll call the forces pool and reference to goon of fortune) Newcastle AUG team. mountain) ‘where’s the mountain?’ Paul Missing in Action The Newcastle Australian Favourite Ultimate Play or throw - Fore- (those we have come to love but will be University Games Team hand power put (deadly powerful, deadly sadly missed at AUG) Felicity painful) Pennoes and Dave - Untimely exams Favourite Ultimate Play or throw - Calm, Hacky-style - disc-golf (stupid med students) Cool and Collected Award - Most visits to casualty after Kendal - Recurrent glandular fever Hacky-style - Infrequent shopping trolley related incidents (Paul 0, Kylie - Moved to Pakistan, as you do Award - Verbal Diarrhoea award trolleys 3) Brendan - Hamstrings.. AGAIN. Quote - ‘I went on a bus trip once…never Quote - ‘let’s do some again’ (her dad works at Qantas) drinking and go for a Katie A. disc-golf all-nighter in Favourite Ultimate Play or throw - Garbage our underwear’ collection for our swill. Phil Hacky-style - Up and coming Favourite Ultimate Award - Enthusiasm to an americanth Play or throw - The ‘U’ degree play and the really Quote - ‘There you go’ long pass Katie K. Hacky-style - What is Favourite Ultimate Play or throw - it with hacky sack and Feldrunner frisbee tournaments Hacky-style - Kamachan with arms raised in this country? above her head Award - Intensity Award - Ballerina award Award Quote - ‘The reason that car with the horse Quote - ‘you’re float is beating us is because it has more benched’ horsepower’ Australian Ultimate Page 11 Northern Birth Special Birth Announcement
Parents Darwin and the ‘spirit of the game’ are proud to announce the birth of their child: Northern Territory Ultimate Frisbee. All doing very well.
Yes, Ultimate has finally become a truly national sport with the advent of weekly pick-up games in Darwin. Its fast, its warm and its very sweaty. But lets go back to the beginning…..
Conception At a lazy weekend barby in June 2002, the seed was set. Somebody pulled out a frisbee. But not just any old frisbee. This frisbee was a ridgy-didge Discraft 175 grammer flogged off years earlier in people each week allowed for good A unique child Adelaide by ozzy ultimate legend Jemery introductory games of ultimate. People As Northern Territory Ultimate Frisbee Day. Suddenly James Smith, Wendy Telfer were getting a hang of the rules and the grows, it has become apparent that it is no and Matt Ward discovered their mutual spirit of the game was well and truly alive. ordinary child. So what makes it different? passion for flying discs. But then came word that we had to stop. a) High humidity and warm temperatures Not satisfied to only have a throw on The university sports association had to make for very good work-outs at pick-up weekends with a beer in the other hand, disaffiliate all its clubs, from ultimate frisbee games. Substitutes are essential and the impetus was set to introduce Darwin to down to football, for lack of public liability copious amounts of water are consumed. ultimate frisbee. But was this small and insurance. We had to stand on our own It’s a great way to sweat lots and lose pig-skin biased town ready for it? two feet, and quickly too, before the good weight. early momentum was lost. b) Better still is that after almost 12 weeks of We had to stand on our own Once again, the great AFDA mob came NT ultimate games, we have not had a two feet, and quickly too, through with sound advice and an insur- breath of wind at a game. Fair dinkum. It ance option that would cover our players. makes for great ultimate and if ever there was before the good early NT ultimate had survived. a good place to play a high class ulti- momentum was lost tournament, Darwin (at night) would be a Early growth. fantastic place for it. Since the frantic conception and birth, Gestation things have settled down and NT Ultimate c) Official beach training. A flat landscape A plea for help was sent out to the great is growing slowly but surely. Field markers and high variation in tide heights make the guys at the AFDA. Before we knew it we were bought, orange bibs were made, vast hard and flat sands of Darwin’s had 5 new discs with which to develop. nearly 30 different people have come out Casuarina beach an ideal field for Thurs- Next thing was a playing field and an to give ultimate a try. day evening training nights. A wonderful appropriate time. Done. Northern Territory way to see the sun set. University Oval #1, under lights, 7:30pm. Great news is a regular set of 14 or so Of course we needed other players. So people turn out each week, including loyal d) Being in its embryonic stages, NT Matt, Wendy and James hassled everyone guns Rohan, Birgit Hallenstein, Jonno ultimate is nurturing a very healthy spirit to they knew to come out and try something Kneebone, Kath Nash, Keith Ferdinands allow it flourish into bigger and better different; workmates, relatives, friends. and a small host of US imports led by Matt things. Games are energetic, friendly and Cowger, Carrie Esposito and Chris Tracy. remind you why Ultimate kicks butt on The university sports association and other sports (except maybe cycling) [oi! - student association were hassled. Flyers Northern Territory Ultimate owes its eds]. were distributed at concerts and university survival to these players. Some fancy staff and students were bombarded with discs were imported from the US and the So that’s the story of the birth of NT emails. German recruit Martin Wegmann fanciest website in the land was developed ultimate. Although we only have a small did his bit on the international front. And to give more details about Northern population, we are hoping we can grow then it was born. Territory Ultimate: and maintain a healthy and robust ultimate www.ntultimate.netfirms.com frisbee community. The birth and complications In mid July, NT Ultimate Frisbee was born. Also NT ultimate will be sending Matt and Contact: Matt Ward For the first couple of weeks it was a Wendy, and maybe Jonno and Chris to the happy baby. Turn outs of at least 10 Melbourne Hat tournament in December. Page 12 NSW Juniors With Nikki Shires Netball, and all the other sports that are introduced to them each year in Phys Ed Australia has been playing Ultimate as far class in high school. But hang on, isn’t back as the late 70’s, yet most Australians Australia ‘sports mad’? We might have a have still never heard of it. chance!
But when my plumber mentions to me, in NSWFDA in recent years has looked at the an offhand comment while pulling my pipes idea of developing the juniors of our sport, out from the wall, that he has not only but sadly no funding was available. heard about, it but he played it back in Rockhampton years ago, you get the Recently, with the support of the NSW feeling that the sport is evolving. Sport and Rec department, there is more funding and a greater interest in doing something about getting the word out to the schools of NSW. For Sydney-siders, the Gala Day will be held on Monday 25 November, 2002. It will Ultimate is currently being taught in various be held in Wahroonga on the Glade Oval schools throughout the state, but with no all day. If you are keen to check it out, help particular curriculum or purpose. Reports or happen to know a school that would like indicate it’s very successful but because to participate, please write Nikki Shires at we are not running it ourselves, it is difficult [email protected] or check out the to keep the standard the same. website http://www.afda.com/tournaments/ galaday2002.htm . Ultimate really does have the NSWFDA is also interested in working with potential to be bigger, the new schools by giving demonstrations stronger, and more and in-services for teachers on how to play and teach Ultimate Frisbee. We are And that is when it sets in. Ultimate really recognisable looking for people who might be interested does have the potential to be bigger, in volunteering their time to work as a stronger, and more recognisable. This year is the beginning of a hopeful demonstrator. These people would be trained and paid but will need to be This would mean no more long-winded future for the organised integration of available during school hours. explanations of the difference between Ultimate in public, private, and Catholic Ultimate and dog Frisbee. No more schools. We also hope to start developing We are looking for people in Sydney but if shocked faces or giggles when you tell you are working outside of Sydney and them that your broken arm came from a would like to introduce Ultimate to your ‘Frisbee injury’ or the scrapes along your school zone then that would be fantastic. arms were from diving for a Frisbee. Interested? Contact Nikki at [email protected] This is inspiration enough to take the momentum Australia has and run with it. NSW hopes to set the benchmark for the Run and spread the joy of this different but other states that may already be doing this incredible sport. or are planning to, so that we may soon start to have interstate competitions for the The kids who play [Ultimate] students to compete in. now are already craving a team for the juniors to represent Australia The kids who play it now are already more competitive and better in the World Junior Championships in craving more competitive and better quality 2004. quality Ultimate Ultimate. Let’s give it to them! This would be the first team from Australia And so I ran straight to the youth. The in our history. youth of Australia is where our future potential to crush the Americans and Our first step is an Ultimate Frisbee Gala Europeans. They are our chance to Day for the schools in Sydney. It is a become a stronger and more powerful side common way for schools to participate in a against the overseas competition. They sporting event together. It is like a are who make us better as players each tournament for high schools. year. It is also a way for us to start joining the Unfortunately, they are also the future for schools that do play Ultimate together to Rugby, Soccer, Swimming, Running, raise the level of competition and keep the Hockey, Aussie Rules, Cricket, Basketball, way it is played and taught consistent. Australian Ultimate Page 13 Halibutmunchen2002
With Mat Ryan TD - Halibutmunchen 2002.
When we advertised the 2002 Halibut tournament we promised perfect weather, big, green fields, mountains of food for the whole weekend, cool tournament goodies, hot showers and free beer. And the 110 price and importantly the size of the venue people who played the tournament got it all The game was enjoyed by a vocal crowd, and its supporting facilities would allow us ... in spades. Not bad value for 50 bucks. sheltering from the heat under the new QUDA marquees (thank you Qld Govt to cater for up to 20 teams without a significant increase in effort. The enthusi- The 2002 Halibut tournament was con- Gaming commission..) and quenching their asm generated in 2002 far outweighed the tested by: Boot Camp, Marooned, Dojo thirst from a limitless supply of ice-cold organizational cost and gives me enor- and Phat Beats from Brisbane, Schlit homebrewed Ginger Beer, Stouts, Ales mous confidence that we can realize a Pisszer from Sydney, FAAACT from the and Lagers (thank you Brewmeisters King-Halibut in the next few years. Australian Capital Territory; the Pickups Sandra and Stew..). from all over, and from a new Frisbee Having said that, I lament the fact that outpost; the Box Jellies, from Townsville. From this TD’s perspective this was the most successful and most enjoyable Queensland tournaments have not been well attended since 1998. The annual The 8 teams allowed for a neat, 7 game tournament I have ever done, principally State of Origin match was not held this round-robin draw - which any tournament due to the amount of quality help I received year because NSW could not field a team; Director will appreciate. This format from a huge support cast. But it is also an unthinkable prospect when I played my allowed the rookie teams to sample some because Queensland Ultimate has first State of O in 1993. I can’t describe my of what they can expect in future years and matured in its approach to administration sorrow and frustration that one of the it gave everyone a chance to meet some and competition management. We have showpieces of elite Ultimate (with all it’s new Frisbee mates. held tournaments at the Kedron Park venue for the past 3 years and have promotional potential) has not eventuated this year. I challenge the AFDA competi- 2 strong teams emerged, promising an learned lessons from each year. Each tion co-ordinators to address this issue in engaging final, whilst the middle and lower event has been planned with the next in the following year. And I challenge each placed teams all had close, competitive mind and our team of helpers are now and every Ultimate player in the country to games. No team went home with their experienced in all the tasks and require- make the effort to get to the Halibut in pants down and no team went 0 - 7. ments. Our close relationship with the facility owners means that we can deliver a 2003. You wont get a better tournament. And that’s a promise. The final was a nail-biting affair between feature-packed tournament at a bargain Marooned and Schlit Pisszer. A hot swirling breeze on an exposed field ensured that there were going to be plenty of turnovers and plenty of hard running in transition. Marooned started the freshest going out to 3 - 0, moving the disc effec- tively around the NSW zone D.
The NSW team rallied with Sarah Wentworth running free from the middle and it required a high, horizontal block from Joel Smith to prevent them taking the lead at 4 - 4. The two teams traded points until 8 all with some quality Defense shown on both sides. Marooned Captain Stew McGlashan led with some exceptional D, getting 2 blocks close to the throw, and Tim Ferguson played one of the games of his life. In the end the locals appeared to cope better in the heat and were able to string 3 points together to take the game 8 - 11. Page 14 Uni Games With Piers Truter players, which was a good thing as they game 13-8. In the final UNSW reverted to lost several key players to injury early in playing 5-2 against Sydney. Playing the Ultimate Frisbee’s first foray into Australian the tournament. It seemed that anyone final 5-2 was probably a mistake by both University Games is at an end and the from this team who was nominated for the universities as they each had squads with seeds of a long relationship with the Green and Gold team was incapacitated 6 talented ladies in them. UNSW also Games have been sown. The level of by the end of day 3. Nonetheless pulled out a wild card in the final, with the competition was the highest that has been Melbourne went on to be the highest arrival of Matthew Dowle on Friday seen at a university championship, and placed team from outside NSW (counting morning, from a university field trip in everybody had a great time. ACT as part of NSW). They finished 7th Broken Hill. after winning a nail biter against Macquarie The University Games have been great University 10-9. Melbourne also rattled In the final UNSW took an early lead, exposure for Ultimate Frisbee. Martin acted UNSW in their quarterfinal with their very stretching it to 4 points at 7-3. Sydney as the spokesperson for the AFDA and did determined hucking game and way of then fired up and levelled the match at 7-7. two radio interviews - one with Triple J rushing play. Their coach, Miguel, defi- From this point on the teams traded until [broadcast on Tuesday and repeated again nitely helped them tactically. UNSW took half 9-8. Both teams played Sunday morning – eds] and one with 5UV - mostly zone defence, with Sydney putting Radio Adelaide. The Australian newspaper AUG saw one major change to University a great deal of pressure on the UNSW ran an article on Ultimate on the front page sport, seven teams brought coaches. handlers with their 4 man cup. Both Matt of their Higher Education Supplement on Sydney, Melbourne, Wollongong, La Trobe, and Ant Dowle took some great catches, Tuesday and Anthony Dowle was photo- UNSW, Bond and Adelaide all had a coach with their team mates throwing swill at graphed and interviewed by another on the side line, calling plays and helping them. Matt managed to layout and snatch publication. I had the experience of getting the captains with their tactical decisions. a goal with his arm between Sacha’s arm into a taxi and when I told the driver what I The impact of the coaches saw universities and body, without touching Sacha. Angus was here for, he nodded and said he had playing more considered Ultimate, and Keenan was inspirational for Sydney read the article in the Australian. developing their own style of play. throwing his body around and appearing to be everywhere at once. Ben Taylor took a Ultimate also gained increased respect The big improvers this year were the steel very nice layout catch, only to have to from the competitors in the more traditional cities. Wollongong played Newcastle in the return the disc to the thrower because pick sports. UNSW had only three gold medals Bronze medal game, having relegated the had been called before the disc was at the games (Men’s Badminton, Men’s more established ANU and UTS teams to thrown. Sydney started to play man-on- Touch and Ultimate Frisbee) and the the 5th-6th play-off. The bronze medal man defence midway through the game, a Ultimate final brought out hockey players, game was won by Wollongong 12-9, in credit to the quality of the UNSW poppers - water polo players and some netballers to much lighter wind conditions than their Megan Gamble, Tam Davis, Jess Dempsey cheer for their university. Many of the game in the pre-quarters. In that game and Pete Flynn. This tactical change was games staff, university team managers Newcastle beat Wollongong 13-5. This is a part of their early comeback. and AUS staff came out to watch the tribute to the strength of the Newcastle games and left impressed with the game force one way zone and the Newcastle At time cap the score was 14-11, making it and the Ultimate community as a whole. handlers. In the Bronze medal game, a game to 16. Both teams converted their Personally I hope that the inclusion of Wollongong were much more composed next two offensive points making the final Ultimate Frisbee in AUG and the success and took advantage of the lighter wind to score 16-13 to UNSW. of the tournament will lead to increased throw around the zone cup to great effect. funding to the university clubs. Wollongong had a great tournament, also Spirit winner nearly beating the eventual champions University of Western Australia The last three days of competition saw UNSW in their clash in the early rounds. Placings some awesome games and some very Wollongong had a 7-2 lead at one stage of 1st New South Wales; 2nd Sydney tight finishes. Adelaide University notched the game, only to succumb to UNSW 10-9 3rd Wollongong; 4th Newcastle up its first win, beating Bond University 5-3 after time cap. 5th University of Technology Sydney in very strong wind. Unfortunately they 6th ANU; 7th Melbourne; 8th Macquarie took out the wooden spoon after losing to The final was a much anticipated clash 9th Western Australia; 10th Monash La Trobe 8-9 in one of the 11th-13th play- between Sydney University and UNSW. 11th Bond; 12th La Trobe; 13th Adelaide off games. UNSW went into the tournament seeded one, with Sydney seeded two. Many Captain’s choice awards UWA took ninth place from Monash observers felt that the inclusion of Sacha Men - Jerome Bull University, winning the 9th-10th play-off 15- Vidler to the already formidable line up that Women - Tamara Davis 4. They did have a chance to make the contested EUGs tipped the balance in Green and Gold Team quarterfinals but lost to Macquarie favour of Sydney. Sydney University Tim Booth - WOLL; Jerome Bull - UWA; University 7-10 in their pre-quarter clash. certainly cruised through the rounds Tamara Davis - UNSW; Anthony Dowle - In addition to winning the spirit prize, the comfortably, reaching 15 in almost all their SYD; Megan Gamble - UNSW; Peter UWA captain, Jerome Bull was made a games. UNSW did not win their games by Gardner - UNSW; John Holmes - NEW; member of the Green and Gold team and the same clear margins, but did play the Angus Keenan - SYD; Leanne King - NEW won the Captain’s choice award as male first 8 games of the tournament entirely 4- Jessica Lye - ANU; Ella Millard - UTS; player of the tournament. 3 against mostly 5-2 opposition. The first Adam Mortimer - ANU; Ken Shepherd - game against Sydney, UNSW played UNSW; Sacha Vidler - SYD; James Yorston Melbourne University came with the full 16 mostly 4-3. Sydney went on to win that - UTS; Kwong Yue-Yang - ANU Australian Ultimate Page 15 The Last Word Radio Days the well known words of Lucius Accius: The 12 Tourney Challenge “Oderint dum metuant” or “Let them hate With Jonathan Jonas Shaun Freeman was involved in a spate of so long as they fear.” media interviews prior to Clubs in Hawaii, VS: ...... well thanks Shaun and all My name is Jonathan Jonas and I’ve been one of which was with Vivian Schenker on the best of luck for Hawaii. playing ultimate for nearly 3 years. I play at Radio National on 1 August, 2002. I S: can I just mention, if anyone is inter- Newcastle University, and went to prepared a transcript for those who didn’t ested we have a websi... Melbourne earlier this year in our first team hear it. I use the word “transcript” fairly VS: thanks Shaun, that’s enough out of ever to play at Nationals. loosely. Nothing like a bit of publicity. you. Matt At the start of this year I made a New AU’s Massive Team Name Year’s resolution or goal for myself that I VS: “... well I am speaking to Shaun List! would make it to 12 tournaments this year. Freeman, good morning Shaun” S: “gidday” It’s the start of the season, or you’ve just Another club member who you might know VS: So Shaun, tell us about the game” met your new posse at the hat. But - Leanne King (Played with Freya at Nats ) S: Game? It’s not a game Vivian, it’s a way you’re all standing around scratching your also had the goal to go to a number of of life. It’s a perception of reality that takes heads. Sure, the discs are there, the tournaments and the competition began. one to a different plane and staves off the fields are set up, the Organiser is tearing potentially catastrophic effects of contem- clumps of hair from their head and I’m not quite sure what the stakes are or if porary ennui. muttering rudely about ‘frisbee time’, but there’s any prize more than pride but VS: “potentially catastrophic?” that’s something is missing. A name for your here’s the rundown: overstating it a bit Shaun isn’t it? team! S: Well frankly no Vivian. Dean Inge once This is where it gets controversial - which said that “the effect of boredom on a large Few issues can so perplex a team, and tournaments should count? scale in history is underestimated. It is the indeed, if it were not for the Spirit of the Progress so far: main cause of revolutions and would soon Game, players could come to blows in bring to an end all the static Utopias and their efforts to come up with something Jonathan Leanne the farmyard civilization of the Fabians.” I that has the right mix of respect, genera- see boredom every day, in the eyes of the tion and wit. But never fear, AU to the - disKapital - disKapital young submersed in impersonal cirricula, rescue! Here is the start of a list of 161 - Seeds of Doom - Seeds of Doom in the plastic smiles on the faces of the names (in alphabetical order) to carry - April Fools - Black and White Hat latte set, in the twisted grins of the with you and have handy whenever a - Pottsy’s Warmup* - April Fools refugees. I love freedom. I love Utopia - it team needs to be named, complete with - Nationals - Nationals rocks. That’s why I play Ultimate. That’s check boxes so you can keep track of the - Aus Beginners Cup* - Sydney IV why everyone should play ultimate. one’s you’ve already used! - Sydney IV - Savage Sevens VS: ok .... how does this game work - Savage Sevens - Eastern Uni Games Shaun? what are the rules? A Buck Short - Eastern Uni Games - UNSW IV S: Again Viv, I think you’ve missed the A Filthy Mind - UNSW IV point. It’s not about rules, it’s about not A Man’s Not A Camel rules. We don’t have umpires and as a A Mate of Mine … natural concomitant to that an organic Albatross Flavour Johnathan Planned: interaction develops governed only by the Anyone Remember Corey Hart? Australian Uni Games, Mixed Nationals aesthetics of the flight of the disc and the Anything, Anywhere, Anytime Leanne Planned: random intent, and dress sense, of the Are You Talking to Me? Mixed Nationals , Australian Uni Games players themselves. At least that’s how we Arse of Darkness play the game in Victoria. Awopbopaloobopawopbamboo * Pottsy’s warmup is controversial because VS: alright ... so off to the champion- Bacon Daggers it was an all men’s tourney so Leanne ships in Hawaii - how do you think Bang Em Together didn’t have the opportunity to play. you’ll go? Barney Jingle S: Well Vivian, we are up against it. The Beautiful World * The Beginners cup is also controversial Americans are strong, as are the English Big Flick because it was held on the last day of and Germans and Japanese. And as Bopalouie Nationals. The team that I was playing in Jesus said in one of his lesser known Britany had been knocked out and I helped out works (“The Acts of the Apostles” - a Bubblegoose Andrew Olennick by captaining one of the memoir of his time with the “dirty dozen” as Bust Yo Ass beginners teams. he called them) “It’s hard to kick against Buttplug the pricks.” With that in mind we have Bug Eyed Boys Leanne was playing with Freya who made developed a strategy which concentrates Can’t Quite Climax it to the final so she couldn’t play in this not on being the best team, but rather on Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo one either. being the most intimidating team. Crew VS: And you think that will bring Cheeky Monkey With the Melbourne Hat and Longest Day results? Citizen V and the V Battalion tourneys still coming later this year it’s S: Frankly Vivian we don’t really care. The looking good to make it to my target of 12 whole strategy is really along the lines of More next edition tournaments. *Superhaaaaaat* XIVth Melbourne Hat Roll up, roll up, all you budding young superheroes……
Have you ever found that you could leap tall defenders in a single bound, or that words like “Kapow” and “Biff” escaped from your mouth when you caught a disc? Do you feel a strange urge to wear your underwear on the outside of your clothes while playing ulti- mate? Do you really believe that you are flying when you lay out for the disc? Do you get strange comments about your utility belt or your cape?
If you answered yes to any of these questions then you can put down that villain and breathe easy, because you have found a tournament that is made just for you.
The ‘Superhat’, held in Melbourne over the weekend of the 7th and 8th of December, 2002 will allow you the freedom to let out the super- hero inside you. All participants will be encouraged to bring along their sidekicks and show us what they’re made of.
Superhero will be matched against superhero and the extraordinary powers of them all will be judged on the field. The Ultimate Super- hero will be determined in the tournament of the galaxy – an episode that will eclipse all others.
What is it all about? The ‘Superhat’ is the most exciting tournament of the ultimate calendar. Players, who have registered individually, are placed onto teams on the first morning of play and then compete over the weekend for the prestige of being named “Superhero of the Galaxy”.
Who can join in? All superheroes, from budding young sidekicks to the gnarly old professionals we all know and love.
When does it all happen? December 7th and 8th, 2002.
Where does it all happen? Albert Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Earth.
How much does it cost? For the bargain price of $60, you will be provided with two breathtaking days of play, all your meals for both days, a sexy ‘Superhat’ t-shirt to keep and the party to end all parties.
You will have the time of your life and by the end of it all you will be begging to pay us more money as you will feel like you are stealing from us.
Why would I want to play? Quite simply, why wouldn’t you want to play? The Melbourne Hat tournament is well known as being the second largest and first funnest tournament of the year. You won’t need to train for the months preceding the tournament and you will meet other superheroes from around Australia and the world.
How do I register for the ‘Superhat’? It’s easy. Go to http://vfda.asn.au/hat and read all about the ‘Superhat’. While you’re there, fill in the registration page, note down your registration number and follow the payment instructions.
Once all that is done, you can sit back and relax until the time of reckoning arrives in December. Do you dare to miss it?