Building community through ultimate frisbee

Out on the turf of Legacy fields, the discs are flying with the Utah State University Women’s Ultimate Frisbee Club Team. This is the second year the club has been in action here on campus.

When Kylee Behunin, club coach, arrived at USU there was no women’s team. This wasn’t new to Behunin as she had played on the men’s team at her high school as well. With the help of Aspen Saunders, the club coach, she began building the women’s ultimate frisbee team.

“We are here to build a community of ultimate. Ultimate really brings all types of people together. It’s a place where we can play, have fun, learn and grow as a team” Behunin said.

One by one, the team was able to gain more girls. For some, it was their first experience with ultimate frisbee and others were seasoned frisbee fans. Rebecca White, team member, was first introduced to the sport in 7th grade. She attended the state championship tournament where she was able to see some of the best players in the state.

“I saw the players have perfect control over the disc. Even though the weather was horrible, everyone was pumped. I fell in love with it,” White said. “After that I would go out and throw for hours. Then in in high school, I made the team. “

The girls work hard to be the best team they can be. They hold practices Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays. Then also an additional conditioning hour on Saturdays. Both coaches spend many hours practicing and playing with the girls, but for them, they do it because they love the game.

“Now, I probably spend about 15-20 hours a week doing ultimate frisbee. We put in the work so the players will be able to enjoy it as an activity. We take care of all the extra stuff so it will be more enjoyable,” Saunders said.

Like any sport Ultimate Frisbee has some unique lingo that goes along with it. Scoobers, hammers, BBQ and chicken wing are just a few of the technical throws that the team has learned through practicing. The different throws help them in different situations on the field. They also offered some tips on how to throw a frisbee.

“For a backhand throw you got to make sure you have a loose grip and lead with your elbow.

For a flick you go from the other side and it’s like you are flicking someone with a towel,” Behunin said.

The team competes in several tournaments throughout the year. The biggest one they attend takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada. Last year the team didn’t quite achieve the results they wanted at these tournaments. However they did score against Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University, two of the top ultimate frisbee teams in the region.

“We’ve had some good games. The score and outcome might not look great, but we learned a lot more. Failure means getting better,” Saunders said.

The team expects to have a better year this year. They are planning on more games, tournaments, fundraisers and service activities. Their main goal is to gain more players and keep growing the community.

For the players, it’s this community aspect that keeps them coming back for more each practice.

Gigi Moss, team member, said “I love the people and everyone is so fun. I could throw a frisbee around forever. I just love the game.”

The team encourages students to come out and see the team in action. The girls have a upcoming home tournament on Oct. 20-21 at Legacy Fields and The Quad. The tournament will feature both the men’s and women’s USU ultimate teams and other schools like BYU, UVU, and Montana State University.

“Coming out and watching what we are all about will really help us. It’s a good way to support us. We do fundraising on campus, so coming and just saying hey to us will help us out,” Saunder said.

To get involved with the Womens Ultimate Frisbee team, more information can be found here.

—shelby.black@aggiemail.usu.edu

@shelbsterblack