On Sept. 7, Ultimate Frisbee held an informal event meant to teach the rules of the game and allow students to get to know each other. 85 people arrived, filling up Griswold Stadium.
“When I saw how many people showed up, I felt a little overwhelmed thinking about group management and just the sheer size of the crowd,” Topher Olson ’23, co-captain of Bacchus Ultimate Frisbee, said via email. “I also felt really excited and happy that all these people came and that we had helped make them feel wanted and welcome.”
Given the record breaking freshmen class of around 700, it is easy to see how Ultimate Frisbee can be popular. Tad Kumasaka ’22, co-captain for Bacchus, commented on the high turn out in an email.
“I had a suspicion that (the class of 2025) would be emerging from the isolation of early pandemic with a desperate craving to feel membership in a new social group and to be physically active at the same time,” Kumasaka said. “I had a hunch that the first few days of frisbee would be busy.”
LC’s Ultimate Frisbee consists of two teams: Artemis and Bacchus. While both teams compete in relatively gendered divisions, both are open to everyone and have no biological sex or hormone level requirement. All members are free to choose the teams and divisions in which they feel comfortable playing.
The turnout was unexpectedly large, but captains of both Artemis and Bacchus were up to the challenge.
In order to deal with the influx of players both old and new, both the USA Ultimate organization and the LC teams have had to make some changes.
Usually, the USA Ultimate only hosts a spring season for competition. However, this year they introduced a fall season to make up for time lost during the pandemic. The LC teams have had to find a balance between creating an environment for both casual and competitive players.
Leading Bacchus has been a team effort for Olson and Kumasaka. Olson handles logistics and paperwork for the team while Kumasaka’s leadership shines on the field during practice. Last year’s players have also proven to be great disc throwers and teachers this semester.
“When we run practices we have a huge amount of help from returning players who have done a remarkable job welcoming the new players into the sport and into the community,” Kumasaka said. “It is fun and gratifying to watch the returners usher in a new generation of teammates.”
As academics begin ramping up, the Ultimate teams have seen a slight drop in attendance since the first practice. Both teams hope that previous signees will return in the future, and that more LC students will also consider joining.
“We take all skill levels, all genders, all amounts of experience and are very flexible when it comes to how committed you want to be,” Kumasaka said.
Photograph by Amelia Madarang
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