Ultimate, has become something that I look forward to. Preferably just to practise tossing, and not much of the real game. Simply because it felt like I am not ready to face the fierce-ness of the competition yet, also the fact that I would end up contributing as a dead weight to the team. Ultimate has somehow turned into one of my passions, a newly found one. In a way, it has blown my mind from the start, I wanted to know how much more this game would blow my mind further.

The physics of the frisbee disk, had to be mastered. The flick of the wrist, as the key point of this game, getting the disk moving or being passed. The swing of the arm, where is steers the direction to where the disk flies towards. The movement of the body, that determines the strength of the throw. The basics. Forehand and backhand. Then you have other variants of throws; huck, dump, layout are the few common ones that I hear. Anticipation and that nervous feeling when someone aims for a long throw. Would have to say it is the most risky throws to make, it was either make or break at the end zone.

Then comes running. The ungodly amount of running that has to be done throughout this game. It was either offence or defence. Either way, there will be alot of running to do, especially during a turn over. D's are usually praised for being able to prevent the disk from moving forward. The whole point of the game: penetration of defense. Kinda reminds me of tf2, except this was the real deal with real energy being used. It is usually the term 'mark' that is used when we happen to be on the D, whereby we would follow this particular player, preventing them from getting open space to have a chance at the disk. The offence, would have to outsmart the Ds to get the disk moving forward.

Turnover? The roles are reversed. Takes place when the disk touches the ground during passings, if the disk flies out of the field, or the O took more than ten seconds to pass the disk. In my opinion, this has got to be the most tiring point of the game. It is both frustrating for the initial Os, but it's now a chance for the initial Ds to have a go at it. It's like a shift of direction, when the wind blows to the right, and then it just switches and you are going towards the left almost immediately.

Strategies. The one part that I have yet to fully grasp. Backhand force home. Stack. Cup. Zone. As I stand in line about to play, listening to captain telling us his plans, I tried understanding, but my head was more like: what on earth are you gibbering about? I could not fathom this ultimate language that was going on. At least not yet.
Stack is an offence strategy, when you have players stacked in the middle with first cutter, second cutter to the 4th. Plan was that if the first cutter couldnt get the disk, the second cutter would cut out in time to get it. If the first cutter gets it, it is then passed to the third cutter, second to fourth. But of course the defenders would have known, which is why it is ever more difficult than the strategy forsee.

Cup is a defence strategy, where you have three defenders on the player who is throwing the disk. Probably one of the hardest to penetrate, at least as far as I could see..

What does Break mean? There were just so many terms that I have yet to fully understand. Hahahahaha! Horizontal. Ohhh myyy.

Where would I fare as of now? The one who runs around the field trying to understand the game a little more..?
When I should be analysing the opponents and thinking of how to penetrate their strategies. Though it does question me, if both have got strategies to counter each other, then wouldnt it cancel each other out? I mean it is only by chance that one strategy would be better than the other one, and nobody could tell until the point is being scored. Then again, they will set another strategy by the end of that match.. No?

Mind = blown

Last of all, there wouldn't be a team if it wasnt for its members. I have gotten to know an awesome bunch of people, and it amazes me to see the connection and understanding between these people. Even if it was not for this one team, you could still see that spark of passion in each and everyone who plays. It is as though they were their own cheerleaders of their own team.

It just feels different, being exposed to ultimate. As though it had been a whole different world on its own, a secret society or somesort.

I feel blessed to have met each and everyone of them throughout my whole first month of frisbee experience, especially Ei Jean and Cendol / Running Man. Their journey has made me envious of what they had achieved thus far. It made me want to experience similar experiences that they are had.

I may be new, but I have learned enough to have this as a memory that is worth looking back to, and feeling absolutely proud of.

Thank you Ei Jean!
Thank you Cendol / Running Man!

Hwaiting~!! <3