EVERETT – When Charles Rodriguez and his Everett High School Ultimate Frisbee Club teammates leap or dive to make acrobatic catches, history is likely the furthest thing from their minds.
And while living in the moment is a luxury of youth, some history deserves the light of day as much as the disc-happy Everett High School Club enjoyed during a high-spirited scrimmage at sun-splashed Everett Memorial Stadium last week.
Back in 1948 when former World War II Army Air Corps pilots Walter Morrison and Warren Franscioni first watched their gravity-defying circular piece of molded plastic take flight, the post-war entrepreneurs could scarcely have imagined the heights it would eventually hit.
Known variously through the years as the Flyin’ Saucer, Pluto’s Platter and, finally, by 1958 as the Whamo-O Frisbee, more than 200 million have been sold worldwide.
Though the original product is essentially unchanged, the thrill of the disc has continued to evolve, delighting people – and their dogs – along the way.
Ultimate frisbee is an exciting and fast-paced seven-on-seven field game in which teams score points by completing passes into the opposition’s end zone. The sport emerged as a popular disc-tossing game on college campuses in the 1970’s.
Official games are played on a field measuring 70-yards long and 40-yards wide with end zones 25-yards deep, but any open grassy area works well for pickup play.
Adult league opportunities are available and ultimate frisbee has grown as a co-ed club sport at high schools and middle schools throughout the Puget Sound area. After two years of scrimmaging against each other, the Everett group will get the chance to compete against other clubs in a spring league starting on March 22.
“I know the kids are excited about it, they’re wanting to test their skills,” said Bruce Overstreet, a student advisor and boys cross-country coach at Everett.
Overstreet, who started playing while in college, hatched the idea for an ultimate frisbee club after consulting with Everett High School Activities Coordinator Jo Levin about the need to find additional ways to prevent keep kids from slipping through the cracks.
“It’s important to get kids involved, engaged and connected,” Overstreet said, noting the direct correlation between high graduation rates and participation in sports or other activities.
In two years the club has grown to about 23 members, including five girls.
“Part of the beauty is it’s coed,” Overstreet said, breathing hard as he took a quick break from playing in the scrimmage. “I stood out last year, but this year I have to work real hard.
“The players seem to mainly come from two camps. A lot of band kids and then my cross-country guys. For some, this is the only competitive sport they’ve ever played.”
When Rodriguez, a senior, made a catch and quickly turned to throw to an open teammate, Overstreet smiled.
“Two years ago, I was catching him in the alley smoking,” Overstreet said as he re-entered the game.
Rodriguez says that prior to becoming involved with ultimate frisbee, his contact with Overstreet was usually under less than happy circumstances.
“It’s been a good influence for me and helped in developing a positive relationship with Mr. Overstreet,” Rodriguez said. “It’s just a fun game, a lot of exercise and I like the people around here.”
Although ultimate frisbee is ideally played on a grass field, it is most akin to basketball, another so-called non-contact sport. Games are highly competitive, yet, even at the highest levels players self-officiate and there is a strong emphasis on sportsmanship and fair play.
Out on the field, Danny Allen broke open near the sideline, made a leaping catch over the tight defense of Keith Bjella and immediately fired the disc back across to Overstreet who made the grab across the goal line for a score.
“It’s really intense, you’re always running,” said Jon Hoof, a sophomore. “Blocking the disc is the best part, getting in somebody’s face and slamming it down. It’s like basketball.”
Involvement in the sport has opened new social horizons for Hoof.
“Half these people I didn’t even know,” he said. “Now they’re good friends.”
Hailey Anderson, a junior, who has played high school soccer and basketball, runs track and is in band and jazz band at Everett, recalled an occasion when some members of the high school football team were laying claim to the practice field when the club was still practicing.
The disc-throwers challenged the invaders to a quick game of ultimate frisbee to settle the issue.
“We just totally wasted them,” Anderson said with a laugh. “You don’t have to be really athletic. A lot of people aren’t the best at other sports, but can really hold their own out here.”
Joe Lewis-Gosselin, a junior, who participates in cross-country and track for the high school, said the teamwork required in ultimate frisbee is a big part of what makes it so much fun. It also provides an excellent conditioning platform between his fall and spring seasons.
“You do a lot of sprinting and jumping, it builds your endurance,” Lewis-Gosselin said. “It’s something to do after school with friends and you can pretty much play any time of year.”
Indeed, Steve Cole, a senior, seemed a little disappointed in the unseasonably nice weather on Thursday. “I like to dive for catches when it’s wet and muddy,” Cole said.
“When you first start, you do a lot of two-handed catches,” Lewis-Gosselin continued. “Then you can use one hand and even catch it behind your back.”
The marked improvement of the players since they started playing is a point of pride for Overstreet.
“It’s been fun to watch the evolution,” he said.
But what about mixing it up with girls?
“They’re tough, they come out ready to play,” Lewis-Gosselin said. “I’ve had a couple knock me over. They’re not afraid to dive or block a disc.”
A few minutes later Lewis-Gosselin went down with an injury near the sidelines.
“Joe’s injured, that’s typical, he’s kind of a wild man,” Overstreet said with a laugh as Lewis-Gosselin jumped to his feet and returned to the action.
“They live for this,” Overstreet said.
Just call it the ultimate thrill.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
