Since the first organized Ultimate Frisbee competition was held at Rutgers University between the Scarlet Knights and Princeton University on Nov. 6, 1972, Ultimate has spread rapidly across the country.

The sport has had a presence on Ithaca’s campus since the late 1990s, with the creation of the “Nawshus” club team. Now there are two teams — Kweezy and Nawshus, the women’s and men’s teams, respectively. The indoor season for both squads runs from December to March and the outdoor season begins after spring break.

Ithaca team captain and senior Rob Stone said Ultimate Frisbee is unique in that it welcomes players of all skill levels.

“The great thing about Ultimate is that it includes bunches of people who are outside Division I experience level,” Stone said. “It shows respect for even the lower-level player, the average Joe Schmo.”

The teams hosted their only home indoor tournament of the 2008 season last Saturday and Sunday. Informally referred to as the “Ithaca ind-Ultimate,” the tournament featured teams from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the Rochester Institute of Technology, the University of Rochester, SUNY-Buffalo and SUNY-Binghamton, as well as alumni from SUNY-Geneseo.

In addition to two teams representing Ithaca College, the competition also included a team of Ithaca College alumni.

Instead of having the teams separated by sex, the tournament featured co-ed teams consisting of at least two women and three men on the court at all times.

The Ithaca “A” team was referred to during the tournament as “Dance Commander,” and the Ithaca “B” team adopted the name “Koala Attack.” The desire to include as many players as possible — not skill level — determined placement on the team.

Saturday’s game between the Ithaca Alumni and the college team was a particularly intense grudge match where the younger players tried to show up their elders. In a close competition, the alumni refused to yield and trumped the Ithaca team 15–14. The Dance Commander team, however, persevered and completed Saturday’s games with a 2–2 record, finally falling during a tough semifinal match by RIT. In the finals Sunday, RIT carried the tournament and won against Buffalo.

The Ithaca players sported their usual game jerseys, and each player proudly wore their personally designed yellow and green shirts that contained their chosen, humorous name. During one match, Ithaca College was well represented by a team comprised of, among others, players “Bump,” “Grind,” “The Sprinkler,” “Pumping Turtle” and “Thriller.”  

The matches demonstrated focus, good hand control and crisp passes between offensive players even in the face of equally strong defense. There was diversity in the type of passes that sailed over, around and sometimes even between the legs of defenders.

Sophomore Allison Walker, who began playing as a freshman, said the tournament was a success, despite the Ithaca teams’ struggle.

“There was a lot of skill and flow between all teams,” Walker said. “[Our players] stepped up and played well, [but] there were some silly mistakes that may have contributed to our inability to advance.”

One of the aspects that distinguish Ultimate from other team sports is the “Spirit of the Game,” a philosophy that stresses honor and fair play. There are no referees. Instead, all disputes are resolved amicably among the players. Even fouls are called exclusively by the players on the court. For some spectators it is hard to reconcile this camaraderie with the fierce competition that takes place during a game.

“The game is self policing,” junior Jeff Mondell said. “But that does not mean we don’t take it seriously. We get upset when we lose just like any other athlete.”

Yet at the end of the game, hands are shaken, and opposing players and fans greet each other with warmth and respect.

The Spirit of the Game encourages closeness off the field as well. Players socialize after practices and tournaments. Walker said she plays for the love of the game and thinks of the team members as her family.

Walker stressed that Ultimate is an inclusive sport and welcomes new members. “Participants are not cut, as long as they come to practice,” she said.

For the men’s team the next tournament is in two weeks in South Carolina, while the women will play at the same time at a tournament hosted by James Madison University in Virginia.