Flying discs, or “Frisbees,” the patented plastic, molded product rolled out by the Wham-O toy company in 1957, have recently become common sight on the Gorham Middle School fields. Ultimate Frisbee, or “Ultimate,” is an unconventional team sport with bare-bone rules and an unavoidably great workout, especially when chasing discs that can display aeronautic rebellion as they catch updrafts and tease players with unanticipated height and distance.
Ultimate’s advent is arguably credited to high school students in 1968 Maryland. According to USA Ultimate, the sport is “Combining the non-stop movement and athletic endurance of soccer with the aerial passing skills of football, a game of ultimate is played by two teams with a flying disc on a field with end zones…. The object of the game is to score by catching a pass in the opponent’s end zone. A player must stop running while in possession of the disc, but may pivot and pass to any of the other receivers on the field.”
Gorham residents Angela Gospodarek and Jim Anderson decided to bring the idea of a program to Gorham Recreation Department’s Ben Marshall, Director of Programs. He was enthusiastic about the grassroots initiative, and the department provided field space, the desired 175 gram discs, line painting, and other support.
Gospodarek, who has played on and off since college, said, “ ‘Spirit of the Game’ is one of the most important factors in playing ultimate. There are no referees, and players make their own calls.” USA Ultimate describes it this way: Although Ultimate resembles many traditional sports in its athletic requirements, it is unlike most sports due to its focus on self-officiating, even at the highest levels of competition.
Gospodarek added, “I also think it is fun for kids of this age to play on a competitive co-ed team. So often we are separating our kids by gender and this is an experience they don’t get other places. I think this also makes them more respectful of how kids of a different gender play and the skills they may have.”
Photo credit Angela Gospodarek
Photo credit Colleen DeverUltimate frisbee players (top photo, left to right) Nick Phinney, Eli Sjostedt, Graham Henderson, Hayden Anderson, and Josh Knight from the 5/6 team. Graham Henderson (bottom right) shows off his skills during a recent game against Scarborough.
There are currently 32 students from grades 5-8 involved in the program. They practice twice a week, which may include a game with another town, and participate in a few weekend tournaments. The kids usually split into 5/6 (“Littles”) and 7/8 (“Bigs”), and typically play to 13 or 15 scores in the end zone, versus a clock duration. This Gorham group has had great success, and will close out the season on June 10 at the State Middle School Tournament.
Additionally, there is a very recent Gorham Recreation Department Wednesday evening drop-in program at GMS for adults, and a regular non-affiliated pick-up game on Sundays from noon to 2:00 p.m., which is open to people of all levels and ages. For more information, contact Gorham Rec, or check out the pick-up opportunities.