May 2008 Archives

By Erika Tapalla INQUIRER.net UPDATE: Editor's note: Corrected misspelled name. I HAVE to admit, for the longest time, the first image that usually enters my head whenever I see a Frisbee would be a topless stud flicking the disc to his beautiful golden retriever named Lassie, trained to, yes, "retrieve" that disc for a rewarding rub on the head on a warm day out in the park. But recently, I realized that image was completely off for two reasons. One: the Frisbee, or "disc" as they call it, isn't just for the Lassies and their masters. And two: It actually takes skill to catch those plastic discs as they soar and trick you as to which direction they're actually headed. Believe it or not, it's not as charming as it looks. I should know. I tried it, and there were many times when my disc didn't look as pretty as a flying saucer that so perfectly flies right to the hands of my partner. Trust me when I say there were times when I made my disc look like a weapon that would slice someone's head off (vertically, at that) if they weren't paying attention. Okay, so I'm strong, but that didn't really matter because I learned that in playing disc, it's all about the wrist. For those who play volleyball, it's just like that moment when you are coming up for a spike, except instead of aiming to nail the ball downwards, imagine nailing it directly to your opponent, sideways. For those who play tennis, it's actually the same concept but without the racket of course, and less stress on the follow through. It's a recreational sport you get used to doing. Here's an instructional video I made that explains the basics and mechanics of the sport. Disc players Pia Ybañez and Mel Lozano conducted the demonstration while Alvin Pura and Roselle Miranda practiced with me as INQUIRER.net web designer Justin Calingasan filmed. You could also check out this video I took of celebrities Jeff Geoff Eigenmann, Angelica Panganiban, and Derek Ramsey at the Ultimate Frisbee summer tournament. So yes, you can play Frisbee with someone other than your dog.

WORLD-CLASS Filipino athlete Bong Coo shares how she got into bowling and recounts her most memorable tournaments. She talks about the future of the sport in the Philippines and cites some of the rising stars. Video taken by INQUIRER.net online videographer Janie Christine Octia.