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.
June 6th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
i’m interested to learn how to play frisbee, hope there’s a club where i can join. thanks
May 28th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Nice instructional videos. They explained a lot of the basics pretty well, but I think that a little more justice could have been given as to why it’s such a great sport.
First of all, the most important thing about the game is the Spirit of the Game (I was a bit disappointed when it didn’t appear in the article and was mentioned in passing during the interview). Unlike most other sports, the players officiate themselves and thus it’s important that players hold themselves to a high degree of integrity. Win-at-all-costs attitudes are extremely frowned upon, and players must hold it to themselves to “do the right thing”.
Secondly, the fact that it’s a non-contact sport is something that a lot of people like about the game. Some people think this makes Ultimate a sissy game, but it also means that a high premium is placed on a balance of overall knowledge of the game and athleticism.
Third, it’s a true team sport. Teams don’t win if they have one superstar and a few mediocre players. Teams win when they have a balance of role players who know how to do all the little things in the right way. This is why players really try to find time to educate new players, and this sharing of knowledge sometimes even transcends team lines when helping new teams get better.
Lastly, it’s a great workout. The only time you stop moving is when you’re not playing or when you’ve got the disc, and you only have 10 seconds to hold the disc. All that other time on the field, you have to be either running, sprinting or jumping. Trust me, this game isn’t for those who aren’t prepared to get lean and condition their bodies.
Anyway, thanks for helping to spread the word about Ultimate!
May 26th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Audio is bad! For that, I can’t completely understand what they were saying. I hope you can improve the audio next time when shooting outdoor.
May 21st, 2008 at 1:10 am
I used to have one back in grade school. It is a deadly weapon indeed, especially for those innocent people who are just strolling around =)