The Ultimate Game
Austin Lee going up for a big grab during Ultimate practice.
Many things come to mind when thinking about college life: the classes, the parties, staying up late playing video games, spending all night studying, going to dances, and going to class in sweatpants because you don’t want to put on jeans because you’re comfortable damn it! Maybe when you think of college life here at DSU, you think about you and your friends getting together on the quad to throw the Frisbee around. Students on campus have taken their love of throwing Frisbees to the next level and started an Ultimate Frisbee club.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Ultimate Frisbee, or simply Ultimate, it is a sport where players on different teams score points by passing the Frisbee to each other. After each point, the scoring team throws it to the opposing team. Once a player catches the disk, he or she is permitted to take only three steps before passing it to another player. If the Frisbee is dropped or hits the ground, the other team gets possession. A team scores when players catch the Frisbee in the end zone, similar to football.
Ultimate has been gaining popularity over the past few years. According to an article in The New York Times, “Ultimate is the fastest growing sport in the world.” There are Ultimate teams here in South Dakota at SDSU, USD, BHSU, and Augustana.
One DSU student has played an important role in starting an Ultimate team here on campus. Senior Austin Lee, or “Ginger” as he is known in Ultimate, has been playing for four years and is the mastermind behind bringing Ultimate to DSU. About three years ago, Mr. Lee and Bryce Forsheim, the “Grandfather of Ultimate at DSU,” decided to organize a team on campus. They approached Doug Knowlton about the possibility of starting an Ultimate team at DSU. Due to politics, they couldn’t form it as a “sports club” but they form it as just a “club.” Accordingly, DSU Ultimate is now recognized as an official DSU club. While the official title is DSU Ultimate, the team’s name when they go to tournaments is the “Destructo Discs.”
DSU Ultimate meets frequently. Every Wednesday, DSU Ultimate meets at the practice football field by the Community Center. They practice different throws and techniques, do drills, and run plays on offense and defense. Every Tuesday, there is a more relaxed pick-up game held on the TC Lawn. This is open to all students and is more informal than a real Ultimate game. Scores are not kept and there are no drills or plays. People just show up and figure out which side needs more people. This is a great opportunity for students to take a break from studying and get outside with friends. There is no time limit. People just play until they get tired. A single game can last well over an hour. Sometimes, there are even upwards of 25 to 30 people playing.
You can find more information about DSU Ultimate on their Facebook page “DSU Ultimate.” It is frequently updated with game times and upcoming tournament information. Students are highly encouraged to come out and play. It’s a great workout and stress reliever. Austin Lee has this to say to students who are on the fence about playing: “If you’re looking for a new sport to play and want to make some new friends, all you’ve got to do is come out and join us.”
