The New Paltz Wellness and Recreation Center would like to recognize the Men's and Women's Frisbee Team for their participation in the High Tide Tournament over spring break.  Teams from all over the country met in Myrtle Beach and competed in the Co-Ed tournament over the course of three days. The New Paltz team showed up on March 16 with 25 players and went 5-3 overall.

Captain Marisa Gargano was present and said that she was proud of how her team performed.  Gargano has been a member of the team since her freshman year here at New Paltz. She was inspired by how welcoming the girls were when she spoke to them at the club fair.  Aside from playing with her family in the yard as a child, Gargano had little to no ultimate Frisbee experience. "It was kinda a leap of faith," explains Gargano.

She goes on to say that learning the ropes of this new sport came easy as it is surprisingly similar to more mainstream sports.

The goal of the game is to get the most points. Players line up on opposing sides of the field with the intention to pass the Frisbee to a teammate in the end zone. Games are typically 7 on 7.
The game kicks off with what is called a "pull." This refers to the first throw of the game. The team with the pull is decided after captains from both teams flip discs; essentially a Frisbee is thrown in the air and one captain calls face or back. Whichever way the disc lands, allocates that team the pull of the game.

The team that's pulling will put their hands up and the opposing team will put their hands up when they are ready. The team will then pull the Frisbee down the field and play will begin. Play will continue until the disc goes out of bounds, a foul is called, an injury occurs, or a point is awarded.

Being that Frisbee is a non-contact sports, fouls are caused when any contact is made when a player is not going for the disc. That includes but is not limited to hitting another player's hand when they throw.
To advance the disc up the field, players must throw the disc to their teammates. You are not allowed to run up the field while holding the Frisbee, however players can pivot like in basketball. While maintaining control of the Frisbee the player with the disc in hand is given 10 seconds before they have to make a pass. This is known as a stall count. If a pass is not made, it will result in a turnover and the opposing team gains possession.

There are two main positions; handler and cutter. Handlers are to Frisbee what quarterbacks are in football. They control the movement of the disc and initiate play. These players usually have better disc skills. Meanwhile, cutters are more of the wide receivers. They are the faster players who make runs down the field.

Furthermore, when escalading play towards the end zone, there are two prime throwing forms. The most commonly known one is the flick. This is the throw people use when playing leisurely in their yards. Players hold the disc by their index and middle fingers under the side of the disc and spring their arms forward whipping their wrists. This throw requires wrist strength. The second throw is the backhand. Players curl their arms around the disc and tuck it into their bodies. They then straighten their arms releasing the disc.

Tom Weyer, captain of the Men's Frisbee team, says that what makes Frisbee different from other sports is the spirit of the game. Ultimate Frisbee is a liberal sport in the way that there are no referees. All calls and decisions regarding gameplay is made by the players within the game.

Weyer recalls his first time playing Frisbee. He was in high school and joined a pickup game with his brothers. From there, he found out that some of his cross-country teammates played and joined in. His teammates were subpar to the level Weyer was used to playing with his brothers, therefore when he played with them he looked better than he actually was.

Currently, the New Paltz Frisbee Teams have 41 members, 15 female and 26 male, however only 27 are eligible to compete at sanctioned tournaments for the Hudson Valley Section. In order to be eligible, each individual player must pay a fee of $52 to register themselves for the season. This is not a requirement for club participation, therefore, not everyone on the team does so.

Coming off their team's success at High Tide, the New Paltz Frisbee teams are looking forward to competing at sectionals in New Jersey. Gargano and Weyer are optimistic that they will do well and look forward to seeing if they will qualify for regionals. The top three teams post sectionals go to regionals and compete against teams from all over the country. The Men's team has never made it to regionals, however the Women's team has the past two years.
 
 
Anyone interested in joining the Frisbee teams, can at any time. It is encouraged to attend a practice and meet the team. No experience is necessary. Or for more information, you can email Marisa Gargano at npwultimate@gmail.com.