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Baltimore, MD - Mar. 14, 2016 - It's no secret that Ultimate Frisbee is one of the fastest growing and most exciting sports in the nation. Ultimate combines the non-stop movement and athletic endurance of soccer with the aerial passing skills of football into one fast-paced game where everyone is involved. Play stops when a player completes a pass to a teammate in the end zone. Just like basketball, Ultimate is a transition game in which players move quickly from offense to defense on turnovers that occur with a dropped pass, an interception, a pass out of bounds, or when a player is caught holding the disc for more than ten seconds. Ultimate is a sport like no other in that it has no referees; it is governed by Spirit of the Game. Here is a quick one-minute video if you are new to the sport.
Northwest Baltimore youth have been able to participate in this sport thanks to the Pikesville Ultimate boys league, which is jointly sponsored by the JCC and Greater Pikesville Rec. Council. This is the first youth program of its kind in Baltimore. In 2015, the league which is run as a branch of USA Ultimate’s Learn to Play curriculum, had 30 participants and is looking to expand to 50 this year. Players are placed in either the learning clinic or the league based on an evaluation. Both divisions have skills and drills, middos, and games. Each player was pushed to excel athletically to his full capability and also learned practical tools and behavior related to character development and relationships/interaction. This league was a great outlet for the boys and a great opportunity for Brett (Alexander) Weil to help coach in sport where the rules of fair play are the referee. Weil started the league in 2014 with only 12 boys, but has seen interest and participation flourish, especially among parents looking for a healthy, supervised activity for long Spring evenings.
Debbie Vogelstein, mother of player Elan Vogelstein, a Beth Tfiloh student remarked “at the end of every game Elan is soaked in sweat and has a big smile on his face. It’s very competitive, and the coaches are totally immersed.”
The ethos called Spirit of the Game, stresses responsibility and conflict resolution. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of mutual respect among competitors, adherence to the agreed upon rules, or the basic joy of play. Through the league’s partnership with the local program Boy to Mentsch, basic behavioral concepts are taught. These include: 1) Communicating without Anger, 2) Empathy, 3) Being Part of a Team and 4) Conflict Resolution.” Boy to Mentsch is a federal grant directed toward young Jewish men and partners with Jewish Women International in Washington, D.C., and CHANA, the Counseling Helpline and Aid Network for Abused Women in Baltimore.
Shmuel Fischler, LCSW-C, one of the organizers of Boy to Mentsch and enthusiastic PUDA parent, related “win or lose our son Naftali came home happy. It’s a wonderful team sport that requires full effort which was written all over his face. I am grateful for the thoughtfulness in how the league was run.”
Throughout the season the league continues with sportsmanship lessons through a review of Spirit of the Game and talk about anger. They let the boys know that it’s ok to be unhappy with how things may occur on the field, but also how to maintain a positive attitude even when we get upset with something on the field. The focus is on communicating a way to share this without demonstrating anger. Also important to note is how, by not communicating with anger, the game tends to stay more positive, even in the most competitive environment.
At the conclusion of the season, Weil received an exciting letter from national-level Ultimate star player, Jeff Silverman from the club team Santa Barbara Condors. Silverman wrote the message to the Baltimore league champions, also named the Condors, “Congratulations on winning your first championship! Winning takes a great deal of strength and hard work so you should all be very proud of yourselves. But there is more to Ultimate Frisbee than winning. “Ultimate Frisbee is about the community you form with your teammates… If you want to be the best, you need to put your teammates ahead of yourself. That means you always encourage your teammates to be better, play smarter and work harder each step of the way. Be helpful every chance you can and you will be the best.”
This letter was read aloud at their end-of-season banquet and a printed copy was presented to the winning team members. Everyone was touched by Silverman’s words and their impact on these growing boys did not go unnoticed.
As the 2016 Pikesville ultimate league approaches, the focus will be on continuing to model effort, character and sportsmanship with a team of experienced, competent and talented coaches.
Click here for 2015 league highlight pictures.
Ultimate is a fun team sport and a great way to get outdoor exercise. It improves hand-eye coordination and athleticism, and above all, the emphasis on Spirit of the Game encourages honesty, fair play, and resolving conflicts in a respectful and productive way.
The Spring 2016 boys (ages 8-12) ultimate league will be held over seven Tuesday nights in April-May from 6:15-7:45 PM at Wellwood E.S. A separate girls league is also being planned for Tuesday nights in May at the Rosenbloom JCC in Owings Mills. More information about both leagues is HERE. Questions about either league? Please contact ultimate@pikesvillerec.org or 410-262-6136
410-262-6136 . A special thank you to our sponsors M&T Bank, SportsBoosters of Md. and Five Ultimate.
