Matt Helms ENC1102 Rios 6/24/13 Mapping Project Ultimate Frisbee has to be one of the most underrated sports

s of all time. The level of athleticism, camaraderie, and dedication is just as high, if not higher, then any other sport. When I was growing up, I used to just throw a disc around with my dad, and I remember learning the game in elementary school. But high school was where it really became a big part of my life. I loved the game so much and it kept me in such great shape. I began to learn more about it, but I never knew how truly big it was. I didn't know there were college teams, strategy, or even a professional league; I just liked playing with my friends. The major purpose of this paper is to explain the Spatial Praxis, and background, of The Ultimate Frisbee community. I will describe my exploration of the behavioral expectations, as well as the different levels of emotional connections at different geographical locations. I started just playing pick-up. Two people are captains, they pick teams, and you just kind of run around and catch the disc. After we started to get better we wanted to play with different people. Sure enough, we started a high school team, found organized play in our area, and began to increase our knowledge of the game. I noticed quite a few things in that group of people who commit to organized play. The ages varied greatly, it wasn't just boys, and the strategy behind the game was unreal. People of all ages came out to play Ultimate at the Pembroke Pines Optimist Park. We were dawned the "high schoolers" as our group of 10 showed up around my junior year. College level players,

young kids, people well into their 20s and 30s, and some that were 40+ all played together every Tuesday and Thursday from 8:00-10:30 PM.. Here's where the emotional connection comes into the game. What had originally started as a sport to play with my friends now became somewhat of a lifestyle. I didn't know it yet, but this would be the environment I became a part of for my college years, and hopefully will stay with me well after that. With the different ages came different behavioral expectations and emotional connections. While we were just now exploring this game, others have been playing for decades. The level of intensity varies. The college players are at the peak of their athleticism and are striving to get better. The 20-30 year olds are mainly just enjoying the company and drinking aspect of the game. The younger kids are blank slates trying to learn everything we can about this game. Lastly, the older crowd is just enjoying the game; so many of them are just glad to see the game expand. Behavioral expectations can be exemplified in the spirit of the game. This aspect is one of the first major things I learned about. I've played Ultimate in about 20 different locations around the country and while style, intensity, and strategy vary, the one thing that never changes is the spirit of the game. They say that Ultimate will never truly take off because it is self-officiated, but that's what makes it so unique. Calling your own fouls maintains a level of respect for your opponent and for the game as well. The rule book is currently on the 11th edition, and there is an entire section of the rulebook titled "Spirit of the Game. It gives the guidelines to follow to maintain a fun, fair game. This correlates to behavioral expectations because it keeps the game safe and enjoyable. There is no charging the mound, there are no brawls, there are no ejections; everyone just plays the game and shakes hands before and after every game. This just makes me think,

if its possible for athletes of one sport to exemplify positive interaction, then why cant the same idea be practiced in other sports as well? Spatial praxis is the main idea behind this paper. It is a very fancy way to say the space we create from social norms and tendencies. In this project, it comes in quite a few ways. The ultimate Frisbee community is huge. As you can see, my map shows you that I've played in quite a few areas. At different levels of play there are the kinds of "celebrities" that everyone in the community knows about. Brodie Smith is a perfect example. He went to the University of Florida and was originally popular in Florida, but is now known worldwide. Many young Frisbee players idolize him, and many older players like the attention he's bringing to the sport. Personally, I don't like him, but that's irrelevant. He is a decent role model for people learning the game because he is constantly talking about respect, as well as teaching what he knows. Now, I am slowly expanding my network in the Ultimate community by playing as often as I can in as many locations as possible. I've played in about twice as many places as I have on my map and have familiarized myself with some of the best players in the state of Florida. While I am improving my level of attention and recognition overall, I am gaining skill and knowledge individually. I try to reach out and teach younger players while learning what I can from more experienced players. The power struggle is mainly based on behavioral experiences and monetary structures. As I stated earlier, the spirit of the game is a huge factor in your level of character and respect while playing. The rulebook that Ive used as a source was picked up in Madison, Wisconsin. I was just there less than two weeks ago for the College Championships. It was handed out to every team and it contained the top 10 easiest ways

to enforce the spirit of the game. The primary rule is to simply treat others the way you wish to be treated. This holds morals and integrity in high esteem. Another factor that I believe creates space is monetary structure. If you look at the demographics of the locations on my map, youll notice a few differences in incomes for the various locations. Obviously, the wealthier the city, the nicer the fields and facilities were. When I attended a tournament in a small, poor town called Milledgeville, Georgia, the fields had only one pavilion with bathrooms that didnt even have toilet paper. However, in Wellington, Madison, and Tallahassee, all three facilities (they were actual sport complexes, not just a field in a park), there were tents, trainers, medical staff, people selling gear, scoreboards, bleachers, and even cameras. The last aspect I saw was race. In the cities with primarily white populations, the larger the tournaments were. As you can see, the sport really does vary greatly depending on where youre playing. Now, how do I affect the space in which I participate and love so much? Ive interviewed my coach, captain, and friend of mine who is a rookie like me. I see how each affects the space. Unfortunately, this isnt on a grand scale but just our roles on our team. We can assume this is somewhat similar in different areas but there are always exceptions. My coach truly loves teaching the game. He hopes that one day it will truly be one of the top sports in the country. My captain is one of the most inspiring players on the field, even opposing teams would agree. His character reflects a perfect example of how everyone should be on the field. He competes to win, but would never sacrifice his integrity or respect to get ahead. Ive looked to these two to teach me how to be. My friend, the other rookie, didnt seem to pick up on the same things I did. He doesnt seem to have as much respect for the game and likes to think the spirit of the game is kind of a

joke. My superiors notice this and this is likely to why I get more playing time than he does. As for the broader view of Ultimate, similar tendencies are promoted. Charlie Eisenhood is the Editor-in-Chief at Ultiworld, Ultimates primary news source. His article "Commentary: How To Reach A Larger Audience For Ultimate" provides more information about the spirit of the game. The space Ultimate fills right now is small, but it is getting larger and larger as time passes. To sum up, Im not quite sure I truly fulfilled your expectations of this project. This is a free form writing assignment but I dont really think you wanted it as free as mine is. Im sure after reading this you know a little bit more about Ultimate, and that I truly am passionate beyond reason about it. I actually really enjoyed writing this paper, and after finishing up my map, it was very interesting to see the various locations Ive played this game. I have quite a few goals I want to achieve by the time Im too old or unable to actually play the game anymore. I want to win a national title, appear in a televised game, play in all 50 states, and teach all those I can about what Ultimate really is. Thank you for reading and for creating such a fun assignment for us to tell you our thoughts and the space that our interests fulfill.

Works Cited Two Critical Nonacademic Sources. Cronk, Wes. "Ultimate In The Media: ESPN, Brodie Smith, And Stereotypes." Ultiworld. Ultiworld, 12 Sept. 2012. Web. 24 June 2013. Eisenhood, Charlie. "Commentary: How To Reach A Larger Audience For Ultimate."Ultiworld. Ultiworld, 8 Aug. 2012. Web. 24 June 2013. Personal Interview. Geick, Brandon. 8 June 2013. Personal Interview. Aberman, Matthew. 8 June 2013. Personal Interview. Schmoling, Alex. 8 June 2013. Rulebook: http://www.usaultimate.org/resources/officiating/rules/11th_edition_rules.aspx