Ultimate frisbee catching on

Ultimate Frisbee is quickly becoming the next extreme sport.

Justin Long, a freshman from Fredericksburg Christian School, first heard about the Ultimate Frisbee club while participating in the Students, Transitions, Advising and Registration Program.

“My mom got a brochure of all the clubs. I had played it at a summer camp I went to,” he explains. Fun, friendship and competition are just some of the club’s qualities many find appealing. “We scrimmaged George Mason two weeks ago, and that was a lot of fun,” Long said, reminiscing.

VCU’s 11 Rams fought an uneven game against Mason’s team with a roster twice the size of that of the Rams. Despite valiant efforts from all members, VCU suffered Ultimate Frisbee defeat.

Junior Eli Hosen currently serves as the team’s president. Acting as the liaison between captains and new club members, Hosen works around the clock to recruit and encourage new participants.

“Frisbee requires a lot of endurance,” Hosen said. “You’re constantly running.” With that in mind, he hopes to gain more substitutes for the team at tournaments. But when sporting the name The Biscuit Villains, capturing classmates’ attention is not an impossible feat.

While traveling to Greensboro for a game, the caravan spotted a restaurant named Biscuitville, which peaked the team’s interests, so they decided to eat there for lunch. After eating what Hosen said was a delicious, carbohydrate-dense meal, the team announced to the manager that they had just officially become The Biscuit Villains.

“Tournaments are a lot of fun. We’ll generally take between nine and 13 players,” Hosen said.

A team may have up to 25 players, comprised of seven on-field athletes and 18 substitutes. The students have caravanned to such places as UNC Greensboro and Edinboro, Md.

The club started in the fall of 2004 with a small number of members. “By fall of 2005, the club aspect became very popular. Fifty to sixty people came out for casual pickup,” said Hosen.

Due to the absence of referees or other officials, Ultimate Frisbee is a self-officiating sport. It’s up to the players to make their own foul calls.

“We always put fun first,” Hosen said. “Because of that, there has to be a friendly dynamic on the field.” Hosen is hoping to get more people interested in the team. Spearheaded by captains Nick Schapiro and Charles Yudson, this year’s team promises to be one of VCU’s best yet.

“Anyone interested should definitely look into it. It’s easy to learn, easy to latch onto and have fun with,” said Long.

E-mail vcufrisbee@gmail.com to join or request more information.