This Saturday, April 13, Varsity Ultimate Frisbee kicked off their 2024 season by attending the inaugural Quad Tournament at the Williston Northampton School in Easthampton, Massachusetts.
At the Quad tournament, Williston hosted Choate, Deerfield, and Le Salésian, a Roundsquare school in Québec, Canada. In the future, the tournament will be hosted by a different school each year.
Co-Captain Jeff Shi ’24 said, “These are all some of the best teams, so it is always a great way to gauge where our team is early on in the season.”
The expectations were high, as the team placed 2nd in the New England Championship and 3rd in the Connecticut Championship last year.
However, due to the recent weather here in Lakeville, the team has only been able to practice outside once so far. Shi ‘24 said that, “It will definitely be interesting to see how we adjust and adapt to the winds and rain on Saturday.”
This year’s varsity team consists of 11 returning players, 5 players who moved up from the JV level last year, and 3 new players. They are pleased with the makeup of the team and Mr. Thompson said that everything worked out, “The way that it should,” in terms of having JV players progress throughout their time at Hotchkiss.
The team used this weekend’s opportunity to practice plays, designate roles and positions, and work on the defensive aspect of the game.
Shi ‘24 said, “These three games are great ways to implement what we’ve been working on in practice in real-game situations. We want to give our best effort in whatever it is and see what we can work on or tweak in the future.”
Along with that, support and respect are some of the most important aspects of Ultimate Frisbee. During the game, all calls are voiced and resolved by the players on the field. This is known as the “Spirit of the Game”.
Varsity Ultimate Frisbee Head Coach Mr. David Thompson said, “People should play for the joy of the game and that respect for one’s opponents and teammates is of utmost importance. A win-at-all-costs attitude is not acceptable and consistent with the values of the sport.”
On Saturday the team won one game and lost two, versus Williston and Choate. Rebekah Oppenheimer ’24 said, “We definitely came together more as a team and began to work out the difficulties as the tournament progressed.”
This concept closely aligns with the team’s goals for the rest of the season. They are always looking to improve their game through practice, communication, and respect.
Mr. Thompson encourages a “0-0, game to 1 mindset.
This is meant to have the players take each point as it comes and play as if the game is 0-0 and they are playing to 1.
He wants the players to not worry about the score and only concentrate on the point at hand.
The team is looking forward to using what they have learned on Saturday to further improve and apply their skills to future tournaments and games.
Shi ‘24 said, “We want to emphasize the “process” where we get better everyday, stay focused, and have fun. Whether it’s supporting our teammates on the sidelines, communicating plays and positions during games, or building a strong team culture, all of this can help contribute to a winning team.”
