Isaiah Stephens ’25 is a four-year Senior  from  Ellenwood,  Georgia, and co-captain of Varsity Ultimate Frisbee.  He  has  played  on  the team for three years. He serves as all-school president, co-captain of  Speech  &  Debate,  co-captain of Varsity Cross Country, a Blue Lead Ambassador, and a singer for Bluenotes. Next year, Stephens plans to major in philosophy and minor in political science at Morehouse College.

Head Coach Dave Thompson said, “Isaiah  is  a  remarkable  athlete. He seems to always be open, can get up and over other receivers, and plays fierce defense. But more impressively,  he  understands  the meaning of being on a team. He lifts up his teammates, inspires them to give their best effort, brings laughter and clear feedback to the huddle, and shares his pure joy for the game with everyone.”

Graham King ’27 said, “Isaiah has been a really great mentor for me, both on and off the field. He came and cheered on the JV team last year every time he had the chance and  boosted  our  spirits,  despite being a varsity player. This year, he has pushed all of us on the varsity team to be the best players we can possibly be.”

How did you start playing ultimate frisbee?

I  fell  in  love  with  the  sport because it’s almost like football, and combines grace and intensity in a way that I really appreciate. Being able to see the disc floating through the air and knowing that you have to combine timing with precision to get it is one of my favorite parts of ultimate. You really have to put your entire body on the line.

The  spirit  of  the  game  and competitiveness  was  also  a highlight for me. We have things called a spirit circle, where we’ll all gather around—one person from Hotchkiss on your left and another person from Taft on your right—and we’ll go to every other person and affirm our competitors.

What is your favorite moment from your ultimate frisbee career?

Last year, we were in the playoffs for  Connecticut  State.  During the quarter-finals game, we were playing against Middletown and we were down seven to two. We ended up coming back and beating them 11-10. Initially, we thought there was no way for us to come back. We had no option as we really wanted the championship that year, so we stuck together, we put our heads down, we played the best ultimate that we had ever played. It required so much focus, and with every single point our confidence kept growing. When  we  scored  that  last  point, everybody  stormed  the  field;  we were all jumping up and down. It is one of my greatest memories.

What has been your favorite experience as a co-captain?

One game, Marcus McGregor ’26 was out on the field while I was on the sideline yelling at him, “Grimy  defense,  grimy  defense, Marcus!  Play  grimy  defense!” When he jumped out and got the disc, everybody on the sideline was going crazy for him. We were so proud of Marcus for pushing himself in that moment. I’d never seen him push himself that far.

Also, one of my core memories was when we hosted our friends from Quebec, played against them, and ate dinner with them. Being able to talk with their captains and coaches, and have a joint practice and game against them was really fun. We all pushed each other.

Why did you choose Morehouse for college?

Morehouse  has  a  very  rich cultural history, and that cultural history speaks to who I am as not only a young man, but as a black man. Morehouse is also the number one feeder for black men into Harvard Law School in the

U.S. currently. I believe that my racial identity, my gender identity, as well as my spiritual identity, are all acknowledged, and will all be promoted at Morehouse. I’m excited to not only become more in touch with myself, but become more in touch with my community. Morehouse emphasizes a sense of self, pride in one’s race and one’s gender that will allow me to make an impact on the world on the outside. Morehouse will allow me to become a more confident scholar, and ultimately, change the world in the way I envision.

What are some of your goals for college and beyond?

I’ll be majoring in philosophy and minoring  in  political  science.  I’d love to play ultimate at Morehouse, and if they don’t have a team, then I’ll definitely start one. I plan to be on the mock trial and debate teams. In the near future, I want to become a criminal defense litigator and become the general counsel for a Fortune 500 company, but most importantly, I want to do a lot of social justice work and ensure that our legal system operates equitably and fairly for all people. I think that serving as a litigator will allow me to do that.

Do you have any advice for new players?

Stay patient. You never master your throws or cuts on the first day, but by staying patient, you won’t get too down on yourself for the mistakes that you’re going to make early on, and you’ll be ready to make the right decisions later on once you master those skills.

Be observant. Observe not only your proclivities and your mistakes, but also what people better than you are doing. The mark of a scholar is to see and do.