Sorry it’s been a while since we’ve written anything… between trying to figure out our class schedules and dealing with the ridiculous amounts of snow falling on Massachusetts, things have been a little crazy here.
But anyway: We had our first practices of the season last week! It’s great to be starting up again. Unfortunately, though, the main emotion I seem to be feeling about the whole thing at this point is just an overarching sense of frustration. As we’ve clarified by now, playing ultimate is really fun. But organizing it? Kind of sucks sometimes. Walking back from dinner the other night, I came across the varsity women’s hockey team getting off their coach bus on their way back from an away game — and the excessive amount of resentment I felt towards these probably very nice and talented people was entirely a result of the difficulty of organizing a club sport and the frustration that comes with it. It made me think wistfully about how much easier things would be if we were a varsity sport too, or at least got the kind of attention and priority that varsity sports get…
It would just be nice sometimes to feel like my focus could be more on playing and less on trying to make sure we can keep our heads above water in terms of money and practice space and the like. I know the athletic department is not purposefully trying to make things difficult for us (honestly I don’t think we even register enough on their radar for that), but it really does feel that way sometimes. It’s frustrating when something that is so meaningful and important to us is nothing more than an annoyance to the people with so much power over our season. Yesterday, for instance, in the middle of the afternoon we got an email saying that our practice space for tomorrow wasn’t available because they will be setting up for a track meet. We were really counting on that second day of practice, and it’s hard to come up with a plan B on such short notice and with such limited field options. So, we trekked across the river to the athletic complex (a twenty minute walk in nice weather, even longer and less enjoyable when the cumulative snowfall in Boston is only 14.9 inches short of Shaq height and falling faster by the minute) to try to figure out a back-up plan. Luckily, it worked out and we were able to get a different time slot for this week — showing up unannounced in the middle of a snowstorm does give you the advantage of seeming kind of crazy and like you’d be far easier to deal with if you just got your way — but still. I’d rather spend my afternoon throwing, or trying to get reading done so I’ll have time to throw and practice later, instead of struggling to figure out how on earth we’re supposed to practice without a field to do it on. Obviously ultimate is no one’s priority but our own, but it would be nice to not always feel like the second-class citizens of the athletic world.
This is not at all to say that it’s all bad: it really is awesome to be practicing again. It was so great to see everybody after break, and to have so many people show up, and to have our coaches run practice for the first time all year, and to get a chance to scrimmage on a full field again (and to marvel again at how huge a full field actually is and how infrequently we actually play on one, even in tournaments). And Quasar is officially going to Hellfish Bonanza at the end of February (two 9+ hour car rides in three days? Bring it on), and spring break planning is underway, and — against all better judgment — I might be going to TiV as well. And Nocturnal Decisions (all-night hat, take 2) happens next weekend! Now that we are pros at playing frisbee all night and now that I have vowed this time not to forget to stock up on chocolate-covered espresso beans beforehand, it should be great. Neither snow nor the athletic department is any match for over-caffeination and an over-dedicated love of ultimate — this season is going to be FUN.
