As a large percent of College Women’s players already know of the work Michelle Ng has dedicated her time to, I think it has done a lot in helping to hold on to the idea of community within the Ultimate World (specifically on the College Women’s scene). Now halfway through my 4th year of Ultimate, I very strongly remember falling in love with the sport that cared about your opponent. You play hard against them every point of the game and then afterward genuinely congratulate them and hangout after their victory over you. It separates Ultimate from any other sport I, and most others, have ever participated in.
A large percent of premiere Women’s tournaments in the Regular Season are run by Michelle Ng creating many unique opportunities to build relationships between teams and players. Opportunities such as beach game mixers after games on Saturday, dance competitions, clinics and fusion events including both High School and awesome College level teams just to name a few. I know that some people might not support these events (specifically the dance competition the CenTex hosts every year) but I think they are vital to the future existence of Community within Ultimate.
The CenTex dance competition is an awesome chance for teams to be goofy, have fun and show another side of their team that you wouldn’t know existed if you never spent time together off the field. Kansas Betty’s have made a name for themselves (although I do recognize and applaud the MANY super ballin’ players they have within their program/alum) through this competition. They are ridiculous. Every year. I have heard the argument that this competition makes Women’s Ultimate seem like a joke, and hopefully by now that thought has gone away because I think it helps the teams at CenTex remember where Ultimate rooted from. Since it is a highly competitive tournament (which is why so many teams attend it in the first place) SOTG (spirit of the game) can easily be compromised.
As I was talking to a friend tonight about this (shout out to you Dan Dan) it’s weird that the College Men’s division appears to lack these opportunities at community building. They need their own Michelle Ng! As Ultimate as a whole moves toward a much more competitive future, it would be THE WORST if the ideas of Spirit and Community were at all lost or compromised. Bring back the cheers, the parties and the ridiculousness that is Ultimate. That’s probably why you even liked it at all in the first place.
Play hard, work hard but don’t be a huge d-bag, that’s all that is.
Brit
