You all have a very unique opportunity this summer. This summer is your chance to learn valuable skills, prepare for your next academic year, get exposure to a variety of jobs in the real world, and network for your future. Im not talking about an internship or taking a full schedule of summer classes.
The best way to do all of these things is by playing Ultimate this summer. Elite? Regionals Level? Men’s? Mixed? Summer League? Pickup with my friends?
The answer is YES!
For the Rookie/New player on the block
Playing ultimate will put you in the company of a bunch of other people that share your love for the game. By throwing on a regular basis, you will naturally experiment with your grip, release point, pivot distance, and favorite throw. These are all skills that will come in handy next year playing college ultimate. If you play in above pickup with my friends you will meet make friends with people that are a large variety of ages, many of whom have widely varying jobs. See which ones you like, and take the classes you need to become whatever you want to be. Did I mention that once you graduate, those contacts you have will be people planted in the industry that you can ask for an internship over the summer.Recommended level of play: Sectionals Level team, Open or Mixed, Summer League and pickup are also great things to do (along with club).
Main Point: Get out there and play some flat ball! See what the ultimate world is like!
For the Journeyman college ultimate player
So you can throw a forehand, backhand, low releases on both, and a hammer (maybe?). You have figured out what a force is, and I have drilled into you enough that easy unders are not acceptable to let up. Playing Ultimate over the summer will help you improve your consistency, and get you valuable repetitions throwing to moving targets that will make you the guy everyone wants on their split squad come fall. Playing club will give you the boost you need to be a leader on Boomland, or roll with the big dogs near the bottom of the A team depth chart. Presumably you have an internship lined up already, but meeting more people in your area will help you figure out what you want to do when the joyride that is college is over. If your internship is in a state other than Illinois (Highly Recommended!) then playing ultimate will give you a rock solid excuse to travel once you have a real job (and enough money to travel).Recommended level of play: Regionals level team, Sectionals level team, Open or Mixed, Summer league and pickup are also great things to do (in addition to club).
Main Point: You got the SKILZ, now use them to prepare for the rest of your life while having a BLAST!
A team Rank and File player
I get that you have got throws pretty much down (but really, they should continue to improve...... keep throwing!), and you got some pretty sweet D’s against some big name players this year. Great Work! I hate to say it, but you are going to be next year’s top dogs on the team. Playing Club Ultimate will prepare you for shouldering this load, and give you the experience you need to dominate the best players in the Region, and Nation, come next spring. As you play more competitive ultimate, more and more of the players will have gotten out of college and have jobs. Having the ability to work with people from a variety of backgrounds will be a huge benefit when you land your own job down the road. Also did I mention that those people will are a network that you can go to when you do finally need a job.Recommended level of play: Nationals level team, Regionals level team, Open or Mixed, Summer league and pickup are also great things to do (in addition to club).
Nationals Open>Nationals Mixed>Regionals Open>Regionals Mixed
Main Point: Are you Really happy with the ending of the season this year? Do something about it by playing Club Ultimate! The team Needs to you to get better, are you going to be there for them?
A team Returning Stud
So you played a lot of points at regionals this year. The team played some big games at some regular season tournaments. It was really windy on sunday of regionals. Is that really good enough for you? Playing Elite club will help you polish your throws, shorten the time of your release, and turn your D from good to awesome! You are also probably working an internship somewhere over the summer. Playing on a club team will give you 26 other amazing friends to hang out with and have the time of your life. Play Ultimate, Get dem Skillz, Make Great Friends, Network for your future.Recommended level of play: Nationals level team, Regionals level team, Open or Mixed.
Nationals Open>Nationals Mixed>Regionals Mixed>Regionals Mixed
Main Point: Are you Really happy with the ending of the season this year? Do something about it by playing Club Ultimate! The team Needs to you to get better, are you going to be there for them?
Graduating Seniors
So You have had some fun playing ultimate this past 4 or 5 years. There may have been some socializing, and (hopefully!) some club ultimate during the summer. Now you have a job (and a girlfriend) in another city (Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York), and you are moving there to take the job, and be with her. Playing ultimate in the new location will instantly give you a large support structure of people to play frisbee with, go to happy hour with, meet up with for ice cream on bad days, party all night long after great weeks, and rely on when you get in over your head. One of the best things you can do to smooth the transition to the new location is find an ultimate team to play with. Playing ultimate will also set the groundwork for a long healthy fit life. By the time you get there, I bet USAU will have created Grand Grand Masters for people like you that just can't stop playing the sport we all love.Recommended level of play: Nationals level team, Regionals level team, Sectionals level team, Open or Mixed, Summer league and pickup are also great things to do.
Main Point: You put in your time at college developing your skillz, now its time to use them to help you settle into a new/exciting/uncertain stage of your life while having a BLAST!
A few thoughts from my experience:
I have played ultimate for a while (10 years now.... I think) and one of the biggest regrets that I have is how late I started playing club. Despite making Illinois A in ‘11-’12, I saw the biggest improvement in my ability when I started playing club ultimate the summer after I ran out of eligibility. Since then I have amassed a network of friends from that club experience that stretches across the country from as far east as North Carolina, south to Arizona, west to California and Washington, and as far north as Idaho and Minnesota. I also have met people from all over the midwest, and have friends from earlier that meet every year in WildWood NJ to reconnect. I built up this network while making leaps and strides in my Ultimate game.Although I met all of these people having a blast playing club ultimate, I now have a network all around the country and in industries that I will be able to access when I (eventually) graduate from the U of I.
Do you want to learn valuable skillz, prepare for next academic year, get exposure to a variety of jobs in the real world, and network for your future? If you do, then Playing Ultimate is the Answer.
I can not urge you enough to do it.
You Wont Regret It
-Coach Hef
