Ultimate Frisbee club teams warm up with tournaments

Although their collegiate season is still about five months away, the members of the men's and women's Ultimate Frisbee clubs are already back to work, focused on honing their skills in the 'Club Ultimate' circuit and picking up new recruits.\nThe women's club is led by coach Jason Flock, who has been involved with the game for more than a decade. This year, Flock will take about 30 women under his wing. About half of them are new additions to the squad. While Flock is drawing up new offensive schemes and defensive sets, the team will be led by seniors Sarah Lima and Kim Wysong and junior Megan Sulok.\nLast season, the team struggled to a 10-20 record. But with a ripe crop of new players, team veterans said they believe this will be the year for that mark to turn around. \n"We are hoping to do better than the past couple years ... and be a competitive squad to try to make nationals," said Wysong, also team co-captain. \nWith weekly practices running Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons, the team hopes hard work will take them to that goal.\nBesides practices, the team will participate in several club tournaments during the fall. Unlike the collegiate season, in which players must be students pursuing a degree, the club season is open to teams that could potentially have players from high school students to senior citizens. The next tournament for the women will be Oct. 14 and 15 at Columbia College in Chicago. \nAfter the fall tournaments end, the women will continue to work on their games during the winter in an indoor setting. The focus will switch to winning the Great Plains Sectional, composed of IU, the University of Chicago, Bradley, Illinois, Purdue, Notre Dame and defending champion Northwestern.\nLike the women, the men's club is trying to put a positive spin on struggles during the recent past and bring the squad back into national prominence. This year's team includes 35 men and will be led into battle by tri-captains Thor Martin, a senior, Damon Todd, a doctoral student and Mark Chun, a senior.\n"Three years ago, we were faced with the daunting task of rebuilding this team from scratch," Martin said. \nLast year's team, which finished the season tied for fifth in the regional with a record of 19-22, appeared to be creeping closer to that goal. Now the team is looking to break through the door and compete for the regional title.\nThe men's Ultimate Frisbee club will visit several tournaments as it takes on clubs from around the Midwest. The team's primary focus this fall is to gather new recruits. \nNew recruits and veterans will be put to the test this spring, as they are scheduled to travel to several tournaments. The club is slated to play in tourneys at Michigan, Louisiana State, Tennessee and North Carolina. At these tournaments, the team anticipates running into some of their top rivals, which include Illinois, Notre Dame, Ball State and Purdue.\nUltimate Frisbee players are quick to point out that their game is not a leisurely stroll in the park, but is in fact a game that can be as grueling as any soccer match. \nLima, a senior, summed up the Ultimate Frisbee player's point of view.\n"Ultimate is a tough, gritty, painful struggle over something that flies with the utmost grace and finesse," she said. "The contrast is gorgeous"