No kidding! Frisbee turns serious sport

[1]

It’s a sport where players span across all age groups and all walks of life. The childhood game of frisbee is now basking in the limelight, and turning into a seriously competitive sport.
India’s first International Ultimate Frisbee Tournament, “The Ultimate Delhight”, starts tomorrow at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium, Gurgaon. Hosted by Delhi Ultimate, it will see a mix of teams with fun names like Stray Dogs in Sweaters, Indian Remix, Storm, Disc-O-Deewane competing for the top honour.
“Not only will it create awareness about the sport, but it will take ultimate frisbee to a new level. While conducting workshops before the event, we spotted many youngsters across Delhi who were really interested in the sport but didn’t know where to begin,” says Komal Mehra, member of the Delhi team.
While many of us played frisbee as kids, there’s a strong number of youngsters who want to continue playing it in right earnest and in a competitive manner. The organisers have already chosen 8 players from IIT Delhi after holding a workshop there last week. “The response from DU students is encouraging. We have found eight players from IIT Delhi who will be a part of the Delhi team soon after the tournament,” adds Komal, who is also an organiser.
Francois Ganneau, another player from the Delhi team called Stray Dogs in Sweaters says, “We have a core group of dedicated players, and seeing the other Indian teams grow and get exposure to international events, we decided it was time to take it to the next level on our own turf and we decided to host this event.”
Among the major hassles they faced was finding a stadium or a proper location for the tournament and finances. “Running such an event is expensive and despite our many sponsors we still have difficulties balancing our budget,” he adds.
According to the organisers, India has witnessed an increase from 10 players in 2005 to 1,000 players in 2011. But players still feel there’s a long way to go. “I think the sport should be endorsed by CBSE and should be promoted at the zonal level,” says Varun Chawla, a player.
Wolfgang, a player from Singapore, says he’s expecting a great game in Delhi. “I’ve come to Delhi after a year and I’m really excited about this event here. I have many friends flying from Singapore for this one, including many international players I’ve played with,” he shares.