Ultimate Frisbee in Brooklyn

5 Minute Timer Set, Go.

Let me start with painting a picture. Imagine 2 tracks (think track and field). 1 smack in the middle of NYC and one smack in the middle of my hometown on Long Island.

To cut to the chase, at 7:30pm on a Monday night in June, city track is overly populated with people trying to get a small section of turf to play their sport. Turf is very hard to come by in the city, and people will travel from all over the area just to get that glimpse of access.

On the other hand on Long Island, unless there is a sporting event, crickets. Not a soul. Almost out of a movie.

I always think of this when the Spanish Soccer Players start playing soccer in the end zone even though frisbee paid $1000s to reserve the field for 2 hours.

Anyway this night was unforgettable for a different reason.

I’ve been playing ultimate frisbee here since March and even though I knew I’m below average skill level compared to the other players in the scrimmage, I usually am able to hold my own. Some nice throws and cuts, very average defense, and good for a long sideline conversation about really anything.

But today, the final week of the spring season, was different. Last week was the first week I’ve skipped since the beginning due to memorial day

5 minutes hit but need to finish the story

And the difference between the pre Memorial Day and post Memorial Day sessions is stark. VERY stark.

I’m pissed I didn’t take a picture, like very pissed. Would have given unbelievable context to the story. What I’ll say is in College we used to have trouble having enough people to play games. On the other hand at McCarren, you had to wait 20-25 minutes to get to the next point. It’s usually not this crowded, but one variable changed: the college kids are back in town. So many college kids.

And as ironic as it may be, they brought out the worst in my frisbee. I’m standing there with 19 year olds waiting for the disc. The other team throws off, we are on offense. FIRST THROW the 19 year old Harvard kid throws it to me, drop.

Wait 20 minutes

Ok, now it’s time to redeem myself. The other team throws off. Mid-way through the point, I catch the frisbee, but the guy next to me wanted the frisbee badly but I looked away from him and eventually passed it back. Uneventful now, but 20 minutes later after losing that point and waiting, guy passes me the disc and I IMMEDIATELY pass to the guy who originally wanted the disc. I never do this. I’m a pretty talented thrower (even in this field I’m above average — but nowhere near the best), but I was uncomfortable holding the disc and I just shuffled it to this guy. Not even close. Drop, Turnover, Point. 25 minute wait.

I walked to the other field because I felt horrible for making the guys playing with me wait 20 minutes, play 20 seconds, wait 20 minutes. The pressure added up!

But it’s was just pent up pressure from within. I hadn’t had a dropping problem all season and once you assign that to your identity, then it becomes part of you and you are a dropper. That is not the case. Treat these points independently and trust your process. Sht happens. Deal with it.

I went to the other game on the field across and to end the story I caught a deep pass and made a great throw to a guy running to the corner of the end zone. Tough placement, fit it through a tight window.

I ended on a high note but not high enough to forget the first hour and change of scrimmage.

Thanks for reading. I honestly didn’t think I needed to use all 5 minutes but I’m sitting here at 13 minutes. Welp to my sleep.

-Jack