For MU’s Women’s Ultimate Frisbee Club, getting back on the field has been long anticipated.
The team, which has not played in over a year due to COVID-19 restrictions, recently resumed practices. In February, MizzouRec announced that club sports could begin playing, starting at stage one in its renewal plan.
While the Women’s Ultimate team will not be permitted under COVID-19 guidelines to scrimmage or travel for tournaments under the restrictions, Emily Cooper, one of three co-captains, said she is excited about the uptick in new members.
“I’ve been playing since I got here as a freshman, and we’ve never had the amount of rookies we have right now before,” Cooper said. “I’m really excited to get to meet them, get to know them [and] hopefully get to make some new friendships.”
Co-captain Nicole Smythe said there has been a substantial increase in membership since she began playing her freshman year. When she began playing for the team her freshman year, she said the team consisted of just 10 players, a number that has now jumped to 22.
No tryouts, experience or prior knowledge of the game are required to attend practices or become members of the club. Team member Joni Oswald said the sport has been a source of enjoyment and laughter since she joined her freshman year.
“Ultimate was one of the first sports I joined where we prioritized fun,” Oswald said. “Obviously, we want to stay competitive, and we usually do. It’s just a really fun sport to be around. The people that play are there to have fun, for the most part. [Knowing] that if I make a mistake I won’t be scolded makes it a really positive environment.”
All a prospective member needs to begin practicing is to let a captain know they are interested. Following that, Cooper said, if you are ready to commit to the team, you can begin practices.
Co-captain Cameron Reitan said before joining her freshman year, she had never touched a frisbee.
Reitan said what has kept her coming back and playing for the entirety of her college career has been her relationships with teammates, both on and off the field.
“When we come together, I feel like we have so much fun at practices. It’s such a good vibe.” Reitan said. “After, sometimes we go get food together. It’s really fun.”
Oswald said that while the players enjoy the fun they have with the game, the atmosphere is a large part of what keeps them playing and will for years to come.
“It’s a very welcoming community that you can stick with for the rest of your life,” Oswald said. “It’s a sport of longevity, and it’s a sport of welcomeness.”
More information is available on the MizzouRec club sports website, along with the team’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.
If you are interested in joining, you can contact Cameron Reitan at cameron.reitain@gmail.com.
Edited by _ Sophie Chappell | schappell@themaneater.com _