Year 2009 in Review (from an Ultimate standpoint)
This year was quite eventful in terms of what was accomplished in the Ultimate community, and also on an individual basis. The biggest event was obviously my first trip to Nationals on a competing team. I guess partly why I did not write up a tournament summary for Nationals was that my words would probably not do justice to the actual experience as a whole... and also because I was very frustrated and annoyed with how things went on the field both in results, and with the team. It was a great tournament with many great memories, but in the end I felt a bit burnt out and simply needed a couple weeks from discussing and writing about Ultimate.
But I digress... back on track.
Off-Season
Participated in my first Lei-out tournament on the Santa Monica Beach with "Team Pikachu." We were a conglomeration of UC Irvine, UC Davis, and Cal-Berkeley players who had no idea how to play with each other, let alone the art of beach ultimate. It was overall a fun tournament with the best game actually being a scrimmage between our team and NICE, in which DTB also joined. As well as 4 other teams.
This was my first season removed from playing College Ultimate. It was tough playing only once or twice a week as opposed to 3 or 4 with track workouts in between. Fitness level definitely dropped a bit; weight... hah let's not say. It was very weird watching NightLife play at sectionals. The guys I've been playing with for the past 2 or 3 years on their own... without the super-senior class. They did well and despite being a rebuilding year, took the last spot to Regionals by beating UCSD-B.
POTLATCH
Probably the most fun I've ever had in a non-competitive tournament. I went with "Roeder's Runners" which was a mix of mostly Cal and Irvine players. Not only was the camping fun, we had great success (enter borat joke), on the field going 7-1 on the tournament and finishing in the B-bracket after starting in the D-bracket. Not bad huh? From shivering in the tent the first night, to the first drunk point, all the alcohol, the party, AJ high-fiving 500 people, to the final flight back home, Potlatch was awesome and I definitely want to go again. I'm already saving up $$ and vacation days. =)
video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZb4BVFlB9g
Club Season
Where to start?
By late-Feburary, I was still undecided as to whether or not to play open or co-ed. I had pros/cons written out for both sides and various friends contributing their thoughts. So in all it was a difficult decision. Strike-Slip was a brand-new team that ran a handler heavy offense that I was told would fit my game perfectly. The tryouts were difficult and it almost seemed in my mind that I would play with them, but there was just something about Metro that I couldn't give up. After a lot of thought and conversations, I made a final decision and stayed with Metro for the 09 season. Good decision? You betcha.
Not only was it a kick-ass season, I felt that there were many definining moments that really shaped me as a player and us as a team.
- Beating rivals BCBC in the first game of the season in Santa Cruz. We had played them a total of TWO times last year and were 1-1. To start off against them and to get the monkey off our back and establish the rivalry early I felt calmed tensions between the teams.
- Going down 1-9 to Classy and eventually losing 7-15. We were cocky, and we knew it. We went into that game thinking that the win would come naturally to us. But sitting in a 1-9 hole against a team we had previously beaten handidly... it was a huge reality check. To me... this single loss was the best thing that happened to our team. It put things into perspective, and it helped us develop that mental toughness to start strong and to finish strong. We eventually won the tournament though... albeit we were dead LAST in our pool after Saturday.
- Placing 2nd at Labor Day. We had placed 9th last year with losses to AIR, CTR, Mischief, Chewy Defense, and AIR (again). But this year we had great wins over Golden Spike, DUC, AIR, and CTR. We showed a lot of grit (beating AIR after being down 2-7), and a lot of heart. I think after this tournament, we developed some self-confidence in that we were a good team. Not some weak team from the Southwest that couldn't hang with the Northwest.
- Winning Sectionals. Previous to playing Metro, the best finish I've ever had at any sectionals of any kind was 5th or 6th. I don't think I've even had a winning record at a sectionals tournament. It was a round-robin format and we rolled through everyone, the biggest wins over BCBC, both universe points. The win ensured us a higher seed for Regionals and a better road to claiming a bid to Sarasota.
- Callahans. I don't usually talk about these... but I got 2 this year, both with style =) One vs. Classy (lay out), and one against BCBC in the Finals of Sectionals (keegan's handblock tip). I'm hungry for more and hopefully they keep me on the D-line so I have more opportunities.
- Making Nationals. Probably the biggest highlight of my Ultimate career. Rolling our way through pool play and quarters to play the favored Kapow team out of Boulder, CO. We go on a 6-0 run and never look back and Keegan hucks to a wide open Mark Miller for the score. I've never heard a sideline roar so loudly as we did... I've never seen a sideline run as fast as we did to the end-zone. I've never seen tears shed on the Ultimate field until this moment, and I've never had to wipe tears of joy from my own eyes until this moment. I will remember it for the rest of my life... and I will remember each person I hugged (27 in total) in that moment. We made Nationals! (crosses off #4 on my to-do list).
My Ultimate Bucket List (constantly updated)
Paganello
Potlatch (2009: Roeders' Runners)
Nationals (2009: LA Metro 11th place finish)
Worlds
Lei-out (2009: Team Pikachu)
Wildwood
Kaimana Klassic
Hats Hops and Hucks
not a bad 2009 huh?
2010 Outlook
The biggest change for me has been that I am now officially coaching the UC Irvine Men's B-team. Irvine has somehow found enough people (don't ask how), to split into A and B squads. It will be a new experience for me, something that I see has an honor, as well as a challenge. I will definitely show signs of inexperience, as the only other thing I've technically "coached" was actually a chamber music group at Orchestra camp back in 2002-2004.
Challenges
In the beginning of each year, I try to think about what I want to accomplish in the coming year. Last year, it was "make nationals" and to "develop a better flick huck." I've done one of those, so the flick huck goal will just have to carry over to 2010. Here's a very short and brief list of what I want to accomplish (realistically).
- Stop pretending that I can flick huck and actually develop one.
- Continue to promote and develop Ultimate in Orange County through networking and potential organization of a hat tournament based in Orange County.
- Mature as a leader on/off the field.
- Take better physical care of myself.
- Get a MRI/MRA scan on the shoulder.
There you have it. My first post in over a month. I will continue to post ideas and what not in the coming weeks, but my apologies for disappearing for the past period. I am looking forward to a great year of Ultimate, a year of change, and a year of fun. After all... my jersey number now matches the year. =)
Happy New Year!
Hammie #2010
