With 12 of 13 varsity players on last year’s ultimate frisbee team having graduated, and the single junior being injured, the majority of the roster is made up of players brand-new to the sport. However, according to Coach Jason Becker, the players are learning fast and are ready for their first game this Sunday.
“There is much to learn, but we’re having focused, effective practices and learning fast,” said Coach Becker. “We’ve been working hard to get ready for our first game this weekend, and I think we’re ready.”
The two junior varsity players who returned this year are juniors Chris Kabacinski and Jeff Moore, while the one junior on the varsity team last year, senior Drew Hildebrand, also returned. Along with these players, Coach Becker predicts that sophomore Clay Goodman and senior Brandon Grau will play a big part in the team’s success.
“Sophomore, handler Clay Goodman came to tryouts with fairly polished throws, and Grau is a defensive madman. I predict they’ll have an impact on every game this season,” said Coach Becker.
To prepare for Sunday’s game, the team ran drills to strengthen fundamental skills such as throwing, catching, defending and marking to implement and polish the team’s strategy. They also ran scrimmages to focus on any new skills or strategies. They will put these skills into action this Sunday at 2 p.m. at Parkway South.
