Sunday, September 30, 2007

UQ Lovers win 2007 Uni Games Title

On Friday I managed to slip down to Southport to watch the last afternoon's play at the Australian University Games, and was very pleased to watch UQ win the title.


Since I seemed to be the only person taking 'unofficial' photos, I guess I should post a few others.

Here's MacqU, who picked up the Silver medals:

And UNSW with their Bronze medals:

And finally, the Australian Green and Gold team (this is the team that would represent Australia at the World University Games if Australia sent a team). Unfortunately, the shadows were getting long by this stage, but you can work out who's who:

There are writeups over at Ulti-Talk.

Friday, September 28, 2007

Blog Tidy

Hey readers,

Hopefully you've seen that I've done some tweaking of the blog. The template has been changed, and the links updated, including a link to the Brisbane Ultimate 101 post, should any new folk find us on the interweb.

If anyone can show me how to replace the orange star up the top left with something else, can you let me know?

Comments as always welcome, particularly on 101.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Brisbane Ultimate 101

Greetings and welcome to the Brisbane Ultimate Scene.

This post is a set of information (as at September 2007) to help you find your way.

Although I'll try to update this every once in a while, you should know that Ultimate in Brisbane is pretty fluid. Your best bet for current information is to check out the various email groups that comprise the main source of communication for Brisbane (and Australian) Ultimate. At the very least, they should help you find a current contact (and people are very friendly, so don't hesitate to call or email)

General announcements, particularly regarding new seasons, upcoming events and pickup games are generally made via the Brisbane Ultimate Disc Association list - BUDA. Get yourself on that.

Leagues

There's a range of options for playing Ultimate on various weeknights in Brisbane.

Monday sees an intermediate mixed league at Yeronga AFL Club off Cansdale St - YUFL - this League is pretty full, but individuals can usually get themselves onto teams before or during a season by contacting the League Director. While its a League for people who know how to play, teams are sometimes willing to take beginners under their wings. Teams are generally the same from season to season, although some players move around and come and go. Regular teams include Bermuda Triangle, Mellow Yellow, Red Peppers, Dispoenics and the Chimichangas. University teams from UQ and QUT also regularly compete, as does the Brisbane Women's Team, Sultry.

Tuesday sees a Womens League at Toowong's Oakman Park off Union St - WUFL. This League is extremely welcoming of Women players from rank beginners through to World-class. There is generally some skills training as a group each evening before games. Teams are generally formed hat-style at the start of each season, to foster general fun and development.

Wednesday features UQ mixed league at the University of Queensland at St Lucia, on Oval 7 off Coleridge St - UQL. Generally for UQ students, but non-students are welcome. The League generally runs to match the University semester, although there is often pickup between seasons. Teams are usually formed at the start of each season, with experienced players spread across them to support beginners.

Also on Wednesday, some pickup has also begun at the Griffith University Nathan Campus on the rugby field near the corner of Kessels Road and Griffith Road. Non-students are especially welcome as the Griffith Club look to build their profile on campus. Its likely this pickup will be quiet during University breaks.

Thursday night features the Open A-League (known at the Brisbane Premier League) at Annerley Junior Soccer Fields off Victoria Terrace, Greenslopes - BPL. This is a six team League that demands a high level of experience and/or athleticism. Hence, experienced players new to Brisbane and looking for a solid run will be welcomed onto teams throughout the season. Current teams include Dojo Mojo, Buggers (two squads - Crusty and Fresh), Rawhide, and UQ (two squads - Passion and Lovers).

There are often pickup games on Friday nights and Sunday afternoons, but they can vary. Notification is typically via the BUDA list.

Brisbane Representative Clubs

At present, Brisbane is represented at the National Ultimate Frisbee League (NUFL) by Firestorm in the Open Division, and Sultry in the Women's division. These clubs also tend to form the core of teams attending Open/Women's Nationals in April of each year, although other teams also for that event (most recently, Thor and Dojo Mojo).

Groups of Brisbane players also routinely form for Mixed Nationals in October, and various other tournaments around Australia.

Tournaments


March traditionally sees Disc Del Mar, a five-a-side mixed beach hat held on the Gold Coast.

March also sees a tournament held as the Northern Regionals - the qualifier for Nationals in Open and Womens division (although its not taken too seriously in these parts).

April is dominated by Nationals, which rotates around the nation. The Northern Region is next due to host Nationals in 2013.

May traditionally features the Fight the Phat mixed hat.

May and June also feature Brisbane teams playing in the NUFL events held in Sydney and Melbourne.

At the end of August, Brisbane hosts Halibut, the Australia's largest Mixed Ultimate tournament outside of Mixed Nationals (many southern teams come north to enjoy some sunshine during Winter). The highlight of the Brisbane Ultimate calendar, and the traditional start of the Australian mixed season.

In September, the UQ Club hosts Lovefest, a mixed tournament that works as a warmup for both Mixed Nats and the Australian University Games.

During the mid-semester holidays in September, the Australian University Games are held at a site rotated around Australia. In recent times, Ultimate has become the largest sport at the Games. In the past UQ and QUT have sent teams, while Griffith's participation generally depends on how far away the Games are.

October is dominated by Mixed Nationals. The Northern Region is due to host in 2008 (expected to be Brisbane).

There are also various smaller tournaments held throughout the year. And many Brisbane folk travel to various tournaments in other cities (and love to take people with them).

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Badman's Birthday Bash - Get Excited

Brisbane Ultimate Blog's favourite chiropractor has put out the word, and we've responded with today's post.

Badman's Birthday Bash Two Day Hat Tourney near Byron Bay is indeed announced!

Get this one in your diary. I reckon it'll be a great weekend away for all Brisbane ulti-folk. Get a carload together.

What: Byron Badman's Birthday Bash Two Day Hat Tourney
When: 3-4 November
Where: Lake Ainsworth, Lennox Heads (two hours drive from Brisbane - about 20km south of Byron). I think this is it?
Includes: Canoeing, pool, accommodation 20m from beach. Kid friendly so bring the family. All the Ultimate you can get too.

More info to come.

I am bloody excited. Our region has been desperate in my mind for a full on fun weekend and this could be it!

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Doin' Whatever a Spider-Pig Can Do

I had to put in a quick note on the genius of a Mixed Nats team having the name ‘Spiderpig’.

Spiderpig, if you missed it, is a gag from the recent Simpson’s movie.

One of the things that’s always make Ultimate more fun for me has been the fluidity of teams and clubs. Other sports have this view of 'eternity' with regards their team names. Once you're the UQ Shaggy Dogs, you're the UQ Shaggy Dogs forever and so forth. (I'm leaving aside the professional end of sport, where names are tied into marketing and all).

Ultimate hasn't ever swung that way, although some people are trying, perhaps in an attempt to emulate traditional sports (I'm thinking Chilly, Wildcard and Fakulti here).

Fortunately*, Mixed Nats remains a bit of an old school event where team names largely exist for a season or maybe two and then die off.

But the coolest thing, and the reason I mention Spiderpig? Its very very cool when Ultimate frisbee team** names when reflect the pop culture of the time. Remember Canberra's 'Unrepresentative Swill'? Genius. Sydney's 'Powdered Toastmen'. Ultrastar Wars / The Empire Strikes Backhand / Return of the Redeye. I'm sure there are many more (hello comments) but its early in the morning for me.

* I'll leave the goodness or illness of the distinctiveness of Mixed Nats as a topic for another day, although the 'fortunately' rather than 'unfortunately' should leave my views out there.

** And tournaments - I always loved SA's "Footprint of God" tournament name.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

The Power of Vice

One of the overlooked but very important roles in the world of Ultimate Frisbee Admin and Volunteers is that of the Vice-Captain.

If you run a League or Tournament, make sure you always insist on having Vice-Captains / Number Two's / Second Bananas / Whatever you call them.

Most obviously, they help your event to run better, particularly in the case of a Captain / Number One / Boss disappearing for a little while - the team has someone else that knows what's going on.

Less obviously, but perhaps more useful in the long term, Vice-Captains are proto-volunteers.

Say for example you're the Director of a League, and you want to stand down. First stop to find a new LD is to talk to your Captains about one of them taking on the role. I mean, they've shown that they're willing to do some organising by sorting their team, people know them, and they probably have a good idea how things work.

Having Vice Captains around obviously expands on your pool of possible recruits, but also helps you when one of the Captains says "No." You can say back to them "Well, if you're saying 'No' because you're worried about who's going to manage your team then you shouldn't, because you've got this great Vice-Captain who can take it on." Or you can say "Well, fair enough to say 'No', but do you know someone who might say 'Yes' (maybe your Vice-Captain?)".

So to conclude - if you're running a league or tournament, insist on there being Vice-Captains as well as Captains - for the good of Ultimate Administration and the long-term renewal of Ultimate organisers.

Monday, September 17, 2007

And, We're Back. What'd I Miss?

Aaaaand we're back. Miss me?

Scanning the email, it looks like I didn't miss too much while I was away, thanks to a week of rain that knocked YUFL, WUFL and BPL around. But here's what I did miss:

- the new six-team BPL kicked off last Thursday night, with wins to the Old Buggers over Rawhide (obviously missing Tony Ross), Passion over Lovers (score one for lust), and a draw between the Baby Buggers and Dojo Mojo (a good start for Jimmy L's lot).

- Lovefest seems to have gone well on Saturday, with John McNaughton emailing a few details:
A quick wrap-up of the Lovefest tournament that happened this weekend.

On a warm, sunny Saturday, 6 teams presented at UQ for the second annual Lovefest tourney. Most teams played close to savage, and the draw was a full round robin - considering this, the level of play was maintained very well throughout the day.

Booty enjoyed kicking back with a beer as the Griffith Uni Slamtown Giants (their intended last-round opponents) needed to get back to the Gold Coast and party... However, even the departure of half of the Byron crew couldn't stop the remainder from scraping together some pick-ups and playing another game against the Lounge Lizards to cap off the day.

An exhausting last-round match-up between the AUG-bound UQ Lovers and QUTies (where a number of players were cramping mid-game) proved one of the more intense games of the day. We hope that this match practice provides a launching point for all 3 uni teams to play some great frisbee down the Coast next week.

WINNER: UQ Lovers
RUNNERS-UP: Booty
MALE MVP: Tie - Mike Neild (QUT) and Ben "Beej" Blackman (Lizards)
FEMALE MVP: Sarah Sandford (QUT)
SPIRIT: The Pass

- Oh yeah, and before I went on holidays, I sent out my final issue as editor of AU. Hope you got it and enjoyed. I now just have to get it up on the web.

And because you like photos (another one of Roger's):