Team USA

I recently got my summer issue of the "Ultimate News." Its the publication of the Ultimate Players Association. By playing in Pittsburgh Summer League I am in a position of having to be a UPA member again. I had let my membership lapse between undergrad and being back here in Pittsburgh (or really between living in Pittsburgh and living in Pittsburgh). That's a little odd too considering I did play quite a bit of disc while I was living in Las Vegas.

For those of you who wonder what I am talking about when I mention Ultimate, you should check this out:

Ultimate in 10 Simple Rules

Its really been a great experience for me over the years.

I got started playing when I was in High School. This guy, Frank Revi, who had been my babysitter was really into the game at college and introduced it to me. When I got to college I can honestly say that I spent more time and effort on playing Ultimate than just about anything else. The college team went to nationals three years out of the four I was there, one time getting to the semi-finals.

So back to the magazine...

One of the stories in this issue is about Team USA. I haven't been following the game to closely lately, but my impression is that this is a new thing. In previous years American club teams would go to worlds on their own rather than have a national team (had I hung around for the ubiquitous 5th year of college I likely would have gotten to go to worlds with the Pittsburgh club team - ah, the road not traveled).

I was really surprised how much seeing the national team stung. Even 10 years too late and 75 pounds too heavy I still feel this. There were times in the past, mostly just after undergrad where I legitimately felt that if there were a Team USA for Ultimate that I would have dropped everything to do the training required to play. I guess I am still a little wistful.

Truth be told this feeling is really unmerited. Even when I was my absolute best I was still maybe only the 5th or 6th best guy on my own team. Even looking at that team as one of the three best that year that still means that there were a minimum of 15 guys ahead of me - let alone the top guys from teams that didn't do as well - let alone all the great players that were playing open division instead of college.

So maybe, in the best possible light, I was one of the top 100 men's ultimate players in the US that year. This Team USA has six slots for men, maybe four alternates. So even in the best playing year of my life I would still be #90 on the waitlist.

Still, would have been nice to have been able to try out in my prime.