Well, the Ulti season is done once again. The final game was a doozy too. We played hard, yet still lost.

I started off the game on a hot streak. I was throwing well, catching well, and getting free from my check well. I threw for points, I caught a point or two, and made some good defensive blocks too.

Then I started to run out of steam. Too hard too quick. I lost it for a few points and couldn’t catch my breath. I was overheating too. I doused my head and tried to get back in the game.

I started making mistakes and costing points. I got counted out once when I froze and couldn’t make the dump pass. I got foot blocked too, though I have to admit that it was a perfectly placed foot.

I regrouped and made a second effort to try and turn my game around. It started to work a little. I was sticking to my check fairly well, though I was giving him the short passes and cutting off the longer throws. On one point my check managed to catch the disc for a point, even though I had a finger on the disc and was tipping it away. Great catch by him.

For the final point, which was a very, very long one, the other team kept trying the long bomb, and we kept shutting it down. They managed to march the disc 2/3 of the way up the field, then one guy broke to the corner and the game was over. We lost and the season was done.

Now to think about playing intramurals again. My last experience wasn’t all that great, but if I was on a better team, maybe it would be different.

Ulti tonight was a little weird. We had a double header and with sox still being away I decided top hire a sitter for the kids.

At the fields I knew something was up when game time rolled around and we only had 5 healthy players. We picked up 1 woman, and had 1 more guy join us who couldn’t run due to injury. Great, no subs.

I played hard this game, and felt like ip made a good contribution. I was never called as a handler tonight which suited me fine. More running for me. The tone of the game was off too. The other team accused us of taking too long and asked us if we were going to take a timeout. There were a few calls on the field that got a little heated too.

In the end, with time running out, we were tied up. Universe point. We played hard, and managed to score. This then lead to a couple players getting into an argument about the game and some of the calls on the field. Ugh, crapy way to end the game. In the end we decided to forfeit the game giving the win to the other team.

The second game we agreed to only play to 5. We picked up one of their players and had a great exhibition game. I played harder in this game than in the first since I knew I didn’t have to leave anything in reserve, and I knew it was going to be a short game.

I laid out for one point. I’m still not sure if the disk was catchable, but I made a good bid, and a solid lay out. I actually slid too which helped me avoid any injury. I threw for a couple points which was good. One of them my teammate had just made a huge diving D block to cause a turnover. I saw him streaking to the far corner and put it out in front of him. It was a little too far though,which made him lay out for it. I even got a good interception at one point which is a good thing in any game. 

Nearing the end of the second game I sat off. My feet were done. Blisters on both big toes. I really need to by some new cleats soon.

Ulti was a blast tonight. Unlike last week, I felt like I made a difference. Sure I had a couple bad drops, but for the most part I felt like I made a positive difference.

I was a handler for most of the night which was pretty fun. I was throwing well, and I was very careful with my catches. The other team threw on the zone a lot, and we picked it apart. Lots of throws, lots of movement, lots of swing passes. When we saw a good up field throw, we broke the zone wide open and made for the end zone. 

It was a tight game though. The score was tied, or close to tied the whole night. Right at the end we scored a couple extra to take the lead and win the game. It felt good. We played well as a team.

Last week at Ulti there was a double header. I was looking forward to it so much, that I hired a babysitter to be with the kids while I played (Sox was out of town). Gotta say that I don’t feel like I am playing that well these days. In the first game I certainly felt gross and wasn’t running all that well. Sure I had a couple decent plays, but it felt like every time I went to make a cut, someone else would cut into my lane. Whenever I would wait for a good time to cut, I would get yelled at for not running. Certainly makes for a crappy game when you feel awful, and feel like you are wasting space out on the field.

The second game was a little better. I was handling alright, my catches were good, but I still didn’t feel like I was doing much good.

I did have one great breakaway strike. I got away from my check and hauled ass for the end zone. The huck was put up for me, and unfortunately the disc started to hover over th

e end zone. I went up for it and so did my check. As I was about to grab it, he attempted to hit the disk, but got my hand instead, preventing me from catching it. As I landed I yelled foul way, way too loudly. I promptly apologized for being so loud, and he didn’t contest the fould

This weeks game was more of the same. I wasn’t handling as much as in the past (which is kind of nice) meaning I am running more. My cuts weren’t very good, and the one good cut I had, I totally flubbed the catch and dropped the disk. I suffered from too much watching things happen (ie a long bomb and I stop running only to see my check get away from me, and the disk get caught outside the end zone). I’m really trying to step up my game for this league, but I am really feeling outclassed by the rest of my team. At least I am getting a workout.

The bright side was that for most of the game I was play D pretty well. I held the force pretty strong, and manage a good interception that could have cost us a point. In the end we still lost the game, but we did score the last point to end on a high note.

I’ve had this stupid cough for a while now. I feel fine, but whenever I an vertical I go through some coughing fits every now and then. Annoying to say the least.

Still I’ve been active. I played ultimate last week and this week, as well as riding on the weekend. 

Today’s game was a good one. Hard fought, lead changes, big huckster, zones, hard D, non stop action. 

I played hard tonight and was happy with how I played (for the most part). The only times I wasn’t were the times when I gave up too early. On one point I thought that a long huck had been caught in the end zone, so I backed off my check. Sure enough the catcher wasn’t in the end zone, and my check broke away to catch the point. 

Thankfully I played well the rest of the game. I was handling quite a bit and my catches were strong. I even made a great interception that later resulted in a point. One point when I wasn’t a handler, I even managed to catch for a point.

Nearing the end of the game we were down a few points. We tried to mount a comeback, but we couldn’t get it done. We lost the game.

Next week we have a double header as part of a mini playoff.

Ulti tonight was a blast. Lots of running, lots of learning. The mens league certainly is a lot more uptempo than summer league. There are also a lot more hucks, which I am fine with. In summer league, constantly hucking the disc is almost frowned upon since it rarely lends itself to a learning experience for newer players.

Our team is starting to gel a little with people picking up certain positions. I’m handling again, but sometimes swap off for a position in the stack. I still learn lots as a handler, mostly about position. I quite often set up in the wrong position, and by the time I realize it, my check and I are clogging things up, or there is no way I could get the disc. It will come back to me though.

I threw fairly well tonight and didn’t make many bad throws. I was catching well too, which for me is a better thing to have happen. When I catch poorly I tense up, which then causes me to throw poorly.

We have what seems like a pretty strong team. We have some tall guys, some speedy guys, and some guys who can throw really well. We had a few outstanding points where we moved the disc really well keeping the other team on their heels. We marched right up the field like that until we got close to the end zone. We set up in the stack and ended up scoring. Sweet!

Looking forward to more fun weeks of ulti.

Tonight was the first night of Ulti playing in the men’s leage. I was pretty pumped for the game. I decided to ride out to the field which, unfortunately, was at Gorden Head Middle School. A long ride from Esquimalt. The ride itself was fine and I got to the field with a few minutes to spare.

The game started off and we only had 7 guys. Great. The first thing the captain told us about men’s league was that the pace was faster than co-ed Wednesday night league. Great.

Sure enough, the first point we ran our asses off. I did one great cut, got away from my check and missed the catch. The wind caught it and it rose up a little. I dove trying to snag it and came up a bit short. Instead I banged up my knee, my elbow, and my chest. Great start to the game.

It got worse before it got better. I had one bad point where I could not catch my breath and developed a bad stitch. I couldn’t keep up to my check. I sat off a couple points before I came back on.

When I came back I managed to feel better. My cuts were getting better and my legs felt a bit better. I even managed to catch a point on a great break to the end zone.

First game is done, many more to go. And no more diving until after the Tour de Victoria is done!

I just finished signing up for summer league ulti. For the first time ever I joined the men’s league and not the co-ed league.

There are a few reasons for this.

1. Wednesday is the day Sue has the kids all day, so making it even longer by me going to play utli was hard.
2. I was hoping to step up my game a little and play in a more competitive league
3. Seriousness. Some of the co-ed teams I was on lacked any drive, or any seriousness. Don’t get me wrong though, I want to play to have fun, but I also want to play with other people there who actually try, and actually want to learn.

This summer should be interesting too. Since I have been training for the Tour de Victoria, I will be way more fit at the beginning of the season than I ever have been before. That can only mean good things for me.

The season starts in May and runs until August. Every other year the season has cost $60. For some reason this year the cost is $100. Quite the jump in price.