Remember how your childhood was spent playing frisbee with your siblings in the park? Remember the feel of the flat disc in your hands, the struggle to throw it the right way so as not to hit that old lady walking her dog? Remember the rush of catching one after many tries?
Well, frisbee is back! And if you’ve visited any parks lately, you’d notice how adults enjoy this game as much as the kids do these days. It is probably nostalgic but many have even managed to make a career out of it!
Yes, Ultimate Frisbee is a legit international competition! There are rules and uniforms and referees just like in any other sport, and it is the fastest growing sport in the world. There are many clubs around the world who compete every year.
Which is why we should be proud that a club from India has been selected to represent the country at the World Ultimate Club Championships (WUCC), to be held in the Cincinnati, Ohio, United States in July this year. Almost 40 countries from across the globe are participating at the WUCC.
“Stall7” is a nine-year-old Ultimate Frisbee club from Chennai and ranks #3 in the entire country. The team has won many national tournaments and many players have represented India in previous tournaments like World Championships of Beach Ultimate 2015 (Dubai), World Ultimate and Guts Championships 2016 (London), World Under-23 Championships 2016 (London), World Championships of Beach Ultimate 2017 (France) and the World Under-24 Championships 2018 (Perth, Australia).
This diverse team of 23 is made up of school students, young people and athletes from Chennai, who speak six different languages but are united by their love for the sport.
Every disc floated reflects each brick of practice, coaching, grassroot development and tireless courage against a system. Sadly, the sport does not pay. The players and staff aren’t paid for playing or representing the country. All the funds raised are used to finance team expenses, travel costs and stay. Most athletes cannot even support their own travel to training camps and to Cincinnati. They will be pitted against some of the best teams from across the world.
They need your support, your cheers to help raise the Indian tricolour high. All the money raised, will go towards the tournament registrations, accommodation, food and travel of the players for one week.
Contribute now, to be a part of their journey and invest in India’s sporting future, to a game we all used to love to play!