Ultimate Summer
Last Thursday was the first official day of summer league ultimate. I am playing the competitive league this summer instead of the rec league. I'd like to tell you this is because I've gotten dramatically better at ultimate, but it's really because my schedule made Thursday more workable than Tuesday.
And now, because I'm an anal retentive person who keeps list, here's how my summer league team has finished in the last many years.
2001 - Charcoal - I didn't write down the overall record, but we finished second in the tournament. My fraternity brother Frank was one of my captains.
2002 - White - I didn't write down the captains or the record beyond "we sucked" and 1-2 in the tournament.
2003 - Forest Green - Captains Young and Nipple (an actual last name, really). 4-5 season, final 8 in the tournament.
2004 - Kelly Green - Captains Dave and Barb, starting a long relationship. It didn't start auspiciously, as we finished 0-10 in the season and 2-3 in the tournament. Had my favorite shirt of any year of ultimate, with the slogan 'I Play Ultimate' on it.
2005 - Dark Chocolate - Captains Dave and Barb. This year 3-6 on the season, 1-1 in the tourney.
2006 - Forest Green - Captains Dave and Barb. 6-3 on the season, 0-3 in the tournament.
2007 - There was no ultimate this year. The league didn't happen.
2008 - Pomegranate - Captains Dave and Barb. 8-4 on the season, 0-3 in the tournament.
2009 - Purple - Captains Dave and Barb. 6-4 on the season, 2-1 in the tournament. My favorite year of ultimate ever. Our team name was "Fueled by the Souls of the Damned"; our cheers always referenced a celebrity who had just died. We were horrible people. Also, the jersey was fantastic, featuring the Guardians of Industry.
2010 - White - For the first time since 2007 I had a different captain. His name was Tommy, and I wouldn't be able to pick him out of a lineup. I turned my ankle pretty badly and stopped going. Also, the field was incredibly difficult to get to for me.
2011 - I did not sign up for summer league, in part because 2010 sucked so badly. But I really missed it, so I came back the next year.
2012 - Burnt Orange - Captain Barb... and Jeff? Not quite as good as Dave, but no complaints. 5-5 on the season, 2-1 in the tournament. Also a really great jersey.
2013 - Purple - Captain Olivia. We went 2-4 in a shortened season. And West Side fields? Sweet!
2014 - Green - Captains Wendy (a guy, ultimate nicknames are like that) and John (my fraternity brother). We went 7-2 and apparently won the tournament for the relaxed league. I say apparently because I missed the tournament, as I often do due to schedule issues.
2015 - Kelly Green - Captains Kevin & Corey. We'll find out...
I have this listing because one of the standard items given away with a league membership is a brand new disc. At the end of the season I write my name, team name, captains and final record on the disc. Since I haven't gotten rid of any discs, it's easy to pile them up and write them down. Of course, now that it's written down here, maybe I can ditch a few. I also get shirts, but some years the shirts are destroyed, or so ugly that they get donated after the season ends.
When I started playing, I was really impressed by the forty-year-olds who played. Now I'm pretty easily the oldest guy on my team, although a few of my old friends (Barb and Dave and Brandon) are around on other teams. Maybe I'll get to 40 after all.
And now, because I'm an anal retentive person who keeps list, here's how my summer league team has finished in the last many years.
2001 - Charcoal - I didn't write down the overall record, but we finished second in the tournament. My fraternity brother Frank was one of my captains.
2002 - White - I didn't write down the captains or the record beyond "we sucked" and 1-2 in the tournament.
2003 - Forest Green - Captains Young and Nipple (an actual last name, really). 4-5 season, final 8 in the tournament.
2004 - Kelly Green - Captains Dave and Barb, starting a long relationship. It didn't start auspiciously, as we finished 0-10 in the season and 2-3 in the tournament. Had my favorite shirt of any year of ultimate, with the slogan 'I Play Ultimate' on it.
2005 - Dark Chocolate - Captains Dave and Barb. This year 3-6 on the season, 1-1 in the tourney.
2006 - Forest Green - Captains Dave and Barb. 6-3 on the season, 0-3 in the tournament.
2007 - There was no ultimate this year. The league didn't happen.
2008 - Pomegranate - Captains Dave and Barb. 8-4 on the season, 0-3 in the tournament.
2009 - Purple - Captains Dave and Barb. 6-4 on the season, 2-1 in the tournament. My favorite year of ultimate ever. Our team name was "Fueled by the Souls of the Damned"; our cheers always referenced a celebrity who had just died. We were horrible people. Also, the jersey was fantastic, featuring the Guardians of Industry.
2010 - White - For the first time since 2007 I had a different captain. His name was Tommy, and I wouldn't be able to pick him out of a lineup. I turned my ankle pretty badly and stopped going. Also, the field was incredibly difficult to get to for me.
2011 - I did not sign up for summer league, in part because 2010 sucked so badly. But I really missed it, so I came back the next year.
2012 - Burnt Orange - Captain Barb... and Jeff? Not quite as good as Dave, but no complaints. 5-5 on the season, 2-1 in the tournament. Also a really great jersey.
2013 - Purple - Captain Olivia. We went 2-4 in a shortened season. And West Side fields? Sweet!
2014 - Green - Captains Wendy (a guy, ultimate nicknames are like that) and John (my fraternity brother). We went 7-2 and apparently won the tournament for the relaxed league. I say apparently because I missed the tournament, as I often do due to schedule issues.
2015 - Kelly Green - Captains Kevin & Corey. We'll find out...
I have this listing because one of the standard items given away with a league membership is a brand new disc. At the end of the season I write my name, team name, captains and final record on the disc. Since I haven't gotten rid of any discs, it's easy to pile them up and write them down. Of course, now that it's written down here, maybe I can ditch a few. I also get shirts, but some years the shirts are destroyed, or so ugly that they get donated after the season ends.
When I started playing, I was really impressed by the forty-year-olds who played. Now I'm pretty easily the oldest guy on my team, although a few of my old friends (Barb and Dave and Brandon) are around on other teams. Maybe I'll get to 40 after all.