Ultimate Frisbee news: From then to now – the Frisbee has grown up
Sports News Blitz are learning all about the exciting game of Ultimate Frisbee, played all around the world by thousands of people.
But before Ultimate, people were playing with Frisbees as an alternative to ball sports.
Playing Frisbee was even considered anti-establishment because players were not using a more traditional ball.
Sports News Blitz writer and Ultimate Frisbee guru Dr. Chris Wirszyla explains more…
American pie
The concept of disc throwing has been around since students in Connecticut originally started throwing “Frisbie Company” pie tins to each other.
The inventor Fred Morrison decided to cash in on the emergence of space exploration by inventing, in 1955, the “flying saucer”, which soon replaced pie tins as a stable flight toy.
Early Frisbee games included “Frisbee Football” modelled after American Football and “Guts”, which was a modified dodgeball game.
Freestyle Frisbee became popular with the introduction of the nail delay, which allowed one to spin a disc on their finger while performing dance-like or acrobatic moves.
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No longer a joke
With the introduction of skill related disc competitions, exposure to the sport went from being viewed as a joke played by anti-establishment people, to a serious competition.
The World Frisbee Championships included items like Maximum Time Aloft, Run, Throw and Catch, Accuracy, Double Disc Court, and now includes Disc Golf.
Disc Golf has exploded on the scene. I went to the second oldest course last year, in Philadelphia.
The course was established in 1973. Since then, companies like Innova and Disccraft have been supplying disc putters, mid range and drivers to the millions around the world who enjoy the game that is just like traditional golf, played with discs.
Ultimate evolved on the scene as a viable alternative to ball sports, with the first intercollegiate game played between Princeton and Rutgers, in 1973.
Viable alternative
Rules were established, clubs were being organized, and governing bodies were being established.
The UPA (Ultimate Players Association) was established in 1979 and replaced with USA Ultimate in 2010.
These organizations strive to champion character, community and competition.
Each country involved in international competition now have governing bodies to make sure everything is legit.
In England, UK Ultimate serves this purpose. Ultimate has come into its own as a sport worthy of Olympic recognition.
UK Ultimate exists to provide leadership, resources, event information, membership, updates, coaching and teacher training and more.
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