spring 2014"Mizzou club relishes ultimate Frisbee experience."Story by Marcus Wilkins ; Photos by Jordan Liekwe

Wilkins, Marcus

English

University of Missouri: MOspace

troll through Francis Quadrangle on a typicalspring day and you’re bound to pass beneaththe shadow of a disk gently wafting acrosshttps://mizzoumag.missouri.edu/2014/05/frisbee-happy/index.html 4/28/2021, 11:32 AMthe Mizzou skyline.But beware airborne gladiators colliding midleap asthey pursue the plastic prize with sweat‐soaked zeal.This is ultimate Frisbee, baby, and it’s one of Mizzou’smost popular niche team sports.“People are surprised at how intenseand competitive it can be,” saysAlex McNamara, president of MU’sultimate Frisbee club, the MizzouMutants. “We have a lot of guyswho used to play varsity sports inhigh school.”Similar to football in that an end‐zone reception tallies a score,teams are composed of sevenplayers with “handlers”(quarterbacks) and “cutters”(receivers). Play is continuous, likesoccer, and when a team drops thedisk, the opposition gains possession.Acrobatic one‐handed diving catches are notuncommon, and at the highest levels, play can getchippy.“I once saw a guy choke‐slam another player,” saysMcNamara, a senior finance major from Kirkwood,Mo. “But if someone’s acting up on a team, his ownteammates will usually break it up.”https://mizzoumag.missouri.edu/2014/05/frisbee-happy/index.html 4/28/2021, 11:32 AMThe club travels as far as Atlanta for tournamentsfeaturing up to 40 teams, and the Mutants host anannual tournament at Cosmo Park to foot the season’stravel bill.Although Mizzou has not yet qualified for the nationaltournament in Mason, Ohio, recent wins over strongopponents including Minnesota and Notre Dame givethe team hope.“I’ve been playing since my freshman year, and myteammates are all my best friends now,” McNamarasays. “We’re all roommates on East Campus, and weeven have a holiday party every year. It’s like our ownfraternity.”https://mizzoumag.missouri.edu/2014/05/frisbee-happy/index.html 4/28/2021, 11:32 AM

Frisbee Happy

https://mospace.umsystem.edu/xmlui/bitstream/10355/82753/1/MIZZOUMag-FrisbeeHappy.pdf

Frisbee Happy

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