The Pointer UW-Stevens Point Student Newspaper
The Women’s Ultimate Frisbee team season is officially underway.
The Pointers first tournament took place a couple weeks ago where they won two out of seven matches.
Andrea Jurcoi, the team treasurer, explained that this tournament was a shocker for the freshman players and that her new teammates are adjusting well and rapidly improving.
The team may be young, but they have five returning players, including senior captains; Anna Lewandowski and Brie Ashauer.
“The main goal of this team is to teach women about ultimate in a fun and competitive setting,” Ashauer said.
The team’s next tournament will take place in Missouri on Nov. 9. Everyone is preparing for this tournament by working on the basics.
“We are starting from the bottom up,” Jurcoi said. “We are laying downthe foundation for the team.”
“We are improving our offense and field awareness this semester as well as trying to build strong team chemistry,” Ashauer said.
The team is improving their defense by focusing on a technique called the sponge. The concept focuses on a zone defense.
Three players cover the person holding the frisbee, while three other players cover the second tier and one person covers the “deep.”
“The other team normally will drop the Frisbee,” Jurcoi said.
Ashauer added, “sponge allows us to use our good defense minds to cut off long throws and force turnovers.”
In addition, the offense is running a horizontal stack offense.
“The horizontal stack offense allows us to work the short field as well as utilize Anna’s amazing down field throws,” Ashauer said.
There are two basic throws that players can use, the backhand and the forehand, known as the “flick.” “Guys normally flick better and girls are normally better at the backhand. People are not used to the motion of the flick,” Jurcoi said. Looking at the dynamics, this game is considered unique because it’s a self refereed game where players can call fouls on each other.
One of the most important rules of this game is that after someone catches a frisbee, they are allowed to take three steps. If they take more, they must forfeit the frisbee over to their opponents.
The sport has been gaining a lot of respect within the past years around the world. It used to be considered an obscure sport, but now has many professional teams across the nation.
“It’s a hard sport,” Jurcoi said. “It can be very complicated at times.”
Jurcoi also detailed the diversity of their competition.
“We play teams from all over. Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa and a few from Michigan and Illinois,”Jurcoi said.
Although the Pointers play teams from various states, many UW schools take part in these tournaments. Jurcoi says that UW-Madison is considered one of the best teams in the UW system.
The team is already tight knit but has room for more Pointers to join.
“I love the people, I love the environment, and I love the game,” Jurcoi said.
Jurcoi added that it’s not too late to join the team.
“You would be gaining friends and a great support system. I never talked to anyone who said they regretted joining the team,” Jurcoi said.
If you are interested in joining, please contact Jurcoi at ajurc127@ uwsp.edu.
“You might find out that you actually love it,” Jurcoi said.
Kyra Nowacki
