Many know me as a friend, a confidant, a humor writer. But, what many people don’t know is that I am a student athlete. Yes, it’s true… I am on the ultimate frisbee team. Now, I know that that seems like a bold statement considering that varsity athletes at this school have vigorous schedules and physically demanding student lives. But humor me while I live out my little athlete fantasy.
Now, frisbee is a very interesting sport to say the least. I had no clue it even existed until I came to Vassar, and when it was explained to me it sounded insane—I could not understand how flinging a piece of plastic around could be considered a sport. Then I did some more critical thinking and thought about the fact that most sports that have a ball are one way or another flinging a piece of plastic around. So that stigma didn’t last long.
After being on the team for two years, I can confidently say that I kinda get the rules of the game. Do I still run around like a chicken with its head cut off at the start of every point? Yes. Frisbee is my second sport in my athletic career. I played softball for 10 years and enjoyed exactly three of them. I also dabbled in soccer; however, that did not last long due to my habit of pretending I had allergies so that the coach would not put me in. A $300 mistake my parents learned the hard way. And even though I had played sports before, nothing really prepared me for frisbee… in a very good and crazy way. Now, I know that to the outside world, a frisbee can look a little hippy and fratty… yeah, not much I can deny about that. But, the sense of community you gain from it and the guidance to learn the sport stayed with me.
I write this article to not only reflect on my time at Vassar, but to also stress how I have no ideas on how to be funny. I have instead resorted to writing a sentimental and genuine article about frisbee. That is disgusting.
To wrap it up, I truly never would have thought that a group of crazy people throwing around a disc at Vassar would become some of my closest friends, but sadly that is the case. Of course I joke and if anyone on the team is reading, please never read anything I write because it is far too embarrassing. I only want to be taken as a serious athlete and nothing else.