For Love of The Disc

Despite a season of uncertain bids and changes in tournament formats, the daily mechanics of The Red Line have remained constant. The team participates in a club season in the fall and trains during the winter to prepare for the main collegiate spring season. Three times a week the team works on its man-to-man and zone defenses, improves its arsenal of forehead and backhand throws and runs long distances and stadiums to increase its endurance. This intensity is required as a player might run from eight to 10 miles during a day of tournament play. But endurance alone is not sufficient for a successful ultimate team.

“Athleticism, quickness, having the ability to make good cuts and fakes, having good hands and making good throws are all key to the game,” Ross said.

To compete at the highest level possible, the team travels to tournaments in San Diego, North Carolina and Georgia. It gets to face nationally ranked teams in Stanford, Duke, UC-San Diego, Colorado and Oregon. But these trips naturally come at a cost—a cost that is not covered by funding from the University, save $1,000.

To cover the team’s annual budget of $18,000-20,000 the players themselves must take on “side duties” which include directing fundraising campaigns to find alumni sponsors, selling discs and t-shirts and even pulling money from their own pockets. At least one of the barriers that The Red Line has encountered has been removed, as this is the first year that the team has been granted regular access to a field. On the other hand, practices are run without a coach to look to for guidance.

Given the false stereotypes of being an unathletic sport and the year-round responsibilities that each player must take on, members of The Red Line have made a business of overcoming obstacles. Qualifying for nationals would be one more triumph to add to the team’s history.

The first step is tomorrow’s Sectional Tournament hosted by Tufts. The results will prove whether or not the team’s experience, commitment and self-sufficiency can give them an edge in the race to capture the New England region’s single bid. A successful weekend would ensure Harvard a higher seed at the regional tournament, which will be held on May 4 at Dartmouth, and set them on an easier path to qualify for Nationals.