Ultimate frisbee is making its entrance in Meghalaya as part of the Chief Minister’s Youth Centres (CMYCs) initiative with support from the Sauramandala Foundation, Project DEFY and the Smart Village Movement.
The Ultimate Players Association of India has joined the initiative as a sports partner with a two-year roadmap for introducing the sport, training rural youth and a plan towards developing a state-level team, a press release said today.
The initiative aims to harness the power of sport as a way to engage with youth in communities and create a platform for fun, growth and learning. As a first step, this collaboration will identify and train 400-plus youth across 20 CMYCs throughout Meghalaya, each serving communities from three to four nearby villages.
“Ultimate Frisbee is more than just a game, it is a really good tool for getting people or communities together. People with differences in culture and ideas can also come together to play. So for the (CMYC) project, it is a suitable sport to be introduced to the communities,” Michael Brenner, frisbee coach of UPAI, said.
The launch of Ultimate Frisbee in Meghalaya was commemorated by initiating a seven-day training program as a component of the CMYC project.
Twenty youths from various regions of Meghalaya were selected for this project, serving as the inaugural cohort of frisbee coaches, who will ultimately work with rural communities in remote areas. Over the next seven days, they will undergo intense training on the technical aspects and behavioural approach of the sport.
“Each interaction with our partner communities uncovers previously unseen challenges that are often underestimated. What appears straightforward at first glance often reveals deeper layers of complexity. We aim to experiment with new developmental tools and gain insights from these experiences. Our methodology necessitates a collaborative design process that carefully considers and adapts these tools to address the specific needs of our partner communities,” opined Nagakarthik MP, founder of Sauramandala Foundation.
