Ultimate Frisbee is a fast-paced, non-contact, mixed-gender sport that was only just recently introduced to Meghalaya in a systematic way.
The sport combines elements of football, basketball, etc and has been rapidly gaining popularity around the world, with players participating in recreational and competitive leagues. The game is played with a flying disc, or frisbee, on a field similar to a football ground.
Collaboration between the state government, Sauramandala Foundation and the Ultimate Players Association of India (UPAI) – the governing body for flying disc sports in India – brought the sport to Meghalaya. The objective of this initiative is to engage youth in the state’s communities through sport and create a platform for fun, growth and learning.
Twenty-two future coaches were recently trained by coach and player Micheal Brenner of the USA ultimate club, Pride of New York (PoNY). These coaches were identified and selected from communities where the government had set up the Chief Minister’s Youth Centres (CMYCs) and they will be training and teaching the game to members of their respective communities.
Shortly after the training sessions, the coaches in training were sent to their respective communities to orient and identify players for the game.
“We have had no problems introducing the game to my community at Laitlyngkot,” said Wanda Majaw, a coach in training. “People are very interested in the game. It is also not a hard sport to learn.”
It has, however, been a mixed bag as far as participation goes elsewhere. Umling CMYC has so far only seen young boys take part. “Adults here are quite busy with their various schedules,” Umling coach Evangeline (only one name provided) said, also pointing out that the sport is quite new and possibly seems a little odd to most residents, who are generally more inclined towards football and other popular sports.
In contrast, in Jakrem the sport is growing in popularity, especially among female youths who regularly visit their CMYC.
In Samanda, meanwhile, people were really embracing this new sport with excitement and curiosity. During the playoffs, a group of around 20 to 25 individuals, of all genders and ages, but mostly teens, would show up each day to watch and learn and they have picked up the game amazingly quickly. In Jakrem, the sport is becoming more popular especially among the female youths who regularly visit the centre.
Apart from the organisational endeavours of Sauramandala Foundation’s partnership with UPAI, the game was particularly chosen for its unique inclusivity factor – where players of all ages and genders can participate.
“It is also unique for its ‘self-officiating’ (no referees involved) approach, entirely focusing on the ‘Spirit of the Game’, perhaps a crucial factor in making it popular in places where it is introduced. The players are solely responsible for following and enforcing the rules, even at the international stage and world championships. This unique feature places the responsibility for fair play on every player. Competitive play is encouraged but never at the expense of respect between players, adherence to the rules and the basic joy of play. Spirit of the Game is thus also an efficient tool for various social organisations to break the ice in communities that they are working in.
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 22 communities throughout Meghalaya, each serving up 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 project, it is a suitable sport to be introduced to the communities,” Brenner said.
