January the 5th is an important anniversary for me. That’s when I started playing Ultimate Frisbee and, as an introvert, began pushing my comfort zone to a galaxy far, far away. It’s the only New Year’s resolution I stayed true to and the greatest commitment in my life (literally). Ultimate Frisbee became a significant part of my life – the moment I got to know the sport, it took my breath away (again, literally – it still happens).
When I went to my first training, I didn’t think it’d become so important to me, and 10 years from that day, I’d make so many memories, friendships and gain various experiences. Lastly, I wouldn’t get to know myself and my limits or become who I am today. At the first training, the former Captain of my ex-team said, “Ultimate’s first fix is free”. He wasn’t kidding. My bank account is constantly weeping, but this round piece of plastic lights up my face with a huge smile.
How Ultimate Frisbee started, what this introvert believes happened.
I can’t tell you where I’ll be in a year or ten, but if I had to choose, I’d love to do another ten of Ultimate. My journey began as just a New Year’s goal to get back in shape and sports at 25. Back then, my friend started playing Ultimate and suggested I join. As for an introvert, team sports didn’t sound that great. She also warned there’d be a day that she wouldn’t be at the training, and I’d have to go alone. The doomsday happened soon, but spoiler alert – I survived – it was fun.
After two months, I went to my first tournament, and after the outdoor season, I was hooked, and 10 years later, here I am. I’m playing on my second-ish mixed team (third women’s team), planning yet another season. Sadly, my friend doesn’t play anymore. But she’s doing amazing things and is a better runner than I’ll ever be.
Considering all this time and experiences, I can say that Ultimate Frisbee taught me a lot. As an introvert, I went through many plot twists and character-building. Perhaps on an alternative path, I’d eventually learn some of the things Ultimate taught me. However, I feel my life would lack something. I often ask people in the interviews what Ultimate Frisbee means to them. For me, it’s passion and freedom. A longer answer requires a separate post. In this one, I want to focus on what 10 years of playing Ultimate Frisbee taught me (also as an introvert).
What 10 Years Of Playing Ultimate Frisbee Taught This Introvert?
If you’re time-sensitive, check out the images below to jump to the post section you’re most interested in. Otherwise, keep scrolling, and consider this post as one of the books on this year’s Goodreads reading challenge. 😉
Friendships
People come and go, and as you progress through the following levels of your life, you may find yourself asking, where do people make new connections? We live in a time when we suffer from the loneliness epidemic, and social media gives us an illusion of connection. It’s particularly daunting for introverts to step out of their comfort zone and meet new people.
Ultimate often becomes a social hub, bringing people together from all walks of life. The sport grants you a comfortable space to meet new people through sports. You can meet like-minded people with similar life values. You create enduring friendships with teammates and opponents, building a supportive community that goes beyond the field. Those relationships may become the most vital in your life. Joining a team means becoming part of a family with a wide range of personalities and temperaments.
The sport taught me that building new friendships isn’t that daunting. Finding a group with a shared passion for the sport makes it easier to build friendships. Through the years, I found it easier to initiate a conversation. However, I still prefer the observation mode and engaging without pressure. While it’s hard to maintain non-ultimate friendships, it’s easier to make new connections outside of my bubble.
Spirit Of The Game - the essence of ultimate frisbee and making calls as an introvert
Ultimate is unique in its emphasis on fair play and self-officiating. You learn to trust your opponents, resolve disputes amicably, and prioritize the joy of the game over winning at all costs. Apart from fair play, Spirit Of The Game also enforces respect for all players, regardless of skill level, and fosters a positive and inclusive environment. As a result, you learn to appreciate the diversity of your opponents and celebrate their successes.
In self-referred sports, it’s challenging to remain fair as everyone has their perception of a situation, and the concept is unique when you compare it to soccer. You have limited time to make a call, and you have to resolve it fast. You learn to distinguish which approach is fair play, especially when it’s not in your team’s favor during a high-stakes game. On the contrary, some sports prefer the “win at all costs” outcome. You learn to control your emotions and become more open, which is one of the most important takeaways.
Introverts and ultimate frisbee calls
As an introvert, I found speaking up difficult while making calls during an ultimate frisbee game. It’s exceptionally challenging when your opponent is more expressive and persuasive. It’s challenging to hold onto your opinion, quickly reassess the situation, and remain calm. At first, you may need to step outside your comfort zone. Some calls will have a bit of conflict in them. It’s okay to ask for a second opinion whenever it’s unclear if the call is still valid. There’s nothing wrong with retracting a call.
Spirit Of The Game probably has as many supporters as opponents. For me, it was a magnet to the sport, which made it unique and safe to build up confidence.
Teamwork, adaptability and problem-solving
Ultimate as a team sport requires constant communication and cooperation. You learn to trust your teammates, anticipate their moves, and work together to achieve a common goal. You experience different team dynamics, navigating mixed, women, and open teams. Each has a significant communication style and vibe.
Ultimate teaches you a lot about adaptability and problem-solving in team environments and how to apply it during the match. The ever-changing nature of the game demands quick thinking and adaptability. You learn to adjust your strategies on the fly, react to unexpected situations, and find creative solutions to challenges.
You learn that each person on a team contributes to the whole picture. Your team is as strong as its weaker link, and it’s up to the team to boost each other to achieve great results. You discover your strengths and how they can benefit your team, finding your niche to build from there.
Key takeaway for introverts about teamwork in ultimate frisbee?
As an introvert, I considered communication the most difficult, especially in conflict situations. You can’t satisfy everyone and remain in “rescuer syndrome” because it will cost you. On the other hand, you can embrace qualities such as being a good listener and being there for your teammates.
Through the years, I found my way to comfortable communication and expressing myself when I needed to say something without feeling obligated. Most importantly, I accepted that sometimes it’s better to mull over things and return to the conversation when you can calmly and clearly articulate or write down what is on your mind.
Leadership and responsibility - managing a team
As you gain experience, you may take on leadership roles within your team or community. You learn to motivate others, make decisions, and take responsibility for your actions. The hard lesson is that you won’t always be considered for leadership roles if you’re an introvert. That shouldn’t stop you because you can still learn a lot by not being in a direct spotlight, and that’s more comfortable.
Being on different teams, you learn other approaches to managing a team and work. Many things will backfire. You’ll see that motivating others takes up a lot of your energy. You have to acknowledge that different things motivate different types of people. Not everyone has the same goals on the team – some prefer competitive while others prefer fun Ultimate.
You get to see what is necessary to run a team:
- from training preparation,
- finding training spots,
- tournament sign-ups,
- preparing training,
- managing team finances,
- crafting the team’s direction,
- building the team’s recognition (basically the team’s marketing),
- being a media team,
- game analysis,
- player feedback
- managing conflict and motivation drops,
- recruiting,
- tournament transportation,
- more than often being a babysitter to the grownups on your team. 😉
All of that comes with great responsibility. Of course, there’s always someone unhappy with how the teams are led. Not all the solutions are the best – it requires your team’s trust and not taking everything personally.
Tournament management in Ultimate Frisbee
If you find yourself preparing a tournament, there are a bunch of things that you need to remember:
- finding the right venue (or beach big enough),
- accommodation space for the teams,
- tournament finances,
- volunteer recruitment and management,
- catering and snacks (the part that always stressed me out),
- enough water for the games,
- tournament gifts,
- tournament photographer,
- game live stream (optional),
- social media communication,
- communication with the signed-up teams,
- acquiring sponsors and cooperation with the city sports center,
- getting the right permits for carrying out the tournament and stuff happening around the tournament,
- the tournament timeline (tournament idea, deadlines, preparation, tournament wrap).
Basic tips on surviving an ultimate frisbee tournament management while being an introvert?
Most importantly, be always ready that at least one of the elements won’t go as planned. Don’t fret over things being perfect, and try to have fun (or at least survive). You’ll get some sleep after. You should pay attention to your energy levels and focus on tasks you’re comfortable with. Otherwise, you risk burnout and introvert batteries running out before the tournament starts.
Tournament management, from my marketing professional point of view, was a dream come true. Without Ultimate, this wouldn’t happen. It brought me a lot of exhilaration and an adrenaline boost. It also cost me lots of energy as an introvert. The most memorable post-tournament battery drainage and exhaustion happened to me right after a Beach Ultimate tournament.
On Monday, I had a job interview at a local marketing agency where I answered the bare minimum of questions. I couldn’t even name my favorite marketing blogs. I felt like I left my brain buried in the sand.
Spoiler alert: I got the job.
It showed me the importance of self-care and allowed me to appreciate the value of giving myself the time needed to recharge.
Physical fitness: pushing the bar and learning about your limits.
Ultimate is a physically demanding sport that requires endurance, agility, and quickness. You learn to push your physical limits, conserve energy, and overcome fatigue.
At first, it seems that anyone can do it. When you start taking it seriously, you notice what your body needs to endure the sport’s requirements to perform well, especially safely. You need to become bulletproof. In addition to playing the game and practicing drills, you should focus on developing four key areas of fitness.
Here are the 4 areas where Ultimate will push your limits:
- Cardiovascular Fitness: Ultimate is a high-intensity interval training workout in disguise. You’ll be sprinting, cutting constantly, significantly improving your heart health and endurance.
- Agility and Quickness: The game demands rapid changes in direction, forcing you to develop agility and quickness. This translates to improved coordination and reflexes in everyday life.
- Strength and Power: Throwing, jumping, and catching require strength and power. You’ll build muscle in your legs, core, and upper body even without realizing it.
- Flexibility: Reaching for discs and diving for catches will improve your flexibility and range of motion.
To keep up you need to add these areas to everyday training. Otherwise you'll learn things the hard way.
Through the years, I learned that physical fitness is a constant work. I don’t need to be the best – I prefer to be enough and reliable. I learned a lot through injuries (almost tearing my ACL at the height of my Ultimate journey). If you constantly push your body limits, you’ll sooner or later find your body saying “no” and suspending you from playing in the most creative ways. Most importantly, I started listening to my body’s needs. When I started playing ultimate frisbee, I pushed myself too hard because I was literally the weakest link. When I progressed, I was still pushing myself to be better. In the end, I accepted that there are some things that I can’t overcome. However, what my body can’t do, my resilience will make up for.
Mental toughness: resilience, confidence and not giving up. Introvert's secret powers.
Mental toughness is a crucial part of any sport. As an amateur athlete, you go through serious character-building here! Mental toughness is an ability to persist in the face of difficulties and teaches you to handle mistakes and failures.
It’s a skill that can be cultivated through consistent effort and practice. By developing mental resilience, you can enhance your performance on the field and achieve your full potential as an Ultimate Frisbee player. Mental toughness gives you the tools to self-motivate, manage stress levels, set goals, and help you grow as an athlete.
This is probably where introverts can excel by embracing their inner strength:
- Focus: Introverts often excel at deep concentration. Leverage this by focusing intently on each point, analyzing the defense, and executing precise throws.
- Observation: Introverts are often keen observers. Utilize this by carefully studying the opponent’s tendencies and identifying weaknesses.
- Strategic Thinking: Introverts often enjoy analyzing situations and developing strategies. Contribute your insights to team discussions, even if you’re not the most vocal.
Working on your mental toughness can help you with some of the darker sides of being an introvert.
- Overthinking:
- Mindfulness Techniques: Practice mindfulness exercises to calm your mind and prevent overthinking.
- Focus on the Present: Remind yourself to stay present in the moment and avoid dwelling on past mistakes or future anxieties.
- Recharging:
- Schedule Downtime: Allow yourself time to recharge after games or practices by spending time alone or engaging in solitary activities.
For me, mental toughness is an important part of my Ultimate Frisbee journey. It bulletproofed me in many ways. My resilience helped me overcome my weaknesses. When I first started building up my endurance and cardio after getting diagnosed with Hypothyroidism, it was my mental toughness driving me to run another meter and do another training. I can trust myself to push myself in the right direction in the moments of challenge and overcoming obstacles. That’s an important skill that directly applies to everyday life.
Commitment and consistency
If you mix up some of the above points you get commitment and consistency. Ultimate Frisbee is a demanding sport. It demands sacrifices, but mostly lots of your time and effort.
By committing to the sport, you sign yourself up for:
- Skill development,
- Physical conditioning,
- Teamwork and communication,
- Mental fortitude,
- Becoming a sports startup where you don’t get paid, but do a shitload of things, that no one ever hears about, because your non-existent marketing budget is still figuring itself out.
It’s like becoming a superhero. By day you work a mundane job, but after hours you have Ultimate, which takes up 80% of your off-work time. It becomes your identity at some point. That’s why you should love it, so it’s not forced.
As an introvert, I found purpose in ultimate frisbee and got to do things I like, with people I’m grateful for. Ultimate gives me a space to spend lots of time outside, and much-needed distance from overthinking through commitment and consistency to training. Without it? I’m miserable. Ask anyone who had to deal with me whenever I’m injured or can’t be at a tournament.
Finding your voice as an introvert in extroverted environments of ultimate frisbee
Joining a group of people can be daunting. My first training? I went with a friend because I would never go alone. First tournament? I asked a new friend I was comfortable talking to if we could catch the same transportation. Each moment pushed my limitations farther away, but I needed friendly extroverts to help me. I’m grateful for that.
Finding your voice as an introvert in ultimate frisbee is about embracing your strengths, communicating authentically, and building confidence gradually. In a team environment, you learn to navigate team sports as an introvert, manage your energy levels, learn to set boundaries, and find your people. Your contributions are valuable, and by embracing your introverted nature, you can thrive on the field and enjoy the unique rewards of playing ultimate frisbee.
The sport provides an outlet for self-expression through athleticism and teamwork without the pressure of constant social interaction. I believe this is the best part of Ultimate. You can be yourself without all the pressure. A kind reminder – don’t ever feel that there’s something wrong with you. It just means you still are looking for your people!
Discovering a real passion and how it impacts your life
As I mentioned, I often ask players what Ultimate means to them. The question always captivates me because you see all these different perspectives. One thing is common: passion for the sport. No matter where you are in the world – the answer is always the same, even though the words are expressed differently. Ultimate becomes a real-life passion and is a catalyst for so many situations in life
Some check off their sports dreams, and some find the loves of their life or friendships to last a long time. If it hooks you, it sets you on a path where you discover new things about yourself and meet new people. You also miss out on stuff and people. If it’s a true passion, you’ll put in the hours at each training, tournament, and gym. It’s a double-edged sword, but if you love it and it makes you happy, it’s worth every minute and every second.
Is ultimate frisbee worth it?
People challenge me that perhaps Ultimate takes too much of my life. But that’s it – it is a part of my life, and I’m happy that I got to discover this sport. It’s a separate planet in my universe of various vital things in life. Without Ultimate, I wouldn’t meet the most important people in my life, and I can talk about it for hours (so, better don’t ask me).
If I’m not playing, I love contributing in any way I can to the community. Of course, I’m trying to balance it more with how my life evolves, but I believe that even if I stop playing someday, I can still find happiness and a place in this community by contributing. I believe that you need a passion in life. Ultimate Frisbee is a passion for many people and is responsible for many good things.
Wrapping up, so you don't spend 10 years reading...
In essence, I believe that ultimate frisbee teaches valuable life skills that can be applied to various aspects of your life, from work to personal relationships. It’s a sport that promotes personal growth, fosters a sense of community, and leaves a lasting positive impact on those who play it. When you join the sport, you glimpse just the tip of the iceberg. Ultimate opens the door to great friendships, traveling, and a lot of character growth. I believe introverts can gain a lot by being part of this community. One day, it will be a great memory to look back on and a huge chunk of my life. I hope that you have something like that for yourself too. 🙂
