Ultimate Frisbee Is Catching On In Port Chester
By Anthony Garzilli
THE ITEM: Fri July 18, 2003They do not necessarily consider themselves the sporting underbelly, but a growing group of current and former Port Chester High School students do know theri favorite sport has yet to fully hit the mainstream.
Maybe it's because many do not quite consider it a sport or maybe it's because others don't know quite what to make of it. Whatever the reason, ultimate frisbee is definately a sport, whether you know it or not.
"It's basically been this underground thing," said Jenn Ryan, president of Port Chester's student senate and frequent ultimate frisbee player.
Ryan recentlyhelped organize a tournament at the high school in hopes of creating interest among other local area residents.
But what exactly is ultimate frisbee anyway?
Let 1999 Port Chester graduate Peter Rende example.
"It's the endurance of soccer with the strategy of football," Rende said.
The offense can score by completing a pass in the oppoite team's endzone and after an incomplete pass, the defense immediately takes over, almost seamlessly.
Sound familiar?
About five years ago, the roots of ultimate frisbee at Port Chester began to grow.
One of then-student Richard Duffy's friends brought in a frisbee and the group suddenly formed, turning uneventful lunchbreaks into social events.
And now, at various points from 10am to 3pm, a growing number of frisbee-wielding students can be seen peppering the high school athletic fields.
The opportunity to sort of distance themselves from the more popular sports is what Rende thinks caught on most.
"When we were in high school, it really was a sancuary," said Rendfe, 21, who recently graduated from Biinghamton University.
Since then, students at the high school have kept up the sport and continue to push to make it an officially organized club sport with up to as many as 25-30 participants.
The hope is to spread interest and compete against other area communities.
"It's not ever really been organized as in other schools or even in colleges." Rende said. "It needs leadership in this area. Thjere are teams in Rye, Harrison, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle. There are no reasons why we can't have organized leagues. I know there rae people who are playing. The interest in this school is obvious.
Mamaroneck High School and Purchase College filed club teams, but Duffy and Rende would like to see more organized leagues develope.
During the summer Duffy and Rende do organize weekly Thursday games which often bring a turnout of players of all ages - from middle school to college graduates - and genders.
Despite the participation, Duffy thinks having a high school team would generate more interest.
"If Port Chester can get a team that would be great," said Duffy, 22, another recent Binghamton Graduate. "To have a league with other schools would be perfect."
Most people hear about and not think highly of it, but it's a very competative sport. It's no joke."