Next Ultimate generation aiming high
2019-20 Black Kites team preview : Ultimate Frisbee
Written by Haven Lo
Ultimate Frisbee is perhaps one of the fastest growing sports in the world, and is definitely one of the fastest growing sports in RCHK. The Black Kites Ultimate Program has now entered its fifth year of existence, and the 2019-20 season provides both new challenges and opportunities for all involved to handle.
Players from both teams form a huddle after a game - exemplifying the Spirit of the Game
A Quick Guide to Ultimate
Ultimate frisbee, also known as ultimate, is a fairly new sport developed in the 1960s in America. The name came to be due to the fact that the game was originally played with Frisbie Pie tins. While the sport no longer uses pie tins as game equipment, the name stuck.
One of the most interesting quirks about ultimate (other than the name and the strange flying disc) is that the game is self-refereed. This means that all calls are made on field by the players themselves, with all disputes between players also solved between themselves. Contrary to popular belief, this is not because there are not enough people willing to referee an ultimate game. Instead, it comes from a belief on the “Spirit of the Game”, which is that sportsmanship, mutual respect between players, and adherence to the common rules of the game are all traits players should exhibit to increase the enjoyability of the game.
Another difference which separates ultimate from most traditional sports is the emphasis on gender balance. Games are often played with mixed genders and is one of the few large team sports that can achieve parity between genders. The non-contact nature of the sport also means that players of all ages and sizes can participate.
The girls team with one last cheer before a match
The History of Ultimate at RCHK
Ultimate has always had a small presence in RCHK, taking the form of casual disc throwing by a few people in the playground. However, competitive ultimate was introduced to the school by the current class of 2019 only five years ago, and it was since then that Ultimate has really exploded. In the first tournament played by the Black Kites team, the team entered without any prior training sessions and placed second in the Division B tournament, securing promotion to Division A. Since then, the RCHK team has had podium finishes in almost every tournament entered, with the most commendable finishes being a first place finish in the U14 summer tournament last year. This, combined with a closely contended second place finish by the open team shows the quick growth of the programme so far.
Two players closely contesting the disc
The 2019-20 Team - A Year of Firsts
There is a lot of hope for the team to continue with this upward trend. However, the 2019-20 season remains pivotal as this is the first year without the contribution of the class of 2019, who are now in their first year of college. Due to this, the team is both anxious and excited to see what their results will be, fully independent of the first generation of players.
The 2019-20 team also boasts the largest roster ever, with about 50 players spread across years 7-12 forming two teams. Not only does this confirm the growth of the sport in the school, but also shows that the sport is here to stay. This is because for the first time, RCHK is able to send a fully independent junior team, meaning that there are enough junior players for there to not be any players with both junior and senior duties.
This change coincides with the introduction of a U14 league in Season 4. While a school ultimate already existed in Hong Kong, this is the first time where there will be both an open league and a junior U14 league, meaning that the junior team will not have to sit by the side while the senior team plays their league fixtures.
Player to Watch: Jonathan Tang
One of the youngest members ever to join the HK U20 national team at only 15 years of age, the natural right handed player will look to lead the team from the back as a handler. Caution must be paid to his physical health however, as a long term foot injury may make or break his season.
Speaking to Jonathan directly, it is clear what he expects from the team this year. “Due to the new influx of players,” he began, “we must work on developing the necessary skills for the sport before teaching advanced tactics.” Regarding his aims for the team, he also said the team must take the games one at a time. “We are not sure yet where we place in the new season. This is due in part to the fact that our chances to play matches are hindered until season 4 due to scheduling issues with our World of Work opportunities and EOTC. However, with the longer preseason break, we can try our best to prepare for season 4.”
With all this excitement, will the RCHK team be able to bounce back after the loss of its key players? And will The Black Kites finally be able to overcome their largest challenge: becoming Division A champions of Hong Kong? Only time will tell.
RCHK Ultimate Frisbee Team