Picking-up in Ottawa…Ultimate

You've heard all about this wonderful sport and want to give it a whirl. Or maybe you're coming off an injury and need a little game action to test your recovery. Perhaps you're already playing five nights a week, and want to make it an even six. Whatever the reason, there are lots of ways to get yourself some hot, sweet, sweaty, pick-up action…of the ultimate variety.

Pick-up games range from well organized, intense affairs, where teams are carefully selected, to a group of friends who decide that they want to run a little after tossing. Personally, I'm a fan of the latter arrangement, as the former tends to be too taxing for what should be an enjoyable experience. Picking up with a team is an entirely different matter, but I'll explore that as well.

Although the OCUA "Pick-up Games" forum doesn't see much action, there are a couple of regular pick-up games happening in Ottawa. One of the easiest to find is on Parliament Hill on Mondays at around 6pm throughout the summer. A word of warning, the caliber of play is pretty high, and don't think you'll have an easy time if you choose to mark someone who looks to be in their 40s. The guy that "organizes" these weekly tilts, I believe his name is Frazier, can motor circles around young bucks. Having just played in a pick up game last Thursday in front of the Supreme Court, the clerks who work there were saying that they have a pretty regular after work Thursday game. Although the caliber of play wasn't high, it was a spirited affair. Although not quite ultimate, and not quite regular, the Ottawa Goaltimate Facebook group holds games about once a month throughout the summer. You can easily find someone of your own ability to mark, and you'll learn a sport that will make use of all your ultimate skills. Lastly, I remember reading about some regular weekend pick-up game on Petrie Island (Cumberland). I think it was mainly younger people, but playing ultimate on a beach sounds like a blast.

OCUA has a couple of "pick-up" games at Ben Franklin Dome throughout the winter, but honestly, I'm not a huge fan. Sadly, these affairs tend to turn into comp players throwing to comp players, beginners running around aimlessly, and intermediate players trying to do too much to impress the comp players (who don't give a shit). For $10, I guess it's not a bad deal to throw around with decent players for an hour or so. On the other extreme, some of the best pick-up action is stuff you randomly stumble across. I used to throw at lunch with some Industry workers at Vincent Massey while with a previous employer. One day a group of high school students walked past, challenged us to a game, and it was on! I had lots of fun chasing after the energetic little bastards on defense, and the girls I threw with worked the disc up the field like pros on offense. There was another time I went to a friend-of-a-teammate's pick-up game, and was amazed at how a bunch of hippies totally ignored rules to make ultimate even more fun. A Nurple tip - enjoyable pick-up games are easily identified when shoes and bags are used to form endzones instead of cones.

If you're looking to pick-up with a team, your best bet is to ask around, and only use the OCUA 'Teams Looking for Players' as a last resort. Friends and teammates tend to know which teams are looking for players, and if you're the right caliber of player to fit with the group. Posts on the TLFP forum tend to be misleading at best. Captains overstate just how good or how fun their team is, in an attempt to attract players. My only positive experience with the forum was picking up with Disco Fever half way through last summer, when their captain accurately posted that they were an athletic, mid-tier team looking for male handlers. Another Nurple tip - you might want to sub for a team a few times before you officially join them. Think of it as a test drive, from which you can easily walk away with no hard feelings. My last thought on picking up with a team, is that it's pretty easy so long as you don't mind playing low-to-mid tier. Since ultimate players are prone to injuries, with people moving, and relationships deteriorating, there's no shortage of teams that will truly be looking for players at a given time. Just because they don't post in the TLFP forum, doesn't mean they won't be receptive if you offer to play for them.

In conclusion, if you need a little ulti-lovin' this summer, try the pick-up route. It's low commitment, easy, and lots of fun. Until next time, happy hucking!