By Ben Scott
Diagonal rain slashes down as I peer across the floodlit Hove RFC pitch. A strange sight greets me. There appear to be 35 people wearing shorts running around chasing a frisbee.
I instantly feel overdressed in my coat and scarf. It appears that they are not just playing frisbee but ultimate frisbee.
This is not frisbee I recognise but frisbee that has been down the gym, got ripped and got rules.
They do not look like I expected. I had a slightly presumptuous idea of slightly unfit people running around, falling over a lot and generally being quite rubbish at the whole thing. You know, playing frisbee because they are not good enough to play a “real” sport.
I soon realise, as per usual, how mistaken I am. These people are not only athletes but elite athletes. This is because I am at the winter training ground of Brighton Ultimate.
This is a club that won the National Mixed Division last year and whose men’s and women’s teams are in the top five in the country. The junior team won spirit awards last year at under 19 and under 17 levels.
A club that proved that its mixed team is the best in Europe by winning the European Club Championships in 2009.
A team that last year were bitterly disappointed with finishing two points off 5th place at the World Ultimate Club Championships.
These guys and girls are good, very good.
I am soon greeted by an impressively bearded (note to self: get rid of my pathetic designer stubble) and smiling member of the club, James Houghton.
His t-shirt used to be white and loose fitting however it is now a muddy hue slicked to his body by the rain and sweat.
I begin by shivering and asking quite simply: “Why are you here, on a Monday night in the pouring rain, chasing around a bit of plastic?”
He grins back and says in an enthusiastic, yet sincere, manner: “I just love it. I find it a really relaxing thing to do running around in the rain chasing a bit of plastic!”
He is not the only one. The club, one of more than 100 in the country, has more than 70 members who all pay £3 per training session to help fund the floodlights and the “essential” bar.
James tells me that the club, in its present incarnation, has been in existence only since 2005.
I soon realise that it reflects the diverse nature of Brighton as a whole: youthful students dodge around respectable financiers before flinging the frisbee to diving middle-aged teachers.
The age range here is impressive with the club boasting members aged 14 to 55.
Practices are free for your first time and consist of both drills and practice games.
Jason Stoakley, a motor-mouthed IT assistant, says: “Any person of any shape and any size can come in and have a bit of fun while there is opportunity to progress to higher levels.
“All you need to do is bring a good attitude along with the right footwear for the first time.”
Speaking of moving to a higher level, you can also train alongside people who play for the Great Britain team.
Recent alumni have included Nick White (mixed), Megan Hurst (women), Ryan Taracas and John Kingdom (juniors).
So why play ultimate frisbee then? Sara Nillson, 19, was quick to explain that it is “fun, intensive and exciting”.
Indeed I was surprised by the speed and intensity of the matches. It is a hybrid of basketball, netball and American football.
Teams of seven aim to score a point by catching the frisbee in the opponents end zone.
You cannot run with the frisbee and it must be thrown within ten seconds of being caught. You switch from attack to defence when the frisbee is dropped or intercepted.
Bedraggled Robbie Haines agreed with Sara saying that it is “certainly a competitive game which caters to all levels”.
More than 1,000 schools across the country are now adding the sport to the curriculum as not only is it cheap but it instils a sense of fair play and respect in the players.
Fouls are called by opposing players, the matter is discussed and then an outcome is agreed upon. If this does not work then the throw is simply taken again.
Brighton Ultimate also played at the World Ultimate Club Championships in Prague where they eventually finished 19th.
Landscape architect Sion is still gutted about the result admitting that injuries played quite a major role in the below-par performance of the European champions.
With big teams from Australia, the USA and Canada also attending, Brighton Ultimate soon found that “everyone there was a pure athlete with no weak links in their team”.
They are already looking forward to another crack at the title in four years’ time.
So what did I learn from watching the training session?
Firstly it is almost impossible to write notes on sodden paper.
Secondly that forehand passing looks awesome.
Lastly that Brighton Ultimate is not only one of the top clubs in the country but that it is also one of the friendliest.
For more information visit www.brightonultimate.co.uk.
