St. Louis Classic & Good News

So I played with One Trick Pony, Jimmy's new co-ed team from St. Louis, last weekend. We ended up second to a team from Chicago (I should probably know the name, but I don't). They had some players from Machine and Nemesis. We had 4 women for most of Saturday and 5 for Sunday, but all were high quality women (Me, Abby Doriani, Jenny (Jimmy's fiancee), Amy Sheldahl, Lauren (formerly from Truman)). We didn't really all have to work hard until the final, and then most of the women on that team were tough. I wasn't so much tired at the end of the day as tired during each point after the first few cuts. I had a couple of layout Ds (yea, me!) and a few good grabs on O, but definitely could up my game. On double game point in the finals I layed out for the winning score and caught it....but a few inches out of bounds. I should have layed out forward! And there was one layout D in the endzone that I bid for and was actually TOO HIGH. Yeah, as in, I layed out far enough and my hand went over the top of the disc. Son of a..... I don't think of myself as a defensive player, but I'm not really a good thrower. Hmmmm....... And I had some poor throws in the final (3 really bad ones come to mind). BUT I hit the dirt a lot, and it felt good. I am still thinking this could be my best year of Ultimate yet. Oh, and today I am less sore than anticipated. Amy Sheldahl had her normal speedy long cuts for some good catches in the endzone. I was impressed with Lauren's play on both sides of the disc. Jenny has really great hands and is fast- I am really glad she is finally playing competitive Ultimate; she got some Ds I didn't expect. Doriani was solid, as always. I REALLY hope we get a bid to Boston and that we have enough women to go! And I really hope the Van Buren Boys go, too. That would be a blast! Draw back of the weekend: JC pulled his groin again. Oh, and Saturday night we went to City Museum, which is like a giant jungle gym made of metal for adults. It is multiple stories, has slides, crawl spaces, old airplanes to climb in, and swinging ropes. I think Lana and Kevin would have loved it, and they almost for sure would have tipped the scales in the final (not a guilt trip, just an observation).

Good News: Truman State beat Texas 14-10 to take the only bid to Nationals out of the south region!!! We have 3-5 ladies that will be playing Rackages this summer that are currently on TSUnami. I am thinking about having our May practice down in Kirksville, and maybe taking the Iowa State women down and having a round robin tournament, maybe mix it up a little. I think that many quality female players in one place HAS to be good for any Ultimate player. Iowa State has regionals this coming weekend, so I'll be thinking of them and wishing them the best. You should, too.

E-mail, etc.

I got the preview e-mail sent out at the beginning of this week. The ball is officially rolling, or more appropriately, the disc is spinning. I went to women's practice yesterday and was decidedly worn out by one 13 point scrimmage. I'm playing in St. Louis this weekend with One Trick Pony (co-ed), and we will only have 4 women for the weekend. Yikes! I'm pretty sure my body isn't ready for that....but I can't say no to Ultimate! I will try to have a full recap of the weekend sometime next week. I am disappointed that more of the "old" Ames people aren't going. I really wanted Lana to go b/c I like playing with her- which can be said of most of Rackages. Those that I can't say it of, I just haven't played with, yet.

So here is what I sent the tournament directors for Boston Invite:

"Past performance: Well, we are formed of a CLX (The Chad Larson Experience) women core, and CLX placed 10th at Worlds last November. CLX declined playing at Nationals last year, but were in semis in 2005 and placed 2nd in 2004.

Comments: Our non-CLX women are of the same fiber: layout too much, huck big, run fast, take chances, and cause a ruckus on and off the field. Some of us have been playing together since I started playing womens (6 years ago), and besides our natural love of the disc, want to win it for each other."

I think this bid lands in the "pretty okay" pile. Dang it, I wish I were witty! But, so far I've gotten positive responses from the team about attending. It would be awesome, and I may actually be in some sort of shape to play by then.

Solarz came up with this gem:

"nothing runs like a Deere, or a girl with a small rackage"

So then I ask you, why are Tai and Christina so fast?  I almost had to ban them from the team, but....
despite their not quite small rackage, I love playing with them for their ridiculous bids.  Seriously,
if you haven't seen them play, you're missing out.  And I'm sure at heart they are truly Small Rackages.

Ultimate in my Veins...Always

Okay, so I am biding time before this giraffe necropsy (I am stoked), and I google my name and end up reading the play by play for the 2004 National Finals and have to post this about DK and the Vicar:
"Shazam works the spread offense on the next point, but Karsten gets the D. He then throws a terrible, blade-like hammer to Seiler, who incredibly makes the catch."
Man, what an awesome season (and a spectacular catch...watch the videos). Building my base of Small Rackages from CLX women, and adding in women that LOVE to play and LOVE to lay, I am hoping for something similar, yet altogether different and hopefully better. I am about to start an e-mail to my "committed"s and my "maybe"s. I am out of shape, recently throwing like poop, but about to have my 4th day in a row of Ultimate- who could ask for more? Well, I am actually hoping there will also be pick up tomorrow and that I'll go to women's practice on Saturday. I am fired up to get in the best shape of my life, which will be tough- I've been fairly fit at some times of my life, and those were times when I had less to distract me from Ultimate. I'm also about to start digging into my research life- what an exciting time for me (that sounds saracstic, but isn't). I am hoping that everyone reading this can feel as poised to start the best part of their life as I do right now.
Oh, I watched an awesome history thingy on UCLA baskeball's golden years with Coach Wooden last night. I think that also inspired me, but doesn't explain why I dreamed of turnovers last night- I'm apprehensive about handling for this team of mine, and wonder if I even SHOULD handle. I actually woke up super angry with myself in the middle of the night, asking myself WHY I would try the loopey forehand over the poach when I KNEW I could dump that backhand (I don't know who my dump was, but probably Sarah Solarz). By the way, Solarz is one of the best handlers I know. Man, I want the disc in her hands. Nobody knows of this blog, yet.

Starting anew....

This is a new blog because I cannot log on and post comments on others' blogs. Also, I am hoping to use it mostly to post Ultimate stuff, probably mainly pertaining to Small Rackages, the new club women's team out of the central region. My first post about the team should come shortly after graduation...then I can post names and stuff and people will HAVE to play with me because th whole world will know they said yes!!!!