University Daily Kansan / Tuesday. April 7. 1987
Robin Tice, left, a member of the St. Louis women's ultimate team, Armetis, swings a pass by Ruth Jacobson Kansas City, Ks., junior. The KU women's ultimate team, Betty, defeated St. Louis and captured first place.
Ken Wicker, left, Overland Park junior, and Dave Smith, right, Kansas City, Kan., senior, battle for the disc with one of the Boulder Stains.
Darry Gholston, St. Louis senior, cuts loose with a battle cry during the HorrorZontals 17-8 thrashing of the Oklahoma City Jam.
The Zontals and team dog, Jagger, gather in a circle, hands joined at the disc and sing their own rendition of "Home on the Range' before doing battle with the Slug Brothers.
Flying frisbees fill the air at the Ultimate Fools Festival
every year when the weather warms, signaling the beginning of spring, people celebrate the earth's renewed life and energy
the rites of spring in many different ways.
- the rites of spring - in many different ways.
Traditionally, celebrants are said to have spring fever. Silly, delirious fools even have their own day on the first of April.
This weekend, more than 350 men and women from across the country celebrated April Fools' Day at the Palm Beach Country Club.
The festival is an annual Ultimate Frisbee tournament in Lawrence, sponsored this year by the RU
Under clear skies, the Lawrence women's team,
Betty, beat all three of the women's teams, from St
Mary's.
Saturday, 20 men's and four women's teams met at Shenk Complex at 23rd and Iowa streets to play the game.
"It a mixture of basketball, football and soccer."
"It Mark DeCoursey, Overland Park senior." "But it's a lot faster and a lot more fun. There's more spirit to the game."
The Lawrence men's team won two and lost two, beating Centrifugal Force from St. Louis and the Slugg
DeCoursey, who was a bystander this weekend, said he had played ultimate on a Kansas City team called Gange Green.
Ultimate basically is non-contact Frisbee football, except players cannot run with the Frisbee. The object is for a team of seven players to advance the Frisbee down the field into another football into the end zone to score a point.
If the Frisbee touches the ground, it is a turnover and the defensive team continues play until a point is scored, as in soccer.
Ultimate also combines aspects of basketball. Once
a player catches the Frisbee, he must stop as soon as possible and pass it, pivoting on one foot.
But ultimate's most unique aspect is the sportsmanship with which it is played. There are no referees or officials.
"The spirit of the game is when if someone wants to cheat, you let them," said Mark Cerney,ystander and member of the Lawrence HorrorZontals "If they win the fair game, then let them go ahead. It's only a game."
Players make their own calls based on a small book of rules and what is called "the spirit of the game."
Joan Isbell, a member of the Babylon Sisters from Boulder, said competitiveness sometimes ruined the NHL.
"Teams work so much to win that they're not enjoyng themselves enough," she said. The spirit of the game is an attitude that carries over into everyday life.
"Ultimate is a recreational activity and, for most people, a lifestyle." Isell said. "A lot of people say ultimat
Doug Bradley, member of the tournament champions, the Dover Dogs from Kansas City, defined ultimate as total escamism.
"During these two days we don't think about anything else, work or school," he said. "We don't have the time to do it."
A Lawrence team won each of the tournament divisions.
The Bettys's won the tournament with a come-from-behind 13.10 win over Artemis from St. Louis. Betty was one of the four finalists.
The HorrorZontals on the loser's bracket with a 17-8 thumping of The Jam from Oklahoma City. The
In the men's finals, the Dover Dogs beat Springfield,
17-14. to win the tournament.
Photos by Gareth Waltrip and Alan Hagman Story by Tim Hamilton
The HorrorZontals psych-up before each game by performing a ritual they call the Bukamaru psych circle. The Zontals got their feet together before their game against the Jam.