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SALT LAKE CITY — This weekend, Utah is hosting what might be one of the most exciting events of the year: the Ultimate Frisbee High School National Invitational Tournament.
Ultimate frisbee teams from around the country will converge Friday and Saturday at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City, with two of those teams coming from the great state of Utah. Hosting the event this year isn't just exciting, but well deserved for the local athletes who have worked so hard to make it possible, said Lone Peak High School coach Craig Roberts.
"Last year, the Lone Peak boy's team won the national championship, earning an automatic invitation to the event this year," he said. "This is the first time this national championship tournament has been played in Utah, and the first time two Utah schools will be participating."
The two Utah teams represent Lone Peak and Green Canyon high schools, each with a girls' and boys' team participating. Roberts explained that since ultimate frisbee is not a sanctioned sport in the state of Utah, these teams are not affiliated with the school, but play on a club level. Lone Peak and Green Canyon are among 16 others from around the country competing for the national title.
Roberts acknowledged there aren't many who know much about ultimate frisbee, but said he hopes that having the championships in Utah will change that.
"Everyone knows what a frisbee is, but many don't know what ultimate frisbee is," he said. "Many will ask me if it's the game with the disk that you throw into a basket, which isn't the case. Ultimate is played on a soccer field, and it is a cool combination of soccer, basketball and American football all rolled into one."
Much like football, soccer and basketball, the goal is to move the frisbee from one end to the other through a series of passes. Unlike those other sports, however, there is no running with the frisbee. Another difference is it is all self-officiated, meaning that players rely on each other to be honest and work together for a fair-played game.
It is this spirit of play that entices Melissa Swaberg, senior and captain of the Lone Peak girls' team.
"I just want people to know how fun ultimate (frisbee) is," she said. "It's super competitive but I'm best friends with all the people that I play with — like, even with the Seattle and the Minnesota teams. It's the coolest thing when you're jumping on to play defense, and you know who you're guarding, and you're all good friends."
Ultimate is played on a soccer field, and it is a cool combination of soccer, basketball and American football all rolled into one.
–Craig Roberts
Both Swaberg and Roberts spoke about the high level of talent in Utah, and said they hope the event this weekend will showcase both the sport and level of play — in hopes that the sport will grow.
"Ultimate is a quickly growing sport, and competition in Utah is among the toughest in the country," Roberts said. "There is a ton of talent here in Utah, and we just think more people should know about it."
The championship tournament will be held all day Friday and Saturday at the Regional Athletic Complex, at 2280 Rose Park Lane, in Salt Lake City. For more information or to attend a match, visit hsniulti.com.
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Arianne Brown
