Ultimate Frisbee teach next generation

It may not be part of the national curriculum just yet, but children at a local school were given their first taste of Ultimate Frisbee courtesy of Warwick Bears.

Members of the club travelled to Thomas More Primary School in Coventry last week, where they introduced the school’s Running Club to the sport by covering basic techniques and splitting them into teams for some competitive games.

Ultimate – often referred to as Ultimate Frisbee after the well-known disc manufacturer – is a non-contact sport that involves passing the disc upfield to the opponents’ end zone. It has gained in popularity since its humble beginnings in 1967, coming under the officiation of BUCS in 2008.

Founded in 1976, Warwick Bears is the longest-surviving team in Europe and among the oldest in the world. Britain’s national team, meanwhile, is currently ranked second, seventh, and fifth for Open, Women’s, and Mixed competitions respectively.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of Ultimate is an ethos known as “Spirit of the Game”. Unlike most sports, it is self-refereed, and the official rules place emphasis on fair but competitive play, understanding of the rules, and mutual respect between players – ideas the club was keen to demonstrate to pupils.

The primary school session was organised and coached by the club’s charity officer Michael Shneerson, who said: “These are really important values that kids need to learn, and Ultimate provides an enjoyable yet competitive environment for them to do so.”

The cold temperatures and soggy pitches ensured that conditions were far from ideal, but students showed plenty of enthusiasm as they quickly picked up the correct technique for throwing, catching, and running into space.

“One of the kids came over and asked me if we could carry on playing at the end of the session,” Shneerson said. “Others came over to us and practically begged us to come back to teach them some more throws!”

Looking ahead, Shneerson hopes to see similar initiatives in the near future: “I would 100% encourage other clubs to do it.”

“It can be hard initially to set it up and gather enough interest within the club, but once you try volunteering and see the smiles on the kids’ faces and the difference that you make, I guarantee you’ll be coming back for more.”