MANILA, Philippines – Combine sprinting, running, jumping high in the air, a 175-gram disc, and you get Ultimate, a sport that’s fast gaining popularity here.

There’s more to Ultimate Frisbee than throwing and catching the disc. So to enlighten us are two guys who have the skills for the sport—and looks that’ll convince you to give Ultimate Frisbee a try.

Ian Mach is a Frisbee lover who has been playing for five years. This French-Filipino migrated to the Philippines two years ago and is a freshman at De La Salle University. He was introduced to Ultimate in a physical education class in high school. “My classmates and I enjoyed it so much that we’d play during our free time, even on weekends.”

Ultimate, unlike other competitive games, isn’t officiated by a referee and thus demands strong sportsmanship, respect and discipline from the players. The spirit of the game is what sets it apart. “Whether it’s an official game or just for fun, you really must be fair and respect the other players since we ourselves call out fouls and regulate the game. I think this characteristic of the game strengthens the bond between teammates and among the opposing teams,” Ian says.

In France, Ian used to join inter-school competitions. The sport helped him develop a good physique as well as precision and perseverance. However, he admits, while Ultimate is highly competitive, he treats it as a hobby or leisure activity.

“For me it’s not as physically strenuous as other sports, but what I like about is that it’s really fun to play,” he says. “And after several games you and your teammates will become closer friends.”

He no longer joins competitions, but continues to play and even influences others to play. “I play at least twice a month. Sometimes, I even invite my block mates to join me and we play in the school field.”

Ian is also very much inclined to music. He loves alternative rock because “it is the perfect blend of hard rock and pop.”

Holiday Parade, Boys Like Girls and Billy Talent are his top picks. Like most college students, he also has good appreciation for mainstream music. “I enjoy going to clubs once in a while and when I’m there I like dancing to house music, especially the beats by David Guetta (who’s also French) and Bob Sinclair,” he says.

Competition

Other guys like Ultimate because it’s highly competitive. Leopoldo Catalino Aguinaldo, or LA, is a 17-year-old Italian-Filipino who’s a freshman at De La Salle University.

He recalls his introduction to Ultimate: “One summer my friends and I wanted to pass time and do something fun, so we tried playing with the disc. We continued holding small games until we saw that it could actually be a competitive sport.”

LA is so now into it.

He believes the game is a whole team effort. “It all boils down to this: you can’t win without your teammates. You have to work together as one unit with a common goal.” LA adds, “It’s also important for a player to have self-confidence, that way you can give your best and contribute to the group.”

He practices or plays Ultimate twice or thrice a week.

The sport has risks. “One of the most common injuries is cuts on the wrist. This happens when the player catches the disc but fails to do it properly.”

LA says Ultimate isn’t as easy as it looks and requires creativity and persistence. “When the disc is in your possession and someone blocks you, you must work around the situation and find a way to pass the disc to your teammate.”

LA aspires to be part of the Philippine team for Ultimate Frisbee called Pula and join the Spirits League. The League is an annual event where teams from different countries compete.

LA also loves hard rock; he plays the bass. Among his favorite bands are Incubus, Drama Gods and Guns N’ Roses. And he equally appreciates classical music and the piano concertos of Art Atum.

While Ian and LA like the sport for different reasons, they agree on one thing—more people should try and play Ultimate Frisbee. LA says, “Every sport deserves a chance to shine especially a great sport like Ultimate.” Ian adds, “Plus it’s cheap, easy to learn and very enjoyable. If you bring a Frisbee and head to the beach, you’re sure to have a blast!”