Back in London, clapham are recovering from the week’s long slog, preparing for Tour 3 in Cardiff, Wales on the coming weekend.  Worlds is over, and like elsewhere the domestic season continues.  The week in Prague was a mixed one for us.  Our objective was a quarter final, and from there who knows. We fell short however losing first to a superior Buzz Bullet team, and then later the same day a very close game against Calgary’s Invictus. The Buzz game was frustrating in as much as they forced us into playing a game we did not want to play. Mis-judgements, throw aways, coupled with an impressive long game by the Buzz left us out of sorts.  We recovered well in our off game and were up for the Invictus game. Exact score lines are shady, we more or less traded until half, which they took 6-7 on an enforced time cap due to the heavy rain the day before – a bit annoying – enforcing a 40 minute time cap? whatever though. Second half we came out strong initially going up a break or two, but they quickly caught back with a few contentious calls and poor decisions. With 10-12 down in a game to 13, we brought it level before falling on the last chance.  On score they deserved the win. They gutted out a few more passes, a few more gritty points. A bitter loss.

I’m not sure why it hurt so much? Disappointment in not winning for sure, not fulfulling potential maybe, not realising expectation, or just falling short. All feelings felt. The loss made us question our trainings, question our approach, and ask what might we have done different? Though some detail could have been better, individual decisions and such, what seems to stand out strongest is experience.  The experience of the game to go, the game to go to quarters, to go onto something larger and more important.

What leaves us with Prague is a raw sort of feeling that we won’t get the opportunity for another 4 years to compete at this level, and even then, the competition might be somewhere where American teams might not travel in full pledge like in 2006, Perth.  It begs the question: how are we going to narrow this gap of experience between the top and the rest?  At the opening ceremony the president of wfdf spoke proudly of development grants they have created. I sat there thinking development grants? hmm.  what could that mean?  To grow the sport in under developed countries? to promote peace in the middle east?  i am fully supportive of projects which use sport to bring people together to resolve whatever the issue, but frankly I came to Worlds to seek the highest level of competition possible. To pit my team against the best and see how good we are. 

Last week we realised we still have a bit to learn. But what, we get to wait four years for the honours of trying our tactics again?  It seems rediculous, and unfair. Surely WFDF needs to be supporting the sport in developed countries and what they need to be doing is coming up with a tournament format which increases the level of competition, worldwide.   No?  With our current squad we went to ECC last year and this year to the Texas showdown.  In past years, the club has traveled to Chesapeake and the Boston Invite. They have been great opportunities for young players to pit themselves against America’s finest and learn they can compete with the elite. Teams in the four cities we have visited have been more than hospitable to us.  They have welcomed us, supported us with in kind tournament costs, and provided us with great experiences.

What we want to know is how can we compete year on year in a competition that is of world wide quality?  Is there not a clever way of allowing teams to join US nationals?  one european, one austral-asian, one south american?  Nationals has wild cards places and and strengths bids do they not? After Perth four years ago I asked the UPA whether they might consider such a proposal. They responded saying that they do their part in participating in WFDf sponsored tournaments and World Nations, that they would only consider countries that border the US ie Canada and Mexico.  Though i do appreciate US Nationals is about teams from their geographical location, is there really not a place for widening participation?  A radical reassesment of borders and a society where participation and access to opportunity is leveled? I get Nationals is about nations.  I am half american myself and playing at college nationals was an amazingly american experience to have.  thats not in doubt.  I guess what I am trying to suggest is that US nationals could be about something larger and has potential to act on a larger scale to increase inclusion.  For really, how else is the gap to be narrowed? Ideally we’d all be like the buzz, but they are sponsored by the Bunka Shutter and sadly they don’t have a monopoly on shutter making companies the world over.

So Prague is over. Lovely to see old friends and meet new ones.  Great to have a go.  Great to act like idiots with the team.  We will carry on, we will fight for our tenth national champioship, and to reclaim our european title, and next year we will return to the states, stronger and hungrier than ever.  We hope to see you there.

CU

With kind invitation from the Huddle, I will be contributing thoughts and perspectives on the ongoings of WUCC developments on behalf of Clapham Ultimate.  My name is Ollie Benjamin, and have been a part of the squad since I moved to London in 2002, leaving an infamous Santa Cruz Banana Slugs frisbee team behind. That seems some time ago.  What struck me when I first arrived was CU’s no nonsense, balls out devotion to hard trainings.  Results were a reflection of a refinement of the basics and high fitness.  Years have ticked along and the squad i think holds 3 or 4 of those years, but the ethos is ever the same - bleed for the team and the team bleeds for you (no santa barbara refernce intended here).  The club is a good one. i like it. 

We are the only European club team to travel to America in search of high competition, and though our journeys have not always yielded victories, they have proved seminal to the club’s development.  Younger players realise they can run with the elite and the senior players get to scout new tactics and strategies.  Expensive as the trips may be, they keep us ticking over and provide incentives for new players.  The most recent crop of young players I think is our best. They are keen and full of ethusiasm. they enjoy the game, which is great.  not that i don’t enjoy it, but i am sure you know what i mean.

Anyhow, like other contributors, I am not sure how much insight I will really be bringing to this column. i’ll no doubt give summaries of the games we play, and descriptions of the general scene.  Four days til we fly.  last training tuesday, tabatas and other light sessions to ease us in. Carb loading and the rest of it.  Let’s see what the week brings.

OB