When you hear of someone playing frisbee, you imagine them playing with their dog on some remote beach somewhere.
The Sungazer Ulitmate Frisbee team is a Bloemfontein-based frisbee team competing in ultimate frisbee.
This local team won first prize at the Northern Regions Mixed Championships held from 18 to 19 March at the University of Pretoria (UP). They are now training for the prestigious Mixed National Tournament to be held at the Nelson Mandela University (NMU) in Gqeberha from 28 to 29 April.
Elizabeth Carr explains the team has risen from the ashes of the pandemic and is eager to showcase their tenacity, skill, and sportmanship on the national stage.
She explains ultimate frisbee is a fast-paced, non-contact sport that combines elements of soccer, basketball and American football. With each team fielding a line of seven players, the objective is to score points by catching the disc in the opposing team’s end zone.
The sport is recognized by the Olympic committee and governed internationally by the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF). Ultimate Frisbee places a strong emphasis on sportmanship, fair play and dual-gender competitiveness.
In South Africa, the sport is overseen by the South African Flying Disc Association (SAFDA).
The local team was previously known as Bloemfontein Ulitmate Frisbee, but underwent new branding last year due to loss of momentum and the Covid-19 pandemic. As a new team, they ended seventh in the first informal national tournament last year – Roctober in October. This was the beginning of the competitive Sungazers Ultimate Frisbee team.
The team is diverse and focuses on developing female players, training three times a week, honing their fitness, footwork and team cohesion.
Carr said their long-term goal is to contend for one of the top four spots in the country, dominated by teams from Cape Town and Pietermaritzburg until recently.
Those looking to join the team or who would like more information can send an email to sungazersultimate@gmail.com.
