I’m sure everyone out there has played a game of Frisbee toss at some point in their lives. The concept is pretty simple in that you throw the disc to someone else and they catch it. Usually it’s fairly straightforward and the only issues one usually runs into is having hands of stone or playing on a windy day.
Somewhere along the way, the sport of Ultimate Frisbee evolved from this simple game of toss and catch and a lot of casual players on college campuses and rec fields have grown to love the sport. The AUDL (American Ultimate Disc League) has taken it a step further and made the sport professional and this season will see Pittsburgh enter an expansion team into the fray.
That’s right, Pittsburgh, you have a new professional sports franchise vying for your entertainment dollars this summer as the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds are set to take flight. They will be part of the AUDL’s Midwest Division and are one of the 25 teams that make up the league.
So what is Ultimate Frisbee and how do you play? Each team takes turns on offense and a player has to throw the disc to another player who stops once they receive the disc and establishes a pivot foot. They then have to advance the disc to another player on their team until they cross a goal line, much like a touchdown in football. The other team has the opportunity to try and break up a pass. A drive is over if the throw is dropped, thrown out of bounds or intercepted by the other team.
The American Ultimate Disc League (AUDL) plays games on a field that is 53 1/3 yards wide and 120 yards long (80-yard long playing surface with 20-yard end zones). Games are timed with four 12-minute quarters and a 15-minute halftime. If the score is tied after regulation time ends, a five-minute overtime period will be played. If the score is still tied, a first-goal-wins scenario plays out during the second overtime.
The player to watch for the Thunderbirds this year is Tyler DeGirolamo. DeGirolamo played for the D.C. Breeze last season and recently was part of the first place team at the World Beach Tournament for USA in Dubai. He was also part of the national championship teams at the University of Pittsburgh and has been described by several AUDL writers as someone who can singlehandedly win games for the Thunderbirds.
General Manager Andrew Gardner spoke with pride about the “spirit of the game” in which players are encouraged to show good sportsmanship and help overturn a call a referee makes if they feel it is incorrect. An example of this is a player knowing they had stepped out of bounds and the referee incorrectly ruling they had not. A player in this situation can use the integrity rule.
“Spirit of the game might not be a concept you’ve heard of before but it’s something that is very important and integral to our sport. On a recreational and amateur-competitive level, Ultimate is a self-officiated game and requires us to protect the spirit of the game by making honest, fair calls. It’s a rare model that works and teams, although competitive, really do enjoy playing against one another and upholding the rules of the game,” added Gardner.
The Thunderbirds will play their first match on April 11 on the road against the Indianapolis AlleyCats, and their first home match will be on April 25 at 7 p.m. at George Cupples Stadium against the Cincinnati Revolution. Just about all home games will take place at George Cupples Stadium with two matches up at Founder’s Field in Cheswick. You can find out more information about the team and purchase tickets by visiting the Thunderbirds website.
Gardner also stressed the need for fan support.
“Pittsburgh has a winning culture and we have adopted that same culture. Our guys and coaching staff have made it a priority to stop at nothing to get to the top. We’ve got our eyes on the Final Four, which will take place in San Jose in Early August,” Gardner said. “We will be featured in two ESPN3 games; one against defending Midwest Champs Madison Radicals and one against a very talented Chicago Wildfire team.”
Hopes are high for the first-year franchise as they will begin the season ranked 10th in the AUDL Power Rankings and a title is, pardon the pun, the ultimate goal.
