Tommy Botthof Loves Ultimate Frisbee

By Venus Zine Staff
Published: April 16th, 2010 | 12:00am

Nothing is more exhausting than sprinting back and forth on the beach. After about 10 minutes it feels like your legs are about to fall off. But when you’re playing Ultimate Frisbee, you're having too much fun to care.

I’m not much of an athlete, but I chase after a flying disc with more excitement than my dog. Though it might not sound enjoyable, there just isn’t a more pleasant feeling than laying out completely for a catch, making that catch, and eating a mouthful of sand in the end zone.

Before each game, my cohorts and I stand in a huge circle and throw several Frisbees around in a sort of pre-game ceremony. Most people who haven’t played Ultimate laugh at the notion of Frisbee as a competitive sport, because they think of bros and hippies delicately tossing a disc to each other. But ask the football team what happened when they played against my group of friends, consisting mostly of lazy musicians and cigarette smokers: They came, they saw, and we conquered.

And while we were very proud of ourselves, winning never seems to matter in this game. I don’t know if it’s the people who play, or the game itself, but it all boils down to having a good time.

Frisbee has evolved from a stereotypical burnout hobby (think hacky sack) into the best possible workout for yours truly. I’ve loved the game since junior high, and I'll probably still be playing even when I need a walker.

Tommy Botthof is a Venus Zine editorial intern