Ultimate frisbee is slowly growing in popularity in Jersey

Trainee accountant David Pichler (27) is made about the sport, ultimate frisbee.

What’s your obsession?
‘Ultimate Frisbee’

What got you into it?
I got into ultimate in Freshers week at University. I was walking past a demo session at one of the halls and thought I’d give it a go. I was hooked from the first session and stayed with it through university. The main draws throughout that time were the people I played with, the fitness levels required and the fact that it’s self-refereed at all levels. Competitive play takes the form of weekend tournaments which usually have a Saturday night party. This gives the sport a very social atmosphere. Oh, and the sport’s a great deal of fun to play too.

How often do you do it?
I don’t play as much as I used to but I still go to most of the major tournaments. I’d say I play about five or six tournaments a year, most in the summer and about half of those are in England.

Where do you do it?
As I said around half the tournaments I play are in the UK, last year I went to Italy, Taiwan, Ohio and Florida as well. Only last week I was in Prague for the World Ultimate Club Championships and in 2012 I’m hoping to go to Japan with Great Britain to play in the World Cup equivalent.

Is it easy to get into?
Yes, quite easy. Most UK universities have established clubs and that’s still the way most people get into the sport in this country. Schools are starting to take it on as well but in those terms the sport is still in its infancy. Ultimate players tend to be quite welcoming to new players too and the social side of the sport encourages this.

What skills do you need?
Being able to catch and throw a frisbee helps but these are skills that are surprisingly easy to pick up. A little bit of fitness goes a long way as well but after playing for a few weeks this also improves quickly. So I’d say that the main skill for someone learning to play ultimate, as with anything new, is just a bit of patience and perseverance.

Is it popular in Jersey?
Oddly not, despite our array of exceptional beaches. The player base here is pretty low but those that do play are pretty dedicated and involved. Our numbers are growing slowly. It’s actually more popular in Guernsey and they have a bigger player base to select from. The Guernsey team are coming over here at the end of the month to play Jersey. We’ll still beat them though!

What do you like about it?
I like the self refereed aspect of the sport which can be a controversial one because it relies on players being competitive, yet fair minded, about their behaviour. The sport is extremely athletic at the higher levels and therefore very demanding on stamina but also explosive power. It makes the sport challenging but also exhilarating to play and watch. I also like the fact that I’ve been able to travel around the world playing the sport.

What do you need to do it?
A Frisbee, friends and a place to play – that’s pretty much it..

How do I get into it?
Come along to one of the Jersey sessions. We practise at 2 pm on Saturdays up at Les Quennevais wherever we can find a bit of space. We’re pretty friendly and are made of about 50 per cent new players.

• If you want to do some research first the rules can be found online at www.whatisultimate.com Or you can search for ultimate on YouTube.