For years, the MSU Ultimate team has carved out their own spaces in the vast world of club sports on campus.
According to USA Ultimate, more than 70 million people play sports in over 80 countries around the world. Ultimate is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States, with US Ultimate memberships increasing by more than 300% since 2003.
Michigan State has embraced this niche but highly competitive sport as part of the university division of USA Ultimate. The team is currently ranked 47th out of 346 Division I programs.
MSU Ultimate President Marc Canellas-Salles has been playing for the team for a year two years, but has been throwing Frisbees since childhood. Many MSU Ultimate Players are roommates, and Canellas-Salles said they will spend time together from the field as well.
“When I started, you could see some of the people you’ve never played, including yourself,” Canelas Sales said. “It’s cool to see how we find our roles and how we improve together, and all my friends are Frisbee players.
MSU Ultimate consists of three teams: Moose, its women’s team, Riot, The Developmental Men’s Team, Arc, ARC and a competitive men’s team. On Wednesday nights, from 10pm to 12pm, all three teams will be able to hone their crafts at the Tom Izzo Football building.
Like most MSU teams, Michigan is their top rival. At the country’s No. 27, Michigan is an outstanding opponent for the ARC, and Canelas Sales ensures that matchups are surrounded by calendars each year.
“All Michigan athletes’ favorite times are playing Michigan in all sports,” Canelas Sales said. “My best memories are when I beat the Michigan freshman year.”
One ARC member holds double citizenship in Ireland and the United States. Senior Captain Wilzamsky inserted himself deep into the ultimate world.
Zamsky was recently invited to give it a try at Team USA, one of the world’s most competitive and ultimate teams. He was not close to the US national team, but Team Ireland took him on recommendations from Team USA alone.
“I contacted Team Ireland for double citizenship, but they took me to the team without the need for a tryout (and accepted me).
This summer, Zamsky will represent Ireland at the World Flying Disc Federation World Championships in Rogloño, Spain.
“It was a cool experience. I didn’t end up building a team, but it brought my confidence, brought high-intensity play to MSU, and brought the team to a high level,” Zamsky said. I did. “The whole experience helps.”
The ARC is led by head coaches Dan Donovan and Mark Whitton. Donovan has coached the team since 2016, and Whitton joined three years ago. After graduating from Grand Valley State in 2019, Whitton said he had a great experience at ARC.
“It was fun to see them all grow from a small 18-year-old child to an adult trying to join the workforce and grow up with Frisbee all the time,” Whitton said. “They are completely different kids. They have college experience and have grown a lot as players and individuals.”
Canellas-Salles said MSU Ultimate is always ready for the next player to sign up. He encourages everyone to join, especially those with athletic backgrounds.
“You don’t need any previous experience to play, you can literally teach them everything,” Canelas Sales said. “I have shown that I can’t throw a Frisbee for more than 10 yards, and now my position is throwing.
Last season, Ark boasted a 18-4 record. The team finished second in the conference tournament and competed in the USA Ultimate D-1 Regionals, where they finished fifth out of 16 teams.
Ark season has just begun. From February 15th to 16th, the team will travel to North Carolina for a Queen City Tune-up hosted by UNC.
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