I remember being 20 years old and a friend suggesting if I wanted to tell people in nightclubs I was a university-level athlete, I should join ultimate frisbee.
It was said in a way which almost ridiculed the game, as if the fact they let almost anyone join was a negative.
Ultimate’s welcoming nature and ease is something that pulls people together.
However, it is often used to portray the sport as unserious, causing people to disregard it.
Yet in London, a city significantly more diverse than England as a whole, it is no surprise a game which prioritises inclusivity thrives.
While the most decorated Ultimate Frisbee team in European history play out of Clapham, Brixton is home to a club which exemplifies the diverse nature of ultimate.
Founded in 1992, Brixton Ultimate attracts players of all ages and abilities, largely due to the lack of trials to join.
Club captain Lizzie Irwin said: “Some have picked up the sport in the last year, others have been chasing plastic for a couple of decades.
“This breadth of experience in our players means they learn from each other on the pitch.
“Our club vision is that we win and lose as a team, and that encourages every player to do their bit. On and off the pitch contributions are valuable regardless of experience.”
Regardless of how competitive they play, Brixton are just obsessed with people getting involved – you do not need to be perfect, you just need to try.
Despite having seven Team GB athletes turn out for them in their history, Brixton and their recently-appointed captain understand the special nature the sport has which allows anyone to play.
Irwin, who works in the publishing industry, said: “During last season’s Women’s Tour in Nottingham, Brixton Women climbed the ranks to a top-eight finish.
“As London’s only non-trialling women’s team, we faced off against elite, trialled clubs from across the country. It shows that together, we are more.”
Though the 23-year-old Durham graduate hold the rewarding on-pitch role of captain, the off-pitch admin work is left to club chair Isaac Black.
A 38-year-old commercial lawyer, Black began playing in 2005 after seeing a stall for the sport at Aberdeen University’s freshers fair and he vividly recalls it being next to underwater hockey.
He said: “Ultimate is unique. ‘Spirit of the Game’ is the core principle of ultimate and applies at all levels of the game, from grass roots to the IOC World Games.”
All ultimate games are self-refereed, and unlike many other sports, honesty when playing is paramount – if you are deceitful, the game loses its edge.
Irwin said: “At higher levels, ultimate is played by genuinely elite athletes.
“The competition is intense but always with an underlying spirit of mutual respect for your opponent.
“As well as being kind of inspiring, it also means that ultimate clubs are generally pretty friendly and welcoming.”
Brixton do play at quite a competitive level despite their inclusivity, whereas some other clubs focus solely on being diverse, though perhaps lacking that long-term competitive edge.
Ola Olumade, known as OT, picked up ultimate around the time of her university freshers fair after she signed up for a taster session just to be polite.
After falling in love with the sport, the 21-year-old bioengineering student kept coming back, and by her third year, she was captain of the university women’s team
Hailing from Haringey, OT takes a break from the competitive side to play in a more casual manner when she returns home from the north east of England.
She said: “I tend to stick to a club in Clissold Park called Curve which a university teammate introduced me to.
“As much as I love playing at a high level, there’s nothing like a scrimmage with your friends in the park and then going to the pub after.
“I played in a European invite tournament in Sweden which was a really cool experience but also incredibly intense. There was none of the usual banter I’d get at casual tournaments.”
The joy of ultimate, as OT suggests, stems from its simple nature. All you have to do is give it a shot.
It can be challenging, and playing competitively can be an incredibly tough task, yet as long as you try, nothing else really matters.
In a way, ultimate summarises exactly what London is all about – diversity, inclusivity, and spending time in your community.
Featured image: Andy Moss
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