Underdog Mentality

Underdog Mentality

Lou wrote a really great story that was released just before the first weekend of Regionals. It captured the sentiment that people go into the weekend with, encouraging teams to cherish each game with their teammates.

What about the other side of the coin?

The week after regionals: this week is the happiest week of the season for dozens of team. We focus on their successes – the teams who have qualified for the championships – their triumphs, their victories, their road ahead to Boulder or Appleton.

Take it from me, this week can be the worst week of the entire season too. For hundreds of teams, the season has ended on a disappointing and heartbreaking note. Reflecting back, I have been part of a budding college team who has fallen short in the backdoor semis game once, and final game for three consecutive years with Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Me at my first tournament in spring 2007.

The first regionals appearance with SOL was also the first appearance in our team’s history. You could say that we were just happy to be there. We had upset Iowa in pool play and landed in the championship bracket. We had no intention of beating Wisconsin in semis, we couldn’t even compete with Bella Donna that season. We scored a few points, and we were thrilled to go and compete with teams we could handle.

We beat Minnesota-Duluth, and re-matched against Iowa. There was a bout of horizontal sleet in the middle of the game, and our field in a strong upwind/downwind orientation. We could not work it up against the Saucy zone until universe point. Guess what? I was wide open in the endzone and dropped the game winning point from Jaimie Glader. Iowa quickly hucked it downfield and scored, winning on universe thanks to hard cap.

In every essence, that point has defined my college ultimate career. In my first season, I had become accustomed to winning. I took for granted that I would catch the disc as I tried to check if I was in the endzone, without watching the disc all the way into my hands. I don’t think that I have ever felt entitled to win against any team, but I think I took a lot for granted that first season. You see this year in and year out: sometimes in some situations good teams and good players feel entitled to win.

By 2010, my last season with Eau Claire, I had transformed to a work horse. Every spare moment I had was spent training, developing new skills, diagraming new plays, watching ultimate...my boyfriend at the time thought my obsession was unhealthy (“Women’s ultimate isn’t a real sport anyway, Robyn.”). I always saw our team as an underdog. I always saw myself as an underdog. This mentality has carried me to where I am today.

One of my favorite plays from college. Laying out for a D vs. Wisconsin in finals of Mardi Gras in 2008.

It wasn’t until Centex 2010 that I felt validation. Despite decisively winning our pool, we continued to face team after team in the bracket who insisted that we couldn’t possibly be playing them. Before every game, our coach, Pat Niles, and I would approach the other team (not always the captains or coaches, just players on the team who were often times just standing between fields before the rounds start). In nearly every occasion in bracket play, we were “greeted” with this conversation:

Me: “Is this Field #__?”

Member of other team: “Yeah? What team are you?”

Me: “Wisconsin-Eau Claire. I think we are playing you.”

Member of other team: “Umm...are you sure you read the schedule correctly? The D2 and D3 games are over there.”

           

Celebrating our second break against Oregon in Centex 2010 Prequrarters to make it 3-0, SOL.

This happened EVERY SINGLE game we played, with the exception of Oregon. The mutual respect for Fugue will always be strong, as they were the ONLY team in the bracket who took us remotely seriously before the start of a game. They treated us with respect, and did not overlook us as an opponent. Everyone thought that "Fugue must have sat their starters...there is no way that some no-name team would have done that against them this year, they are untouchable!" False. They played their studs, we played out of our minds.


Guess what: UW-Eau Claire was the “winningest” team in Centex Saturday history (in addition to winning out our pool play games and cross over handily, we also won the danceoff). We finished 10^th which is pretty good for a team that was in the D2 pools and gave Oregon their closest game all season (with the exception of Wisconsin later that day, who beat them in finals).

Setting up the first pull of the game vs. Oregon at Centex 2010.

Those other teams thought they deserved to win against a no-name team. It is the “This other team couldn’t possibly work harder or have more talent than OUR team” attitude that kills a lot of talented teams every season.

My college experience has forever impacted my approach to the game. With the exception of the time since Club Nationals this year (my body needed a LOT of recovery time after not taking any off after my last knee surgery), I have prided myself in working as hard as I can. Most of the time, this mentality will carry you far. At the end of the day, sometimes hard work and talent are not enough. Sometimes the dice just don’t’ roll your way, but roll in favor of someone else.

This weekend, I had the pleasure of watching Minnesota-Duluth take home the coveted fifth bid out of the North Central in the open division. I enjoyed reading all the comments on Skyd and RSD about how they “don’t deserve to go” or “will most certainly get killed at nationals” or “this bid system is so flawed” etc.

Last year no one thought Luther would do anything and they took down Florida. Not saying that Duluth will likely win, but you never know. Rankings don’t mean a lot when the post season rolls around and teams have already been seeded. It all depends on who is smart enough to maneuver the system and who is peaking at the right time.

SOL was not expected to cross over into Division 1 at Centex (i.e. the best pre-nationals tournament that existed in 2010), but we beat UCLA 15-6, we went up 4-0 on Oregon only to lose by 2, and we beat UC-Santa Barbara. We didn’t win the whole tournament, but we upset some top teams and made some noise.

For you guys who are STILL reading this and thinking, “Robyn, that’s nice and all, and it works in the women’s division, which does not compare to the Open Division. You play womens...you can’t possibly get the Open Division,” I ask you, how does this not apply? Did UNI beat the #1 seed Kansas in the NCAA tournament in the same year (2010)? Sure, UNI didn’t go on to win it all, but they sure did do something, didn’t they?

SOL 2007: We qualified for Regionals. Underdogs, extraordinaire 

The taking point: the entitlement attitude won’t get you far in anything you do, unless you have the money to buy your way through life (but last I checked, there is no ultimate tournaments that allow you to buy yourself into finals). At some point, you have to earn your spot. That’s why the underdogs are so captivating to 90% of the people following, because they relate to that feeling, and it’s easy to get behind them when they finally succeed.

North Texas Envy

I had the opportunity to speak with North Texas's women's team. Envy embodies everything that I have been focusing on lately in my reading on sports development and outreach. They have worked to go from barely there, chippy, and not really aware of the greater movements in the ultimate community to a team that is fully engaged in ultimate, giving back, and revamping their reputation.

I have followed their season closely, as a friend of mine from Iowa has moved down to coach the team. Cara Massey and Blake McGlaun  answer some questions, and shares some insight on her 2011-2012 season with Envy. (Disclaimer: This interview took place prior to the South Central regionals, for which Envy qualified.)

Robyn: Tell us about playing ultimate at North Texas? What is the "ultimate scene" like?

Cara and Blake: The ultimate scene here at North Texas is somewhat of a hidden gem in the sense that not many students or teachers know it exists. There is a certain community that is established within the North Texas Ultimate Club that extends much further than the playing field. Envy has developed a strong support system of people who love and care for one another.Envy's alumni are always interested in our growth and development and often join in on traveling to tournaments just to show their support along the sidelines. Both the men's and women's teams are also very supportive of one another. Several members of the men's team come out to Envy's practices on a regular basis to give a few tips here and there or just to watch Envy in action. We often get together for "game night" or have a "bake off" just to hang out with each other.

How did you (Blake and Cara) get into ultimate?

Cara: I first got into ultimate through Grapevine League the summer before I transferred to North Texas in 2010. I did not think much of the sport until my captain had encouraged me to attend the Summer Solstice tournament in Tulsa, OK. That was the first time I had met and played ultimate with Envy. I immediately fell in love with the team's welcoming vibe and energetic persona and thus, fell in love with ultimate.

Blake: When I came to college, I tried many organizations to see where I would fit in and have the most fun.  Ultimate Frisbee instantly stole my heart. The vets, at the time, were super welcoming and already cracking jokes the first day I met them. I was stoked to start playing frisbee and travel with Envy because I just had this feeling that there was going to be many adventures I would never forget. The environment of ultimate is like no other I've experienced; it's chill, lively, and a complete blast with all the crazy, unique people. I love ultimate and I never want to stop  playing. 

Additional:

What I really enjoy about ultimate is that it's based on 'The Spirit of the Game.' Before I've only played sports with a referee, and calling your own shots was refreshing because the calls depended on honesty between opponents. I see some teams take advantage of this rule and they lose my respect when they do, so with my team I  try to emphasize the spirit of the game as much as possible because I believe it's important to play fair.

What have your goals been over the season?

Cara and Blake: Over this past season, one of the main goals was to increase Envy's competitive nature. In the past, Envy has had the reputation of being a free-spirited and fun-loving team, but was never really looked at as a competitive threat. This year is different because although we are still free-spirited and love to have fun, we have the athleticism to show the ultimate world what Envy is really made of. Another goal was to develop new players so that they will be prepared to lead the team when the vets are gone. It was important to not only develop the rookies' skills, but to also show them that Envy abides by the "Spirit of the Game" and is more concerned with enjoying the sport of ultimate rather than gaining an unfair advantage over competitors. Our rookies have shown an unyielding passion for the sport that has been an awesome addition to Envy.

What is your team's practice attendance policy? Were there problems/difficulties in putting into place?

Cara and Blake: Our attendance policy gained a much more serious tone in January. We implemented the rule that if you miss practice, you are running sprints. None of the girls seemed to be bothered by the rule. In fact, many of the girls are enthusiastic when telling us they are doing their sprints or had just finished them. The rookies are always adamant about coming to practice; it is seldom when any of them miss.

What are your long-term goals past the season?

Cara and Blake: Long-term goals are more along the lines of creating a bigger name for Texas teams. We aspire to one day attract big names like Iowa and Wisconsin to tournaments like "Big D in Little d". We place a more personal focus on sustaining a positive name for Envy in the ultimate scene (through recruitment of incoming athletes and development of current team members).

What is your advice to other teams?

Cara and Blake: Advice to other teams would be to never let people's opinion of you or your teammates stop you from pushing yourself and your team to achieve its goals. Advice to any captains would be to always hold yourself to a higher standard than the rest of the team. In regards to practice, there is fine line between having fun at practice and working hard to become better. We believe that it's always important to practice like you would play in a competitive game setting. Also, there is a difference between calling a teammate out while at practice and giving constructive criticism in a positive way. The latter is much more beneficial for team moral.

Anything else you want to share?

Cara and Blake: One more thing we would like to share is the importance of giving back to the community. Our coach, Paul Utesch, has reached out to us from within our community and has helped us to believe in ourselves and to push ourselves like we never have before. Envy has never had a coach figure until now, and it has made all the difference in our playing. We think it is important for people who have the insight and the know how to share that knowledge with the community so that ultimate can continue to grow.

Striking a Balance

As of late, I have been doing a great deal of reading in the prep basketball scene in my home state, Wisconsin. There has been a lot of really great coverage on some smaller teams. I think my favorite article has been this one.

It talks about Jerry Petitgoue, the Boys Basketball coach at a small school in Southwestern Wisconsin. Most of you who do not drive through that part of the state as often as I do, probably have never heard of Cuba City, Wisconsin. Its school boasts an enrollment of 271 students.

Petitgoue, originally from Dubuque, Iowa, had a love for the game but lacked the skill to play at a higher level in college. He learned as much as he could and secured his first coaching gig in Gratiot, Wisconsin.

I see a lot of parallels between Petitgoue's story and college ultimate. This man has created a ton of excitement around basketball in this tiny town--but enough interest that people from all the surrounding towns flock to watch his boys basketball team near the top of the Division IV rankings every year. Kids from all around the state attend the basketball camps he runs in the summer.

As I pack to head to Midwest Throwdown, I can't help but think of how we are paralleling the same story. Throwdown started its Roundup Division and a small "Division 1" a few years ago. Now, it has balloonned into boasting a couple hundred participants and a huge skills clinic. Michelle Ng, with the support of many others, has done miraculous things to create this atmosphere of excitement. The hard part was engaging the community. But once she built it: we all came.

The article describes his leadership style as a balance between cheerleader and disciplinariaon, always "striking the right balance to maximize his players' efforts." Isn't that what we try to do as captains and coaches. Being successful is about striking a balance. We see the best coaches and captains as able to attain that balance, and maintain it throughout the season. They are able to get everything they can out of their players, and seem to do it effortlessly.

The article also goes on to discuss how he has adjusted his game plans over the years to play to the strengths of his players. Division 3 and smaller school leaders: Take a close read at this. Having to fight the good fight and determine what was successful. Cuba City competes at the Division IV level in the state of Wisconsin: the division for the smallest of the small in terms of enrollment. There are some schools at the D4 level that have as few as 53 students. Talk about a small talent pool to draw from.

I often hear the best players at smaller schools talk about leaving their schools to go to a big school powerhouse. I think that Petitgoue has some great insight into that:

Petitgoue says he has been tempted to leave Cuba City just
once. In 1997, he received an offer to coach at his alma mater, the University
of Dubuque. The team had won just once in the past 50 games, but Petitgoue's
son, Ryan, also was a player on the team.

Petitgoue turned down the offer.

"People always say the grass is greener on the other side until
you get there and you find out it's burnt out, too," Petitgoue says. "I always
felt we had something special here. I felt I was made to be a high school
basketball coach and probably not a college coach."

Even when it gets hard to fight the good fight. Keep doing it. You were made to lead and you were made to pioneer the way for others at your school to be excited about ultimate.

If you're at Throwdown, come say hey. And give Michelle a huge thanks.

Sedusa (The Story of Saucy B)

As the B-teamers are busy creating a team identity, I am constantly reminded why I got involved with ultimate in the first place. The excitement centered on creating a team identity is an experience that goes unrivaled. Laying the foundation for a team, and a program, requires hard work, dedication, and most of all stamina. Part of that stamina is the frustrations of learning a new sport (we have three brand new players, who I think are hooked already), maneuvering a first college ultimate season (we have nine first year players), and pushing yourself to develop (we have two returners). All three of these things, all separate, yet inexplicably connected.

I am excited to work with this team and help them to realize their potential. Most important, I'm excited to be around this synergy and enthusiasm. I love it.

So ladies, the jerseys, logos, disc designs...they are all looking awesome. Keep 'em coming.

Pre-Valentines Love Fest: An Ode to the Other Things I Love

I will be honest. My body was in horrible condition by the end of Club Nationals. After not really taking enough time to recover from surgery last winter, transitioning from college to club without breaking stride, and playing ultimate 4-5 days per week all summer, I was in need of a serious break. In fact, Dave reminded me that I had taken my first break lasting more than a week or two since the age of 15 this year. For the record, I was 15 at the time of my first knee surgery, which was the most major of the three. Even then, I only took 3 months off, and was given the go-ahead to return to basketball 3 months post-surgery, which, for those of you who don't know, is a very quick recovery time.

Even though I am far from old, my body is no longer as resilient as it once was at the age of 15. So, after much encouragement and support, I took nearly two and a half full months off from physical activity. It killed me mentally. But honestly, now that I'm getting back in the swing of things, I feel incredible.

I jokingly called Dave this week after lifting to tell him the good news: I was back in the plate club (aka I have 45 lb plates on my squat rack). That is a huge accomplishment given where I was at the beginning of November. I went from not being able to walk up a single flight of stairs or even sit at a desk for more than an hour at a time because my knees were hurting so badly, to lifting a respectable (but not impressive) amount of weight.

I will also admit: I was going through the motions last fall. Yes, I still enjoyed playing ultimate, but it started to take the back burner to my academic, professional, and personal interests. My family, my boyfriend, my budding planning career, my passion for researching hazard mitigation, all of these things are more important than ultimate. I will be the first to admit it. Honestly, it still does. And guess what? It's okay. I'm okay with that.

It took an attitude shift in order for me to find my passion. Ultimate is NOT what drives me to get out of bed in the morning. It's not the only thing I have going. I shouldn't pretend that it is. Having other passions, like flood mitigation and planning and love for people, are okay (in fact, the pursuit of other passions, is well, encouraged). I feel like I'm living a full life and can share many passions with more people.

This outlook has actually re-invigorated my ability to teach the game and write about ultimate for Skyd.

In this realization, I was reminded just how much I love lifting, how much I love training, and how much I love ultimate....along with all those other things too.

Expectations: Setting the Bar High

It is often ironic how other aspects of my life encourage me to reflect on my experiences with ultimate.

I spoke at the Midwest Captaining Clinic in Grinnell, Iowa a few weeks back about the importance of establishing team buy-in for goals your team wants to attain at the team's pre-season meeting. This step is essential in creating support for what expectations and goals are.

Currently, I am part of a wonderful student project in my planning program at Iowa, where we are mapping renewable energy capacity at the urban scale (4x4 meter resolution), calculating return on investment (optimizing across three technologies: solar, wind, and ground source heat pumping) and performing policy analysis for Dubuque, Iowa. There have been many questions as to why our group is so successful in this project throughout the year, thus far, especially since we combine a wide variety of individuals with various skill sets and expertise that don't necessarily directly relate to "renewable energy mapping and policy."

I would credit our success to the ability to clearly define the expectations of our project on DAY 1. When we met in Dubuque in August, we brought the goal of putting forth high quality work, worthy of presenting at the National Planning Conference in Los Angeles this spring (the premier planning conference in the world). We wanted to publish an article in a highly regarded scholarly-reviewed journal. This is the equivalent to making finals at college nationals in the planning realm.

With that goal in mind and having full group buy-in to this particular goal, a lofty one, but attainable, the expectations became high from the beginning. People question as to whether or not our faculty advisor is actually performing our work. Clearly, he doesn't have the time aside from his own teaching and research to do our project too. But he sets us up by helping us find the tools to succeed. Pointing us in the direction of software tools and ideas for data, but not actually attaining any of the data, mapping anything, or performing analysis. Leadership is important, but having everyone buy-in to our expectations, we are able to make the most out of the leadership tools he provides. We by no means have the personnel who are the best at all the aspects of the project, but work together playing to our strengths, with the goal of producing something worthy of our expectations. This propels us to some incredibly impressive results.

I'll illustrate this with a comparison to Flywheel's phenomenal post-season run at the 2011 College Championships.


By no means did Flywheel dominate the competition all year round. They did not have the most talented players in the college game. They had capable players with a lot of talent, but I would say that personnel wise, Oregon should have outmatched them in the semis (having played both teams last season, that is my opinion, anyways). Flywheel had great leadership who gave their players the best opportunities to work towards their goal of winning nationals, but their leadership did not WIN the semi-final game for them alone. One thing that their captains were vocal about, was that the expectations were high from day one, and they had total team buy in to work hard to achieve that goal. Everyone contributed the effort and time to produce the results that they wanted. Yes, they had talented players...but it was their ability to learn their strengths and play to those strengths that they prevailed last season. They had a plan and the committed to it, wholeheartedly, and believed they could achieve it.

We saw it in other teams like Colorado College. I think we'll see it out of teams this season (Sonoma State and Central Florida are two that stick out right now).

It's not to say that every team or group can set these expectations and meet them. But if you have the personnel capabilities and leadership who can establish buy in to high expectations that accompany the skills, a commitment throughout the ENTIRE project/season, and a willingness to see it through, big things can happen.

Expectations and goals have to be REALISTIC. They were realistic for Michigan and Colorado College last season. They committed and achieved goals. Regardless of whether or not YOU THINK they should have been there, they were. It doesn't matter why or how they got there, they did. They were able to put their money where their mouths were, and you weren't. It doesn't matter if you beat them earlier in the season, because they won when it mattered and you didn't. Haters are going to hate, always, in no matter what you do.

You have two options: let it get to you, or keep doing what you're doing. It's hard to completely be ignorant to what they're saying. It's okay to know what they are saying, but it shouldn't get you down. It should motivate you to work hard and achieve your goals and raise your expectations. They're talking because they are jealous of your success. Give them something to keep talking about.

I'm hoping that 2k12 will bring just as much upset and success stories as last season did. Keep giving us something to be excited about, because your successes inspire others to step up their game. It gives them hope that they can set their expectations high (but realistic), and have the opportunity to achieve their goals if they fully commit.

Good luck.

Remembering My First Bout With Blogging

Here is a throwback for you.

My first blog entry. It wasn't even for myself. I got an e-mail from Franklin Rho, former coach of the USC Hellions of Troy. He asked me about what what I thought about the UPA restructuring of College Ultimate. Shockingly, my opinions have not changed a whole lot.

It is funny, however. When I re-read this, I now understand how my writing improves when I write for someone else. I really should practice sound writing habits in a non-academic arena again soon:
http://lovehateultimate.blogspot.com/2010/03/restructuring-and-future-of-sport.html

I was such a put together undergrad in 2010.

The B-Team Diaries

TWO THINGS:
1) I'll be getting active again in the blogging and writing spheres for the ultimate frisbee world. I look forward to working with Maya Ziv (who seems really awesome!) on expanding college women's division coverage. Additionally, I'm starting a bi-weekly-ish column focusing on development. If you or anyone you know has an interesting, compelling story about overcoming some sort of challenges (whether they are financial, facilities-related, recruiting, developing skills, improving, training, etc), please contact me. (robyn.fennig@gmail.com)

2) I will be honest with all of you. I have been wrestling with a difficult decision.

I was a little hesitant when I was asked to help coach a B team for the Saucy Nancy program at the University of Iowa. Not because it's not what I want to do, because, quite honestly, I have always wanted to coach a B team. I was hesitant just knowing what I would want to do as a coach, and wondering if I'll have time to do it.

Luckily, I have some wonderful co-coaches on board and ready to contribute to making this B team not only happen, but be successful. I'm also extremely excited to be able to have three coaches, meaning that one-on-one time is maximized.

I'm really excited to share the process of this with you wonderful readers. I think that's the turn my blog will likely take during this season.

Goal Setting

Here's an e-mail I sent to the Saucy Nancy 2011-2012 team. As rookies and veterans alike are working hard this fall to earn a spot on Saucy Nancy, they are starting to prioritize what they want to get out of the game, what they want to improve on. As I take a brief break from my obscene amount of paper writing in preparation for Club Nationals next week, I though I'd share it with all of you. Goal setting is important. Goal setting is what drove me as a player.

If you want Nationals 2K12, it starts TODAY. I can tell you something. I know for a fact that other teams are doing sprints, lifting, and practicing more days per week than we are. (I make it a point to know how hard my opponents are working so I can work harder. So I can want it more).

 

What is Saucy doing?

 

As people start thinking about skills they want to work on, I'm more than happy to help you out too. I may not be able to make many practices to help coach this semester, but it doesn't mean I don't care. I want this team to succeed. It starts by achieving individual goals.

 

I know a thing or two about setting individual goals. I have been playing ultimate for 4.5 years. My throws did NOT happen overnight. But rather, they were a result of specific goal setting techniques that Lou Abramowski helped me develop.

 

--You start with your end goal. "I want a good flick huck, even in the wind."

--You then, break it into mini-goals.

--Finally, break those mini-goals into tangible process goals that I can keep myself accountable to:

 

Goal: Be able to have a good flick huck, even in the wind.

Mini-goal 1) Get stronger

-Process goal 1: Work with my coaches to make a lifting program

-Process goal 2: Stick to my lifting program, complete it 3x per week.

-Process goal 3: Eat healthy

-Process goal 4: Get at least 7 hours of sleep every night

Mini-goal 2) More consistency

-Process goal 1: Throw 50 (or more) flick hucks per day

-Process goal 2: Throw 25 (or more) IO mid-range flick throws.

Mini-goal 3) More distance

-Process goal 1: Work on developing proper footwork to use momentum.

-Process goal 2: Throw 25 (or more) flick hucks per day with this footwork

-Process goal 2: Throw 25 (or more) flick hucks from a stand-still, as far as I can.

-Process goal 4: Do the grip/wrist exercise homework Mikey assigned at No Wisco.

 

With this goal scheme, I am only throwing 50 flick hucks per day (25 from standstill, 25 with footwork), and an additional 25 IO mid-range flicks (total of 75 throws), which takes me ~10-15 minutes when I'm business and concentrating 100%. I would leave an additional 25 backhands to keep me on my game there, for an even 100 throws per day.

 

You can do this for any aspect of the games. Improving defense. Improving short or mid-range throws. In order to develop a huck (25+ yards), you have to have consistent mid-range throws (15-20 yards). In order to develop mid-range throws, you have to have consistent short-range throws (5-10 yards). Consistency = hitting my receiver at least 90% of the time (Inside-out, outside-in, and flat).

 

It all happens somewhere. It starts within. It starts from motivating each other. It starts with wanting to get better at ultimate.

Leaders Are (or the revival of my blog)

For the past three months, I have been fortunate enough to have had a phenomenal internship doing hazard mitigation planning for the State of Wisconsin in Wisconsin Emergency Management (Department of Military Affairs). Today, our newly appointed WEM administrator held his “orientation” for all of the WEM employees. I sat in this presentation thinking, “Wow, this stuff applies to ultimate way too much.” He was talking about leadership.

He was talking about the equalities I want my team leader to possess on and off the field.

This entry is the “revival” of my blog.

Leaders are….

There was a slide in his presentation that I wrote down everything off of it. Eagerly. It fit too well to let this opportunity pass.

Leaders are motivators.

Leaders are imaginative.

Leaders are able to see the “big picture.”

Leaders think critically.

Leaders create relationships.

Leaders know when to act.

Leaders are agile, flexible, adaptable.

Leaders are motivators.

This is so true. Many times, it’s the team leadership that is able to get teammates excited to contribute to the whole. Leaders make people WANT to come to 6 am workouts, or perform an extra sprint workout to the best of their ability. Leaders inspire their teammates to go the extra mile to succeed.

Leaders are imaginative.

Leaders should be creative to come up with new ways to accomplish the same goals. They aren’t afraid to try something new. They “think outside the box.” They come up with new plans. They come up with different ways to get their teammates on board.

Leaders see the “big picture.”
They never lose sight of the final goal or vision for the season. They assess if progress is being made to reach that big picture goal, and can re-evaluate objectives to get there.

Leaders think critically.

Self explanatory. Without critical thinking, a leader, and their team will fail.

Leaders create relationships.

If you’re like me, you’ve been part of teams where you have a teammate who you do not get along with. They pit teammates against other teammates (sometimes themselves) in stupid battles that ruin team camaraderie, making your team function much like a broken machine with major operator error. Promoting the formation and maintaining of antagonistic relationships is the fastest way to train wreck. The leader, who can get people to put that B.S. aside and willingly work together and support one another (heck, at least tolerate each other), is a leader of a successful team on AND off the field, which is the ultimate goal.

Leaders know when to act.

Sometimes as leaders, we get caught up with attaining perfection, that we forget to do what we said we would do. Talk is cheap. It can serve as a motivator, or even a guise to get people to follow you…temporarily. But that’s all it is: talk. Until you actually DO something, your followers will drop like flies, and no one will buy into the team.

Leaders are agile, adaptable, flexible.

We don’t know what is going to happen on the field come game time. We don’t know who will actually be on the line, we don’t know who is going to have an off day, or who is going to play well. We don’t know what the other team will throw at us. We can’t even accurately predict the weather. The degree of uncertainty in sports is crazy high. Sometimes there is no way to anticipate what comes next. But a leader who can change strategy, personnel, or adapt on the fly, is someone whose team is successful.

What are your thoughts?

What do you want to see in your team leadership?

What things do you that are successful to be a leader on your team?

Quarter Finals: I'll Always Love Free Time

(I apologize. This is straight up stream-of-thought writing...)

It's Sunday May 29, 2010. It's 4:30 am. I can't sleep. Why?

It's quarterfinals.

I'm reflecting on this season and the seasons of my college past. The trip to where I am. And as the rest of my teammates sleep, dreaming of layout D's and making plays, I'm scouting and planning match-ups.

Up until the 2011 season, I was 0-3 in backdoor finals games. Nationals was always outside my reach. It didn't matter if I had neon pink hair, or how many D's I got, or how many handblocks my teammates got, or if it was horizontal sleet raining, or there was 2 inches of mud. I always tried my hardest, and I know that I left it all out on the field.

As I left the fields last night, hand in hand with Dave, I finally realized how far I've come. Personally and with this team. How much I've grown. If you would have asked me, "Robyn, do you think you'll be ready to play a bunch of points in Colorado at Nationals" back in December, I would have laughed. I approached this season as if knee surgery didn't set me back. That I didn't miss a beat.

My teammates. They're playing "balls-to-the-walls" D, and calm, collected O. We can do this.

We can do this.

Second Team Feature: Ottawa

http://withoutlimitsultimate.blogspot.com/2011/05/university-of-ottawa-lady-gee-gees.html

Check it out. I think this story about the Lady Gee Gees is great, particularly for developing teams in the Midwest. Don't let the winter weather discourage you from developing a championship worthy team. Anne Mercier and co-captain Kathryn "Kpoh" Pohran were phenomenal to work with for this story.

More stories coming soon! :-D

-Robyn

Guest Post 3: Nationals, Past and Present

As I take a break from writing Without Limits team features, I havae had some time to reflect on some things, as well as talk about some experiences from some important people.

This is the first time I have ever had the opportunity to play at college nationals. As such, I remember my first time competing at Club Nationals in 2008 with Alpha Cobra Squadron. I was nervous to the point of almost being scared. I was intimidated beyond belief. Here I was, a 20 year old girl, and youngest on my team (besides Erika Baken, but she has experience to boot), going to nationals for the first time. In fact, the biggest tournament I had ever played in up until then was college or club regionials, and I thought those were HUGE deals. I remember sitting on the plane ride to Sarasota. Big tournament jitters.

After getting there, I realized, it's just like any other tournament, but the competition is stiffer....and a bigger deal, honestly. Quite frankly, the main thing that made it any different was that I was getting the opportunity to play against the best from around the country, and I hadn't seen any of them play ever before. This was a pretty cool thing to be part of, yet very scary at the same time.

What makes college nationals different from club nationals is that, in many cases, teams attending have already played against most of the teams there. I think about the teams attending that Iowa has already seen play or played against, and I can't think of a team that goes unseen by me or my teammates. I don't feel so unprepared, nor should my teammates. I can say I go in less unprepared in my first college trip, but I can't say it is any less of a big deal. In fact, to me it's bigger. I can't wait.

In the journey to nationals, I have taken some time to learn more about Saucy Nancy as a program. Learn more about how the team has grown...the journey it has taken to get Saucy back to nationals again for the first time since 2005. Unlike where I did my undergrad, this team has a ton of history....being around for over twice as long as SOL. I think this is crazy. I want the current players to feel connected to the Saucy Nancy of the past. The guest perspectives of this post are from Saucy Nancy 2005 and earlier. Players who played for this program, understand what it means to be a Saucy, and what it feels like to go to the big show. Enjoy!

       "The weekend includes a lot of long, intense, spread out games. If only two to three games a day does not sound like a lot, it will certainly feel like a lot once the day is over. Take care of your bodies throughout each day, especially with the higher altitude and drier weather than what you guys are used to. Make sure you all are eating enough during the day, with some salt intake. Nuun or other type of electrolyte tabs are great for this. Keep in mind how much work you guys have put into the season to get to you to this point. Every practice, track workout, lifting session and bonding sess should give you all the confidence to play your hardest and best vs. any opponent (no matter the school or player). Nerves are a good thing going into a weekend like this, it shows that you all want it and will be able to go out there and prove it! Confidence and positive thinking will keep you all on top all weekend! GOOD LUCK and make all of us old Saucys proud!! saucynancylove"

-Leah Borsheim, Saucy Alum 2002, Coached at Colorado Kali at 2009 College Nationals


      "I went to college nationals 3 times as well as quite a few club nationals.  They are some of my best memories so no matter what happens, try to always be having fun.  
      One thing I always loved about playing on Saucy was that we always expected to win games.  As a team, you should go into nationals very confident.  Expect to win each game (which is different than thinking you can or hoping you might) and have complete faith in your teammates.  If you find yourself down a few points, DON'T STRESS.  You probably just need to make an adjustment or two and you can get it back no problem.

       Personally, it helps me to visualize the night before games.  Picture yourself throwing the game winning throw or getting a layout d.  

       During the games, focus only on playing your heart out for that point.  You can always sub out the next point so no need to conserve anything.  I always look at the girl I'm matched up on for D and think to myself, my only job is to not let her get the disc.

       Rankings/seedings don't mean anything at nationals.  I can guarantee you that there will be upsets.  Don't think about whether teams are supposed to be good or not...just focus on your own team and winning every point.

       As Leah mentioned, nutrition is key.  You must be eating all day and drinking gatorade.  There are long breaks between games so you should have time to digest.  Bring foam rollers, ankle tape, hamstring wraps, a lacrosse ball or any other devices you might need to work out cramps or sore muscles.  no hot tubs after games until you are done.  ice baths are the way to go.

Good luck Saucy Nancy!  We'll be rooting for you!"

-Sarajo "SJ" Hill, Saucy Alum 2005 (Nationals 2003, 2004, 2005)

       "Some of you know me, most of you may not, but my name is Mackenzie and I was the captain of Saucy during the 2002-2005 college seasons.  I am still on the email list and have LOVED reading about how hard you gals have been working and have enjoyed following your success.  I want to wish you the best of luck at Nationals!  You have all worked so hard conditioning and practicing this season and should feel proud of your success and confident in your abilities.
        I miss playing with Saucy!!  Most of my best friends from college (girls and guys) came from ultimate and are still the people I keep in touch with today.  Be thankful and enjoy your time together.  You have all worked extremely hard and hopefully partied just as hard throughout the season!  When you start your first game at Nationals, look down the line and feel blessed with the teammates who are lined up beside you...then kick some boo-hiney!!  Don't be content with getting to Nationals, let every single game be an opportunity to show what you are made of.  Support each other, cheer for each other, and laugh with each other if someone bites it running down the field.  Then, at the end of the day, toast each other for leaving it all on the field.  Nationals is it.  Some of you will be back next year, some will go on and play club, and some will stick with summer league but this is the last chance that you all have to play together and I can think of no better memory for you all than a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP!!  And you all know you can do it!!
       Everyone has an important role on the team and every single player can be the player who makes the big play.  Energy feeds off energy.  Be the catalyst.  Know that you have worked hard lifting, running, throwing, and growing together as a team all season.  Trust each other.  Trust Mickey.  Trust yourselves.  Know that you are ready to face any team who has the misfortune of falling in your path.  Do not be intimidated!!  You deserve to be there.  Of course there will oops's, don't sweat it.  Just make up for it later. 
       I'm so excited for you guys!!  There is something different in the air at Nationals.  An excitement that you will all soon be a part of.  Take a breath, take it in, then play ultimate!!  The game that brought you all together and is now a part of you forever.  Someday you'll be old, married, and have a kid (like me!) and look back at college ultimate as one heck of a fun chapter in your life!!  Have fun and live it up!"
-Mackenzie Groteluschen, Saucy Alum, 2002-2005

First Team Feature on the Blog

After chatting with several of the teams heading to the Division 1 College Championships, I'm pretty proud of my first feature on the Burning Skirts. Check it out here:

http://withoutlimitsultimate.blogspot.com/2011/05/uc-santa-barbara-burning-skirts-behind.html

As Division 3 coverage comes to an end, Division 1 will take the full feature. Most of the team features I'm writing will be up starting tomorrow. I'm really excited to share all the wonderful things about the teams attending.

Without Limits Nationals Coverage

Until I get some more guest posts ready, my blog will likely be taking a hiatus for the few weeks leading up to Nationals. Michelle Ng asked me to collaborate on some media coverage for the Women's Division of the College Championships in Boulder. We have some great story ideas for you guys. I'll be writing all sorts of things. So go check it out. Coverage begins Monday 5/16/2011.

You can find our coverage here:
http://withoutlimitsultimate.blogspot.com/

USAU and Without Limits are the prime supporters of the endeavor...besides the super passionate contributors we have lined up.

Okay, realistically, my blog won't take a hiatus. It will probably just take a backseat. Fear not.

Guest Post #2: JMo and Robyn, Being a Grad Student

Being a Grad Student on a New Team

Saucy Nancy 2011: North Central Region Champ

Robyn: My friend Juliana (aka JMo) from Maryland bounced this idea off of me to discuss the experience of what it’s like to be a grad student playing at a new school. Both of us have had experiences playing with a growing team at a small school and then transferred to a new school to pursue graduate degrees. Walking onto a developing team with a bunch of young talent without being a captain can be a tricky balance to maintain. Here’s a little insight to my experiences this season with Saucy and Juliana’s experiences during the past two seasons with Maryland’s Helpful Corn.

 
Juliana:   For quite a few grad students, the success of the ultimate team is a factor (or at least a perk) in deciding which school to attend.  Once the decision is made, we face the challenge of integrating into a team with a different culture and potentially different goals than we have.  Figuring out how to have a meaningful season as a new grad student takes some work, so here are a few of the things we’ve learned along the way.

Coaching

Juliana: Coming from a small DIII school in the Northwest (Whitman College), I had never had a coach or won a tournament.  Although I had played 5 years of ultimate, I knew that the kind of coaching I could get at Maryland would be more personal and more intensive than I would get elsewhere.  At the club level there is far less instruction, while teammates, captains and coaches just expect you to know how to play good ultimate.  The level of feedback from a college coach is one of the major benefits of continuing to play in grad school.

JMo in action at College Nationals in '10



Robyn: I was fortunate enough to have a great coach as an undergraduate in the Central (Wisconsin-Eau Claire). We were a new team, and Pat Niles was able to give us individual help in and outside of practice, but much of it was captain driven. The captains of SOL met with Pat and planned practices, while Pat helped carry out our practice plans. It was a really cool vibe. When I decided to come to Iowa, Saucy Nancy had no coach. I had numerous conversations with my good friend and mentor, Mikey Lun, convincing him to come to Saucy (I can’t take all the credit, I just tried my best to give compelling arguments). He was looking to coach, in my opinion Saucy was the perfect candidate to embark his knowledge on. He had the right style and he wanted to make a difference. Saucy had a young player base eager to learn from someone with experience. I looked forward to letting the reigns go to someone else.

The Age Gap

Juliana: I began playing ultimate at towards the end of my sophomore year of college, but due to study abroad and injuries, didn’t play in the college series until my senior year.  After working for a couple of years, I came to the University of Maryland for grad school with two years of eligibility left.  The women’s team, Helpful Corn, had made it to nationals and then lost in the game to go to nationals the two years before I came to the school.  Needless to say, I was excited. 

This year on Helpful Corn we had no seniors and one other grad student.  As the oldest person on a team with an average age of 20, I brought experience to the team.  I knew how to teach newer players about throwing, defensive positioning, zone strategy, etc.  I did my best to set an example at practice by playing hard and maintaining focus. There were also times when I disagreed with the way drills were explained or the way our strategy was playing out.  But that feedback was best given outside of practice so that our captains were still the clear leaders of the team.  As a grad student you can help teach new players, you can give feedback without it seeming too critical: your teammates will listen to you.  However, because I wasn't a captain, I had to strike a balance between active leadership and supporting leadership.  

Me at Regionals 2011

Robyn: I too started playing during my sophomore year. Coming right into grad school after completing undergrad, I was still much older than most of my teammates. We have a million juniors on our team. Most of the team isn’t 21 yet. It’s crazy. It was weird coming to the team with being one of the oldest on the team, but not in a captain role. By the end of fall, I found my groove. I was surprised that everyone was entirely cool with the way I tried to lead... In fact, it felt like this was what my role was supposed to be all along. I mean, I’m not making any decisions or really any criticisms. I’m just trying to give more one-on-one attention. I feel like that is really what my role is: use my knowledge to help my teammates improve. For me, it took the form of one-on-one time, whether it be in practice or outside of practice. It has been fantastic. The time that I have gotten to know my teammates has been phenomenal. I feel connected to each of them personally. I really have a grasp on what they are working on and what they want to improve. I love when they get the lightbulb to go off. I mean, I am often not explaining anything new…just in a new way. I feel that being a grad student on a new team in a non-captain role, spending one-on-one time is the best thing you can do.

Once I realized that I need to own up to that leadership position, everything clicked. There is a difference between leading and controlling. I don’t need to control what goes on. But I enjoy helping others realize their potential. Spending one-on-one time with someone after practice or on the side during a drill is a great, easy way to lead without over-stepping your bounds. That way you don’t take away from the captains or coaches, but listen to what they say, and help your teammates carry out their vision for the team. It’s much easier for people to carry out an active role this way, which is crucial to success in a program like this.

Expectations

Juliana: One of the most important things to pay attention to as a new grad student is the match between your goals and those of the team.  Both Robyn and I lucked out our first years in grad school by playing on teams with the goal of going to nationals.  I wanted to push myself to play harder than I had before (even at the club level).  Thankfully Helpful Corn wanted that too.  This was a pretty major time commitment on top of my graduate studies, so if you are not prepared to put in the time, it could be a disservice to the team.

However, some grad students will find themselves on a team with less ambitious goals. While this may be a disappointment, it is possible that with your help, the team can improve to the point where the team resets its goals.  In order to get to this point though, a new grad student needs to be committed to being a part of the team (win or lose), and not just coming to practice or tournaments when you need a good workout. Earlier this spring, after Helpful Corn lost 5 players from our A-team and we finished 19th of 20 at Queen City Tune-Up, I wondered if this season would be worth the time commitment.  I couldn't leave the team though - I had made a commitment.  In the end our squad of 12 players developed amazing chemistry and took 5th place at Regionals. 

Robyn: Grad school is much more time intensive than undergrad ever was for me. In my first semester, I ended up only going to two of the team’s four tournaments. It killed me. I purposefully took a light course load during the spring (luckily all the classes I need and am most interested in taking coincided with this), anticipating taking more next year when I am out of eligibility. The more you invest in your team, the more connected you feel. The easier it becomes to take time out of your schedule to make plans with your teammates, to help them improve. It’s a great feeling, greater than I get from reading my assignments…I’ll be honest.

I came to Iowa without really taking into consideration ultimate. Which is silly, I guess. I mean I knew they had a women’s team. Everyone seemed super nice and excited to play with me in Spring 2010. Saucy had a strong regional performance in Spring 2010, finishing one spot behind my team at the time, SOL. I was super excited when I found out that the girls had been drilling in the summer…playing Mixed club…and really eager to learn. The expectations were that we were going to be a good team with making nationals as a goal.

Team Culture

Robyn: I like to think that I played a role in helping to build SOL. I was there when we barely had enough to do a drill at practice, and saw it through until I graduated when we had 25 people on the team. It was nuts. SOL played an integral role in my falling in love with the sport. They’ll always hold a special place. I have always been told that my grad school team will never be the same…from numerous friends from around the country.

I beg to differ. Saucy, has been a much different experience. I have fallen in love with this team from the first day they invited me to drill with them at the end summer 2010 when I moved to Iowa City. KP, Dre, and Timko did an amazing job making me feel like part of the team from day one. They provided so much support while I was recovering from knee surgery. I’ve spent so much time lifting, doing pool workouts, throwing, practicing…it’s nuts. I’ve fallen in love with every single girl on this team. In preparation for nationals, I'm learning all about the team history. Saucy's last national's appearance was in 2005. I'm friends with some Saucy alum and they are really helping me to connect between Saucy alums and current players.

Maryland Helpful Corn 2011

Juliana: On any new team, you will find a new culture and way of interacting with your teammates.  Since most women's players learn ultimate in college, your undergrad team will always have a special place in your heart (Shout out to the Sweets: Whitman men just made it to Nationals!). 

Switching allegiances and being an integral part of your new team will take time to adjust.  Learning the team history, being a part of the cheers, hanging out with your teammates outside of practice are all so important for making a meaningful season.  For example, people always ask why our team is named Helpful Corn.  I love being able to explain with pride that it is a reference to an episode from Season 1 of Daria, and so what if you haven't seen the show or you think the name is silly, we are Helpful Corn and I wouldn’t have it any other way. We are Helpful, we are Golden, we are UMDFU.  Helping my teammates grow and watching the improvement of girls who just discovered the sport is as fulfilling as being a coach, except I get to play.  What more could you want?

Guest Post 1: Saucy Nancy 2011, A Rookie's Perspective

Jojo Petersen, Rookie on Saucy

The first of a series of Post-Season Guest Posts comes from Saucy Nancy's very own Jojo Petersen. Jojo is a freshman at the University of Iowa. She is a bit more quiet and reserved than many of the players on our team, but she has just as much heart as the rest of us. As she describes, Jojo came to Iowa with no knowledge of the sport of ultimate.  In the fall, Jojo and I had an opportunity to get to know each other as I sat with her in the University of Iowa Hospital emergency room as a result of a bad ankle injury sustained during practice at Hubbard Park. For many rookies, that sort of experience might deter someone from sticking with the sport, but not Jojo. Instead, she attended practices in her crazy cast, and eagerly learned everything she could while there. With much hard work and dedication, she has developed to a contributer on the field with her speedy cuts, ability to get open deep, and defensive energy. She always has a smile on her face and can make any one on our team smile. I can't wait to watch her continue to grow as a player and person. With a heart of gold, she has a bright future ahead of her. Okay, enough of my rambling, here's Jojo and her experience being a new player on Saucy 2011.

 

As a freshman coming to college, knowing no one, I knew I had to find something to meet knew people. I found a flyer for Ultimate Frisbee in the entry of Slater Hall and thought it was worth a try. I emailed one of the captains and started going to practices shortly after. It was a lot different than I expected. They ran drills and there were so many terms, I didn’t know if I could handle it, but after the first tournament I was hooked.

 

The energy of Saucy Nancy is incredible. It’s an indescribable feeling being part of a team so close and goal oriented. The entire season our main goal was to make it to Nationals. Winning against Wisconsin the Sunday morning of Regionals and gaining that spot at Nationals seemed completely unreal. I still don’t think it has completely set in. I think the best part of that victory was looking at each of the older girls faces. I could tell how important it was and felt proud to be part of it.

 

Each member of the team contributed to the team’s success, whether it was on the field or keeping the energy up on the sidelines. I still have a lot to learn about the game and look forward to improving with Saucy Nancy, my ultimate family.