ultimate

Almos pau, try wait

Blog kitt decided around 19:43 on 25 February 2005 to publish this:

We played at the Kaimana Klassik last weekend. It was a great time. I played on the Dirty Dozen Dames, which consisted of rockin' women, most of whom normally play on mixed teams.

Kris played on Almos Pau, Try Wait, a team formed by Protik Mia. Almos Pau made quarter finals, playing the eventual tournament winners on Monday morning to 15-12. They kept up very well, but two would-be-easy-scores from Mark to Kyle failed when the disc didn't curve properly (Mark's hands were damp), and the disc went flying out the side of the field.

Almos pau, try wait is one of Pro's favorite sayings. Hawaiian pidgin, Almos pau, try wait means "I'm almost done, try waiting a moment." I have to agree, it's a great saying.

At some point during the weekend, Mark and crowd were at a restaurant. The waitress comes up to him and asks if he's ready to order. He replied, "Almos pau, try wait." She laughed and walked away. Eventually she came back, and asked if they were ready to order. Mark jokingly asked, "Like beef?" which means, "you wanna fight?"

She laughed again, and asked, "What have you been doing? Reading t-shirts?"

So this is what confidence feels like.

Blog kitt decided around 13:57 on 15 February 2005 to publish this:

Last Saturday, SFUC had a make-up day. Various teams that weren't able to play during the normal schedule because of rainouts were able to make up the missed games. My team had three makeup games on Saturday morning. Fortunately, Kris' team also had three makeup games and the two of us were able to carpool up to the City.

One of the reasons I've been playing SFUC all these years (I've been playing for I think four years now, might be three) is to become less intimidated by players I don't know. Growing up a non-athlete, I've been known to psych myself out before games even start. Ooooo, look at how well that woman throws! Wow, check out how fast she runs! Look, she carries herself like an athlete, she must be good! It's very easy to assume the other player is better, and give up right there.

Since I've been working out with G at ASA, I've become an athlete (I can say that now. I'm not a geek/nerd/brainiac pretending to be an athlete. I'm an athlete. And the recognition of such is a Good Thing™). And since I've been reading the Mental Game of Baseball, my mental game has also become much stronger. An even better thing.

Because of the workouts G has designed for Kris and I, my quickness has increased. I suspect my top speed as also increased. My core is stronger. I weigh more (also a good thing, actually). And, surprisingly, my endurance has increased. This one surprised me a bit, actually, because many of the exercises are explosive ones, giving more quickness, but at the expense of all day endurance.

But I digress.

I started Saturday morning off playing as hard as I could. My team's record was 2-6 going into the morning, having lost 2 of those games by 2 points, 3 of those games by 1 point. One point. Which means they could have gone either way. I figured, if I played hard and we lost by one point, then there is nothing more I could do. But if I played hard, maybe that would be enough for a win. I think other team members thought the same, because we left the day with 3 wins. Whoo!

The first point I played on Saturday set the tone for the day for me. I marked up against their top woman, but was open on every cut. The second game was against the only team to beat the top team in the league with an 8-1 record. I kept up with their top woman in all her cuts, I caught up whenever I was poaching and had to scramble back to mark up. I was terribly surprised when I was back 3+ yards when my woman went deep, yet still caught up to her after 30 yards.

I threw no turn overs that I recall (though I did have an turn over assist when a teammate dropped a catch that hit him in the wrist), but had two brilliant turn-and-fire throws to brilliant continue cuts by Liz and Nate. Knowing I could go in when I wanted to go in, and stay out when I needed to, and have the confidence to keep up with my players was so wonderful. There was no intimidation. There was no oh-my-god-this-woman-must-be-good. There were no head-cases.

Just run, catch, fake, pivot, throw, repeat. And that feeling made all the 3+ hour workouts worth every minute.

I think George Cooke may have had it right when he told me, "I think this will be your year."

2005 ultimate tournaments

Blog Posted by kitt at 10:08 on 10 February 2005

Kris listed the usual suspects:

P.S.  Have we submitted a bit to DUI?  They are due Feb. 23rd.  We
should probably get on that if we haven't already.  Here's a list of
tournaments to think about in the mean time:

Spring Fling - late March
Fools - late March / early April
DUI - early April
Quincy MUD - late April/early May
Cal States - late May
Potlatch - 4th of July
Chico - August
Hot Valley - August
Labor Day - early September 

These are all pretty local.  There is also Flower Bowl in Vancouver
which is typically in June, Kleinmann in Oregon in August I think, and a
host of other tournaments that are short plane rides away.

Three. Count 'em: three

Blog Written with a loving hand by kitt some time around 21:37 on 8 February 2005

Three.

Count 'em. One. Two. Three.

That's the number of bee-you-tee-ful throws made to me that I was unable to catch. Three just-out-of-my-reach throws last night that would have been perfect layout throws, if only I could layout with regularity. At top speed. On offense.

This was at MPUL last night. One of the throws I knew was coming: a hammer from Adrian to the back corner. I watched that one fall.

The other two were from Andy Crews. He's definitely used to playing with much faster players than I am. The throws were completely and totally brilliant. And I missed them both. I wanted to cry. Especially since Andy is the type of player that not only inspires his teammates to play better, but his playing makes his teammates play better.

I am in awe of him.

Fortunately, Kris knows this and is in much the same state as I.

Heather Wolnick later saved the night for me when she commented that the training I've been doing is paying off. She can tell the difference in my play, especially my endurance and quickness. My being the first to the other end of the field on a pull is being noticed! I'm really glad she said something, because I was getting pretty down on my play last night.

I think sprinting 70 yards, then turning around and sprinting back ~35 yards will be next week's sprint workout. Maybe this Friday's, since tomorrow night is MPUL and Thursday night is SFUC.

ultimateteam.org launch

Blog Instead of being asleep at 15:11 on 28 December 2004, kitt created this:

After nearly 4 years of talking about it, 3 years of much of nothing, ultimateteam.org has finally launched.

I want! I want!

Blog Posted by kitt at 15:58 on 27 December 2004

Oh, I am laughing so hard right now. After looking through a soccer supply catalog, I came across the Hummel Squadra cleats in lots of colors. Look at them! They come in pink. PINK! Can you imagine seeing me flying down the ultimate field on the pull with pink cleats? Me, neither, but that's not the point. Pink! How about with a monster layout? Me and my pink cleats!

I'm so excited! I might have to buy a pair just for the entertainment value. My options are light blue, white, pink, lavender (lavender!), red, yellow, green, blue and black. My sides ache from laughing. Pink cleats!

I want.