I have been playing ultimate since my sophomore year of high school. In the beginning, that is the first two years, I showed up to practice every once in a while. I threw with my friends and played in the occasional scrimmage. I was decent for my age. I did not have any drive or desire to improve. I played to have fun and to socialize.
My first tournament came the end of my junior year. It was in Grass Valley, California. A little tournament called Grassburn which consisted of some high school teams and a few club teams consisting of high spirited, but not very talented adults. A very fun and high spirited tournament, it was truly a great tournament for my first experience. It was at this point, I suddenly had the desire to become a better ultimate player. I wanted to be better because we enjoyed winning and I loved our rivalry with the neighboring high school teams of Castro Valley's Red Hand and Alameda's Dark Meat.
My high school ultimate career ended on a pretty high note. We were the dominant team from our rivalry(s) and a good number of my close friends were looking into the ultimate programs of colleges they planned to attend. It wasn't until my second year of playing at LPC that I took my next step.
I certainly improved from when I first started playing to that second year at LPC, but my rate of improvement was low. My throws were still weak, my knowledge of offense and defense was below average and even my speed and fitness level, which have always been pretty high, were only average. That second year of LPC I experienced a minor epiphany. I had always been around better players than myself, but this was the first time I realized I could become a significantly better player. I suddenly felt a burning hunger inside of me. I wanted to become better. I had to become better. The next time I stepped onto an ultimate field, I would want to be the best player on that field.
Since that year, I have worked hard. I show up to nearly every practice. Play hard during every practice. Throw inside and outside of practice. Workout inside and outside of practice. I play ultimate. I then go home and dream of ultimate. And every morning I wake up and know that in the not too distant future, I will be a dominant ultimate player. I will make this a reality.
In the beginning I played to have fun, I played to socialize. Now I play for more. I play for my teammates, for my friends, for myself and for ultimate. This game has given me plenty of happieness. In return I give it the best respect I can in the only real form I can think of, working my ass off to become a better ultimate player.
What drives me? The love for the game and for all it has given me. That's more than enough for any one man.
