In a time where high school sports often prioritize competition and individual performance, the Ultimate Frisbee team is flipping the script. With cleats on and frisbees flying as the cold air blows, this team is quietly building something more powerful than a winning record: a genuine community.
On the field, sophomores, juniors, and seniors are seen cheering each other on, pushing each other to be better, and most importantly, laughing together. The Ultimate team isn’t just a sports team at SPA, it’s a model for what supportive, student-driven collaboration can look like.
Ultimate Frisbee is unique as it is self-refereed, requiring respect, fairness, and honesty among participants. The sport is coed-friendly, non-contact, and deeply rooted in a concept called the “Spirit of the Game.” Respect for opponents, honesty in play, and focus are not just encouraged, they are the foundation. That spirit shines through on the field at every practice, whether it’s in team chants or casual scrimmages.
In a recent game against St. Thomas Academy, the team exhibited these ideal qualities of Ultimate Frisbee. With even the smallest of gestures, like chanting their teammates’ names before they are sent onto the field for the next point, to celebrating as a group after a successful play.
Coach Julia, the new face of the Ultimate Frisbee club at SPA, echoes these values, believing the main goal of the sport is the “Spirit of the Game,” which sets it apart from other high school sports. “Spirit is such a big deal, that community comes first before competition, and it’s definitely merited when you have good spirit versus if you’re going to be highly competitive,” she said.
That dual focus of pushing to win but doing it with integrity is what makes Ultimate such a breath of fresh air in the sea of other sports. It’s also what makes it accessible. There are no tryouts, pressure, or barriers.
Captain Ryan Shiroma explained it best as a perfect balance of competitiveness and collaboration. “People treat it like a sport, but everyone’s very respectful during the game and respectful to their opponents,” he said.
Despite the factors listed above, the team still faces challenges. Ultimate is currently a club sport at SPA, which means it has no funding, limited visibility and fewer opportunities to showcase what they’re all about.
However, captains Ryan Shiroma and Jesse Wussler are passionate and hopeful that with more support and interest, Ultimate can become a recognized sport in the future. “We could get more funding opportunities, and the benefits that [official school] sports give,” Shiroma said.
Sophomore William Drake, a returning member, emphasized how welcoming the team is to newcomers, especially after recent turnover in the past few years. Many current players are brand new to the sport, and the team is eager to keep growing. Drake himself was introduced by watching the Minnesota Wind Chill Ultimate team, who compete in the Ultimate Frisbee Association.
“You don’t have to have any experience,” Drake said. “We have a lot of people that are just coming out to play with their friends, and that’s a lot of fun to see. They’re rapidly improving, and we will take anyone who wants to play.”
Wussler echoed this message, encouraging curious students to take that first step. Whether it’s showing up to a club time or a practice, he stressed that the barrier to entry is very low stakes and fun. “Just reach out, come to our practice. They’re pretty easy, pretty fun, just try it out, see if you like it,” he said.
Whether you are a sports lover, a reluctant PE student, or somewhere in between, the Ultimate Frisbee team is offering something special and one of a kind: a space where you can show up, do your best and be a part of something real, a genuine community that transcends the score.
