Catching the campus Frisbee craze

Students are continuing to flock to Front Campus to play Frisbee. Disks are being launched over heads, under legs and in between trees. Frisbees can be seen flying through the air not only during daylight, but also after dusk. Sometimes students even play during rainstorms. This is the Frisbee craze.

Some students do not learn how to play when they come to college, rather they continue to improve upon previous skills. Taylor Forester, a sophomore majoring in criminal justice, is one such student. He has been playing Frisbee for years.

“I have been playing (Frisbee) since the fifth grade and I have always liked it,” Forester said. “It has been the only sport that I have not quit.”

Forester continues to play Frisbee casually on Front Campus with his friends. He is currently on an intramural team as well. They practice their hand-eye coordination on Front Campus.

Previous experience playing Frisbee is not necessary to play casually or competitively. Not everybody is a natural-born Frisbee player. Sophomore Derrick Bahnsen said that he learned how to play when he first came to GCSU. Bahnsen had to improve his skills by playing on teams.

“I was not really good when I started, but I played a lot of Frisbee golf at a church just off of North Jefferson. Now I can play just as well as anyone else,” Bahnsen said.

Bahnsen also thinks that playing Frisbee on Front Campus is the best place to play. The convenience of the location appeals to many students. Front Campus is right next to where students go to class.

“We play on front campus because that is where everyone sits. Plus, everyone is out there already waiting for classes to start,” said Parker Kempf, a sophomore majoring in outdoor education.

Sometimes the motivation to play is just to kill time.

“We play Frisbee because it gives us something to do when there is nothing else to do in between classes,” Bahnsen said.

Students are not the only ones who play at GCSU. Dr. Doug R. Oetter, faculty advisor for the Bobcat Frisbee Club, has been playing Frisbee for 30 years and has been a member of the Ultimate Players Association for 25 years. He enjoys the idea that when he plays he is part of something larger than just himself.

“When I discovered that (Frisbee) was a competitive sport and that I could play to represent my university, I fell in love with it,” Oetter said.

Frisbee is not only an activity that can be carried out while relaxing, but it can also be a competitive sport. Interaction with team members is necessary.

“(Frisbee) is actually organized, and you can compete against other schools. It almost feels like a varsity sport,” Oetter said. GCSU competes against other schools’ club teams. Tournaments are hosted by the schools themselves, or they can be hosted by the UPA.

While some students find playing Frisbee a joy and a way to pass the time relaxing, the students that do not play can find it annoying and frustrating at times.

Amelia Smith, a mass communication major, finds that disks flying at her face can be a little bit aggravating.

“It bothers me when (people throwing Frisbees) are throwing the Frisbees and the disks almost hit me,” Smith said. “I like to see them out there and it’s fine if they want to play. I just wish they would be a little more considerate.”

Frisbee on Front Campus is part of GCSU culture. People can expect to see people on Front Campus playing rain or shine.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 9 2009. Filed under Perspectives. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry