This Saturday, the field at the Ohio University Driving Range on West State Street will play host to one of Ohio's more obscure sports. Twenty-four men's and women's ultimate Frisbee teams will keep a lasting tradition going, playing in Ohio's annual Halloween tournament.
This tournament, however, is unlike any other. Yes, teams still come to play in a series of ultimate Frisbee games, showcasing their talent, and yes, standard ultimate rules still apply. That, however, might be where the similarities end.
Costumes are basically required
said Mike Massey, Ohio ultimate men's club president.
Teams from Ohio, West Virginia, Michigan and even Maryland will make the trip to Athens clad in their themed attire, ready to play ultimate.
Teams always have fun with their costumes. Past years have seen teams as street signs, foosball figures and cross dressers.
There is almost always a guys' team dressed up as girls said Ohio ultimate women's team captain Jen Hyland.
This year, members of the Ohio men's ultimate team will do its best Tom Cruise impersonations, while the women's ultimate team will try to imitate their friends on the men's team. Massey, who has a friend on the Kent State team, said the Flashes will be coming as Oompa Loompas.
Tom Cruises vs. Oompa Loompas -now that could be interesting.
Many of the teams know each other because they compete regularly, so the atmosphere is laid back and good-spirited.
It's something to look forward to ultimate women's club president Katie Moore said. Everyone has a good time.
There is no best costume winner and no overall tournament winner, because the idea of the Halloween tournament is to have fun. Competition, however, can still be fierce. Hyland said that while it is for fun, it is still competitive because teams want to show their stuff before the spring season. The tournament is also a fundraiser for both the men's and women's ultimate teams.
Moore said she would like to see more student support for ultimate, and for those who are unfamiliar with the sport, the tournament is a great opportunity to see what ultimate is all about. Opening pulls will begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday and will last all afternoon.
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Eva Grippa
