For Bobcats looking for an exhilarating way to exercise and collaborate with a team, the Penultimate Frisbert Phun-Thyme group is accepting new members to join its weekly ultimate frisbee games.
The Phun-Thyme group meets every Sunday at 6 p.m. in Walter Fieldhouse to split into teams and play friendly games of ultimate frisbee. Afterwards, students might see the group at Nelson Dining Hall enjoying a team dinner.
Phun-Thyme is supported by OU Housing and Residence Life and Well-Being and Recreation.
According to USA Ultimate, the official rules of ultimate frisbee state it is a non-contact sport, and the object of the game is to score goals by catching the frisbee in the end zone of the field. A player cannot run while holding the frisbee, and whenever a pass is incomplete, the frisbee is passed to the other team.
Phun-Thyme rules are a little different, according to Dave Lawrence, the facilitator of the games and self-proclaimed “ringleader” of the group.
Lawrence said the group focuses on fun, not so much the scoring and competition of the game, and welcomes about 40 players each week. Lawrence said students named the group Penultimate Frisbert to convey how gameplay is not as intense as other ultimate frisbee teams.
Lawrence said there are other ultimate frisbee teams on campus, including club teams like Ohio Men’s Ultimate.
“Then you've got us, which we're not even a league,” Lawrence said. “We are just literally a bunch of friends that come in here and run around. If teams appear to be too uneven, we switch them up so that the scoring happens with more regularity on both sides. We have a rule that the only way a point actually counts is if everyone on your team meaningfully contributes to offense.”
Lawrence said these rules encourage participants to leave their “high school sport mindset” behind, as the team is open to all. Lawrence said when a participant is only focused on winning, the environment is not inclusive and safe for those who want to enjoy the sport.
“I looked like I was in third grade until I was about a junior or senior in high school,” Lawrence said. “I was a very late bloomer, and so I did not have a positive experience with competitive sports growing up. I like the way that the students are leading this game and helping facilitate this activity because it's contrary to all of those negative feelings of not being good enough.”
Lawrence also said they do not discourage those who are very competitive in nature from joining, but they ask the player to consider repositioning themselves into a facilitator or a teacher for the group. This is a community to burn off calories while getting to know others.
Lawrence said the group started on campus years ago and is trying to get more people involved, as the COVID-19 pandemic decreased enrollment.
“There's a fun quote … ‘You learn more about someone in an hour of play than you do in a lifetime of conversation,’” Lawrence said. “It resonates because when you are in an organic situation where you can't premeditate your responses, you're running around, you're goofing off, you're laughing, you can't control the circumstances that lead to conversations.”
Lawrence said these “organic situations” allow people to drop their defenses and grow closer.
“The goal here is to make a space where everyone's valued, not only for their ability to play the game, but more importantly to be a meaningful contributor to the friendship on a team,” Lawrence said.
Phun-Thyme is currently looking for more players and Lawrence said he hopes students join. Victoria Krappweis, a freshman studying biological sciences, started attending Sunday games fall semester.
Krappweis said she heard about the team through her roommate, who discovered it in her learning community. Krappweis said her roommate recommended joining the club, and it is a great way to de-stress.
Krappweis said she hopes more underclassmen join, since the team is a majority of juniors and seniors.
“There’s a lot of cool people here, a lot of nice people,” Krappweis said. “Afterward, we have a meal at Nelson together, which also adds to the vibe.”
Noah Heinrich, a freshman studying aviation management, said he also found out about the club from Krappweis’ roommate.
“I just think it’s just really fun,” Heinrich said. “It's a nice way to stay a bit active when I don't have time in my schedule otherwise.”
People interested in joining the group can visit its GroupMe and prepare for an evening of hard work and bonding.
