Odds and Ends

The Ultimate Poem

A raging maze
   of colors
Would seem to me
   to be the
backdrop
   for a poem
that slithers...
   into Eternity.

HGC
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I am coaching a JV high school frisbee team here in Madison. My philosophy as I've started has been that of someone that I respect a great deal, and can be summarized in this post. Kevin Bruns has earned the respect of every NUT player in the past 4 years with this philosophy. I can only hope to gain the type of respect he's earned, and become admired by my players like he is. I would go to war for that man. I hope I can help them learn the game as my coach has helped me. They have a huge headstart, and a ton of potential. Hopefully I can capitalize on that.

I am planning to tryout for the Chicago Wildfire in a few weeks. I am somewhat worried about the commute, and how often I'll have to make it, but the idea of playing with Yiding and Jack and Drew again is incredibly appealing. Playing with those guys, among others, is the most fun I've had or probably ever will have playing frisbee. This is a pretty terrifying thought, that the most fun I've had is behind me, but it makes some sense. That's what college is supposed to be.
I am also very excited for what playing with the Wildfire can do for my conditioning, and my skillset. It will be a completely new adventure for me, and I can't wait for it. My hope is that it will push me to be better, and allow me to have a larger impact in the club game.

Walden recently asked me if I was starting to miss college ultimate. I laughed at him and said that I've been missing it since approximately 11 AM on April 26, 2015. I can remember the exact moment of the MagnUM game during which I started to miss college ultimate. We had gotten the turn that we needed on universe, and I called a timeout. Coming out, Ding got open upline, but Sam called a travel because my toe wasn't on the sideline. Tap it back in and throw it away immediately. Ding and I didn't miscommunicate very often after having played 4 years together, but dang it if when we really needed to be on the same page, we weren't.
As I write this, I know that Chuck would be very disappointed with me. The game wasn't over yet, and my belief muscle had failed. I knew not only that I failed when it mattered the most, but that I wouldn't have a chance to redeem myself. I was out of chances. That weekend was my chance at redemption - for 2014. I'm ashamed of my wavering belief, but after 5 years, I had no results to show for it. At some point in the process, there have to be some results*.
I also realize that this is quite egotistical of me to claim that a team's performance was "my" chance at redemption, or that "I" had no results to show for 5 years. However, being a leader of NUT for a large portion of that time, I expected to be able to propel us forward and onto the next step. Apparently I wasn't good enough to do that, and I was being egotistical rather than just confident.
Getting back to the point, I miss college ultimate more than the words I know can say. I miss my teammates, the common goal, to work we put in together, everything. I wish I had another year with NUT, but you have to forge ahead and blaze new trails.

ARC

*I think this goes without saying, but I am strictly talking about W-L results on Sunday of regionals. I cannot quantify my gains from being a part of NUT, as my experiences have been invaluable, and I wouldn't trade them for the world.