SAIIER 2020:Alphas Ultimate Frisbee team
Alphas Ultimate Frisbee team
Alphas Ultimate Frisbee program was created in 2016-17 to engage with kids in and around Auroville using the sport of Ultimate Frisbee. The aim of the program is to give our youth a headstart by equipping them with crucial individual and team skills which they can later use in their lives and in the world. We create playing opportunities for youth from all backgrounds to learn and play Ultimate Frisbee together, organize for teaching by expert coaches, facilite interactions with national team players (natural role models), and arrange team and community building activities that help develop leadership.
Regular activities:
a. Weekly training
Our weekly sessions are at Certitude football field on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from around 4.45 pm until dark.
b. Team building (potluck dinners)
Alphas has organized five potluck dinners over the last year. These are much awaited and looked forward to by the kids. This has become one of our safe spaces to get to know each other and spend time together off the field. It has also brought to light an array of culinary skills from within the team.
c. Off-field video sessions
We use our video sessions to watch footage from games and learn. We also use these sessions to analyze our own game footage and review our strengths and weaknesses.
d. Special sessions with guest coaches
National Team athletes and experienced coaches including Sangeetha Manoharan (Chennai) and Sneha Patil (Bengaluru) ran several sessions for Alphas working on a range of on-field skills whilst giving them a glimpse of how training/playing at the highest level looks like.
e. Volunteering
Players from Alphas were encouraged to volunteer their time for many events in Auroville. Some of the events they eagerly helped with were the Auroville Marathon, Auroville Badminton Tournament and weekly trash collection along different roads in Auroville.
Alphas players also played the role of coaches at different clinics organized through the year at Certitude and Dehashakti fields, including clinics for students staying at Youth Center during the Endangered Crafts Mela.
Competitions & ‘friendly’ matches:
i. June 8-9, 2019 – Beginner’s Tournament in Chennai
In this first of its kind tournament organized for teams less than 3 years old, Alphas finished runners-up (in spite of the absence of their coach who was away at National Team Training Camp). They received good feedback from the organizers and opponents on their teamwork and individual skills. This was a big morale booster within the team as they were able to measure themselves against similarly skilled opponents and were able to gauge their strengths and weaknesses. Traveling together to Chennai, figuring out the way to the fields, planning meals helped bring out leadership in many individuals and provided valuable exposure to many others.
ii. October 13-14, 2019 – Sectionals Tournament
Alphas participated in Sectionals organized in Auroville. They finished the competitive tournament in 7th place, narrowly missing out on pulling off an upset against a more experienced club team. Alphas finished second in the Spirit rankings after exhibiting sportsmanship through the tournament.
Sectionals (a part of India’s most competitive national level club tournament) is the qualifying tournament for Regionals, which in turn is the qualifying tournament leading up to Nationals.
iii. 29.12.2019 - Puyal team weekend
Puyal, a club team based in Chennai, visited Auroville and spent a training weekend here. Alphas played several practice matches against them.
iv. February 1-2, 2020 – AV Hat tournament
Aside from participating in this fun tournament, Alphas volunteered their time to help set up shade tents, mark fields and ensure water supply throughout the day.
National & State team representation:
a. State Team – Tamil Nadu Team 2020 (to play in inter-state competitions)
Four players from Alphas cleared the first round of selections held in Auroville and were invited to attend the final round of selections in Chennai.
In the final round of selections, one player got selected on the state team.
b. National Team – Team India 2020 (to play at World Championships)
Team India Under-20 (Women)
One of our women players made it through multiple rounds of selections, including a three day camp in Delhi, and was picked as part of the National Team.
c. Team India (Mixed)
One of our players made it through the first round of selections and was invited to the final round of selections in Bengaluru. He narrowly missed out on a spot on the final team as he didn’t have enough experience.
