By Ben Murphy

The Ultimate Frisbee season has started and the team is off to a strong start. The Varsity GV Ultimate team is 3-0 on the season with their wins over Cardinal O’Hara, Penncrest, and Salesianum. They’ve been playing well on the offensive side of the game, but their defense might be even more impressive.

Ultimate Frisbee has been an increasingly popular sport, but very few people understand the concept of the game. In reality, though, it is pretty simple. In an interview with Evan Vandenbrul, captain of the JV Ultimate team, he called it, “a mix of basketball and football.” While the sport is much closer to a mix between soccer and football, it could be seen as a mix between many sports. Mr. LaSalle, assistant coach for the Varsity and JV teams, described it as being a lot like soccer in terms of the stamina required to play.

With GV’s 3rd official season in full swing, the team is looking very strong in all senses. They have had lock-down defense along with fast-paced, quick striking offense that can wear down the opposing teams. Star handlers Jared Brewer and Jeff Lin can set the tone to a game with their deep throws to the speedy outside cutters Ben Daisey and Kyle Fager, or players such as Ryan Hodge and Todd Silberglied can use their unpredictable fakes to find the elusive inside cutter Ben Mascioli. This is just some of the star-power offense that GV can provide. Other players such as Sean Kelly and Joey Shiller shut down the opposing teams on the defensive side.  

Last season, Garnet Valley’s team didn’t do so well in the regular season, actually not winning a single game, but when tournament season came around, they really came together and won 4 straight games finishing in third. This season has looked much better for the team.

As a member of the team, I’d definitely have to recommend it. It’s been one of the best experiences of my high school career. You’ll make friends and it’s such a laid back sport that can also be thrilling. The team is continuously growing and the sport of Ultimate is growing quickly. It’s going to be around in the district for a long time but I would suggest starting sooner rather than later. The team is also full of nice people. Coach LaSalle describes the group as “classic jokesters who really know when it’s time to get serious”. It’s just such a fun group of kids who respect and love the game.

Garnet Valley Ultimate looks to keep their success going this season in the coming weeks leading into the end of season tournament. These Jags have looked confident and ready to take on any team that gets in their way. I look forward to seeing what is achieved of them for the remainder of the season.