As a correspondent sports writer for The Casey County News, I
write an weekly editorial column for the publication. Published Mar. 20,
2013.
A disc, or Frisbee, is a very under appreciated item in the
sports and recreation world.
The simple flat, round flying saucer like item can be used
in so many ways to bring entertainment and what’s even better—anyone can do it.
No really. I cannot throw a Frisbee straight to save my life.
But even this weekend, I found myself tossing one between
myself (who is not very good), my husband (who can throw one in the exact
direction he intends for a solid distance) and our three year old nephew (who
doesn’t know the difference in throwing it outward and overhanded).
If you’ve never actually used a Frisbee for sport, you’re
missing out. Throwing with a dog is great practice, particularly if the dog is
trained at retrieving; then it doesn’t matter what direction the disc ends up
going, you get it back. But beyond fetch with an animal, there are two games
I’ve enjoyed with a disc, despite my inability to throw one straight or far.
One is Frisbee golf. If you’ve ever been to a park and seen
the metal structures standing about four feet high with chains hanging down and
wondered what the world they are for (I always thought they looked like some
sort of space craft), now you know they are for Frisbee golf.
You can actually buy different style discs, similar to the
way you have different clubs on the golf course. There are putters and drivers,
etc. For me it doesn’t make a lot of difference what kind of disc I’m throwing,
I end up in the trees (very similar to my actual golf game). You don’t have to
have multiple discs to play the game. One will suffice; however they are
smaller than the typical Frisbee.
It’s a fun relaxing activity. If you’ve never played, consider
it on one of the non-rainy days this spring. Parks all over Kentucky have
courses including one at Henry Jackson Park in Danville, Ky. You can also find
them in Somerset, Harrodsburg, Nicholasville—the list goes on.
The second game I enjoy is quite the opposite of Frisbee
golf. Aside from involving a disc, Ultimate Frisbee is basically the reverse
style game. It is extremely fast-paced and far from what I would call relaxing.
Think of it as soccer but with a disc. You’re constantly moving and playing
with a team of others.
The beauty of this sport, much like soccer, is that it can
be played anywhere with some open space. While competitive leagues exist and
official field sizes and goals also exist, a playing field can be any size and
a goal can simply be deemed as the space between two objects.
Some people play the sport regularly through the summer,
but, again, you do not have to be practiced in it to play. You may not get
picked first for teams, but if you’re like me, it doesn’t bother you that much
anyway. (I know I’m not very good…)
As the weather turns, consider learning more about one or
both of these sports and see what friends may be interested as well. If you’re
the highly competitive type and want to stay active through summer, I suggest
Ultimate Frisbee. Do some research and see what leagues might be nearby. If you
just want a fun activity to enjoy with friends this summer, see what parks near
you have a Frisbee golf course.
