From February 2009:
A new sports craze is sweeping the halls at Chamblee in the form of ultimate Frisbee.
In the late fall of 2008, a group of juniors and seniors began playing recreationally on the Bulldog baseball field, slowly growing and gaining new members.
“A bunch of people at Chamblee had been playing games for a while,” said senior Harry Kingery. “Nazar Biluhka and Peter Bau made the actual team that all of us joined.”
In order to make the team official, tryouts had to be set up, coaches found, and the team had to join Georgia High School Sports Association Ultimate Frisbee League.
“The Ultimate League is where you set up the games and such,” said Bilukha, founder of the Chamblee UF team.
The overall game has similarities to football, with 25-foot instead of 10-foot end zones and possible interceptions.
“The object of the game is to score and gain points for your team,” said Kingery. “You can pass but not run with it, and when you catch it, you have to stop.”
The field of play is 40 by 70 yards with seven players from each team on the field at a time. No contact is allowed but when there is, a foul is called. However, players are responsible for calling their own fouls since each game is player-refereed. When a pass is not completed or it is intercepted, the defense gains control of the Frisbee and begins their offensive drive.
In their first official tournament, the Bulldogs finished 3-1, an impressive record for a brand-new team.
“We just had our first round robin against good teams, such as Lakeside, who we beat 19-3,” said Kingery. “We didn’t know what to expect but went out and did great.”
Part of the credit goes to coaches Rob Johnson and Mr. Kingery, who build and develop the skill level of the players.
“We have two coaches, both of whom have played professional Frisbee,” said Biluhka. “It was because of them that we were able to beat the two-time state champions Heritage High School.”
The coaches are not just there for moral support; the Frisbee team balances both work and play.
“They show us offensive and defensive schemes and drills,” said Kingery. “You have to have endurance and hand-eye coordination.”
The future looks bright for this up-and-coming team as their next tournament approaches.
“We’re headed to the Deep Freeze tournament in Chattanooga, Tennessee,” said Bilukha. “Skip Reese, Clay Williams, Alex Calugar, Cory Girard, and Fletcher Hartline will all be key.”
Though the teams in Tennessee will be more experienced and possibly better conditioned, Chamblee is not intimidated and is ready to go out and compete.
“We wanted to play other teams, not just each other,” said Bilukha. “Frisbee is for everyone, just not our opponents.”