Why do you Play?
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Loading ...This is an open question, and one I’d like to see some readers comment on if you’re so inclined.
Why do you play ultimate? It seems like kind of a silly question, but it truly is an essential one. Passion can fade, and I think that oftentimes this can be traced back to find what the original source of motivation was and how it has since shifted. Likewise, if you maintain your passion currently (which I’m sure you do if you’re reading this), there must be a reason.
My ramblings on confidence start to tug at this notion a little bit. Success breeds success, does it not? Do you play simply because you’re good? Is the outlet of ultimate enough for you to assert your dominance?
Do you play for the people? Are your teammates a second family? Is it the chance to lead a group, or to be part of one outside of your normal lifestyle (or perhaps this has become your normal lifestyle)?
Do you have other motivations? One that is perhaps not as obvious but, I think, ultimately applicable to the case of many a player, is the ability to transfer the skills cultivated through ultimate to other realms of life. Developing to focus to dash, stop, and make a precision throw, biathlon-style, having the mental fortitude to maintain concentration, these sorts of processes can transfer to other situations–perhaps at work, or playing other games. Cultivating the presence of mind to collect yourself when a call is made on the field, using your cognition rather than your emotion to make a clear judgment.
I’ve discussed my motivations on this blog previously…I shifted from the immediate gratification of playing well at a low level as a primary motivation to the group of people I played with, and in so doing came to appreciate the transferability of ultimate to real life (especially now that I’m applying to med school, and need to be able to sell this obsession of mine as not only relevant, but useful going forwards). Ultimate, for me, has become a wonderful forum to develop and test various learning strategies. Teaching my body and mind to do new things, to perceive situations in novel ways…it’s wonderful exercise and enriches my person. That’s why I play (or rather, will play as soon as I can find the appropriate opportunity to do so here…).
Why do YOU play?
I play becuase ultimate is the best test of making decisions under physical and mental duress that I have ever experienced.
i freely admit i prefer a crushing defeat that made me go balls to the wall then a victory that did the same.
i truly enjoy the game and it’s simplicity. in many regards and situations the simplicity is often complicated by fierce competition and (as i’ve found in the open div. more so than elsewhere)the need to win.
i always find things i’ve could have done better, and i like working to fix them.
so i think i play to lose. to learn as much as i can about the strategies used and mistakes people make and have myself and them learn from it. i think i do this because i haven’t the desire to become #1, i just want to play.
- this is really an interesting question to ask. i think it is hard to come up with a single coherent answer.
seth from drexel ultimate
It IS an interesting question. And an important one.
Last year at Dartmouth, it was very apparent that the various members of our team had different goals. Some were very results-oriented–I want to win our games, I want to beat our opponents. Others were geared more towards the non-competitive component: their investment in the team was a complete investment in their teammates. All of the motivations I mentioned were either ones I’ve had or ones that my teammates have had at one point or another.
As a team, we communicated our goals and desires to one another–particularly in the month leading up to regionals, the culmination of our season. I think that with a greater appreciation for one another, it made it that much easier for all of us to invest in one another and battle as a team on the ultimate field. I get a little teary eyed just thinking about it.