Introducing TQ9ers: Totnes Ultimate Frisbee Club

Totnes has always proven to be very open-minded towards some of the more niche and obscure interests out there. And while this normally applies to alternative healing methods and spirituality, it also remains true of sport.

Having stumbled upon the American invention of Ultimate Frisbee whilst at university, I was quickly swept up into the world of competitive frisbee, from our weekly BUCS matches to the highlight reels of the USA semi-pro league, the UFA. I never thought I’d be able to continue this pursuit upon return to my childhood town of Totnes.

But I was wrong.

Ultimate frisbee is a fast-paced team sport played both indoors and outdoors, combining athleticism, throwing skill, and offensive and defensive strategy. I often like to describe it as a mix between netball and American football: you can’t run with the disc, but must instead set a pivot foot, and points are scored when the disc is caught in the ‘endzone’ at either end of the pitch. Players must pass the disc between their teammates, working it up the length of the pitch towards the endzone. If a pass is incomplete, it’s a turnover, and the opposing team starts their offensive phase. There are many more complex rules to learn, but it’s fundamentally quite simple.

Playing 7-a-side outside on a pitch slightly longer than a football field, the game is all about consistency and athleticism, whereas 5-a-side indoors brings smaller endzones, finer margins, and requires more creative throwing. The game has a very steep learning curve, and is kind to beginners. Yet there are so many different aspects to the game, from defensive marking to offensive cutting, to team strategy and chemistry – not to mention the dozens of different throws to learn – that the skill ceiling feels unreachable even at grassroots level.

I’ve played tournaments all around the UK, trained in Czechia, and even on the beaches of Mombasa, Kenya. Everywhere the sport has taken me, one thing has remained true: frisbee players are some of the most friendly, inclusive and welcoming people you can find. Here in Totnes, TQ9ers are no exception.

Formed in 2005 by a group of passionate players returning from university and looking to keep their love of the sport alive, Totnes Ultimate Frisbee Club TQ9ers has been quietly hustling every Tuesday evening since. Training outdoors while the weather is fair, we have now moved inside, and train from 20:00-21:30 every Tuesday in the KEVICC sports hall.

Our trainings are currently run by coach and coordinator Nick Pook, who manages to find a balance between accommodating for various abilities, pushing for competitive development, and just having a bit of fun.

If what you’ve just learnt about Ultimate Frisbee has piqued your curiosity at all, then why don’t you give it a go? Our trainings are open to anyone looking for a workout who’d like to try out this fun, mixed team sport. Head to our Facebook group to find out more.

You can also listen to Finlays own humanitarian travels to Africa and Ukraine on the Totnes Talks podcast here.