Throwing It Out There

For more than two decades, Ultimate Frisbee has been at the center of a supportive community of athletes in Wilmington. Cape Fear Ultimate is the nonprofit organization that runs the local league.

The multigenerational organization is hoping to expand its reach and grow within the region.

Ultimate Frisbee is a noncontact game that combines the endurance of soccer with the skills of football, and it is played by two seven-player squads with a Frisbee on a field that is similar to football. Players score by catching a pass in their opponent’s end zone.

LIZ MOUL BOWEN, the league’s fundraising and social chair, has played since 2002, and ANI GERICS, league director, has played for most of her life since her parents met playing Ultimate at the University of North Carolina Wilmington in the early 1990s.

The year-round league boasts 150-200 players who play some or all of the seasonal leagues. A nine-member board serves the community of competitors that spans generations and skill levels.

“We have players from all walks of life and all abilities. That is what is really cool about Ultimate. We have basketball players, swimmers, runners, and we are honestly open to everyone,” Moul Bowen says.

There are no practices, but games are held on Wednesdays and Sundays, and the league often hosts clinics to help rookie and seasoned players alike. Pickup games are arranged through the group’s Facebook page (facebook.com/capefearultimatefrisbee) and played regularly.

The multigenerational league spans a wide swath of players, organizers say.

“The alumni/older generation brought their kids out and kept it in the family,” Moul Bowen says.

“When I was growing up, I didn’t love Ultimate, but the Ultimate community, everyone is so awesome, so I finally fell in love with it,” Gerics adds.

Gerics’ mom was on the 1992 UNCW Seaweed Ultimate team that won a national championship in the women’s division, and her father played on UNCW’s 1993 Seamen Ultimate national championship team.

“I could throw a Frisbee before I could tie my shoes,” Gerics says.

There’s a youth league and a high school league. UNCW has both a men’s and a women’s club team. Cape Fear Ultimate’s open leagues are always accepting new players, and organizers hope to continue to expand their reach.

“I would love to have it continue to grow. Field space is a challenge, but we’d like to grow more youth leagues with by working with the YMCA. We want to introduce Ultimate to the kids at the YMCA camps and offer a ‘Try it Free Saturday,’” Moul Bowen says.

The league has done outreach with the YMCA to showcase the sport and gain interest among younger players.

In addition, Cape Fear Ultimate would like to expand into more high schools. Currently, only Hoggard High School offers a club team. Roland-Grise and Murray middle schools have club teams, and Cape Fear Ultimate members would like to see more schools start them up.

“Sports are getting so competitive. Ultimate is a large and welcoming community that they can learn and thrive within for the rest of their lives,” Moul Bowen says. “We would love to continue to grow so more people can learn about the sport. We hope to showcase some games at high school and get in front of people so they can learn more about the sport and have it snowball from there.”

Cape Fear Ultimate players serve up a healthy mix of competition with those who played in college or played other sports and still have a competitive spirit, according to Gerics and Moul Bowen. But they welcome new players who may not have experience too and who just want a fun, welcoming community to join and enjoy.

“It is where you find your people. Some of my best friends and my husband are the people I met on the Ultimate field,” Moul Bowen says. “Ani’s parents met on the Ultimate field. And now our kids play on the sidelines just like Ani did with her parents. It comes full circle.”

To view more of photographer Terah Hoobler’s work, go to terahhoobler.com.

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