SLU Ultimate Frisbee Podiums at Clarkson Floorplay Tourney
This past weekend, the St. Lawrence University club ultimate frisbee team competed in the annual Clarkson Floorplay tournament. The two-day tournament, comprised of six teams playing in the Clarkson Schuler Indoor Recreation Center, provided us with an exciting opportunity for indoor ultimate frisbee. St. Lawrence’s Ruckus Bus took third place in the tournament, beating out the Clarkson High Dive team for the final podium spot.
The tournament has been running for more than six and provides one of very few winter playing opportunities. Schools with teams present included Keuka College, RPI, SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Brockport, and, of course, Clarkson and SLU. The fast-paced, modified style of play found at Clarkson Foorplay is a fun way to help teams stay competitive and engaged during the long winter season. As opposed to the regular format of seven-on-seven ultimate frisbee, played with short breaks and player substitutions between each point, the indoor rules are modified to create a make-it-take-it game with teams of just five. Subbing is done on the fly, and the size of the field is also significantly decreased to force accelerated play.
After not having competed since early November, yet practicing consistently since then, the team was excited to play. As many as 18 SLU students, accompanied by four alumni for a total of 22 players, made the trip to Potsdam on both Saturday and Sunday to play. Among them was captain Drew Maphey, ’24.“Finding tournaments this early in the spring semester is always difficult, and it’s great to have one that is so well run so close to home,” he said. Maphey was “incredibly happy with how the team did as a whole,” and commentied on their ability to learn and adapt quickly, game to game. “Each of the games was close and competitive, which is exactly what you want whenever you go to a tournament regardless of the outcome overall,” said Maphey. As a senior, he cannot remember the last time St. Lawrence beat Clarkson and is very happy to have seen his team do so.
Jason Darminio ’27, a rookie player on the team, offered his thoughts on the weekend. He said that the team “went off in the playoffs, achieving an impressive third,” and also mentioned that Ruckus Bus’s “team spirit was through the roof,” featuring some of the “best cheers and chants in the tournament.” Darminio himself may be biased, seeing as he is the curator of nearly all chants, but the team was undoubtedly charged with enthusiasm even after a tiring weekend of eight total games. Darminio encourages new players to join the team and points them toward the Ruckus Bus Instagram page for updated information.
The team is ultimately happy with their performance on the weekend and is looking forward to the remainder of the season, especially once practice moves outdoors. They will be traveling to South Carolina in March to compete in the largest club ultimate frisbee tournament in the country.