So we sent two teams to the London qualifiers at the new Olympic legacy venue in East London. It lived up to its billing – it was like walking into an aircraft hangar – lovely huge clean bright lines, nice grippy soft floor, and 5 count them 5 ultimate pitches marked out across the space.

Our A team of Si B, Derek, Sean, Ollie, Le Ben, New Ben, Rich and Finnish were seeded 9th out of 32 and with the top 8 teams qualifying were aiming at a Nationals spot. The B team of Brixton women Kate, Jess, Tanisha, Sarah and Kate C with J-Lo, Dave and Gabriel were looking to knock over some boys in the lower divisions.

12 midday was a nice late start, which we needed as someone managed to drive into the back of Sarah C in Peckham on the way there! But all was well and games began on time.

First up for the A team were Choke Hazard who do play indoors – but clearly not enough - as they were annihilated 11-1. We got into gear straight away and never let up, looking to set ourselves up for the next game against top seeds in the group Wimpole.

Wimpole are all tall and skilled at throws and grabs - they play an aerial game. Last year we drew with them but we’d improved and they were the same – it was a good tight game but I always felt that we had the momentum and we opened a small gap. We held it to win 7-5.

Next up were Jeckyll and Hyde, experienced pickup players from Hyde Park. We started off giving them too much respect, possibly because of a couple of intimidating bandanas. But we realised that they looked a lot better than they played and took control of the game without too much trouble. Not the massacre it should have been – but a comfortable 9-6.

A long lunch break ensued, made longer by the fact that the final 5 minutes of any handball game last longer than the previous 55 minutes – oh those crazy Europeans…..

Now the crossovers – we had to defend our hard-won 7th spot against the team in 10th Trigger Happy. Unfortunately we started off trading against this somewhat humourless team. Fortunately we upped the game to a gear they didn’t have and so didn’t have to get involved in anything. We won 8-4 and they disappeared from the post-game chat faster than you can say "well played!”

Onwards to the quarter-finals against Rebel Chaos, a team of Fire players. This was a tough game and one of the most enjoyable of the day. Both teams played well – but they had no weak links while we just forced the disc a couple of times – or we made the right throw but without the unhesitating aggression that you need to keep top defenders out of the play. That narrow margin was the difference in a tight game that we lost 3-5.

We were down after our first loss but not for long as these were top players and we had shut them out for long periods.

Next up were old rivals Disconduct – they beat us in the quarter-finals last year in a very tight game and we were quietly confident of revenge this year (or I was anyway :-D ) But the time of woe and pain came upon us as their poaching defence clammed up our offence and we could not find the freedom that had been there all day. On offence they played the Iso with a clinical precision and our defence was just too slow, too late, too often. That said, Rich played a stormer and came up with at least one flying layout D to help keep us in touch. But once they got a lead it was always going to be tough to catch them up in a trading game and we didn’t – losing 5-7. Cue the rending of hair and the beating of breasts – losing this game the way we did really, really, really, really sucked.

Worse than that it brought on a rematch with Wimpole for the final qualification spot….. You figure in rematches the psych advantage is with the team that lost the 1st time. Actually it wasn’t psychology – Wimpole had figured out a better way to play us and used their height advantage and precision throwing more, while we were still a bit under-confident from suddenly feeling mortal. It was a close game but they were more consistent than us and we lost 6-7.

Now the day came down to what we’d spent the whole day trying to avoid – a playoff for the qualification slot against the best team Clissold Park could put out. They are all well-organised and familiar and generally good and they really do care so, so much. The game was tense and we traded at first – but there was a sense that, after 2 not-good games, we had got to the “fuck it let’s just give to them” point of pissed-offedness. So, after a pause while one of their tall players debated himself into and then out of something vaguely connected with Rich, we finally got ahead of them and got defensive pressure to match. We also had the sideline stacked with the other half of Brixton all calling and shouting for us and boy did does that lift you in a tense and tight game!! A one-point lead became two, and then three…. and with not long to go we were gonna make it and all the effort and emotion of eight long games came to a head…. Ohmygod did we deserve THIS!! YES WE DID!!! 8-4 winners and a place at Nationals :-D

It was a great day for us and all the club. The whole A team really played well together – it was fun and it was good – we learnt a lot and I think built a lot of faith in each other and a sense we can go a lot further.

It was great having 2 squads there, getting cheered and watching the other team hold their own against some top teams and finally record a couple of well-deserved wins against decent club teams.

We’ve got a lot ahead of us this season, fun tournies, mixed competition, chilly winter league and 3 sets of Nationals in Feb. We’ve got a really nice and positive group of players with strength in depth, good training, great local area, lots more people knocking on our door, and hopefully the next team leaders emerging to take all this forward :-D Ulti is great….

Brixton A 11 - 1 Choke Hazard

Brixton A 7 - 5 Wimpole

Brixton A 9 - 6 Jeckyll and Hyde

Brixton A 8 - 4 Trigger Happy

Brixton A 3 - 5 Rebel Chaos

Brixton A 5 - 7 Disconduct 1

Brixton A 6 - 7 Wimpole

Brixton A 8 - 4 Curve 1

Final position 8th out of 32

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