Spring League 2014


Spring League Week Three, 29 May

Brixton Beginners Kick Butt in Balham!


Brixton Angels continued their run of good form last Thursday in the final night of Spring League by winning both their games. At the time of writing the final league table had not yet been updated but Brixton performed exceedingly well; winning four out of six matches, scoring 40 points with a +4 point difference, and finishing a minimum of third our division.

Team roster:

Jon, Guy, Bento, David, Sam, Joe, Jess, Jacqui, Marie


Brixton 7 – 5 SpiderHoG

SpiderHoG are a team that Brixton know very well, and indeed it was good fun to be playing against fellow Angel, Gemma. This particular squad had quite a few inexperienced players, but in spite of this, the arachno-porcine team played very well together and made some great connections to go 4-3 up against us.

Brixton then began to kick into gear with some fantastic flowing frisbee, moving up the pitch with short continuation passes all the way up to the end zone, waiting for the right moment for the scoring point and passing to the dump when necessary – just as we had been focussing on! Couple that textbook play with some outrageous (and often unnecessary) layouts from Joe, add a rescued disc by Jess running in to save the day, and Bento's standard never-gonna-make-it-oh-wait-he's-got-it grabs and we ended up taking the win on the tightest game we've played yet.

SpiderHoG were the last team for us to play in the round robin, and we were third in the table which meant we now played the team who were third in the division above us.


Brixton 7 – 3 Much Ado About Hucking

This Hucking team also had a few players new to the sport, but again they still made us work very hard, right from the start. The first point alone lasted for five minutes and they forced us into several turnovers.

Thankfully, after winning the first point, we were able to really go hard on defence and cut out anything they had. On at least five occasions their handler had to just huck the disc long because all options were being cut out, and the stall count often got above 8.

It was a very well spirited, fun match, and a great way to see out the league. So much so that we played another game with these guys afterwards, 8v8. The pitch was so crowded, the disc got moved around very quickly, and it was so much fun! All came to a glorious end when Nick Bond, who was running the show that day, gave out the competitors' participation prizes of technicolour sweets.


Each week before the games began we spoke about a part of our game for us to concentrate on. In week one we were making sure we didn't rush when we're on the disc and dumping if a throw forward wasn't on. In the second week, we continued the patient and controlled play, but we also focused on timing our cuts to give each other space to run into and collect the disc. This third week, we were building on the above and ensuring our cuts were hard and fast sprints to ensure we lose our markers, as well as sticking close to our marks at all time when on defence. I couldn't be happier as captain to see all these fundamentals of Ultimate come together over just three short weeks and see the improvement both in individual players and the team as a whole. It's been a pleasure to play and watch us all progress together in this competition.

For the new players: you've all shown annoyingly good progression in such a short amount of time. It sickens me to think of how long it took me to be able to throw a side-arm flick, yet you've all picked it up so quickly and have the confidence in your abilities to use it in competitions and that is outrageous! And not only are your throwing techniques improving, but your understanding of the game and off the disc movements are visibly better too, and you should be all be extremely proud of yourselves!

As much as I'd like to take all the credit for training you up so well, we all know that it's the inspirational tuition of Si and Sean, in our training sessions and on our sideline at every game, that has steered us to where we are today. Your voices across the pitch cheering us on and giving us pointers (and keeping the captain in check) were invaluable and we certainly would not have done as well without you there, so big thanks to you guys!

Thanks guys for voting me as your MVP! This is a very proud moment, especially considering the performances that everyone put in.

But more importantly, a big congratulations to Marie, our Most Improved Player of the competition! With each game you showed improvements, in your throwing, your cutting, and especially your decision making. The Marie of Spring League week one game one through a wonky hammer up the pitch to nobody at stall count 5. The Marie of the final game was cutting hard into space, sticking close to her defender at all times, put on big fat unbreakable forces, was patient on the disc and used the dump pass when forward throws weren't on. You should be proudest of all!

Here's what some of you had to say about the competition:


Jess

Last night's spring league memorable moments:

- Playing a friendly game with the last team (can't remember their names) after the league was finished. It was nice that everyone wanted to keep playing and that we bonded with another team.

- Also, I would like to say that Jackie and Marie played amazingly well!

What is your highlight of playing the spring league?

Just playing ultimate with the Brixton team.

Why is it your highlight?

Love hanging out with them.


Guy

“Last night was fun. Jackie has improved so much, she's not afraid to look up field for a gaining or scoring pass and can become a very competent handler in time."

What is your highlight of playing the spring league?

"Coaching Dave from the sideline then he scored"

Why is it your highlight?

"Dave is very new and in this instance I felt like he had an insight to the game that can improve his playing"

"Apart from that I haven't had one highlight that stands out, its the sense of overall comradery that I really enjoyed.”

Joe

“...my personal highlight which was without doubt the n zone lay out catch by Sam after the mack by Jacki if I remember correctly in week 2. Huge point and one for the highlight real for sure. Another moment would be gd social vibes in the pub after, was nice to get to know everyone a little better so massive plus for all new starters! My memory is fairly poor apart from that!”


Well done again, everyone, for playing so well and thank you for making it such an incredible competition! Here's to carrying it on all through the summer!


Jon

More pics from Week 3 here!!

Spring League Tourney Report Week Two, 22 May

Using the word 'Spring' to describe last weeks tourney would be as suitable as describing a bullet to the face as 'fluffy'.

It was raining sideways.

The wind was swirling.

And in the trees that surround the playing fields, woodland creatures of all kinds put on their waterproofs and thought about moving abroad.

Despite this, Brixton was out in force.

Jon, Guy, Bento, Jacqui, Joe, Dave, Marie, Sam and myself were all feeling pretty pumped after lasts weeks matches and were keen to build on

all the improvements we made. I know Bento, Joe, Jacqui and Dave weren't there last week, but they got the vibe.


Brixton 11 - 6 Up The Arts

Note to everyone, if the first thing that happens to you in a match is a lovely but, let's be blunt, overweight guy comes up to you and says 'I'm too

drunk for this', you make sure you win.

And we bloody did! And not just cos of this guy. They had a couple of very competent handlers and were an experienced Uni team.

We traded points at first, Guy sending a lovely side arm huck for Joe to pluck out the air beautifully to open the scoring.

Then we encountered what was to be this weeks major problem- freaking out the second we get near the endzone and throwing something insane.

We must have chucked away (I know I did) at least 4 or 5 certain points in this game alone. They even took a 2 point lead on us.

But we fixed the problem, kept it chilly, and soon we were scoring for fun. Easy passing, beautiful cuts (I'm looking at you, Jacqui)

simple play. Job done.



Few points to mention:

Bento, you beautiful fucking lunatic. With only one and a half shoes, the little piece of portugese lightning we call our own wrapped

up the game by laying out to get the turnover, then ran in to the endzone and laid out BACKWARDS to get the score. That was awesome.

Saying that, if he hadn't tried to score one handed 10 minutes before (regionals ring a bell, anyone?), what became an epicly long

point that nearly killed Joe could have been settled way sooner.

Either way, a very satisfying comeback, a solid victory, a harsh reminder of how much England can suck and a perfect start!



Brixton 8 - 1 Slipped Discs

This game was strange.

Physics and reality seemed to come tumbling down on a couple of occasions. What's even stranger is that this seemed to suit us.

Slipped Discs had two experienced handlers, but other than that a team of complete beginners. It became clear after a few points we should win

this game, and we went on to do so confidently.

We moved the disc around beautifully, keeping possession. We waited and waited and waited and waited and scored. Again and again. 'Textbook'.

The highglights of this match are plentiful.

Joe laying out for both Os and Ds all over the place, epic determination and great to have on the team.

Marie letting her Puerto Riconess spill out (shotgun NEVER marking her).

Sam. Where to start with Sam? Two absolutely amazing catches for the score, and yet I still don't understand how the hell he caught either of

them.

The first was an incredible reaction catch. Panther like. The disc bounced off Jacqui and in the blink of an eye it was caught in

between Sam's knees, who I swear wasnt anywhere near there a second before.

The second catch. Unbelievable. It was impossible. Good thing no one told Sam this though. He leapt a million foot to the air and brought it down one handed. Calm as you please. Cue the sideline going mental. Then laughing. . .

Because standing next to a celebrating Sam was his dazed and confused marker, totally baffled as to what the fuck just happened. . . and with a fresh muddy bootprint on his CHEST.

Yup. No one saw it, no one has any idea how it happened, but somewhere in that catch Sam got one of his boots over 5ft in to the air and planted it on his marker. It was a surreal moment for everyone involved.

And that was that. The first time Brixton has ever won 100% of its matches! Woo.

Overall guys, it was brilliant and we are improving so much every week. Great holding of the disc, great patience, amazing layouts.

It makes ya proud.

Big thanks to Si and Sean for the sideline and support, it helps more than you know.

Much love all,

Milo X

Spring League Week One Report


Spring league sprung last night as the weather sprang a combination of warm temperatures and no wind to create perfect Ultimate conditions.

Taking to the field were Jon (captain), Milo (vice captain), Guy, Sam, Jess, Marie, and Jo. While all of us were Spring League virgins (apart from Guy who popped his cherry last year), Marie and Jo were making their competitive debuts.

We played two matches on the night:

Match 1

Brixton 4 - 10 PAF2

Our first match was against PAF2, a strong team with all experienced, very friendly and well spirited players.

This game taught us a lot about our teams strengths and weaknesses. Mistimed cuts led to congestion of the field and we found it difficult to advance up the pitch, but some great continuation passes eventually lead to winning some hard fought points.

Special mention to Sam for stunning all onlookers with an absolutely huge grab to recover a disc we all thought was lost.

In the end the experience of the opposition shone through and took them to a deserved victory.

The first game with this Brixton team was always going to be tough. We'd never played as a single team before, and this match showed us where we needed to improve. A quick debrief and some inspiring words from Simon put our heads in the right frame of mind and we would play better in the next game.

Match 2

Brixton 3 - 11 MoO

MoO (I still don't know what that stands for) were a very strong team with just one female player, and a very good one at that. They played lots of long and high throws when markers were mismatched, and we struggled to get a turnover out of them.

It was very close at the start, and we went to 2-2 when they put a zone defence on us. We didn't react quickly enough to it, and MoO capitalised.

Despite the disparity in the final score, every single player in the team personally gave a better performance, and as a result we played better as a team.

Each of our three points was delicious:




Firstly, Sam gets a great D close to the end zone, putting us within touching distance of a point. Sam quickly picks up the disc, looks for a scoring pass but recognises that nothing is on and wisely dumps the disc back to Jess. Jon is waiting in the centre of the end zone with his defender marking him face up and not looking at the disc. A quick shimmy to the right and a drop of the shoulder send the MoO player the wrong way, leaving plenty of room for Jon to catch a flat, prefecture weighted sidearm throw from Jess.

Secondly, VC Milo collects the disc from a pull and sees that Jon is poached off his marker at the back of the stack with a free run to the end zone. Milo pulls out an amazing, flat, long huck for Jon to easily collect and score. Route one ultimate, end zone to end zone.

And finally, Milo again the instigator of the point, but also the scorer in a fantastic show of defensive heroism!

Milo put a strong force on a MoO handler right on their end zone line and managed to get a hand to the disc as it was swung across the line. Milo's interception batted the disc away, but it kept its spin and flight. And with his Jedi like reflexes, Milo pounced on the opportunity and leapt across the line, caught the disc in the air, and landed safely inside the end zone. Callahan!! Celebrations all round! But the celebrations were cut short as their captain disputed the point claiming Milo landed outside the end zone. After some discussion MoO finally conceded the point, and Brixton continued the celebrations! CALLAHAAAAAN!

VC Milo still excited after Callahan

No one can deny that this was a worthy win for MoO, but the improvement in Brixton shown in this game was dramatic, and the scoreline does not reflect how well we played.

Special mention to Jo and Marie on making their Brixton debuts. Good cuts, simple passes, recycling the disc. Lovely stuff!

Guy- awesome as always buddy.

Another special mention for Sam:

Sam is the 'Elephant Game' champion, absolutely amazing the opposition in the post match game. He puts it down to his years of dance training.

A big thanks to to Sean and Simon for being a fantastic sideline, nice and vocal, and for great advice between games. Inspiring as always!

Roll on week two!

P.s FRisbEE chips