Pranksters bring flair to campus sports scene

Author: Jake Cohen

Whether it is the leopard-print skirts on the men or the eccentric sequined blouses on the women, members of the Ultimate Frisbee team are renowned for their quirks, kinks and unabashed pride. This year at the karaoke contest, four members of the Ultimate Frisbee team took second place with their rendition of "Total Eclipse of the Heart," as sung in Old School. But the Middlebury Pranksters, so affectionately named, are more than a bold crew of friends - they are a successful athletic team. Over spring break, they won two large tournaments and sported an impressive 14-2 record. As many Pranksters would agree, the athletic success of the team is rooted in its strong sense of camaraderie and team spirit.

Ultimate Frisbee is a unique sport and takes a rare breed to fully appreciate. A teenager named Joel Silver, then a junior at Colombia High School in Maplewood, N.J., invented Ultimate Frisbee in 1968. Since then, Ultimate Frisbee has been introduced to the 2001 World Games in Japan and the Ultimate Players Association has expanded its membership to over 100,000 worldwide.

Middlebury, too, has found success in Ultimate Frisbee, both on and off the field. Captain Will "Hippie, Jesus, Moneybags, Erasmus" Bates '06 explains that the team "though not always the right fit for everyone, has developed a unique tradition that combines quality and passionate athletic competition with relaxed and good-natured fun." Practices are run efficiently, but eccentrically. Games are played intensely, but aren't taken too seriously. As a result, a gamut of students comes out to participate and eventually compose the Middlebury Pranksters.

This year looked to be a rebuilding year for the Ultimate squad. Many valuable seniors were lost to graduation leaving the team without some crucial scorers. Men's captains Bates and Elliott Turley '06 noted that the losses "made this year feel less hopeful as far as winning games goes." But they were quick to point out that they "undoubtedly always know how to enjoy plastic discs flying through the air and heckling friends from sidelines," yet another example of the unique mesh between competition and camaraderie.

Surprisingly enough, however, the team has found remarkable success. Over spring break, the Pranksters upset a number of quality teams in the College Southerns tournament. Though they did not clinch this tournament victory, they took the following competition with authority. Middlebury went undefeated in the victorious tournament and beat its number-one rival, Northwestern, 13-3 in the finals. This momentum may be the impetus needed for triumph in the upcoming Yale Cup this weekend and subsequent Sectional and Regional brackets.

But the true glory of the Ultimate Frisbee team is not as much about the athletic success as it is the friendships and relationships developed within the team and with other squads. As do many other Middlebury students, opposing teams identify the Pranksters with just a quick glance. In fact, the Middlebury team has become somewhat of an icon for regional competition. Schools openly look forward to playing Middlebury for their athletic spirit, honest play and quirky behavior. At the High Tide Tournament, the second tournament won over spring break, several teams stayed for the final day of competition to cheer on the Pranksters and encourage them to victory.

Perhaps the most amazing characteristic of the Middlebury Ultimate Frisbee team is its ability to infect its surroundings with fun, pride and enthusiasm. In Proctor Dining Hall, the rambunctious, brightly-dressed crew forces people to yield at the slightest smirk. Likewise at Frisbee tournaments, teams hope to draw Middlebury as an opponent because they "always offer a solid game, and [they] keep the games fun and honest," said Bates. The Pranksters seem to be the quintessential Ultimate Frisbee team. They embody the principles of fun, hard work and eccentricity. As the men's captains put it, the Frisbee culture has been a remarkable one "of both high competitiveness as well as spirit and respect, and the Pranksters take that to heart."