East Ultimate
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MEMORANDUM
To: Team
From: Gottlieb & Tina, Coaches
Re: Practice, Games, Etc.
May 24, 2005 - Ma Nash's Boy Is Not High
Wow East. I mean that's all that can really come out of my mouth (pre-verbal I suppose). You guys have throughly rocked my face off for the past two years. When I said that this is the most fun that I have had in my life I meant just that. Playing Ultimate with you guys was a huge part of that, but it's the people themselves that truly makes us a team. Three days before graduation you have 3 Seniors with assorted shades of pink in thier hair. That is team spirit.
This is the tightest bonded group of people that I have ever been involoved in. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of it. Everyone on this team knows that they are loved and needed. Not just on the field. What other sports team eats lunch together EVERYday? What other HS sports team studies together? What other HS sports team has the type of parties we have where everyone has a fantastic time? No one.
This team is full of such great people. Not players PEOPLE.
A story: When I got home on Sunday night I sat down with the biggest grin of ALL time on my face. My mother looked at me and asked almost condesendingly "Are you high?"
All I could do was look at her and laugh. My only verbal response was "No, I just played my last game as a member of East Ultimate, and I'm comfortable with it." And that was the honest truth. I am absolutly fine with the way my Senior season ended. In hindsight, sure I wanted to come back in that Grandview game and go on to be Champs. But I'd take one practice in the most God'awful weather of all-time with you kids than a thousand shots at that trophy (I'll win one with Mama.) The friendships I've made are ones that I wouldn't give up for anything in the world.
Along the way I've made a complete and total ass out of myself, but don't tell Hayley (sorry babe I had to), I've made incredible friendships and learned so much about myself. I pushed myself when I was hurt (repeatedly) becuase I knew that everyone on this team would do the same for me. I hope that everyone who read this email gets the signal loud and clear; you guys are the best thing to happen to me in a long time. I would have tried to say all of this at our circle time yesterday, but i wanted to avoid a long drawn out mushfest and I'm spent.
Love,
(Ma Nash's boy, Underwear-go-outside-the-pants Man, radio #4, your friend)
Matthew Kyle Nash
May 22, 2005 - Tina Is Getting Married Next Week . . . And She Has This To Say
Yo team!
Steven and I had a bike-ride and dinner hang out where I thanked him for being so understanding about the fact that my head has been somewhere else even though we are getting married in two weeks. But mostly we talked about East...
So for those of y'all that don't know him, Steven played at Amherst high school, one of the bastions of HS Ultimate.
He said it was pretty awesome that we were able to stay in the Grandview game and come back even though we were down, and that he felt like part of that was due to our sideline support.
He talked about how cool it was that we rushed the field and how great our psych was in the Broomfield game in particular. Also in reference to the Broomfield game he talked about how well our leaders played, how they got block after block in the endzone, how the whole team played out of our heads to win that game. He thought we played especially well for a second-year team, and observed that the team has made tremendous progress since last year.
I was already proud of y'all, but it was still cool to hear someone else talk about how we represented! We also talked about how invested I am in this team and why that is. It was really good for me to have to articulate it and process through it...its stuff I'm not so good at saying out-loud in the moment! So here it is now...
I want y'all to know that you all remind me of why I play this game, and what the game is about. You all play with joy. You are all on this team cause you love each other, and that is what is important. The wins are all the sweeter and the losses not as bad because of the friendships you have with each other. You aren't scared to be silly, in fact you take pride in it. You like the Darth Vader theme song. Your support is unconditional, and when someone does something good you spontaneously erupt. You practice unpractical things like thumbers and lefty backhands and then prove to me that they can be practical. You force me to question my assumptions and remind me that I still have a lot to learn about this sport. You inspire me to be a better player and teammate, and I hope I can bring a little Krispyness into my own game this season.
Thanks for all this, East! It was an incredible season. The groundwork has been set. Seniors should be proud of their part in this. The program is gonna do nothing but get stronger.
See y'all at the dinner in a few weeks! Steven took a few pictures, I'll try to get them on the website before we leave on Friday.
Peace --Tina
States Info
States are Saturday and Sunday at Colorado Academy. We have the schedule. UPA's tournament page is up.
Tomorrow, we'll meet at 7:30 in the a.m. at East. From there, we're caravaning to CA.
THINGS NOT TO FORGET:
- Sunscreen -- contrary to what Adam thinks, it's supposed to be blazing hot tomorrow and bright sunshine all day. Sunscreen helps to prevent dehydration, a major tactic we'll use to win.
- Water -- the tournament will not provide any. There'll be places to fill up, but we'll have to bring our own containers. And not like practice. Really do it. Also, tonight, when you all get together, make it a water party. Play slo-mo ultimate with cups of water. Focus on hydrating.
- Your uniforms. nuff said.
- Rain gear -- even though sun is predicted, you know those forecasters.
- Your cleats. Jules.
- Discs and cones. Hessler.
- Your 'A' game.
We will have pool play only on Saturday (three rounds, no byes) with an hour lunch break at 1:00. The exhibition game will be at 4:00.
Sunday will start with prequarters for the teams that finished 2 or 3 in their pools (top teams in each pool get byes straight to quarters while bottom teams will play round robin on Sunday). finals are scheduled to start at 3:00 pm sunday.
