Ultimate frisbee players from more than 20 colleges will descend upon William & Mary this weekend, from places as far as Dartmouth and as close as the University of Virginia.
Participants spend their own money, such as the cost of driving to Williamsburg, to compete in the Mid-Atlantic Warmup, according to David Jensen, the tournament director.
“We aren’t a scholarship sport,” Jensen said. “Students are doing this because they really love it. They wouldn’t put in all this effort if they didn’t.”
William & Mary’s team has held the Mid-Atlantic Warmup for three years now and Jensen began planning for the competition back in October.
The host team covers the tournament costs, which usually are approximately $4,000-$5,000, according to Jensen. The host must provide emergency medical care, liability insurance and pay to register the fields for the games, according to Jensen.
The majority of the financing to cover the expenses comes from fundraising, the revenue from colleges’ tournament registration, the funding from the school and the players’ membership dues which are $100 each year, according to Jensen.
Even with all the work that goes into hosting the tournament, the event attracts a small audience of fans. Usually, only a couple dozen, Jensen said.
This doesn’t dampen the players’ enthusiasm, though.
“There is always a feeling of a lot of energy and excitement,” Jensen said. “Everyone is trying to keep their energy up and put in a lot of effort to have a great time.”
The two-day tournament will start on Saturday and run through Sunday at the Warhill Sports Complex in Williamsburg.
Last year, the team came close to making nationals, according to the results on the US national governing board of ultimate frisbee website.
And Jensen has high hopes for his team.
“This weekend we are looking to do some damage and make it to the promised land of nationals,” Jensen said.
