The weekend of Thrill on the Hill has historically received some pretty good Minnesota spring weather. However, this weekend may be a bit different. Rain and high winds are expected, which could make an interesting couple of days. Fortunately, if the grass is a little damp, I think players will be more keen to dive for discs, which is one of the true highlights of any ultimate match.

Most teams will play around six games in two days for Thrill on the Hill. I am sure that this will resulting in some sore bodies come Sunday, but part of the joy of frisbee is the magnitude of games during any given tournament. Thrill on the Hill promises to be an exciting weekend, and I can’t wait to play a full weekend of ultimate in the backyard of beautiful Gustavus.

I certainly couldn’t resist the opportunity to play outside in the snow and the 10 or so of us that played had a great time. The game was full of snowy dives, slides, trips, and laughs.

While the Ultimate was thrilling, I am confident that most students at GAC are ready for a little nice weather. And maybe thats the reason that people are happy to live in Minnesota: the cold winters makes one cherish spring and summer.

This past weekend, I made my way to the Lund Athletic Facility to watch the Gustavus gymnastics team and my friend Christine compete. Let me tell you, they are an impressive bunch. The gymnasts competed in four spectacular events: a floor routine, bars, vault, and beam.

Watching the Gustie gymnasts compete is a very humbling experience for me. This is because every single gymnast is able to manipulate their body in ways that my own body has never dreamed of.

The gymnastics meet drew a sizable crowd. Several audience members even won ‘the best seats in the house’ prize, which meant that those lucky individuals were able to sit in a comfortable couch right next to the action.

The Gustavus Ultimate team participated in two intense days of frisbee competition on Saturday and Sunday. They were faced with the challenge of playing the two best teams in the section, Carleton and the U of M, back to back on Saturday afternoon. These games proved to be very difficult, and The High ended Saturdays play with a record of 1 win and 2 losses. The High returned to the fields on Sunday and played well, but ended up not placing among the top six teams in sectionals. The weather conditions, which included powerful winds and heavy rain, made the weekend tournament an extra challenge. Check out the complete Sectionals results here.

Ultimate is just one of the many club sports that students participate in at Gustavus. Club sports can serve as good alternatives to varsity athletics for many Gusties. Varsity athletics often demand that a student be able to balance their particular sport’s practice requirements and the academic rigor of a student’s classes. While this balancing could certainly be achieved by most Gustavus students, for some Gusties, the idea of participating in a varsity sport and keeping up with classes seems a little overwhelming. Club sports, like Ultimate Frisbee, require less of a time commitment but still keep team members active and competing against other schools.

As a proud member of the Gustavus Ultimate team, I value the opportunity to participate in a club sport. Weather permitting, the Gustavus High holds practice three days a week, and team members are encouraged to exercise on their own during the off days. The practices and conditioning that are a part of frisbee keep me very active, but if I ever have a large amount of homework that requires me to skip practice, that is okay. Frisbee, like other club sports, is very flexible and understanding about ones schedule.

While The High wasn’t able to qualify for the regional tournament, the team is looking forward to hosting its own frisbee tournament on the Gustavus Campus at the end of April. The tournament, titled “Thrill on the Hill” should provide many exciting match ups as a variety of Ultimate teams make their way to St. Peter. Hopefully, The High will be able to finish their 2007 spring season by winning Thrill on the Hill.