Reaper Spring

Whether you like it or not, the spring season is quickly approaching.  In 10 weeks we're going to Kansas. By no means is it too early to start eating healthy and getting in better shape. We're going to play some tough competition this season. There are going to be opponents that are going to give us some close games, there may be some opponents that may completely blow us out. In some cases there should be some teams that we should just destroy. The problem is, as a team, we normally don't crush teams because we have the tendency of playing to their level. It's a mental issue that might be exacerbated by having a team composed of many guys that are new to the game.

I haven't been to practices nearly as much as I'd like, grad school really kicked my ass this semester but I'm hoping to be a regular this next semester and make it to all the tournaments. If it was my choice, I would be there at every practice but if I did, I would flunk out of grad school. Take advantage of  being in undergrad, show up to practices and support the team.What made this team great last season is that the core of the team were regulars that worked hard at practices, even when the weather was terrible. You can't let the weather affect your attendance. It hurts us a team, and individually because playing or even just throwing in those tough conditions is what makes you a better player. We're probably not going to have the luxury of playing in nice weather throughout much of the season, it just doesn't happen. In the past we've been a team that usually plays better against opponents when there's high wind and cold weather and it's not due to luck, it's because a lot of the guys have put in their hours playing in shitty conditions when other's wouldn't. It's easy to blow off practice, nobody likes freezing their dick off on the intramural fields. Throughout the 5 years I have played on the team, I noticed that it was normally only several guys would work the hardest when other guys wouldn't. Those several guys made the team great and helped us become who we are now. More guys showing up to practice when it's cold and rainy just makes it even better.

As mentioned earlier, we have some solid rookies that can compete. You're more athletic than past classes. But you're not going to get by with athleticism alone, there's still a lot to be done. Fucking Lebron James could probably have the best sky possible but then have a terrible no spin dump reset a couple seconds later. It's nice seeing people show up to practices in the fieldhouse, I hope the numbers continue to show up when we move back outside. We have some of our best players graduating this year. Improve yourself to help us have a successful season. It probably doesn't mean a natties run, it means winning the games that we're supposed to win and competing with every other team. Reaper history shows that upsets can happen, let's just be on the better end of them though. Keeping working hard, work on your weakness. If you know that your conditioning needs to improve, step up your running. If it's your vertical, try some stairs. You're competing against other guys on your team at practice but the goal is to compete and dominate the other team. Don't let up just because you end up beating the one guy you only ever guard in practice. You're also competing against yourself. When you get beat by another guy, you're going to be your toughest critic. You don't want to end the season with regrets. Practice to your potential and you might not have as many. Whether you like it or not, you're stuck with us for college and maybe life. Reaper is like herpes, just ask James. If that doesn't help, just know that we'll give you less shit if you play well.

-Alex

Thoughts from an old guy...

Well I suppose since my former co-captains have decided to share their infinite knowledge about ultimate and being awesome in general that I could share a few things that I have learned in my old age as well. I’ve had the opportunity to meet some of the new guys in the times I have been down to visit but for the most part I don’t know the current sophomore and freshman class very well. So I guess I’ll talk about how I first got involved with Reaper to sort of introduce myself to you guys and maybe some of the vets will learn a few things about me in the process as well.

            I transferred to Eastern my junior year from IU, Go Hoosiers…we gonna cut down the nets in March. I played ultimate at IU but for the most part I was a B team player or a bench warmer because Indiana had an upperclassman dominated team while I was there…and frankly I didn’t have the talent or dedication to the team to be a contributor to the A team. The team atmosphere at IU was tough at times. Very cliquey, didn’t go out of the way to make the rooks feel welcome, bad upperclassman leadership. It wasn’t ever a team I wanted to go out of my way to be a part of. When I transferred to EIU I had a very different experience. The club was only a year old, but I could tell after a few practices with these guys that not only was there a ton a potential to be a good ultimate team, but these were guys that I could see myself hanging out with outside of practice.

            I’ll talk about how I contributed to Reaper first. In athletics I have always prided myself in two things, being the best teammate I could be, and setting an example for how to work hard. Be the guy that your team needs you to be. When I transferred to Eastern, the team needed two things, one: veteran leadership, and two: GUYS WHO COULD THROW THE DISC. I was a cutter at IU but Reaper needed a handler more than a cutter at the time so I decided that was something I could learn to do for the team. I learned handler motion mostly from watching YouTube videos and having conversations about how to handle from James…who seemed like he was pretty much making it up as he went along at the time

Be a team player. If your team needs you to be a handle, work on your throws and handler resets. If your team needs you to be a cutter, work on your catches and dump throws. If the team needs you to be a defensive presence, work on your mark and playing dick in the pocket defense. For me, in order to be an effective handler I had to improve my conditioning so that I could play as many points as possible. I achieved this by doing conditioning workouts outside of practice, yes you are allowed to work out before/after practice or on your off days. By the end of the year my junior year I could play every point of every game over an entire tournament weekend, and did so on a regular basis…man I miss being in that kind of shape.

            Be a leader on your team. I’m not saying you have to be the team captain, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t still be a leader on and off the field. Show up to practice on time, work hard at practice, work hard outside of practice, support your teammates, be loud on the sidelines, and you can set an example without even opening your mouth in a huddle. Your captains will notice and they will appreciate your actions (it also cant hurt your playing time).

            GET IT DONE IN THE CLASSROOM. I cannot stress this point enough. Ultimate is great. Most of the best memories I have from college were either from ultimate tournaments or occurred while hanging out with people associated with the ultimate team, but for most people after college, ultimate will no longer be a practical top priority. Remember why you guys are in college right now, TO DRINK, wait no, TO GET EDUCATED! For real though guys, set yourselves up to succeed once you are done with school. Currently, I’m in my third year of pharmacy school. So that meant that while I was at EIU I was taking 17 credits of bio and chem classes every term and studying for my PCAT and applying to pharmacy schools while trying to balance all that with being a captain on the ultimate team and more importantly binge drinking. It can be done, but you need to prioritize your time. While I don’t have many opportunities to own people on the ultimate field anymore, I will have the opportunity in a year and a half to start making the real world my bitch with an awesome job with a great salary. Get your degree and think about your future. The real world is a scary place and it’s coming and faster than you think, unfortunately.

            Buy into the brotherhood. Fellas, the guys you currently play with will be some of your closest friends the rest of you life. While the three of us regularly butted heads as captains, Schwenk, Roush and I always made it a point to build community as a team…Mostly by throwing kick ass parties. The best memories you will have from college will be spending time together at tournaments and chilling outside of practice. The most fun I had in undergrad was partying at the Frisbee house every Thursday night my junior year. Mike and I used to make each other puke from playing 28 on a weekly basis, but he’s all washed up now and no longer has any game when it comes to drinking. Point is, hanging out with your boys outside of practice is just as important as the hard work you point in together during the season.

            Enjoy it while you can men. Be the best ultimate player you can be and don’t leave Reaper with any regrets because they will haunt you. Get it done in the classroom, but remember that having fun is important too. Strive to leave the program in a better condition than you when you first joined. The newest class of rooks has some of the best potential I have seen in a long time, but if the upperclassman leadership is not there, the team will not succeed this season or in the future. Remember Reaper nation is bigger than you. You guys represent a rapidly growing group of alumni that have worked hard before you to help build the program to what it is today. BE PROUD to wear Reaper on your chest. You guys are part of a brotherhood. Whether you are a 4-year veteran or a first year rookie, we always have each other’s backs. It’s pretty cool to see how much we’ve grown since it was only a few guys even older than me, throwing the disc around in the quad.

PS: Start preparing yourselves for noogies and getting owned in every way possible at Last Call this Spring…the alumni are ready to hunt, and we hungry…

Steve Karlson #27