UVicB次元官网网址檚 competitive ultimate frisbee team is happy to play the victim, but in name only.
The sport is plenty popular with local players but doesnB次元官网网址檛 draw the spectators other top level sports command as many of its bigger tournaments are out of town, says Kevin Underhill, captain of UVictim, the universityB次元官网网址檚 menB次元官网网址檚 club team.
Victoria did host the 2012 men's, women's, and masters nationals, with the finals played at Royal Athletic Park in August. It was met with a great turnout, but it will be years before the nationals return.
ThatB次元官网网址檚 why Underhill and former UVictim player Graeme Barber came up with the plan to showcase the sport with an annual event that pits UVicB次元官网网址檚 collegiate level menB次元官网网址檚 and womenB次元官网网址檚 teams versus the rival UBC Thunderbirds with the newly created Douglas Bowl.
B次元官网网址淲e named it the Douglas Bowl to tie into some historical B.C. flavour,B次元官网网址� Underhill said. B次元官网网址淥bviously (Sir James Douglas) is the namesake for so many natural landmarks in B.C. and we wanted to associate with them.B次元官网网址�
This semester is UnderhillB次元官网网址檚 last with UVictim. The 24-year-old has played for them since the fall of 2008 and is in his final year of history and journalism.
B次元官网网址淏arber and I decided it would be fun to host a showcase event with friends and family. People tell us they want to watch us play but weB次元官网网址檙e usually away.B次元官网网址�
UVictimB次元官网网址檚 respective menB次元官网网址檚 and womenB次元官网网址檚 teams practise up to five days a week and travel to tournaments on the West Coast. The women scored a huge win, finishing first in the Santa Barbara (University of California) Invite in late January. UVictimB次元官网网址檚 men were ninth.
Based on those and other results on the U.S.A. collegiate circuit, both UVictim teams are ranked in the top-30 of North American universities.
The Thunderbirds are also highly ranked, and though UVictim defeated them this year, the latter have yet to qualify out of the North West conference playdowns and into the U.S.A. nationals, which UBC has done a couple of times.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a competitive rivalry, weB次元官网网址檝e got to know UBCB次元官网网址檚 players quite well from playing them over the years and theyB次元官网网址檙e very accommodating to the idea,B次元官网网址� Underhill said.
B次元官网网址淭he plan is to make (the Douglas Bowl) an annual event, with (UBC) hosting it next year.B次元官网网址�
The inaugural Douglas Bowl is this Saturday on UVicB次元官网网址檚 newest field, No. 7, beside the Wallace Field rugby pitch, on the north side of Mackenzie Avenue.
The men play at 1 p.m., followed by the women. Admission is free, or by donation, as the team is fundraising for this yearB次元官网网址檚 regional playdowns.
sports@vicnews.com
