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November 7, 2005 Vol. 77,
no. 11F
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| ULTIMATE
GAME: An UgMo player in action. UgMo is
the name of Cal’s Ultimate Frisbee men’s team. “There
are a lot of different reasons why people play Ultimate, but for
me, it’s kind of the way the Frisbee floats,” says
team captain and CEE graduate student Nat Kinsky. “It makes
for very spectacular plays and throws.” (Photo provided
by UgMo)
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“Out
with a bang”
CEE graduate student plans big things for
men’s Ultimate team
CEE graduate student Nat Kinsky (B.S.’05 CEE) has played on the
men’s Ultimate Frisbee team since he was a freshman. He’s
now co-captain of Ugly Monkey, or UgMo for short. With a name like that,
it might seem like the team exists to goof around while tossing a Frisbee.
In fact, UgMo is quite the opposite (and it’s “throwing
a disc,” as any Ultimate player will tell you).
“Our goal is to make it to nationals this year,” says Kinsky.
“Last year, we eliminated second-ranked University of Oregon in
the regional semifinals but lost to the University of Washington 15-12
in the finals. We were ranked 25th in the nation, and it was a rebuilding
year for us. We look better this year. We have eight solid, experienced
guys and five or six really talented new guys.” Engineering graduate
students Stephen Pepe (ME), Ying Wu (NE), and the sibling duo of sophomores
John and Scott McLaughlin also play on the team.
No one is quite sure how UgMo got its name, Kinsky says. Legend has
it that a few years back, players were watching The Simpsons,
and Lisa Simpson lamented, “I’m such an ugmo.” Somehow
the phrase stuck.
As co-captain, Kinsky helps decide who to cut from the A-team (to play
on the B-team, Thugmo) and recently had to make those tough decisions.
He also helps plan and run practices. During the fall, the team concentrates
on building skills and understanding rules. A typical practice might
include throwing the disc to warm up, then 20 minutes of conditioning
and running, stretching, and drills to emphasize certain strategies,
followed by a game.
In the spring, team members kick into high gear, meeting three times
a week for three hours and practicing on the off days on their own time.
Tournaments last all weekend. “After playing Ultimate all weekend,
it’s hard to come back to reality,” Kinsky admits.
To keep up with his engineering coursework, he takes an extra course
during the fall so his spring load is lighter. In the spring, he knuckles
down during the week so he’s ahead before the weekend. “I
just go and get my homework done. I try not to half-ass things.”
In a sport with no real professional level, college Ultimate is the
pinnacle. Kinsky predicts that, because this is the last year of play
for so many seasoned members, UgMo will rise to the occasion. “I
want to go out with a bang,” he says.
UgMo is part of the Cal Sports Club Program. The team participates
in intercollegiate tournaments nationwide and is open to new players.
People of all skill levels are welcome and will receive playing time.
For more information on UgMo, go to www.ugmo.org/.
To learn more about the game of Ultimate, go to www2.upa.org/index.php.
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