The relationship between ultimate frisbee and current USM Ultimate Frisbee President Jack Henry isn’t a long-winded one — he had only played the sport for one year before coming to college — but that didn’t stop him from leading the club. Other older candidates vied for the position, but Henry stood out among the rest.
“I felt I was more passionate and probably their best option for leadership and knowing the game overall,” Henry said.
Henry, a sophomore history education major, is in his first semester as president — a position typically dominated by upperclassmen. In fact, every other school he collaborates with has a senior president. The day-to-day work for Henry can be daunting — collaborating with the Student Government Association to secure funds for fees and lodging, finalizing rosters, scheduling tournaments and managing Excel sheets — but it all pays off once the team hits the field.
Recently, USM won a scrimmage over William Carey University’s Ultimate Frisbee Club, which gave Henry a better idea of the roster. Currently, the season is ramping up for unsanctioned tournament play — games where virtually anyone can show up with at least seven players, and it’s more about helping newer players learn the ropes.
“We’re looking, I would say, a lot better than we were last season in terms of numbers. It is midterms right now, so getting to the field for practices is a little hard for some people,” Henry said. “We try to keep it out of the way of other things, but sometimes school is just the number one priority.”
Practices are held every Monday and Wednesday from 8 to 10 p.m. at Pride Field. They are structured mainly around drills, but Henry makes sure to set aside time for pickup games at the end for everyone to have an opportunity to learn through a simulated game experience. Henry’s aspirations for USM’s Ultimate Frisbee Club are to return it to its former glory and stay competitive with the other schools in Mississippi.
“My goal is to get us up there with these other teams. Because in the early 2000s, we were one of the best ultimate schools,” Henry said. “And then it became, in the 2010s, Ole Miss, and now it’s Mississippi State.”
The beginning of the fall semester has given Henry hope for the long season ahead. He’s found it difficult to keep players who are willing and invested in the team, but he’s seen promise in the new freshmen who are quickly becoming starting-caliber players.
Though some of USM’s other sports clubs get more attention, Henry doesn’t see a gap in competition. He is adamant about securing tournament bids and playing as many other teams as possible to reestablish USM as a powerhouse in ultimate frisbee. One of his biggest points of emphasis as president has been to increase the club’s marketing and attract players with the same mindset that he has.
“I’ve tabled more events than we have in the past, you know, social media has been more present this year. It’s mainly just about finding the right group of people, because I still haven’t found that right group,” Henry said. “Right now, we’re just a bunch of people not in other groups. So, it’s kind of hard to maintain a good stability and level of players.”
Coming up on the horizon, the USM Ultimate Frisbee Club has the Oxford Rebel Rumble tournament at Ole Miss on Oct. 18-19. In November, the team will compete in one of the biggest tournaments in the South, the Cowbell Classic.
For those interested in joining USM’s Ultimate Frisbee Team, email [email protected] for more information on how to get involved.
