2014-06-01 EBETSU, JAPAN -- Noriko and I cheered PADDY, our ultimate team. I’m their faculty advisor. Freshmen from nearby colleges competed against each other to show what they learned during their first 2 months on their teams.


Ultimate is a sport played with flying discs. They’re not called Frisbees anymore because that’s a trademark.


There are 7 players on each side. Any number of players may be replaced whenever a score is made. You score when you catch a disc in your opponent’s end zone.


Kids spread out their gear on the grass.


Hokudai’s team is growing. This year 12 male and 12 female freshmen joined.


Ultimate is a friendly sport, and today’s event was super-friendly. Women from different teams decided to mix and play together.


While waiting for their turn to play, teammates practice throws and catches.


Sawako and Yuriko from our 2013 fall Wed3 class.


We had our picture taken with our team in the background. We wore uniforms too.


The girls brought a watermelon to be cracked and eaten at the end of the day.


We watched from a grassy embankment.

2012-07-21 SAPPORO, HOKKAIDO -- What I used to call “frisbees” are correctly called “flying discs” because “frisbee” is a trademark. Many games are played with flying discs. “Ultimate” (formerly “ultimate frisbee”) is one of them. I’ve been the academic advisor of Hokudai’s ultimate team “Paddy” since they formed 3 years ago. Now they’ve grown to have both a men’s and women’s team. Noriko and I watched them practice on a riverbed on a hot summer day.

I recently became a faculty advisor for Hokudai’s ultimate team. “Ultimate” used to be called “ultimate frisbee” but the word “frisbee” was dropped because it is a trademark. I know practically nothing about the sport. They asked me to be their faculty advisor because everybody else had turned them down! No matter, Noriko and I eagerly cheer our team.

The team welcomes new members. New uniforms have just come in! Now’s the time to sign up. Check out the team website at Paddy, named after one of the founding member’s pet dog.

I recently became a faculty advisor for Hokudai’s ultimate team. “Ultimate” used to be called “ultimate frisbee” but the word “frisbee” was dropped because it is a trademark. I know practically nothing about the sport. They asked me to be their faculty advisor because everybody else had turned them down! No matter, Noriko and I eagerly cheer our team.

The team is having its first match on 2010-06-20 Sunday from 11:00 to 17:30. (Various teams meet up at 09:30 for pre-match social practice, and start tournament games at 11:00.) Place is on the Toyohira riverbank, somewhere near Nakajima park.

The team is looking for new members. New uniforms arrive next week! Now’s the time to sign up. Check out their website at: PADDY.