Dear Ultimate,

It's been awhile, and after a good, long, needed rest from all things Ultimate, I find myself drifting back into the world that has been, at many times, the most dominant aspect of my adult life. It seems like the lack of Anna's and my presence in Winter League, tournaments, and conversations has been noted, and with rumors of "who's playing/not playing next year," etc., flying around I thought I'd lay out my intentions for the next year.

1. I have been, and do plan on scaling back my Ultimate involvement this year. No more league, or random pick up. I WAS burned out a little bit last year. Maybe not even because there was too much Ultimate in my life, but comparatively.... with my first full year of full-time work, personal stuff... Ultimate took a too large a piece of the Bjorn pie. And OK, I don't plan on getting married again this summer, so I'll probably have time to spare, but that's EXACTLY what I want. But at the same time I see this scaling back as a FOCUSING. Focusing my energy and time so that Club Ultimate can be a place where I can release my pent up energy and excitement about this sport (instead of sometimes having to create it when my body and/or mind are less than willing). God bless those of you who can still play 8 days a week.

2. I do, however, also plan on adhering to a pre-season training regiment, trying out, and making MOE '07. I plan on devoting all that I can to that team for at least another season. Regardless of how early/late the season starts, how extensive the travel/tournament schedule is, and what the make up of the team is come our first tournament, I'm going to do what I can to make sure I fit with this team and that they value my commitment.

3. Lifting - Regionals time is 35 weeks away, I had this week marked on my calender as a key date to buck up training (Jason's program from last year had a 35 week schedule that I'm going to follow loosely). I am dropping some aspects of the lifting that I did last year. The squats, for one, did little for me. Mostly, I know, because I had knee issues, and then ankle issues, and then comfort issues with Olympic lifting in general. The Back and Front squats I'll probably continue, actually, and maybe some weightless Overheads because they felt like they were doing some good for my crooked back and shoulders. Other than that I'm going to implement the Air Alert II pylo. program to generate more leg power. Running - as much as I don't enjoy running, and as much as I've heard that any kind of distance running will hurt your top speeds, sprinting, etc... I think I'm going to try to get back into that this season.... I want to say that this is counter intuitive, but it's my intuition that's got me going in this direction. Counter-productive? I don't think so. I HOPE not. Let's face it, I wasn't about to break any land speed records anyway and I feel the most in shape when I'm distance running a couple times a week. It worked for me in college, and I feel like trying what's worked for me in the past this season. (I don't have to be in any better shape than I was in college, just smarter. And I guess that's a whole 'nother challenge in itself.)

I don't know if I want to get into much else in this post. I do have some thoughts about season length, try-outs, tournaments...

Shoot, I guess I'll write a little more.

I do know that I was at least happy with my playtime last year, although I've realized now that it never really mattered how many points I played as long as my captains (and teammates) made me feel like my skills were needed, and subsequently utilized. Dave and Anna did a great job of this throughout the Series especially. This makes me feel that Moe could possibly take on a few 'projects' during tryouts (increase roster = easier tryouts for team-builders + expanded potential/future of team?).*** I guess my main point is that PT need not be represented by statistical equality, and that this insight will somehow help the tryout process... Anyway, I felt good with my PT last year and could still feel good with less as long as I felt we were using our strengths at all times.
Easier said than done.

Whatever.

Next.

I'm not going to Boston, Poultry and Seattle twice... but I think that's ok. It's great even. I think that a Moe & Friends team would be great at Potlatch, Poultry... Aquatenial and Cooler for that matter... Playing those tournaments full squad vs. not playing/half of us playing them/all of us and our siblings playing them... I can't see it as a sure GOOD THING or BAD THING. Loosing shit points in shit games all weekend... all summer, even if we win the whole tourney, is [part of] what makes us freak out about not having what it takes. And on the other hand winning those same points might just fluff our ego, sending us unprepared into the next battle. That's over-analysis, of course, but I'd be happy to see a heavier, competition-wise, and lighter, # of tourney-wise, shorter moefficial schedule, if such a thing is possible.

What else? Maybe I'll try to save the rest for the meeting(s).
Thanks for reading.
#22

*** After reading a recent email from Dave I realized that cutting the team down to 25 was a good move last year and I don't think there's any good reason to go back on that. To quote myself, "we never needed any more pieces to finish the puzzle, we just needed to know how to put them together."