Can Ultimate Frisbee really be emerging as an IHSA sport?
Following the expansion of lacrosse's footprint in both boys and girls athletics, "Ultimate Frisbee" has been announced as an emerging sport by the Illinois High School Association.
According to an IHSA official speaking on condition of anonymity, two months ago a representative from 37 schools statewide - many in DuPage County - that play the lively, athletic sport on a club or intramural basis requested that the IHSA grant ultimate emerging status. In a session of IHSA administrators on Wednesday, that request was granted.
"We are pleased to welcome this pastime under at least a preliminary IHSA banner," the official said. "We will monitor the sport, see if it merits further involvement.
"After all," the official continued, "perhaps our main goal is to enhance the student's academic experience through athletics, and this would be in line with that goal. Plus, it's not rugby or anything."
Ultimate Frisbee - also known as Frisbee football due to similarities between the rules and objectives - is particularly popular as post-training exercise by cross country athletes. Over a two-year period one local summer league expanded from eight teams to 18 representing 300 athletes, many of them high school students.
Along with needing 75 schools statewide for an emerging sport to be considered for full IHSA sanctioning, a challenge for ultimate Frisbee would be to find facilities and field time.
So far it's not been determined whether the "official" ultimate season would run in the spring or fall seasons.
"It doesn't matter to us one way or another," said Waubonsie Valley junior Clint "Whirly" Berg upon hearing the IHSA announcement. "All that matters is we're in."
Happy April Fool's Day!
This, though, is actually happeningA crop of All-Area boys basketball players is participating in a pair of all-star games April 9 at Loyola University. In the Chicago High School Classic, Neuqua Valley's Dwayne Evans and Wheaton Academy's Tim Rusthoven are on the South team that will play a North squad coached by Glenbrook North's Dave Weber. That's at 7:30 p.m.The inaugural Illinois-Cook County Challege features a team coached by Lyons Township's Tom Sloan (formerly of Montini) against a group led by South Elgin's Chaz Taft. The suburbanites include Glenbard North's James Fleming, Neuqua Valley's Rahjan Muhammad and Kareem Amedu, and Glenbard East's Lee Skinner. That game starts at 5 p.m. with dunk and 3-point shooting contests to follow.For ticket information, visit ChicagoHighSchoolClassic.com.Leatherneck NorthWestern Illinois University is holding its annual spring football scrimmage at Naperville North on April 10. Kickoff is 2 p.m. and admission is free.The Leathernecks are chock-full of local talent, 10 who played their high school ball in DuPage County (plus College of DuPage transfer Terriun Crump of Hillcrest). Here's the list: Steve Adams, Downers Grove North; Jason Callahan, Glenbard East; Anthony D'Astice, Addison Trail; Tim Franken, Driscoll; Dwight Harris, Waubonsie Valley.Also: Mike Lamphear, Hinsdale South; Kevin Palermo, Driscoll; Marcus Showalter, Hinsdale South; Alie Walker, Neuqua Valley; Tyler West, Downers Grove South.Catching up with: Amanda RafidiaLake Park senior Amanda Rafidia has been trying to perfect her form in high jump since she was introduced to it in sixth-grade gym class. She's got to be pretty close. In March she leapt 5 feet, 8 inches at an indoor meet at Proviso West; she placed third place with a height of 5-7 at the 2009 Class 3A outdoor state meet. Her parents, Joe and Lucy, were both born in Jerusalem. They met in California and before moving to Bloomingdale lived in Franklin Park where Amanda was born. She lives with three of her four older brothers and a Chihuahua pug named Enzo.Q: You qualified for the Illinois Prep Top Times Indoor Classic but didn't go higher than 5 feet. Not a good meet, eh?A: It was one of my funky times, one of my off days. I'd rather do that there than at the state meet. Q: You run the 200-meter dash and also run a relay, but high jump's your preference. Why high jump?A: I love the rush. I love the feeling of getting up there and jumping, knowing when I jump I'm high up there. It's just a good feeling.Q: What goes through your head when you are up there?A: I'm thinking, "Kick my feet, bend back." Most of the time actually if I'm up in the air and I feel like I'm clearing it, what's in my head is, "I have this jump."Q: What do you like about high school?A: Just being able to go and do track. I'm ready for it to be over. I'm ready for college. I'm counting down the days now till I'm leaving. I'm ready to go.Q: We've heard that before from seniors. You said your first option for college is Illinois State, where you can jump as well as study education. What attracts you to teaching?A: It just gives me a very strong and happy feeling to know that I'm making a change, know that I'm making a difference in (students') lives.Q: What's your favorite television show?A: I don't want to say I don't have time to watch TV, but I go from school to practice to work every day, so by the time I get home I take my shower and go to bed right away.Q: Work?A: My dad owns Pop's Pizza Sports Bar (in Roselle) and I'm a hostess.Q: Tell us an odd ingredient someone has ordered.A: We have actually quite a few combinations with quite a few ingredients to choose from. But I've had some people order some crazy combinations. We've had people order shrimp on pizza with alfredo sauce. We've had some weird ones.Q: You've called high jump training "tedious." How so?A: It's very hard to get your timing down. I have a freshman in our high jump group learning it and she gets so frustrated. She has to keep trying it; it's a matter of not giving up because it's all a matter of form and timing. It just takes time. I've been perfecting it since sixth grade and I'm not quite there yet.