New Alpine team races onto the scene

My experience with St. Louis Park Ultimate Frisbee began this year. I had played other sports as a freshman and sophomore, but this year I decided to try something new. The first thing I noticed was how welcoming the community is. Everyone encourages new players in a way different to any other sport I have played.

Frisbee can be as intense as the player makes it, be it through the fall or spring league. The spring league is much more competitive, whereas the fall league doesn’t split up into multiple teams and only has games on Saturdays. Commitment to the fall league is encouraged but not required, so it is very easy to try the sport without having to fully commit right away. This makes it easy for new players to get involved with the team and see if they like Ultimate before making a full commitment.

Ultimate, despite having its many benefits, has a very notable downside: it is limited to only the fall and spring seasons. A large problem that arises is what athletes can do once the season is over. In most sports, this problem is left up to the individual players to solve. During the offseason, it is a must for many to figure out a way to keep playing or training for their sports. Continuing to be active and improve

WHAT’S during the offseason

THE POINT? gives any athlete a huge advantage. The

Frisbee takes it problem is, winter activities for a summer or spring sport are indoors for especially hard to find the winter as you need to find a large enough space inside, away from the cold.

Fortunately for Park Frisbee players, a Park Ultimate team parent, Jim Shope, created a solution. Shope, a notable member of the Ultimate community and coach of the Park middle school team, sponsors “Friday Frisbee” weekly in the indoor dome at Champions Hall in Chanhassen. Students and others (of a wide range of ages) can show up to play in the turf-covered dome each Friday.

While the games are kept competitive, there are multiple levels of play for new and experienced players alike. Many bring or borrow Frisbees and take several minutes at the beginning to warm up. Then, at some point, players get into teams and begin scrimmaging. The scrimmaging is split up into two games, one more competitive than the other, but generally anyone is free to try playing in either. If someone is struggling, there is always someone to give tips, without judgement, of course.

Not only is “Friday Frisbee” a convenient opportunity for players to keep playing over the winter, but it’s also a fun activity to socialize and exercise on a Friday night. Anyone can come with friends, or just come and meet new people. There is always a carpool available for those without a ride. Shope requires a safety waiver from all participants before they can play and requests $10 each Friday from everyone who shows up and participates to help cover the cost of rental. In my experience playing “Friday Frisbee,” I have both grown as a player and forged many friendships throwing discs in the dome.

Photo by: Mya Stanberry

Dahlia Herman

Park has many winter sports but downhill skiing, also known as Alpine skiing, was not previously on the list. This winter, Park is partnering with Eden Prairie highschool to bring in a new Alpine ski team.

According to athletic director Andrew Ewald, the start of the new sport was entirely student and parentinitiated.

“There were families and students that were extremely interested and passionate about (Alpine skiing),” Ewald said. “They made the decision that they would financially take all responsibility for us to have an Alpine team, because we didn’t have the budget capacity to add it ourselves.”

According to sophomore Louisa Augustine, many students are excited to turn a hobby into a school sport while meeting other people with similar interests. Augustine said this is exactly what she is doing.

“I have been skiing my whole life and was hoping that my high school had a ski team,” Augustine said.

Ewald said partnering with another school isn’t a new concept at Park, but is still quite unusual.

“(Eden Prairie) is basically going to run the program with their coaches coaching our kids, but it’s not a co-op,” Ewald said. “It’s Park kids skiing for Saint Louis Park, but they’re practicing, being taught and coached by Eden Prairie.”

Sophomore Adam Rosvald said he encourages all prospective skiers to join.

“It’s a lot of fun, you get to meet a lot of new people, improve your skiing abilities, make new friends and be able to bond on a really fun sport outside, on the mountain or hill,” Rosvald said.

By adding a new team to Park, Ewald said this can have a big impact and change school athletics.

“Adding a new ski team will not only give Park students another afterschool vent but also affect Parks athletics,” Ewald said.

Ewald said the addition of a new team will ideally bring new students to athletic programs.

“Hopefully some kids that aren’t involved in any of our other sports get involved,” Ewald said. “Or if it’s a kid who’s already doing sports, it’s just another outlet for them.”

Hit the slopes Park skier glides downhill through gates 7 p.m. Nov. 28. Park is able to join with Eden Prairie for Alpine skiing.

Infographic by Maren Wilsey Source Google Maps

5: Afton Alps

4: Buck Hill

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3: Hyland Hills Ski Area

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2: Como Park Ski Center

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