By Draven Dabrowski
Sports Writer
The club tossing disks next to Farnham Hall is still flying under the radar, but more students are starting to take notice of the university’s ultimate frisbee team.
The Ultimate Frisbee Club thanks to new leadership from physical education major Zachary Chittenden, a sophomore, and geology major Wyatt Schadt, a senior.
“With the change of leadership, everything has been going great,” exercise and sport science major Will Chiero, a senior, said. “We have been able to get to a lot more games compared to my freshman year.”
When Chiero joined, the club was small and limited mostly to a group of friends. The roster consisted of fewer than a dozen consistent members, and travel opportunities were rare. That has changed dramatically with the arrival of the younger leadership group.
Chittenden, who captained his high-school ultimate team before coming to New Haven, has brought structure and outreach to the university level.
“I started playing in high school and fell in love with the game,” Chittenden said. “Now I play cutter and a lot of defenses here. Taking on the president and captain roles has been a great way to keep that passion going.”
Part of his focus has been recruiting and inclusivity: the club actively participates in Rec the Night and the Involvement Fair, inviting new students to open practices every Monday and Wednesday from 5-7 p.m. behind Jess Dow Field.
“We’re always an open team,” Chittenden said. “If someone reads this and wants to join, they can come to a practice. We welcome everyone — any skill level. You could have never seen a disc before, or you could’ve played in high school like me. It doesn’t matter.”
That welcoming spirit is what drew in environmental and marine science major Emma-Jo Smith, a junior, who now serves as the club’s secretary.
“My roommate’s brother was on the team and convinced me to come to a practice,” Smith said. “But I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I do.”
Although Smith now helps plan fundraisers, schedule events and manage the club, her favorite memories are the bonding moments, not the logistics.
“I remember one practice where we played a bunch of mini games for team building,” Smith said. “A lot of practices focus on technique, but that one was just fun. It reminded me why I wanted to stay.”
The team competes in tournaments like the Lemony Fall and Lemony Spring in Rhode Island, as well as the USA Ultimate College Sectionals, which pit them against Division I opponents. These events have created memorable travel experiences for players.
“Going to Albany two years ago was the most fun experience I’ve had,” Chiero said. “It was the first time we got to go out of state for a tournament, especially overnight. Doing that with this team was just a lot of fun.”
While the club may still be lesser known across campus, its sense of community and dedication are quickly changing from what they once were.
