It's Like Being in Junior High Again
Dec. 7th, 2006 10:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
livingdebAt the last minute I signed R. and me up for winter league ultimate frisbee. Today was the get-together where we find out what teams we're on and get to know each other at the local fish taco place.
I was one of the first people there. I introduced myself to someone. G. then guessed my last name. I looked down--no, I wasn't wearing a name tag. I asked how he knew. He said he saw all the names.
So, I'm on team 30. I only recognized two other names, and I'm not even sure I'd recognize those guys in person anymore.
I got the packets for R. and me. We get ads this year, because they found lots of businesses to sponsor us which I think means lunch is included on game days. We got a frisbee. And a pen. And a cup. And my personal favorite: gloves. We will also be getting t-shirts. They will all match, except each team will get a different color. Whichever team had the most people show up tonight got dibs on the color of their shirt.
Most of the colors are pretty. There's only one ugly one: burnt orange. The second worst color is white. Not bad, eh?
Gradually more and more people came in. I finally realized they mostly all know each other. No one called out team numbers looking for people, because when they looked at the team lists to find themselves, they could just see which other people on their team they knew and just walk over there.
That's how G. knew my name. He memorized the names of all the people he didn't recognize. All both of us. I confirmed with him that winter league is like summer league, where officially anyone is allowed to play even though they really hope you're going to be good.
R. got there as quickly as he could after work. We had some supper. Then we ran off to dance class.
No one else sat at my table or talked to me; nor did I talk to them. It's like being at a big party where you don't know anyone, and I'm not wild about big parties anyway. It's like being at a bar. I could use a few more social skills.
I started dreading this whole thing. I decided things have changed since I used to play in summer league, and it's been many years now. R. noticed that everyone was young: mid-twenties to mid-thirties. I noticed that people were older--when I used to play, people seemed mostly in their twenties.
Ultimate is catching on more places. People are getting more serious. Maybe I just don't belong on this kind of thing anymore. It's not like anyone would ever throw to me before anyway; I'm not sure how much worse it could get. I suppose looks of disgust. And yelling and stuff. I don't know.
On the way to class I went over some of the rules and strategies with R. This got me all excited again because ultimate is such a fun game. Even if no one is throwing to you, you do always have someone to try to keep up with or to try to escape. And I love the friendly trash talking. And I love trying to block throws, with both my arms and my legs--because my legs can reach so much farther. And I love how ultimate is a perfect game for people of all levels to play together, just so long as people are guarding people of similar abilities and so long as people throw to whoever's open, even if they know the person won't catch the disk. And these guys asked questions to help in creating teams with people of many levels. And many heights.
So maybe it will be fun after all, except for the part where it will be cold and windy. But hey, at least I have gloves now! Well, I already had gloves, but now I have two that match each other. That will be nice.
Note on title: Actually, two of my three junior highs were really good.
I was one of the first people there. I introduced myself to someone. G. then guessed my last name. I looked down--no, I wasn't wearing a name tag. I asked how he knew. He said he saw all the names.
So, I'm on team 30. I only recognized two other names, and I'm not even sure I'd recognize those guys in person anymore.
I got the packets for R. and me. We get ads this year, because they found lots of businesses to sponsor us which I think means lunch is included on game days. We got a frisbee. And a pen. And a cup. And my personal favorite: gloves. We will also be getting t-shirts. They will all match, except each team will get a different color. Whichever team had the most people show up tonight got dibs on the color of their shirt.
Most of the colors are pretty. There's only one ugly one: burnt orange. The second worst color is white. Not bad, eh?
Gradually more and more people came in. I finally realized they mostly all know each other. No one called out team numbers looking for people, because when they looked at the team lists to find themselves, they could just see which other people on their team they knew and just walk over there.
That's how G. knew my name. He memorized the names of all the people he didn't recognize. All both of us. I confirmed with him that winter league is like summer league, where officially anyone is allowed to play even though they really hope you're going to be good.
R. got there as quickly as he could after work. We had some supper. Then we ran off to dance class.
No one else sat at my table or talked to me; nor did I talk to them. It's like being at a big party where you don't know anyone, and I'm not wild about big parties anyway. It's like being at a bar. I could use a few more social skills.
I started dreading this whole thing. I decided things have changed since I used to play in summer league, and it's been many years now. R. noticed that everyone was young: mid-twenties to mid-thirties. I noticed that people were older--when I used to play, people seemed mostly in their twenties.
Ultimate is catching on more places. People are getting more serious. Maybe I just don't belong on this kind of thing anymore. It's not like anyone would ever throw to me before anyway; I'm not sure how much worse it could get. I suppose looks of disgust. And yelling and stuff. I don't know.
On the way to class I went over some of the rules and strategies with R. This got me all excited again because ultimate is such a fun game. Even if no one is throwing to you, you do always have someone to try to keep up with or to try to escape. And I love the friendly trash talking. And I love trying to block throws, with both my arms and my legs--because my legs can reach so much farther. And I love how ultimate is a perfect game for people of all levels to play together, just so long as people are guarding people of similar abilities and so long as people throw to whoever's open, even if they know the person won't catch the disk. And these guys asked questions to help in creating teams with people of many levels. And many heights.
So maybe it will be fun after all, except for the part where it will be cold and windy. But hey, at least I have gloves now! Well, I already had gloves, but now I have two that match each other. That will be nice.
Note on title: Actually, two of my three junior highs were really good.
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no subject
on 2006-12-08 06:49 am (UTC)Cafeterias. Hate 'em.