It started out as just a casual thing. Yet Ultimate Frisbee has always had loftier ambitions. Those aspirations are simply different from other sports. In the Roaring Fork Valley, Elk Mountain Ultimate has weaved its own story into the broader thread of the counterculture sport played by millions worldwide.
Ultimate Frisbee evolved in the mid-1960s at Amherst College in Massachusetts, before high school students in New Jersey expanded and documented its rules in 1968. This new sport centered around the 1930s-invented toy disk rapidly expanded through the 1970s among teens and university students. A key part of the appeal was its self-regulation and emphasis on community and joy compared to more established sports. In the philosophy of Ultimate, accountability, honesty and advocating for teammates and everyone on the field is key to maximizing the playing experience. What is now known as the Spirit of the Game is fully embodied in the Elk Mountain league.
Regular summertime Ultimate has been in the Roaring Fork Valley for nearly two decades. It took a “powerhouse of a woman,” Liz Chapman, and her partner, Michael “Chappy” Chapman, moving to the Valley from Fayetteville, Arkansas, to turn it into something more.
Back in Arkansas, the pair had been a part of the Fayetteville Disk Association, where Liz organized up to 800 people when hosting tournaments. She shared, “I was drawn to the sport not only because it is a physical challenge, but it also challenges your mental discipline to be mindful of your impact and fairly negotiate disputes.”
Photo by Will Sardinsky
Chappy and Liz met Jennifer Dolecki-Smith, who was organizing the casual pick-up play in Aspen. When Liz realized how many sporadic participants had played competitive Ultimate in college, she said, “I figured people would be more likely to regularly show up if we had a league,” so she started one in 2009. Shawn Gerum was one of the friends that Liz and Chappy persuaded to join.
During their first official season, Gerum said, “we had about 30 folks playing with us after work at 6pm.” By August, they had over 40 people on the rosters for the weekly four-team, double game Tuesday nights. They kept that structure for at least five years. Given the avid recreation-oriented community in the Valley, however, Gerum explained they quickly found their “weekly attendance was often in competition with hiking, climbing, river sports, biking, fishing… you name it!”
“It was challenging to run a team versus team format,” Liz explained. “Some weeks the teams were wildly mismatched — a team of seven versus a team of 14, for example — and that was not fun.” That led them to adjust the structure to accommodate varying schedules and attendance. Games were also moved to Monday nights to eliminate competition with Tuesday Cruise Days. The league mixed teams based on attendees each week for at least one full standard seven-on-seven game.
Gerum elaborated, “We created a system to keep track of individual win-loss records, and we started assigning points to individuals for their performance … but also “spirit” points for folks who helped set up the fields, brought snacks and refreshments for the evening or were particularly funny, excited or positive that night.” While a player can earn a point for each game win, points are also given for attendance, bringing friends, providing refreshments, set up, preparation and more.
The point system maintained competitiveness while providing opportunities for newer Ultimate players to be involved. Being a considerate and inclusive community member is prioritized over winning. A decade into this incentivized pick-up structure, Elk Mountain Ultimate define themselves as a “learner league,” said Gerum. “We provide awards and little prizes at the end of the season … it is in line with our goals of welcoming new players, coaching them how to play, and helping existing players get better too.
Sopris Sun photographer Will Sardinsky joined the league in 2013. He was 18 at the time. That timing meant he joined during the last few years of set team game structures and witnessed the transition to the randomized team and points structure. “I didn’t have any skills yet. Liz and Chappy took me in and let me run all night,” Sardinsky laughed. He and Gerum now co-lead the league.
“About 20 people show up each Monday,” Gerum said. “The faces change each week, but there are dedicated regulars. Many of the folks who were the core group in the beginning are still in the Valley.” He considers it a testament to the Spirit of the Game and of Elk Mountain Ultimate specifically that those original players and current league members are highly involved in the community — teachers, city employees, nonprofit admins and business owners are alumni or active players.
The league has always been co-ed, both Sardinsky and Gerum highlighted. “We really try to be welcoming and inclusive,” Gerum said. He explained that the rules and non-contact, safety-oriented principles of the sport help make sure folks of all genders and ages feel welcome and safe on the field. “I find it creates an environment of civility within which people can be as athletically amazing as they want to be. It’s so fun, and amazing to see in action.”
Sardinsky added that they carry the practice of community beyond on-paper rules and self-refereeing accountability. “At the end of our games, we play a spirit game. It’s something fun and silly where people are jumping into each other’s arms or playing rock paper scissors or crawling around on the ground with eyes closed.”
That conviviality is something Sardinsky is proud that Elk Mountain Ultimate does especially well. “I burnt out playing Ultimate in college; it felt like competing in a varsity sport without the resources. Our league here balances things, and I love that.” The equilibrium between a high level of play and silliness makes the game and the league sustainable. “We play with a structure, but we don’t play with ego,” he said. “It has kept Frisbee a huge part of my life.”
Gerum reckoned “the mission has always been to provide a fun and spirited place to play Ultimate.” The league has hosted players from all over the U.S. and the world. Many league members have traveled to international and regional tournaments. While Gerum and Sardinsky hope to grow the league, it keeps coming back to joy and intention. Both current leaders and the Chapmans cite Ultimate as having introduced them to some of their closest friends.
Elk Mountain Ultimate continues to meet every Monday at 6pm at Crown Mountain Park in El Jebel, from May to September. All are welcome, whether you’ve competed at the pro level or have never touched a Frisbee.